Recovering

Early Saturday morning I dropped my best friend Lon off in Red Lake Falls.

"Why don't you just spend the night?" he asked.

"I'm only 20 minutes from home," I said.

"Okay. Drive carefully," he said.

I didn't know it then, but there seemed something a little more urgent or at least insistent than in times past.

Alas, I didn't listen to him. But I should have.

For though I was only roughly 16 miles from home, I didn't know then that it would be almost a full week before I would eventually be back home.

Just before St. Hilarie I fell asleep and lost control of my car, launching myself into a ravine just south of town.

Fortunately, someone was behind me and saw me go in. Before the car was done rolling, they were already dialing 911. Even more fortunate that that, though, a former student of mine came upon the accident site and didn't hesitate to climb down to the car and cut me free from the air bags and seat belt, stabilize me, and talk to me until the ambulance arrived.

I was the rushed to the ER in TRF. By then poor Kristie had received a text from Sara, Lon's wife, saying that Lon had just arrived home and that I should be on my way home soon. But I was late.

Poor Kristie searched the house and eventually went to look for me. That's when her phone lit up from the local hospital.

From TRF I was life-flighted to Fargo.

My main injuries were blunt force trauma to my left lung and ribs. I had a seat belt burn on my neck and because my lung was close to collapsing, they had me on a breathing tube and because of the trauma, they also had me in a neck brace.

The first things I really remember are coming to in the intensive care unit in Fargo and being able to move my fingers and toes. I remember my family being there and Kristie telling me that she was able to get my wedding ring and another gold ring that my mother had bought me off before my fingers swelled badly.

My memory is still foggy from my time in the intensive care unit (it could also be that I lost my glasses in the accident and Barb, my sister, was able to bring me an older pair a few days later as I was about to leave the intensive care unit), but I remember clearly struggling to walk (I resembled Frankenstein in many ways, I had several tubes and bags hanging from me (one was for a tube draining my lung and another was a catheter), I also had several IV's running into my chest, as well as oxygen). I think Kristie said that it took me right around ten minutes just to sit up before even venturing out of the room.

The next day (I think) Barb brought Kenzie to the hospital so I could see my little girl. Kenz was a little hesitant and was not about to jump on me as she usually did at home. But it sure was good to see that little face again. Likewise, it was great to have my family around me.

Later on Tuesday (I think) I was moved to a regular floor of the hospital. The care I received in the ICU was outstanding. They had one nurse per room (roughly two patients) so we were very well attended.

When I moved to a different floor, I'm glad to say that the care was still first rate, though it was spread out over far more patients.

Soon Kristie's father and his wife stopped by to visit while I was sitting up and feeling pretty good. It was nice to see some familiar faces.

Kristie spent Tuesday night on Tuesday and then on Wednesday our dear friend Sara stopped by for a visit. We also were lucky enough to have several of my former students stop by to visit as well (thanks to Laura, Leland, Michael, Wojo, Aaron, Mariah, Derek, Kelly and Derek who stopped by that day). It was great to catch up and laugh. Though our visiting did wear me out and I went to bed early while Kristie ran home to be back with the kids again.

Wednesday night was uncomfortable. The medication they gave me had given me an upset stomach, so I was up every couple of hours.

But for as rough as the night and early morning were, things quickly turned around.

Soon I had the catheter out and was able to finally go to the bathroom on my own. Then I had the tube removed from my lung. I was able to get an actual shower and get the dirt out of my hair finally. As soon as I was out of the shower, a nurse came in to remove the staples from my head. Without all of my gear, I was actually able to get up and move around the floor all by myself.

Later in the day Gail stopped by to visit and so did Kurt and Carmen. Shortly after they left, my PT person stopped by to put me through some exercises, which I did very well. Then she gave me some mental exercises (I was reminded of Kenzie's pre-school screening about a month ago), but, luckily, I was able to get a clean bill of health.

By early evening all signs pointed to me being discharged early on Friday. Given how badly I felt on Monday, that was true progress.

Had we not agreed to get pneumonia vaccination, we would have likely been discharge at least an hour early, but because it too awhile for the vaccination to arrive, we had to wait around. But soon we were hitting the road and ready to come home. How nice it was to be out of the hospital and headed home.

Again, thanks to all of our friends, family, students (past and present) and colleagues who helped us out. What a great community to live in and be a part of.