I am so sad to hear about the passing of Carol Egan. My deepest condolences to her children, her grandchildren, and to the many others whose lives she affected.
My strongest memory of Carol Egan is from early 2018. A bunch of us arrived in Oaxaca in early January including Evan and Vicki Solot, Suzanne Kinney, Ellen Benson, Caroline Fellman, Susan Andrews and Carol. All of us had participated in at least one art workshop in upstate New York with the Oiseaux sisters, (Caroline and Susan). We all had been coming down to Oaxaca for some years.
In Houston while waiting for the plane to Oaxaca, I did notice that my legs felt a little weak, but ignored this sensation. I favored hosting a gathering of “Hi, How are you? What’s New” at the Casa Del Arbol pension. At some point, Lolita, the manager of the Casa del Arbol pension, brought in a walker that she happened to have at home. I used it at the gathering. I guess someone commented on my walking, and I stated that tomorrow I was going to see the famous Dr. Z. A lot of English speaking tourists would visit Doctor Z prior to going to the more appropriate physician. Situation resolved.
The next day, Ellen, Carol and Suzanne and maybe Caroline (?) showed up at the Casa del Arbol all decked out in Oaxacan finery, and stated that they were going to Dr. Z’s office, with me. We walked a block or so to his office. I had to laugh at the sight of all of us going into his office. Dr. Z referred me to a neurologist whose office was in the Hospital Reforma about two and half blocks away.
All of us went into the Neurologist’s office, and I explained to the doctor that I might possibly have another episode of Guillaime Barre Syndrome. I had had it once before in 2009.
The neurologist checked me and said that I still had some reflexes in my legs. He advised me that we should wait and see what happens. He gave me his number and said if things got worse, to call him, and he could get me admitted to the Hospital Reforma.
At some point Carol stated that I should come over to Casa Colonial, another pension where Ellen, Suzanne and she were staying, and stay the night with her, just in case. She had an extra bed in her room. (There was no over night staff at my pension.)
I thought her offer was very generous but unnecessary, and for sure, an imposition. But Carol persisted. She was very persuasive, and I decided it was easier to say yes rather than no to Carol. I finally agreed to go to Casa Colonial and stay with her. It was a night to remember. Another guest was ill with kidney problems, and other guests were trying to help him. I believe he went to the Emergency Room for treatment. I was getting up every hour or so to go to the bathroom. I wore one of Carol’s Oaxacan skirts for ease in going to the bathroom. I don’t think Carol got much sleep that night. Finally, I realized that my legs were much weaker, so I called the neurologist at 2:00 am in the morning, and asked him to admit me to the hospital. Carol and the staff at Casa Colonial got me into a taxi and the staff at the Hospital Reforma whisked me into one of their ten hospital rooms. I eventually was treated there for Guillaime Barre and then medivacced home about a week later.
This January, I had lunch with Carol twice. You have lunch with friends, and friends of friends a lot in Oaxaca. At Los Danzantes, I met up with her, Norma Schaefer, and Judy Wise. Carol and I talked about my last short trip to Oaxaca in 2018. I remembered her generosity so well and thanked her again for taking me over to Casa Colonial. It had been the best idea. She told me she remembered that night well. She said she could tell by looking at my face, that I was not feeling well, and needed some help. She said she had seen that same look on the face of her kids when they were sick, or out of sorts. Me, have a scared look on my face? Impossible! Well maybe not. I think she applied this attitude to many people in her life, first of all, to her children, and also to her involvement to the fentanyl epidemic in the United States. Thank you once again, Carol, for being such a good friend and human being. We miss you dearly.
Kathie McCleskey
Share with others
