The skiing season is coming to an end and we still had one pass left for our local ski resort - so we dropped the kids off with Nana & Papa and headed up for our last hoo-rah for skiing. We skiied a bunch of runs and ate our lunch at the top of the mountain in the little cafe. We sat there admiring my cool helmet, talking about how warm it is and how I love it and can't imagine skiing without it (we really did). Then Shayne convinced me that I was ready for my first black diamond. I was skeptical - it wasn't the best snow, that's for sure. But, I played the tough girl part well and decided to just go for it. As I started over that "cliff" I had serious doubts of my abilities and wanted to even cry. But, I stuck with it and got into a groove and found myself enjoying the ride down - I swooshed back and forth - kept those skiis parallel and was feeling mighty fine. At the end of the run, the passage gets narrow. There was an icy part - I did not like that part - but I managed to get past it. Then at the very bottom, Shayne pointed out there was a little uphill pathway (nicknamed the pipeline) and that I would want to gather a little momentum to get up that path without a sweat. I told him to go ahead so I could watch him and see how he does it - he swooshed out of sight. I started down and I remember thinking, "UGH! of course it's slushy now, we're at the bottom of the mountain..." and then I'm sleeping on the snow.
I don't remember why I'm sleeping on the snow - but it's nice and cool and I thought it felt pretty great. I hear someone skiing - two people and one is a child asking what happened and then a man says "Are you ok?" I think to myself, "is he talking to me? Because I'm obviously taking a nap and I really don't want to wake up" - I think I muttered "who me?" but I couldn't open my eyes. I was trying to remember why I was sleeping there - or why people would be asking me if I'm ok, but I overhear the man telling the child, "We can't help her, so we won't touch her. Let's go get ski patrol..." and then the world is quiet again. Soon I hear Shayne saying, "honey, what happened? Are you ok?" and there's another person introducing himself as ski patrol and asking me to squeeze his hand and tell him how I'm feeling. I realize that my head hurts - A TON - and my neck hurts - and I still don't really want to open my eyes, but I really want to get off the snow and stop having people fuss over me. I feel embarrassed and dumb. When did I decide to lay down? Why does everything hurt? And can you just leave me alone to gather my senses?
They packaged me up on a board, with a neck brace, and put me on the back of a toboggan. I remember him asking me how old I am - I chuckled - I remarked I rarely remember that on a normal day! They covered me up, like a cocoon, and tell me it'll keep the snow out of my face since I'm riding behind a snowmobile. It's the worst ride of my life. I want to clutch on to something, ANYTHING, but I feel like I'm just rolling off of a mountain - out of control. I couldn't see where I was going or what was going on and I hated that more than anything.
I am loaded into an ambulance and Shayne and I are both wondering aloud - is this really necessary? Can't he just drive me to the ER? They STRONGLY suggest the ambulance ride - simply because of the neck and helmet injury. OH, I forgot to mention, my helmet is cracked on the back and little chewed up from rocks or something. It's not a gaping crack - but still, it's a solid, brand new helmet, and obviously took a hard hit. I know it saved me. So, I go in the ambulance and Shayne drives down in our car and meets me at the hospital. The paramedic asked me my pain on a scale of 1-10 - it's 7 or 8, but wait, isn't there a Brian Regan reference to the pain scale? The paramedic laughs aloud and I think, I'm not dying and I actually remembered something!
In the ER, I lay on that board with a neck brace for a couple hours - AWFUL!!! I know why and I understand the reasoning, but honestly, it was no help for the pain I was suffering. They did a CT scan and I was cleared to go home - concussion, yes. Bleeding, no. Cracked vertebrae, no. They loaded me up on morphine and anti-nausea medicine - I still wanted to puke the whole way home. No, it wasn't Shayne's driving - it was nauseating just sitting up.
The next 4 days I spent in bed - until I couldn't lay down anymore from the neck pain. I finally got relief after visiting my chiropractor and switching to Aleve. The fog lifted on day 5 and each day I progressively feel more like myself. I wish I was running and exercising - but the head still spins when I do little things.
This week I've had a lot of help. Help with my kids, carpooling, babysitting, and help with meals. I'm not usually on this side of service and I have felt silly and lame for being there in bed, unable to do what I consider normal. I can't thank my parents, Shayne's parents, my friends & neighbors, and extended family enough for their help, concern, and service during this past week. I was truly blessed, protected, and cared for.
Last night I attended the Women's Conference broadcast at my local church building, and I kept crying. I felt the spirit so strongly as the speakers spoke about sisterhood and how we need each other. I truly was in need this week and so many stepped up to help - the love and service truly brings me to tears. I felt my Savior's love for me through the loving service of everyone around me. I'm grateful to live where I do - I have wonderful neighbors who are my dear friends. They went above and beyond to help this week be bearable. I'm grateful to be close to family - what a blessing!!
