~ This fundraiser is to defray the medical bills and rehabilitation costs for occupational therapy, physical therapy and nursing care for Fran, and to supplement the income lost for Meghan as she cares for her mom these next months. ~

Letter from Meghan ....

Dear friends,

A big change is happening in my mother's and my life and we are finding we need some help from our friends and community.

On Wednesday night (May 31st), my vivacious and active 85-year-old mom, Frances, fell in her kitchen while making supper. Her femur bone impacted her hip socket, fracturing both bones. Amazingly, she was able to get to the phone (and even washed up some dishes) to call me. However she was in extremely intense pain. At midnight, her friend Michael came over and it took 40 minutes just to move her from couch to car. We checked into the ER at 2 am. By 3 pm Thursday afternoon she was in surgery and now has a stainless steel rod in her leg. She is healing remarkably well and making good progress on her PT.

For a number of reasons, financial and because we think she will be happier there, we have decided to conduct her rehab at home rather than at a rehab facility. She is racking up $300+/day in co-pays while receiving in-house care. To make the move to home possible, I have decided to be her caregiver as she recovers and returns to her active and independent life (tai chi, walking, and maybe even rowing again!). I will be moving myself into her home in Lincolnville tonight and preparing the space for her new mobility needs. We're unsure how long this arrangement will be needed. It could be a couple of weeks, a few months, or possibly longer.

This will be a huge change for both of us, and a big responsibility for me. I have already been dealing with the uncertainty of the loss of my position as a teaching artist at The Telling Room. I've put many of my other gigs and responsibilities on hold for now (catering, teaching, waitressing) and hope to continue my freelance writing and find some editing work I can do from home. I'm feeling extremely overwhelmed and anxious about this new adventure. The past three days have been a huge emotional roller coaster and stressful. I sometimes find myself unexpectedly crying (so does Mom). And then I pull it together and carry on, calling on angels and grace to carry us through. And yet, I am also filled with deep gratitude for the incredible care of the staff here at Waldo General Hospital in Belfast, the neighbors and friends who've showed up to visit, help, and mow my mom's lawn. The nurses and doctors, CNAs, cafeteria workers, aids, housekeepers, and quite literally everyone we have come in contact with at this hospital has been kind, generous, human, respectful, and many of them are totally in love with my delightful mother Fran. She is a special person, determined to get better, to do her exercises, to eat well, heal, and live a full and healthy life.

As we move forward we are going to need help from our friends and community. I have not found it easy to ask for help and yet, I really can't take on all this alone. I know I have a lot of deeply loving friends, and so does Mom. We recognize that many of you are already shouldering a lot of responsibilities and big changes. Some of you are juggling families, stressful work loads. Some have recently lost loved ones. Some have recently welcomed new born babies into your lives. Some are managing challenging health needs too. Some live very far away or are traveling. We know you may not be able to show up to the extent you might like. We know you're out there sending loving thoughts and prayers our way, and that act of care is a beautiful gift that we feel immensely grateful for.

However, if you do think you have the capacity to help us in more physical ways, here are a few areas we've identified we would like some help in the next few days and weeks:

~ Sign up for this meal train! https://mealtrain.com/16kz4q

~ Donation in any amount

~ A new set of porch stairs & railing. This is not a critical request, but it would be a dream come true if a few folks volunteered to replace the somewhat rotting steps into her house. The physical therapists have not recommended a ramp for her.

General support:

-Calls & text messages of love & care (for both of us!!)

—Eventually visitors!

Other thoughts:

-herbs for stress

-herbs for healing wounds

-herbs for pain

-herbs for blood thinning

-Reiki

-copy editing & editing & freelance writing gig leads for Meghan

Again, if you can't help us in these ways we totally understand. We know we are surrounded by love.

In deep gratitude,

Meghan and Fran

[email protected]

(207) 975-0508