Bama trip and an unexpected ordeal

It began at the crack of EARLY July 16. The pups and I got up to drive from Miami to Enterprise, Ala. It took roughly 10 and a half hours (with potty breaks for everyone). Long. ass. trip.

I felt like this by the end of it

 

And was revived to see this



 

We made it and settled in with my folks. That night we went to dinner. The next day I got to have lunch at my in-laws restaurant and spent the evening with my bestie, Megan, and her little diva (one who's growing way too fast for my taste), Ava James.

 

 

She put on quite a show for me, singing with her Elvis microphone clad in a Santa hat and a lime green tutu. I love the fashion freedom of two year olds.

 

If I were to try that, people would want me arrested. But it was a great little concert and I enjoy seeing how much she has grown.

 

Love this girl.

 

It was great spending time with Megs. I love how things never change between us. We can always pick right up where we left off.

 

We had planned to do lunch on Thursday (my last day in Enterprise). Sadly, fate had other ideas. And this is what happened to my well-composed travel agenda.

 

 

I was ironing my dress to wear for lunch. I had it on a hanger on a full length mirror, in front of the mirror the hot iron was ready on the ironing board. This mirror was able to pivot forward or backward. As it were, it pivots a bit too much.

 

When I reached for the dress, the mirror came forward and the glass hit the hot iron. It EXPLODED. Glass went everywhere, and apparently, right through a big chunk of my right ankle. I didn't feel it at all but when I looked down, blood was everywhere and there was a gaping hole in my leg. I could actually SEE MY BONE (at least I thought it was bone at the time, later I was told it was muscle but it looked like bone).

 

It was seriously something that would happen in a cartoon. 

 

Uh oh, uh oh. 

 

My brain told me to "stay calm" so I got the dogs out of the room, while hobbling to the bathroom. I grabbed a towel and called for my dad. I told him "we've got to go to the hospital." I kept thinking "Oh my God, I've got to leave for Belgium tomorrow." I made it to the car, climbed in the back seat and texted Megs that I couldn't do lunch. I also managed to message Ineke and tell her that I couldn't Skype with her that day. After that, I started to pass out. It was intense. My dad was running red lights left and right. We finally made it to the ER and I got inside. I was completely in shock - sweating one minute and shivering the next. Terrible.

 

This sweet nurse - Jolene - took really good care of me. Turns out, nothing was broken and no glass was in the wound. But I needed stitches, like a lot of them, and a tetanus shot. By the time that started, my mom, Megan and my dad were all there. 

 

 

So this PA sewed me up.

 

 

Megs held my hand ... that's a best friend for ya.

 

It ironically took 30 stitches, one for every year of my life. The PA was like Rembrandt with stitches ... but not so great when it came to the after care. He prescribed me antibiotics AND NOTHING FOR PAIN. He assured me that "it wouldn't hurt." Later, my dad said that when I asked "will I need pain medication?" The PA bristled and was like "no." So I guess he thought I was a pill popper. Lovely.

 

I was fine that day, but at around 3 a.m. when I had to wake-up to make the drive to Jacksonville to meet Josh and catch my flight - I was in AGONY. I did have something for pain from a previous injury - no thanks to Mr. PA - and I had to take a little of it to make it through the drive. SO miserable. But I covered the four hours and made it to the airport ... the first segment of a journey that covered (a total) of 11,400 miles.