That’s what happened to me on Thursday, November 12 changed how I’ve been spending much of my time over the last few weeks. It seems Jack Meagher, my hale and feisty dad of nearly 86, was in an ambulance on his way to Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick. The next day he had surgery for a ruptured appendix. The Meagher SWAT Ground Team (Michèle, Trip, Kim, Beth and Steve) and Up There Team (my mom) sprang into action. My hat is off to all of you who are only children who deal with the hospitals, the rehabs, the doctors, the banks, the lawyers, etc. when a crisis happens. Jack came through the operation with flying colors. For two weeks, he received incredible care at his local hospital. And now he is receiving incredible rehab at our very own local rehab, Park Avenue Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. For a week, Judy and Gwen saved a bed for Jack as his discharge date became a moving target. He was in Arlington in time for Thanksgiving.
I felt blessed that my dad was healing locally. He would have received excellent care in Boston at one of the teaching hospitals. Yet, he got the same level of care and even more personal attention by being local.
Speaking of local, that’s what First Lights is ALL about.
We hope to see you out and about on Saturday, December 6 from 12:00-6:00pm. Shop Arlington First stores and businesses are kicking off the holiday season.
When you shop locally this season, chances are you’ll see a document like this one below (adapted with permission from the American Booksellers Association’s Indie Bound initiative) in Shop Arlington First businesses:
So I will leave you with this Local First thought: Be local. Think local. Buy local. Every time you spend your dollars in town, you vote to keep Arlington thriving .
