Which means, first of all, a HUGE THANKS to Michelle for setting this up. Having this as something to do each week was something that really meant a lot to me; I came here to take care of my dad on hospice six weeks ago, just as #CCCWrite was getting started, when the hospice nurse told me my dad had days or maybe a few weeks to live. I thought I would be here two or three weeks, and then I would be home, using #CCCWrite to keep me focused while dealing with the sadness of losing my dad. And he was indeed so sick when I got here, barely able to stay awake, totally ready to die. Hence the hospice prognosis.
But here's what happened instead: it's now six weeks later, my dad is so happy with the people helping him at home, cooking good food for him, watching movies (SO MANY MOVIES) with him... that hospice has now revised its prognosis to weeks or even months. I'm going to stay another two weeks to see if this steady-state carries on, and if it does, I will go home for a while, who knows for how long, until hospice calls me back again.
Of course, the lesson is that all you can say for sure is TODAY, one day at a time. And in all the chaos of having suddenly brought myself here for an uncertain stay, it was so nice having the #CCCWrite prompts to help me to think about what is going on. My first post was about We All Need Help, and I have learned that lesson in a new way, navigating the world of hospice and homecare and HHAs and PCAs and CNAs and RNs and APRNs and on and on and on. A new world to me and, now that I understand better how it works, a world I can navigate on my dad's behalf (he has no real idea who all the people are as they come and go, but he likes them very much).
So, my main goal for the Club was just to keep up in this chaotic time, and I did (almost). And I am glad I did. Because...
... my unexpected outcome is something awesome: I am going to InstructureCon this summer, thanks to the fabulous people at Instructure, and my mission is to work with them on how to create more/better opportunities for people to connect and share, building digital trails at the conference and beyond the conference that can amplify all that InstructureCon energy outwards and onwards. And why did this happen...? It happened because of the discussions I had with people at Instructure after the blog post I wrote about (not) going to conferences as an adjunct.
To me, those are the kind of great "chain reactions" that can happen when you put your thoughts and hopes online, brainstorming out loud about the problems you face, asking for help, and sharing the solutions that you find. And as I get ready to think about this conference adventure during the summer, I will be able to go back and read people's #CCCWrite posts about their conference experiences, and that will give me insights I can use as I plot and plan for the InstructureCon adventure to come.
At that conference, I will finally, after all these years, be meeting Michelle Pacansky-Brock in person, which is very exciting... and in the meantime, I'll be seeing her online, along with other people I've connected with during this experience. My participation in the Club was pretty limited because of "circumstances beyond my control" (in fact, it gave a whole new meaning to "beyond my control"...!), but even with that limited participation, #CCCWrite has propelled me forward towards an incredible new opportunity, and I am very (VERY) grateful to Michelle for being the #CCCWrite catalyst.
Blog on, everybody!!!!!!!!!
And here's a graphic for our journey: I didn't even put this panda on there; someone else did! But I like having the panda, of course. :-)
From Anne of Green Gables: I'm just as ambitious as ever. Only, I've changed the object of my ambitions. I'm going to be a good teacher-- and I'm going to save your eyesight. Besides, I mean to study at home here and take a little college course all by myself. Oh, I've dozens of plans, Marilla. I've been thinking them out for a week. I shall give life here my best, and I believe it will give its best to me in return. When I left Queen's my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don't know what lies around the bend, but I'm going to believe that the best does. It has a fascination of its own, that bend, Marilla. I wonder how the road beyond it goes--what there is of green glory and soft, checkered light and shadows--what new landscapes--what new beauties--what curves and hills and valleys further on.
More Quotes from Children's Literature.
