It's been a beautiful Sunday in NY. Jilly got her first fresh air in four weeks this afternoon. I had arranged to take her downstairs at about lunchtime and asked Ann Liv to bring baby Lovey (is that a great name or what? It's perfectly descriptive of this little sprite). Several other friends showed up as well, and we all stepped out into the Serenity Garden for awhile. It made for a delightful reintroduction to the outside world, and Jilly was even able to admit to being tired as we headed back upstairs. Jilly babysat for Lovey just a week before the accident and is absolutely smitten with her--as we all were today.
Later Paul, who was a witness to the accident and visited earlier, while Jilly was still asleep, stopped by and met her awake for the first time. She pegged his accent as Australian, but it's actually Irish. Paul was the second car stopped at the intersection, so he saw the accident, covered Jilly with a blanket, and talked to her until the EMTs arrived. This makes him another of our heroes. Paul talked a little about what he had seen. I was afraid this might upset Jilly, but this doesn't seem to have happened. She's becoming more aware of the details every day, straightening them out as she goes along. For a few days she thought she had been "attacked," but now talks about being hit by a car.
Last Christmas Jilly gave Raymond and me a gift certificate to a Cuban restaurant that we used to enjoy decades ago in its earlier, much more modest location and incarnation, before the Underground Gourmet made it famous and expensive in the early seventies. The idea was we should use it when we came here in April for Jilly's show at Dance Theater Workshop. Unfortunately we forgot it on that trip--so tonight, with Jeremy and Katie, we enjoyed a wonderful meal there, toasting Jilly and wishing she were there. I don't know what she would have eaten, though: Maybe black beans and plaintains.
And now begins another week. Who knows what it will bring, but we are more hopeful for Jilly's complete recovery every day.
Our best to all,
Ingrid
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
ah fresh air!!! beautiful.
Dear Ingrid and Raymond,
I met you when our girls were at Hollins. I want you to know how very much my heart has been with you and Jillian and all those wonderful friends. When Nancy called me about the accident, I raged and cried for days. It breaks my heart to see harm come to one of our own. And it breaks my heart for you and Raymond to have to go through so much. Most of all, I hate that Jillian has had to endure so much....but I would bet my bottom dollar, she will eventually make some world-changing work out of this experience!
Daily, I look forward for news of Jillian's progress, and I am sooooo pleased to hear about so much so early. It is encouraging!!!
I certainly do not know all of the friends who have been such angels, but I do know some of them. I am really proud of them. I know this has been a life altering event for all of them.
What a team you all are!!!! I am cheering for you way down here in NC.
Blessings to all,
Bess Forshaw
What a lovely note!
Since we've been in New York, we've had a chance to meet and get to know so many of Jillian's friends. They are exciting, stimulating personalities, and I'm proud to know them.
I've been identifying them in clusters, each from a different part of Jilly's life.
There's the Albuquerque Academy cluster: These are the ones I've known the longest, and I think as a result I've leaned on them the most. What fine human beings they've become!
The Hollins/ADF cluster that includes your daughter has also been around since day one, waiting on me to such an extent that I began to believe (or fear) I had become queen of all things. Their career arcs have more in common with Jilly's. I know from Jilly's experience that what they're doing requires creativity and courage.
The other two clusters--Chicago friends and New York friends--are similarly great to be around: Not dancers, but often creative in other fields.
Many of these people have been drawn together by their support of Jilly and us. I predict an explosion of creativity as a result.
There are fun moments, too. Yesterday, your daughter Nancy got to meet an ABQ Academy friend, Rani Waterman. For years, Jilly has been telling the two of them that they have the same hair, so they finally got to see for themselves. In the first week, Jeremy met ADF friend Jesse and learned they had graduated from Pomona College in the same year.
I've so enjoyed getting to know all these wonderful people. And by the way, I have a screenplay in mind.
Thank you for the note, Bess. It gave me an excuse to dedicate a post to Jilly's posse.
Ingrid
I am so glad to hear Jillian is accepting her therapy. Tiana was not very nice to one of her therapists. she kept saying don't they know I have a brain injury, why are the making me get up. She is still very tired. I got her a 2 yr old. pointer so she would walk more. she has put on 30 lbs. she is still in alot of pain. They would't let her have any pain medicine, but she is taking it now. Hopefully if we can get her out of pain she will do more. She has lost parts of her memory. She forgets who people are, but when she sees them she says she starts having pictures in her head of things they did together. Pictures have been great to remind her of events in her life. She has a temper, starting to work on that they say that is very common. Most the time she is very sweet and funny .I am very pleased with Jullians progress she sounds like she is doing great. When they say it takes a year I think they are right I had hoped everything would come back sooner. love wanda
Wanda, I assume you are the friend of Rebecca whose daughter suffered a TBI. Rebecca passed on many of your experiences during Jilly's two weeks in ICU. I guess we are in a dubiously distinctive club together. I really appreciated stories from beyond ICU.
It seems Tiana's healing is proceding, and that you continue to play a major role. I'm sure that has made a great difference, and will continue to do so.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Ingrid
I want to join in thanking you for keeping those of us who cannot visit regularly posted on Jillian's progress. It sounds like she has made great strides. I look forward to seeing for myself as I hope to visit in the next couple of days.
Sending ongoing love and support.
Eve
Post a Comment