The island comes alive and ready to welcome another day. School buses have already hauled kids off the island for their first day back in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. A few cars and trucks putter up the street while a bicyclist heads the other way towards the beach. 

My todo list is now multiple pages, as I return to work today. Editing, marketing, promoting and photographing are all in my future this week. Taking these few moments this morning are some of the most important. Awareness. Thankfulness. Gratitude.

I may or may not get around to the details of the past year. But for now, I have to return to the missing part of my life and get back to writing something every day. Whether I make it public or not, it’s time for me to write again. 

On Thursday, I drove twelve hours from Virginia to Georgia, returning home after a week away. Eight days before, Hurricane Irma set her site on Tybee and we didn’t stick around to wait for her uninvited arrival. We packed up the apartment as best we could. Black plastic bags stuffed and tied with furniture cushions, clothes and anything else we thought we could try to save from floating out to sea. The most important things we packed in our cars to take with us. It’s still pretty amazing to me that we can fit our whole life into two vehicles. Just about everything we need to start over; a bag of clothes, a box of hard drives, computers, cameras, and a mandolin. Clothes to wear and our tools to make a living. Other than our family, what else do we really need? That was our mindset as we locked the door behind us.

Sadness overwhelmed me as I drove over the Lazaretto creek bridge. Imagining that it could be the last time, ever. The thoughts of losing what was in the apartment was not heavy on me, but the thoughts of losing our beloved community and the life we have made here, that was terrifying. I wasn’t ready for this part of our life to be over. Our minds were plagued with these same thoughts less than one year ago when we were vacationing in Costa Rica. Hurricane Matthew was headed straight for our slice of paradise we called home. We were already familiar with our conversation of “what if…?” As much as we didn’t want to, we had to come to terms with answers to that question. 

For the last week, we visited family and friends in Virginia. Laughing, cooking, cleaning, eating, visiting…all while the TV continued to blurt out minute to minute updates as to where this unprecedented monster storm was going to make landfall. Refreshing our phones for Facebook updates and bits of information with hopes to see if our island would be spared…again. 

Over the past year I learned to breathe. Not breathing for survival, but breathing to live. I forced myself to slow down again this past week. Breathe in. Breathe out. Again, but slower. B r e a t h e I n . . . B r e a t h e Ou t . . . I accepted this week as a gift. A gift of time with my family. It was a gift to cook for them. To have meals together. To run errands with my mom. I took time to sleep and to rest. Something my body needs more of to restore and heal. (More on all of that in another post) 

On Monday we watched videos from our phones, as the ocean tides rushed in breaching the dunes of Tybee. Filling the marshes and every little crevice of our island. We cried as we watched our friends’ homes become invaded with several feet of saltwater and mud. Many of these people just recently recovered from damage from last year. 

As horrible as it was to watch, we still let out a sigh of relief, knowing that the water will recede. The sun will eventually come out and dry up the soggy mess. The people of Tybee will draw in closer and band together. They’ll roll up their sleeves, clean up the mess and rebuild. Tybee will recover and heal, because that’s what she does.

Waking up, we planned to take showers and hit the town for as much as we could stuff in a few hours as possible. We’ll… as any seasoned traveler will know, you have to roll with things as they come, because stuff doesn’t always go as planned. We did not plan to have the hot water not work in our hotel room. After calling maintenance and a sweet little gal wearing navy blue work overalls did her maintenance magic, an hour later than scheduled we were on our way. We hiked a few blocks to the nearest Cafe DuMonde so we could start the day with our sugar fix. Beignets from Cafe DuMonde are a must have treat in New Orleans. They are fried dough squares served three in a serving and are covered in what seems to be, a full cup of confectioners sugar.

We were then soaring high on a sugar buzz and called an uber to get us to the other end of town to attend Catholic mass at a cathedral near our already arranged lunch gathering spot. I am not catholic, but Carolyn is. I enjoy worshipping God in any of his houses. The cathedral was just stunning, it was nice to pause and reflect on the goodness of the Lord and all of his glory, thankful for his grace and mercy that have been extended to me in my life. 

After mass we walked around the corner and wandered into a really cool used bookstore. Anyone that knows me well, knows that I could just submerge myself for hours and hours in a bookstore. That’s when my introvert self is soothed and comforted. I run my fingers across the pages of real paper books, as the scent of paper and ink nurture me inside like home cooked meal. This store immediately reminded Kyleigh and myself of the book store we stumbled into in Key West last year. I purchased an antique post card of New Orleans as my token souvenir. I’ll use it as a bookmark.

We had plans for brunch at 12:30 so we walked a few doors down to the Live Oak Cafe to meet our friend Kenny Murphy who moved to NOLA from Savannah about eighteen months ago. The bustling cafe was filled with chatter and clinking of silverware and dishes. We were seated right next to the band. Lively music and kept the spirits high as we placed our drink orders and soon Kenny arrived. It was so nice to see him happy, a smile that is genuine and looks as if he is where he belongs playing jazz music in the town where it all began. It takes a lot to pursue your dreams of making art, or music. Not an easy task. I fully applaud those who step up to make it happen. Kenny is an artist who I knows what it means to put in the hours of dedication and hard work to fulfill a dream.

After brunch Kenny took us to see our friend Anna Lee who also used to live on Tybee Island. Anna Lee works at a really cool place called the Bayou Wine and Beer Garden. This place is huge! We ubered over there and walked from the front of the bar all the way through to the back side where we saw that familiar smile that will light up a room. Anna Lee was hosted us with style and grace as we sipped wine and snacked on a Charcuterie. Another friend, Rose aka Mary Margarita (who also just moved to NOLA) showed up in her In for a Penny T-shirt, although she took the liberty to re-design it during one of her drunken craft nights. See photos.

I’d love to return to New Orleans for a longer trip. There is just so much to see and do. It was hard to fit it all in the 20 hours we were here!

We wrapped up the day and hit the road by 6:00 so that we could be in Baton Rouge in time for dinner. 

Shimmering sun sprinkled gold glitter over the sea, piercing blue skies and white cotton candy clouds suspended to the east and west as our caravan of three cars crossed the Lazaretto bridge. We had no idea what was in store for us on this little clump of sand. Questions filled our our heads… Would we only live here for three months as our temporary winter rental suggested? Or would we find a new life here? Thirsty and hungry to fill a void that ached in both of us for a long time. Years of going through the motions and living out decisions that were based on the way we were “supposed” to live had piled on and eventually took its toll on us. Laughter filled dates nights had been replaced by mounting bills and debt and working 16 hour days to fulfill obligations that we weren’t sure why we were obligated to them.

Two months before, we had already sold everything we owned. The commitment of searching for a new life had already been made. Putting into action, the proverbial saying “Leap and the net will appear” …we had made the leap, we just didn’t know if and when the net would appear.

Within two weeks, it was quickly apparent that Tybee fit like a glove for the whole McNally clan. We soon began searching for long term housing on the island. Our winter rental contract would be up before we’d know it. In the last hour, we found a little apartment, thinking it would ‘make do’ for the first year, but it would at least keep us on Tybee. Convincing our children that we would live like we’re on vacation in the two bedroom, one bath tiny space, as it’s only a seashell’s throw from the ocean. Five years later, we still love our little space and the seascape view it provides. We continue to keep life simple. Owning only the items that we want to use and care for, and not accumulating stuff for storage and dust collecting. Choosing to do only what makes us happy, cutting away stress and anxiety in every area. “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

This weekend is our five year Tybee-versary. We continue celebrate life every day with thankfulness, joy and gratitude that we followed that little voice that led us to this place, this quirky, peculiar little island of misfit toys. For the first time ever, we somehow fit amongst the misfits and have learned many lessons. First of all we have learned what community really is, and how to love each other through many differences, not hurling judgement on those that live or believe a differently from us. When one hurts, everyone hurts. When one is in need, everyone pulls together. Fund raising and benefits are weekly events on Tybee. Raising thousands of dollars to support neighbors and tybee family. “Love the Lord God with all your heart, and all your might and all your strength and love your neighbor as yourself…this is the greatest of commands.” Loving your neighbor is definitely one thing that Tybee gets right. Just last week, over $4,000 was raised in one night at The Sandbar, for our buddy Steve-O, who is recovering from a stroke. The same day another fundraiser was held to support life long tybee resident, Captain Royce whose shrimp boat had sunk during hurricane Matthew. Tybee people jump into action when the needs are plenty.

Last night we walked down Tybrisa (our main street on Tybee) for our annual Christmas tree lighting. Five years ago to the day, we attended the same event on our first night living here, we didn’t know one person. Now, I gaze through the crowd and can call out each one by name. I look in their eyes and know a part of their story. We have all been gathered on this island of love to celebrate each other cherishing these moments we call life. I feel as though our lives have been knitted together with these people into this creating a beautiful blanket of love that has filled the emptiness we ached from five years ago.

But I have good news…my heart rate has been normal for over two weeks, so maybe it’s all behind me.

And more good news…even though I love summertime on Tybee, I am truly happy to slow down and really enjoy winter. I crave my carefree days that are coming in January. Days to stay in my flannel jammies all day sipping hot tea writing blog posts and planning my new year. Purging closets literally and figuratively. Removing unwanted debris from my life.

I welcome those eight weeks in January and February, when I can read books from cover to cover in one day…yes, I long for it. I need the solitude and time to center my life again. It’s like each year I get to know myself a little better and when that happens I become a more in tune wife, mom and friend. I take the time to take inventory of what’s most important, where I’m headed and how I’m going to get there. Time to allow my faith to deepen and my communion with God to be more pure. Throughout the year I strive to take moments each day to continue this practice, but in all honesty it’s really easy to miss the mark. So I receive the slower months as a gift.

It’s the last day of November and from the words in this post, it seems as if I’ve already skipped December.

Maybe I just know how fast December comes and goes so I’m preparing myself for it.

Or

Maybe I’m just setting myself up to start my slowdown ritual in December. The to-do list is getting whittled down. I can make the choice to unwind a little earlier this winter. Why wait till next year to slow down and enjoy a little peace and serenity?

Our Christmas season doesn’t have to be a crazy month of madness. We don’t have to go to every event, every party and participate in every gift exchange. That is, unless you really want to.If that is what brings happiness to you.

We each have the same hours in a day and we have the power to choose how we spend them, December is no different.

Here’s a little example of what I’m talking about. Last week Sean and I had a photoshoot in Washington DC. The session started at noon and we traveled to several monuments around the nation’s Capitol to photograph our long time customers in various settings with their three boys, capturing life as it unfolds. We wrapped up our session around 3:30, just in time to drive home in rush hour or should I say rush “four-hour” traffic. When we relocated to Georgia, traffic is something that we just gave up and refuse to participate in. After a lifetime to living in the DC metro area, it is a part of our past and not our present or future. Once we saw that everything was grid locked and it would be close to three hours to travel 46 miles, we just stopped. We pulled into a strip mall on the side of the road, walked into a restaurant and ordered a lovely meal. We relaxed and recounted moments from the day laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Two hours later after traffic had thinned out, we jumped on 95 and we were home in less than an hour and we were not stressed.

Shopping and gift giving doesn’t have to be pushing our way through crowded malls and waiting in line. Other options are plenty. This year, as I have more often each year, I choose to shop online for few purchases as well as shopping from small local businesses or making gifts from home.

So here’s to the arrival of December. May you pause, and enjoy it.

I have been needing to write an update on my health and heart episodes.

After several appointments with cardiologists, electrophysiologist, endocrinologist and echocardiography technicians, the latest verdict from the medical community is inconclusive. The best they can tell me is my condition is not a thyroid issue, nor is is a heart defect, blockage or abnormality. If I’m not blacking out or fainting (which I haven’t) then it is not a life threatening condition. They don’t know why my heart rate is fluctuating at such great degrees, but I should just go ahead and have surgery to implant a permanent pacemaker in my body to take care of the non-life threatening symptoms.

That answer is just not good enough for me.

At least not at this time and not at my age. I have been monitoring and recording my heart rate, blood pressure and stats since this started and I began to notice a pattern and in triggers to the fluctuations. As I discussed these patterns and my hunches with the electrophysiologist, he pushed my results aside and continued attempting to sell me on the need of a installing pacemaker. As much as I believe in quality health care and am so grateful to the advances in technology and competent compassionate health care professionals, I cannot just accept a swift recommendation without explanation to follow through with surgery.

I have currently chose a path to do my own research and connect the dots of this issue before undergoing surgery. So far, everyday I am getting more answers with hopeful data and gaining successful results everyday.

What I have found from reading through hundreds of websites, medical papers and videos, is there is a nerve called the Vagus nerve that wanders through the upper torso from the neck, down behind and below the heart next to the esophagus and over the stomach. This nerve at times can become compressed or pinched and affect the natural firing of the sinus node (the heart’s natural pacemaker). At times I can be lying flat on my back, or face down or sitting upright and check my heart rate and it will be around 30-36 BPM. When I change positions or posture, immediately I will get a new normal reading of between 60-70 BPM. I also noticed a significant drop in heart rate after eating a meal, a few hours later it would return to normal. I decided to start removing specific ingredients from my diet that would cause excessive fullness and I began to see a direct correlation in the two. Breathing techniques have also contributed to a positive increase in heart rate. At the same time I was discovering the various physical triggers that cause changes in my heart rate, I began to tap into this research online that was giving definition to my results. Resulting in more reasons to not have a permanent pacemaker surgically implanted in my body.

I want to take a moment and thank everyone for all of the encouragement, prayers and thoughts that have poured in since I publicly shared what’s been going on with my heart issues. Many of you sent private messages of your own personal health experiences. This dialog has really helped me to narrow in on the condition and eliminate some of the possibilities. By keeping the conversation going, it has also helped me from carrying worry and stress on my own. It is easy to internalize worry and make problems worse as stress alone will create new symptoms.

As of now, I will continue on this natural path to restore my heart rate to normal… hopefully with permanent results. 

I have been reticent to share something that I’ve been dealing with as I just figured it would go away….but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Even though I have written about some of the ups and downs in my life, I usually write about them after the fact…once I know everything will be ok. This is a bit different as I am currently in the midst of this trial with no clear answer at the moment. Faith alone is getting me through this. Even as I write this at 3:30 in the morning, I am not sure I’ll even publicly post it until this is resolved.

Over the summer I experienced an extreme drop in my heart rate and was short of breath when walking distances or climbing stairs. This was during a time when I was trying to lose weight while adhering to a low carb diet. Perspiring and working in the extreme summer heat it was easy to dismiss this change in heart rate as dehydration and electrolyte depletion. A few bottles of Gatorade and a couple days later, I was like new again. Lightheadedness and trying to catch my breath were barely a memory from the dog days of summer.
Weeks passed and we were vacationing in Costa Rica, enjoying the exotic sounds of the jungle, when out of the blue the symptoms from a month earlier returned. After one flight of stairs and trying to catch my breath, I pressed my index finger into the sensor of the heart rate monitor on my phone, thirty seconds later it revealed that my heart rate had indeed plummeted again. I immediately thought, it must be the heat again. So I began to drink fresh coconut water and Gatorade filled with electrolytes and expected everything to bounce back. No such luck. We continued to enjoy our vacation, though I was cautious in my activities.

As we journeyed for almost a week with canceled and delayed flights as hurricane Matthew pounded up the East Coast, we were safe and sound staying in cozy airbnbs, and not so cozy sleeping on freezing cold airport floors, running to catch rescheduled flights… you name it, it was quite the adventure returning home. Meanwhile, I was still dealing with this unexplainable low heart rate. I had no pain or tightness in my chest, no numbness, tingling or any symptoms other than getting winded running through the airport. But, hey that’s happens to me anytime I have ever had to run through the airport.
So after the dust had settled of getting back home and letting out a sigh of relief that even though our little slice of paradise had taken a beating, we still had a home to return to. Other than three family portraits that were cancelled due to the family’s vacations being cancelled, I kept my work schedule as I photographed two full weddings and two vow renewals within five days of returning home.

I was still getting abnormally low heart rate readings when I would check my blood pressure vitals several times a day. Reading at 34 bmp, less than half of what normal should be. It was time to seek professional help and get to the bottom of this.

Earlier this week, Sean drove me into the Southern Urgent Care facility on Whitemarsh Island. I figured a quick blood test, they would see what I am lacking, give me the fix and be on my way. Oh, how far from the truth that would be. The next thing I know, I’m lying on the table naked from the waist up with round stickers and wires connected to me from head to toe as the doctor ordered an in office EKG. One quick read of the results and they had me out the door and headed to Savannah to meet with a cardiologist that they made the appointment for me. An hour later I was rushed to the front of the line in a waiting room filled shoulder to shoulder with older grey haired cardiac patients. Within minutes, I was again hooked up from head to toe with wires and machines surrounded by a very concerned doctor and two nurses all shaking their heads in disbelief of my barely existent “impressive” pulse. They were all asking me how I felt and what other symptoms did I have. My answer was always the same. “None. Just don’t ask me to climb stairs” but they did make me walk on a treadmill, only to have my heart rate not increase. They ordered blood work and made an appointment for me to consult with another cardiologist specialist about getting a pacemaker installed.

What are you talking about?? A pacemaker? That can’t be. I’m only 46. If having a low heart rate didn’t make me dizzy, telling me that I would possibly be having surgery to install a pacemaker was about to make me throw up and pass out. The Dr also ordered an echocardiogram (recording a detailed sonogram video of my heart) which also did not reveal anything abnormal.
My blood work came back the next day showing everything normal, except only a lowered number in my thyroid. The nurse called and said that the Dr was consulting with an internist and said that a thyroid condition can cause a lowered heart rate. They immediately called in a thyroid medication to the pharmacy, although the next morning, I received a call from the dr himself telling me to not take the medication. He has continued to consult with other physicians that specialize in this area of thyroid that is outside of hs expertise.
They suggested doing further blood tests showing a full thyroid panel as well as referring me to an endocrinologist to help assist in my diagnosis. Continuing to keep the pacemaker appointment on the books in the event that I cannot be treated with medicine, it may still require a pacemaker to get my heart back to normal.
So now I wait until Tuesday’s endocrinologist appointment as daily I hope that miraculously I will wake up and have my heart rate jump back to normal… just like it did this summer.

Oh, where do I even begin? After a week of cancelled flights and staying several extra nights in San Jose, we journeyed over 30 hours to return home to hurricane damaged Tybee. It was a miracle that our home three doors from the ocean was not damaged, although there were many others on the island and all throughout Savannah that were not as fortunate. The island has buzzed with the sound of chainsaws and hammering nails for over a week as our neighbors have cut their way back into their homes and patched up their open roofs. Flooded with trucks from power companies, tree services, insurance adjusters and contractors from states away…you name it, our little island was far from the looks of the summer tourist town we saw for the past five months. Fall is the time of year when we love to get back to our small town community feel. And even though hurricane Matthew tried to destroy our little island town, it is in the hard times like that the community is made even more strong and impenetrable. Kudos to our wonderful Mayor, Jason Buelterman who went above and beyond for the people if Tybee. He was making personal phone calls to people that had decided to stay, pleading them to evacuate. Afterwards he secured a helicopter to ensure that ten new pumps were delivered to restore our sewage system in a matter of days. 

And there’s nothing (including a tree fallen across the Bull river bridge and a police car chasing him, can keep Eric Thomas owner of Hucapoos from coming back on the island. Only hours in the wake of Matthew, he fired up the generators and pizza oven to serve free food and provide comfort for anyone that was left on the island.

Thank you all that reached out in concern for our family and friends. Please continue to pray for all of those that are still dealing with the devastation in the wake of Matthew. The media is quite neglectful in covering the aftermath of this monster if a storm that ripped through Haiti, the Bahamas, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.

We just had our internet restored at an acceptable level yesterday. So my blog posts have not been as frequent as I’d like, but in the big scheme of things…just a mere blip in my life. I have a few backlogged pieces that I’ll post in the coming days. I have written online reviews for each of the places we stayed in Costa Rica that I want to share with you. I’ve received several messages from readers that are thinking of traveling to Costa Rica and I’d love to help you plan your trip!!

In addition to trying to get our life back to normal, I photographed two full weddings and two vow renewals in the the past week. Most all of the restaurants and businesses are open and ready for guests to return. So if you want to have a fall beach getaway, now is the time to do it. The weather is beautiful here and at least 90% of the island is ready for you!

We were looking for a place to stay relatively near the airport. Our flight was not until noon so we opted to stay just outside of the city since we had ample time to get to the airport.

The pictures online looked lovely of this cute little cabin. Arriving after dark during the rain was a little challenging but we used our GPS for turn by turn directions to get to Grifo Alto. Communication with Jose was great, he sent us the more detailed directions to enter the property since it was so dark. He was waiting at the gate to welcome us in and show us around. We were in the smaller of two cabins, it was a little chilly, but he had plenty of blankets there for us. We didn’t have time to cook at the cabin, but the kitchen is really cute and seemed to have all of the essentials.

We really enjoyed our stay, even though it was quick. It is just about one hour from the airport, but up in the mountains.

We had dinner at a fabulous restaurant called Pilo Restaurant as you come up the mountain on your left before the Grifo Alto sign. Great food, large portions and small price with fabulous service.

The next morning we spent some time talking to Jose. He showed us his other cabin which was really nice. Quite a bit bigger and a little more finished. He told us how he had built the cabins himself, even from cutting down the trees on his property and using that wood to build the cabins.

The views from the porch of the second cabin were spectacular.

There is not much around the Grifo Alto area, as it is just a small town and not a tourist area. So I’d only recommend this for travelers who don’t want to stay in the city the night before flying out.

If you are interested in booking a night at Finca Las Mariposas you can search Airbnb or just contact Jose directly at elticorico@live.com