Lyle, I bookmarked this one last week and meant to come back and say (here I am saying it!) how powerful and beautifully written this one is! Love the non-linear vignette format. ✨
Lyle, I feel fortunate when I get to read your writing, I spend too much time in the past and future, but you help bring me back to the present. You write with generosity and so well with words like: "We’re in a very public place, but we feel all alone in our own world."
Thank you for sharing these moments with us. Your descriptions of your very personal experiences that none of us can truly grasp awoke memories of different kinds of medical issues from my own life. Those awful awful moments when life becomes a surreal mess. A nightmare. And the feeling of wanting to laugh because it’s taken on a new level of absurdity. You describe your experience so clearly that I can see your daughter and everything around her. Beautiful piece.
god damn man this was beautiful. em sounds like such an amazing lil girl. she's so fucking lucky to have you and Allison watching over her. thank you for sharing this stuff with the world. I am simultaneously reminded not to take shit for granted and also to appreciate the infinite ways in which love makes pain which makes more love. love u dude.
Thank you for sharing these experiences. It is so important because it's not a common experience but it is one that is good for people to understand especially if they or their loved ones find themselves in similar situation.
Two of my dearest friends had a baby with NEMO and one night my friend was texting about how Elliot's feeding tube (it was a tube in his nose - think it was for feeding) came out and what a traumatic experience it was to get it back in. I replied with something optimistic and like "well he won't remember it when he's older" type of response. . . her reply indicated that my words weren't helpful ha.
A couple weeks later I was visiting them one day when Elliot's tube came out again - his dad was in a meeting so his mom said to me "you have to hold him down while I get this back in." Elliot was on his back, with both of us in a heavy hover over him, the screams and cries taht erupted from him were gut wrenching and all I could do was keep a firm but loving pressure on him so he would be as steady as possible while she reinserted the tube. . . a few minutes later he was smiles and tears and laughter and warm in my grasp, but holy cow I finally understood the trauma his mom was referring to annd I couldn't believe it was "just something they had to do."
Lyle, I bookmarked this one last week and meant to come back and say (here I am saying it!) how powerful and beautifully written this one is! Love the non-linear vignette format. ✨
Lyle, I feel fortunate when I get to read your writing, I spend too much time in the past and future, but you help bring me back to the present. You write with generosity and so well with words like: "We’re in a very public place, but we feel all alone in our own world."
Very well written Lyle. I remember that day! So many challenges for you, Allison and Em. Love Mom
Thank you for sharing these moments with us. Your descriptions of your very personal experiences that none of us can truly grasp awoke memories of different kinds of medical issues from my own life. Those awful awful moments when life becomes a surreal mess. A nightmare. And the feeling of wanting to laugh because it’s taken on a new level of absurdity. You describe your experience so clearly that I can see your daughter and everything around her. Beautiful piece.
Big smile at the end :) Happy Holidays McKeany family.
god damn man this was beautiful. em sounds like such an amazing lil girl. she's so fucking lucky to have you and Allison watching over her. thank you for sharing this stuff with the world. I am simultaneously reminded not to take shit for granted and also to appreciate the infinite ways in which love makes pain which makes more love. love u dude.
Powerful. Thanks for sharing Lyle.
Thank you for sharing these experiences. It is so important because it's not a common experience but it is one that is good for people to understand especially if they or their loved ones find themselves in similar situation.
Two of my dearest friends had a baby with NEMO and one night my friend was texting about how Elliot's feeding tube (it was a tube in his nose - think it was for feeding) came out and what a traumatic experience it was to get it back in. I replied with something optimistic and like "well he won't remember it when he's older" type of response. . . her reply indicated that my words weren't helpful ha.
A couple weeks later I was visiting them one day when Elliot's tube came out again - his dad was in a meeting so his mom said to me "you have to hold him down while I get this back in." Elliot was on his back, with both of us in a heavy hover over him, the screams and cries taht erupted from him were gut wrenching and all I could do was keep a firm but loving pressure on him so he would be as steady as possible while she reinserted the tube. . . a few minutes later he was smiles and tears and laughter and warm in my grasp, but holy cow I finally understood the trauma his mom was referring to annd I couldn't believe it was "just something they had to do."
Power to you and Allison!