How much do you share on social media? Do you let the world know when you’ve had a crappy commute or a bad day at the office? What about something more serious like the terminal illness of a family member? Comedian and Conan O’Brien staff writer Laurie Kilmartin is doing just that — and her tweets are incredibly moving.
In February, Kilmartin began tweeting about her father's decline and the bedside vigil she's keeping with her mother and sister. But, this isn't a pity party in 140 characters. Kilmartin’s tweets run the gauntlet from wry observations to sarcastic musings (usually directed at her own behavior), all served with a generous dollop of humor.
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Scrolling through the feed, you get a picture of daughter who loves her father and of a family pulling together and supporting one another during a dark time. Never does it feel exploitative. Click through to see a selection of tweets that made us smile and tear up at the same time. (The Independent)
Everyone copes their own way. I tweet, sister texts while Mom shouts, "I'M DOING A DARK LOAD, ANYONE GOT ANYTHING?"
— Laurie Kilmartin (@anylaurie16) February 28, 2014Guys, I wouldn't describe myself as "brave" as much as I would "in raging denial."
— Laurie Kilmartin (@anylaurie16) February 28, 2014Dad is not incoherent, we discovered while gossiping about his side of the family in front of him.
— Laurie Kilmartin (@anylaurie16) February 27, 2014Dad unknowingly unleashed a lifetime of nightmares on his 7 yo grandson w/ these last words: "I'll see you sooner than you think."
— Laurie Kilmartin (@anylaurie16) February 27, 2014If Mom, sister and I were a pit crew, we would put 4 flat tires on your nascar, and take 20 minutes to do it.
— Laurie Kilmartin (@anylaurie16) February 28, 2014