Every time he gets into the car and complains of a headache, I’m pleased. When he’s out of breath after climbing a single flight of stairs, I feel relief. And when he’s too exhausted to drag himself out of bed even after 14 hours of sleep, I think, “Oh, good.” No, I’m not an evil […]
They believed their democracy would stand. And then it fell. On June 29, 1973, army tanks rolled down the wide avenues of Santiago de Chile. It was a Monday morning, just after 9, and the streets and sidewalks of the capital city were full of people on their way to work and school. A rogue […]
Part Two of a Two-Part Series Again, as I said in Part One: I’m not calling any of you dummies. If you need the basic background of the uprising that has spread across Chile for the past ten weeks, read this first. Know that neither of these pieces is an exhaustive look at every single aspect […]
Part One of a Two-Part Series Listen, I’m not calling any of you dummies. In fact, if you’re here, you’re likely pretty informed citizens. But there are a lot of conflicts going on across the globe and they’re not all covered extensively — or accurately — by the traditional media. I happen to have some […]
“It’s now or never.” That’s how 28-year old Santiago resident Josefina Cardenas describes the current opportunity Chileans have to change their country. Cardenas is no stranger to political conflict, having begun protesting at age 14 when she and her high school classmates were involved in several unsuccessful attempts to address the poor quality of state-sponsored […]
This child’s road to kindergarten has been littered with eight-hour surgeries and the side effects of chemotherapy. Days and weeks in the hospital and a list of medical specialists that would make your head spin. More CT scans in two years than the recommended allowance for an entire childhood. Central lines and blood pressure medications […]
I know it sounds cliched and a little bit trite to hear people go on and on about how cancer makes you appreciate every moment, how you learn to live life to the fullest and feel thankful for each small thing. But it’s really, actually, trul true. Everything we do seems to be tinged with […]
My postings will surely be sporadic this week and next as we are in the throes of packing up our house and I can barely make my way through the maze of boxes to reach the computer. We’ve only been here for eight years but, oh my god, do we have a lot of stuff! […]
Last Wednesday, before went to the hospital, Austin had a crying fit over something inconsequential, like what color spoon I gave him for his yogurt or whether his pants legs appropriately covered his boots. A few hours later, he sat in my arms as two nurses inserted an IV line into his hand and barely […]