Living in Massachusetts my whole life, I’ve been to Plymouth, MA several times, including a school field trip back in the day. But having discovered through my genealogy research that both Rich and I are Mayflower descendants, I now have a new interest in Plymouth. We are both members of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. Rich is a descendant of John Alden, Priscilla (Mullins) Alden, and William Mullins. I am a descendant of Peter Browne and Degory Priest, which means our twins have five Mayflower grandparents! Not surprising, really, since the passengers on the Mayflower were a very small group, so if you’re related to one passenger, it is possible to have more than one ancestor.
Rich and I had a chance to visit Plymouth for a weekend. The visit was much more interesting and personal this time, knowing that we had relatives who had endured this difficult voyage and the hardships they faced. Especially touring the Mayflower II and seeing the cramped quarters they lived in for 66 days of a difficult voyage, along with the animals they brought along. Plus, they had to live on the ship for the first winter because there was no shelter in Plymouth. They were supposed to land in Virginia, where there were at least some resources and shelter. Half of the pilgrims did not survive the first winter, and it is likely that none of them would have survived without the help of the native Americans in the area.
We also toured the “Plimoth Patuxet Museums” to see how the native people lived and the first homes that the pilgrims built. Plimoth was the original spelling of the European name for Plymouth, and Patuxet was the native American name of the area in the Wampanoag language. Our ancestors built one-room houses with a fire for warmth and cooking, and typically one bed in the corner with a feather or straw mattress. Much improved over the damp hardwood in the cargo bay of the Mayflower.
Of course, we saw the famous Plymouth Rock, which was actually a bit bigger than I remembered. Plymouth Rock is probably more famous for being a disappointing tourist attraction than anything else, because it’s much smaller than people expect it to be. Still worth a look in my opinion. Anyway, we really enjoyed our visit. If you’ve never been to Plymouth, it’s a nice place to visit for the history, as well as the Cape Cod-like seaside town vibe. Here are a few photos.
Sample of a typical one-room thatched roof home in 1600s Plymouth Plantation. Those actors all played their parts.The Mayflower II, a replica of the original ship.The view of Plymouth Harbor from the observation deck of our Airbnb. The tall ship in the center of this photo is the Mayflower II.Plimoth Grist Mill, an actual working mill.Love this photo of a seaside pier in Plymouth harbor.Plymouth Plantation village taken from Plymouth fort/meeting house.A replica of a Wampanoag winter shelter. The tribes spent the winters together, but in the summer each family would move to their own homes. They did not use teepees, they lived in villages in small round houses called wetus or wigwams.Last but not least: The famous Plymouth Rock. I made sure to get the ranger in the photo for some perspective.
Grey Gardens was a ground-breaking documentary in 1975; forty years later, I’m still fascinated. The film takes you into the raw, real lives of a riches to rags mother and daughter pair who maintain their highly educated and aristocratic personalities among the squalor of their crumbling East Hampton New York mansion. Both women are named Edie, so they become known as “Big Edie” and “Little Edie.” After losing their wealth, mostly due to Big Edie’s divorce to her lawyer husband, they become reclusive in the only thing Big Edie got from the divorce, the “summer home” in East Hampton.
The mansion becomes rundown and unkept, and the women end up sharing the house with many cats and raccoons. They also happen to be the aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The loving, but often tumultuous relationship between these two women is like a train wreck, you can’t look away. They pull you in with their bizarre adaptations to losing everything except the house “Grey Gardens” that has become uninhabitable. They are basically living off their past and their regrets, and continuously lamenting and reminiscing about their lost high society lives. Big Edie is a realist while Little Edie is a wise, but eccentric philosopher. Over the years, the film has earned a cult-like following and is a must watch for any film enthusiast.
This documentary also inspired these spin-offs: The Beales of Grey Gardens, 2006 (basically a part-two of the original); Grey Gardens the Broadway musical, 2006; Grey Gardens, 2009, the HBO film. This movie is interesting because it gives a back story to Big and Little Edie. Lastly, That Summer, 2017, created from previously lost footage from a documentary about East Hampton by Lee Radziwill, Jackie’s younger sister. This documentary was never completed, however it was during this filming that the creators of Grey Gardens – Albert and David Maysles – discovered the Edies and decided to make the now classic 1975 documentary.
Cynthia Bissell’s Lifelong Commitment to Tracheostomy and Ventilator Support
Cynthia Bissell
In July 1993, Cynthia Bissell faced the challenge of caring for twin sons, Eric and Aaron, born three and a half months prematurely. While Eric struggled with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, Aaron faced severe respiratory issues, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia and acquired subglottic stenosis—a condition caused by ventilator tube damage during his time in the NICU. At just one month old, Aaron underwent tracheotomy surgery and remained oxygen-dependent for several years. After three months in the NICU, Cynthia was able to bring her twins home.
During the twins’ early, difficult years, Cynthia was often housebound and relied on the internet for information and support. Finding limited resources on tracheostomy care, she combined her nursing background and computer skills to create “Aaron’s Tracheostomy Page” in 1996. This website, dedicated to her son Aaron, quickly became a crucial resource for families in similar situations, highlighting the significant need for accessible tracheostomy information.
Aaron Bissell
Over the years, Cynthia’s efforts have evolved to keep pace with technological changes and the needs of the community, moving from message boards to social media platforms. Today, her Facebook group, with over 8,000 members, serves as a vital support network for individuals and families managing tracheostomies and home mechanical ventilation.
A Dedicated Start Cynthia’s initial website offered crucial information for families managing pediatric tracheostomies. Taking on care responsibilities for a child that has a tracheostomy can often be overwhelming and confusing for parents that have little knowledge or experience doing so. For new parents in this situation, Aaron’s Tracheostomy Page offered a lifeline, providing a wealth of practical information on the ins and outs of pediatric tracheostomy care. This effort was later expanded into a guide published by Jones & Bartlett in 2000. Although the guide is now out of print, it marked an important step in providing valuable resources to families. Cynthia also created a listserv and message boards to facilitate discussion and support among users.
The pediatric board quickly gained popularity, and Cynthia fondly recalls, “The connections we created via this board became friendships that are still strong today.” The success of these boards led to the organization of three national tracheostomy conferences, which featured expert speakers and offered meaningful activities for families. “We had three national conferences, in 2004, 2006 and 2008. The first two were in St. Louis, the third was in Cincinnati. We had world-renowned otolaryngology speakers and lots of fun activities for families of kids with tracheostomies,” Cynthia adds. These events provided essential networking opportunities and support for families.
Adapting to New Platforms As social media began to rise, the landscape of online support changed. “Eventually, with the coming of social media sites—especially Facebook—message boards and listservs became obsolete,” Cynthia explains. Her focus shifted from maintaining a website to managing a Facebook group, which now has over 8,000 members. “My website is still live at tracheostomy.com, but I don’t keep up with it anymore,” she notes.
Cynthia’s Facebook group now serves a broad audience, including both pediatric and adult tracheostomy users, as well as those who use home mechanical ventilation. Although Cynthia acknowledges her limited experience with ventilators, her extensive background as a registered nurse for over 40 years provides her with a broad understanding of special needs care. “I had a trach as a baby, and I’ve had two children with tracheostomies,” she shares.
Evolving Support The transition from message boards to Facebook has had its challenges. Cynthia notes, “The message boards were better than Facebook in my opinion. They were divided into topics and easier to read, search, and follow.” Despite this, she recognizes the value of Facebook in reaching a wider audience. “Topics on Facebook tend to get buried quickly, but the group still provides valuable support,” she says.
The focus of the Facebook group remains on providing peer support and networking. “Popular topics tend to be either adults with trachs due to chronic disease such as laryngectomies for cancer, or pediatrics with preemies who have airway or respiratory problems,” Cynthia explains. The group also facilitates the sharing of supplies and other resources, enhancing the support network.Managing a large Facebook group comes with its own set of challenges. “I even have trouble keeping up with the Facebook group, as it has so many members and it is very busy,” Cynthia admits. Nevertheless, she is committed to maintaining a positive environment. “I do occasionally get reports of problem users and block them,” she says. “Thankfully we don’t get a lot of that, and most people find the group very helpful.” Cynthia has established a “terms of service” – which prohibits such things as selling services, solicitations or fundraising, and making false or defamatory comments – to help ensure the group remains a supportive and respectful space.
A Lasting Commitment Cynthia’s work in supporting families with tracheostomies and mechanical ventilation highlights her dedication to care and community. “While face-to-face support groups are great, the internet has made it possible for people to connect from anywhere in the world,” Cynthia observes. Her Facebook group stands as a testament to her ongoing commitment to providing support and fostering connections among individuals and families facing these challenges.
For those looking for support and community, Cynthia Bissell’s Facebook group offers a valuable resource. Cynthia’s journey and the community she has built continue to offer hope and assistance to many navigating the complexities of tracheostomy and home mechanical ventilation care.
Joan Phyllis Winterkorn, age 85, beloved mother, grandmother and friend died peacefully in her sleep on August 3, 2024 after a brief illness.
Joan was born in Waltham, Massachusetts on September 18th 1938 to Joseph and Mary Doucette. Her school days were spent at Rosary Academy boarding school in Watertown. In 1956, at the age of 18, she married Ernest Winterkorn. They raised their family in Waltham, MA. Joan is survived by her two daughters Cynthia Bissell and her husband Richard of Barre, MA and Sue Collura and her husband John of Fitchburg, MA. She was very proud of her six grandchildren; Nicholas and Brian Collura and Eric, Aaron, Anthony and Natasha Bissell. She was predeceased by her parents, husband and sister Janice Pester.
Joan was a fierce advocate for veterans and she was a life member of the VFW Auxiliary. She served as the very first president of the Waltham PFC John M. Sullivan Post 10334 VFW Auxiliary in 1977. She then worked her way up through her VFW district and state chairs and was elected State President in 1994. Her special projects always included fundraising and events for children with disabilities.
She worked for many years at Puritan Dress Factory in Waltham as a switchboard operator. She spent some years living in Arizona where she worked at the LATCH school for children with special needs in Phoenix. She eventually moved back to Massachusetts to escape the heat and be closer to her daughters and grandchildren.
In addition to her work for veterans and children, she also loved animals and spending time with friends and family, especially her best friend Pat Paradis. Special thanks to the staff and fellow residents at Lincoln Hill Manor in Spencer, MA who took such excellent care of her in her final years. She will be missed by all who knew her.
There will be a private celebration of her life with immediate family, per her wishes. Donations can be made in Joan’s name to the VFW Post 10334 Auxiliary, 623 Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA, 02452.
Every year in the first week of February the topic of the famous Blizzard of 1978 is again in the news. The sheer intensity of the storm caught meteorologists by surprise, leaving people, especially motorists, unprepared. Many people were stranded in cars. Route 128 was like a parking lot buried in snow (photo of route 128 after the blizzard). If a storm like this one happened today, we would be more prepared because of better technology and communication. Massachusetts got anywhere from 2-4 feet of snow along with hurricane-force gusts and major coastal flooding. It not only ranked as one of the top storms of the 20th Century in southern New England but as one of the top storms in recorded history, dating back to Colonial Times.
At the time, I was working as a nurse’s aide at Reservoir Nursing home, a 120-bed facility in Waltham, MA. I got to work OK, but then got stranded at work for 3 days. We had to do double shifts, two shifts on and one shift off. We slept in the basement during our off shifts. There was no way for people to get to work. Roads were closed and people were stranded all over the state. Many people died because they were stranded in their cars. Finally, after 3 days, I was able to get home on the back of a National Guard snowmobile. The National Guard brought fresh staff so that those of us who got stuck during the storm could get home.
I was so jealous of the people who were stuck at home because people got time off, and there were lots of blizzard parties in the neighborhood. But on the bright side, I did get a really big paycheck that week. Where were you during the Blizzard of ’78?
