Grapevine To San Saba Unit To NY To Filming With Mel Robbins…Travels Of The Texas Twins

Last week was a flurry activity for the Texas Twins. I really enjoyed finally meeting my beautiful bride, Tia and her handsome groom. P.S. I loved their coordinating clothing. As luck would have it, the torrential rain waited until right after the ceremony was finished. Tuesday morning at 4:30AM, Cindy and I headed to meet my groom at TDCJ San Saba Unit. My suv was packed to head straight to DFW to fly to NY. My niece, Leigh Ann was flying from San Diego to NY to meet Cindy and I. 

Arriving at San Saba Unit, my groom was waiting in the parking lot for me. He was excited to finally be getting married after his fiancée was transferred from TDCJ Plane Unit. I was excited for him. Together we walked in to clear the Unit. The conference room was in use for parole meetings so we had a few minutes to chat. I love learning about my clients and having the time to visit with them while waiting together. 

After the ceremony, I jumped back into my suv with Cindy waiting to hit the road to DFW. Heavy rains slowed our drive but we made it in plenty of time to unload our luggage and check in for our flight. 

Luckily, Cindy and I were also approved to pre screen which gave us time to grab a coffee. Leigh Ann had called to check on Cindy and I Monday call while I was mailing out all of my clients photos and marriages licenses. Leigh Ann has never been away from her daughter Maddy and was feeling anxious. Waiting on our flight, I checked my email and booked three more Units in Texas and two in Oklahoma. It’s rare that a Texas Twins Events or Pawning Planners Client has an issue with our Prison wedding clients but, it happens. It happened Tuesday while waiting to board our plane. Because of this latest incident and inquiry, I will once again revisit why I decline bookings from people who feel the need to voice their opinion regarding same sex or inmate marriage. I’m very selective about taking on traditional bookings. Why? Because the majority and mainstay of our bookings are Prison weddings and Vow Renewals of precious Prison wedding clients. If you “don’t approve of LBGT marriage or inmate marriage,” you are entitled to your opinion. However, I’m not obligated to book with you and, I don’t. 

Arriving in New Jersey, Cindy and I checked in on Leigh Ann arriving at JFK and met our driver. Leigh Ann’s driver was taking her to our hotel. Cindy and I hadn’t seen Leigh Ann since she moved to San Diego several weeks ago. It was a happy reunion. 

Wednesday morning, we were all up and at it and due at CBS at high noon for hair and makeup. After wrapping filming, I returned phone calls and emails before headed out to hit the town. Leigh Ann FaceTimed her husband, Alex and Maddy who were doing fine at Inns Of The Marine Corps. Maddy was enjoying her new “friends” at the military daycare and Alex was handling “daddy duty” like a pro. 

From the top of the Empire State Building, my husband checked in to update me on our feisty beagle, Foxy Wortham. My twin sister and partner at Texas Twins Events, Texas Twins Treasures, The Pawning Planners and TDCJ Officiant wasn’t feeling well Thursday morning at our hotel. This greatly concerned me but, Cindy refused to go to Urgent Care in New York. She woke up coughing. I thought maybe she was getting a chest infection and bought cold medicine and brought her breakfast to begin our last day in New York. The coughing and shortness of breath continued to scare me though so I called our family physician in Texas for antibiotics.

Leigh Ann wanted to go to Battery Park. The walk though was difficult for Cindy so we ordered a car and headed to the pier. 

Cindy was feeling much better (or so I thought) and we all loved our ride on The Beast. Cindy had stopped coughing but she was still short of breath. Leigh Ann has always considered both Cindy and I to be her “parents.” This may seem odd to people who don’t have twins or multiples in their family. For multiples though, sharing raising their children is actually quite common. Leigh Ann is the oldest child of all our children. Moving to California and away from Cindy and I hadn’t been easy for my niece. She’s always been more comfortable being at home with Cindy. 

Saying goodbye to Leigh Ann as her car whisked her to the airport, I saw Leigh Ann crying waving goodbye. 

Cindy and I had a lunch date at Tavern On The Green and our car was traveling from the hotel when my sister said “I don’t know why but for a few months now, I can’t seem to catch my breath.” Alarmed, I said “why haven’t you said anything to me?” 

Cindy was apparently afraid to admit that she feared something serious was wrong and didn’t want to scare me. I decided while in the car to get her to the hospital as soon as we were back in Texas. My sister had never said “I’m tired. I can’t catch my breath” before to me. 

Losing my twin sister is and always will be my greatest fear. We have always had each other’s back. We have always heavily relied on one another. 

This has been my busiest year ever with clients and Cindy has been running, here, there and everywhere by my side. I wish she had told me about this coughing and shortness of breath sooner. 

I worried as our driver rolled up to Tavern On The Green. My twin sister is the life of the party. She’s hilarious and could easily be a comedian. She is special. Loving. Dedicated and the most selfless person I will ever know who has always put her own needs last. 

While I’ve been running, running, running, Cindy has been trying to keep up with me and never once admitting that she was exhausted. Even waiting a few minutes for a table, Cindy sat down. 

The flight back REALLY concerned me. My ex husband had died of a heart attack on a plane. My grandfather had died of a heart attack on a plane. Everyone in my family has died from heart attacks. 

I silently prayed the coughing and shortness of breath wasn’t Cindy’s heart. I also worried that she hadn’t shared this shortness of breath issue with me sooner. 

Worrying about my sister had me so anxious that I nearly ordered a highball. Instead, I decided that I would find a cardiologist and I would fix my sister. I would do whatever I could to get Cindy back on track.  I emailed our PCP. We share the same dentist, PCP and even OB/GYN. We always have. Leaving Tavern On The Green, Cindy is winded just outside. We sit on a bench together for over thirty minutes. I ask when and why this tiredness started? I try to determine if there is anything I can do to help us get her safely back to Fort Worth? 

Back at our hotel, I get water for Cindy and wait on the driver. At the airport, I buy aspirin and give Cindy three. I call my husband, her husband, our children and grandchildren. I text Leigh Ann “I’m scared to get on this plane with your mom. She’s short of breath.” 

My niece texts back “did she take her blood pressure pill?” I text back “yes, I made sure of that and picked up a new prescription prior to leaving Texas.” 

My twin has high blood pressure. I have low blood pressure. My twin has 13lbs of steel fusing her back and spine from an accident in our 20’s. My twin is fragile. No one meeting her would suspect this. Why? Because Cindy is outspoken and unfiltered. She’s a force of energy and she wasn’t herself in NY. She was tired. Winded. Coughing. Exhausted. 

Back in DFW, Cindy doesn’t want to go to the ER. She wants to spend the night with me at WorthamWorld. 

The following morning, Cindy went to the ER while I went to the Vet with my dog Foxy who had heart problems. 

Cindy called from Harris with her daughter, Stephaney to tell me “they think I have COPD or phnuemonia.” Terrified, I called my husband to meet me at the Vet and “tagged out” to head to the hospital. 

Saturday morning, the cardiologist says Cindy has angina. He also says she needs another prescription to control her blood pressure. 

Cindy’s home now and resting. My schedule has me running from four states over the next few months. I’m overwhelmed and now limiting new bookings as Cindy will not be booking TDCJ weddings for the next several weeks while we get her blood pressure under control and Leigh Ann is now handling California Prison Weddings which puts all new Prison Weddings on my schedule instead. 

Attention all TDCJ Clients, please get at least two dates and run them by me before scheduling to ensure I don’t have a scheduling conflict. I look forward to meeting you soon. 

Louisiana and Arkansas Clients, we will see you soon and California Clients, The Texas Twins will see ya all in December.

Keep my sister in your prayers as we put her health first. Our wild ride on The Beast was as exciting as meeting the amazing Mel Robbins in person. Her show will air in December and I hope you will tune in and enjoy her as much as we did.