Trot trot to Boston
I’m still at home but on the mend. My shingles and the sinus infection have run their course and I’m scheduled to arrive at the hospital in Boston Thursday, April 3. The actual transplant, when I receive my brother’s stem cells, will be next Wednesday, April 9.
Ten days earlier, as our Easter dinners were settling in, some of Chloe’s friends were plotting their “senior prank” to be carried out around midnight that night. We awoke on Monday to the early morning news that the “prank” that Chloe and nine other seniors (all boys) had carried out in the middle of the night March 23/24 had resulted in the high school being closed on Monday the 24th. Before the shocked seniors had a chance to throw on some clothes and get to the school to fess up, the school administrators had called the police from three towns, as well as the media, and generally created an atmosphere of hysteria.
The “Cape Elizabeth 10” had taken down many of the suspended ceiling panels in the library of the school (thinking they would be putting them back up the next day), moved a few desks from classrooms into the hallway, and then a couple of independent movers wrote & drew stupid – but erasable – images on a couple of white boards, and spread peanut butter on door handles in several classrooms. To the administrators – superintendent & principal – it appeared to be vandalism and they acted on that impression before the students arrived. Once they all confessed, all ten were immediately given a ten day suspension from school. Unfortunately, the media loves it when something goes haywire with “those rich kids” from Cape Elizabeth…and the general population (even here in CE) is easily swayed by the media’s message.
Chloe was among the first four students to arrive. The police immediately asked her about their mid-night activities and for a list of the remaining students. Let us be clear that we do not condone the “prank,” but we are proud of Chloe for turning herself in, but refusing to rat out her friends – offering instead to call them herself and urge them to come forward.
Over the course of one and a half weeks, the hysteria seems to have calmed down, and support for the “CE 10” is growing. Rumors of possible expulsion and criminal charges, among other punishments, woke lots of people up to the extremity of the situation. Letters, emails and calls of support for “the punishment must match the crime” have been mounting. All ten students have been doing “community service” work – picking up trash along the CE roads. Individual student hearings before the School Board have begun.
Life with Chloe can never be all dark. The current bright side is that she has been admitted to both of her favorite art schools – Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA), and Ringling School of Art and Design (Sarasota, FL). To make it even sweeter, SCAD offered her an annual merit scholarship. We’ll have to see what Ringling can counter with.
On March 29 Moriah turned 13. Her friends captured her for the entire day and night on her birthday, so we stretched the celebration to Sunday when we lit candles, ate cake, and shared our birthday offerings with our new “teenager.”
It’s April Fool’s Day. No jokes from me. Just a sincere hope that the next time I write it will be from a hospital bed in Boston. (I wish it were a joke.)
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Life is never dull for you folks. Blessings to you and may the operation take place and go smoothly and successfully. Happy Birthday to Moriah! Congratulations to Chloe on the college acceptances.
Hi Lina,
Please remind Chloe that we hold her to a high standard. All future pranks must display artistic merit equal to or greater than any and all shock value.
And I second Joan’s wishes for a smooth, swift, successful transplant, a speedy recovery and a long lovely summer for the Craig/Lina/Chloe/Moriah/Jackson (and the fish whose name I’ve forgotten) family.
Our thoughts, hopes, love are with you.
i was picturing the desks on the ceiling and the ceiling tiles on the floor and everything else upside down, too.
wishing you strength and courage, lina, in this next phase. wonderful to know that chloe has been accepted at two places that would make her happy.
a big hug,
natasha
Dear Lina,
we are closely following from the other side of the ocean here in Germany the activities and the situation in your house. The tell the bees website is really great! Good to know continouusly what happens with you and your family. Though the sickness is dominating your life, you life seem still be very rich of substance. Chloes spectacular prank with 9 other boys, but mostly her success in arts, her admittance into her favorit art school, all that is probably supporting you at least a little bit in coming through the next stem cell tranplant in Boston?
It is much easier to imagine, what all is happening there by knowing your house, your family and – last not least – Jackson, about whom still Simon is talking now and then.
Lina, all our best thoughts for your trip to Boston tomorrow, as soon as you are back, we will call you, to make shure, that you are hopefully still the good old Lina in much better shape continuously improving your health and getting rid of all that, which hinders you in your very creative and warm hearted character.
Best regards to Craig, Moriah, Chloe and Jackson
With much love
Sebastian and Song
You’ve been in my thoughts Lina these past few weeks and I was wondering “what’s up?”, and now I know. Most our lessons we’ve learned have been “the hard way” and it isn’t different with our children. Thankfully they do learn from experience and will take with them interesting stories to tell their kids. When we took on parenting we had to accept that we are not in control, altho we’ll share the credit for all the good stuff that happens! Speaking of which, you must be so proud of Chloe’s artistic accomplishment and feel good that she is about to launch herself into the world of adulthood with a great foundation that you have provided for her. My love and thoughts to you as you proceed with this next step. Your strength and courage inspire me!!! much love, Susan
Hi Lina,
I just found your site and am amazed at your courage. I will pray for you to have continued strength and a good outcome. I also have stage 4 nhl(diffuse large b cell). I was diagnosed Sept 08 and have been in remission since Mar 07. I had a paraspinal tumor so I know what the pain can be like. I have numb chin syndrome also. My site is on caringbridge.com (terryr)if you want to read it. Please know that you are an inspiration to me. May God bless you.
Terry
Dear Lina, we are sad to learn that you have to face another of life’s challenges and it is our hope in Madison, Wisconsin that you beat this ‘devil’ and get back to enjoying the simpler things in life. My son, Bob, worked with you on the Blue Moon farm and I had the pleasure of visiting and working for a week. I have such fond memories of that experience from the endless work to making new friends and enjoying the comraderie. It was wonderful to learn that you started a new life with a new family. The best of luck. The Weinswigs