A year ago today, I tripped over my sandals and broke my shoulder.
I remember:
1. Dave and Joe praying for me while I was sitting on the grass waiting for a medic and then getting bandaged up. I was really grateful for their prayers because I wasn't really thinking about praying about my pain.
2. When I told the paramedics that my husband was a medic and he was meeting us at Crozer, they asked me who was my husband. When I said Tim Kaiser. The one smiled, looked at the other, and said, "we've got Tim Kaiser's wife."
3. The one paramedic was wrapping my arm and the other was kneeling in front of me. He asked me if it helped me to grab his knee. That's when I realized I has been holding his knee the entire time. I told him yes and he said that was okay.
4. People were looking at me through the windows of their apartments. I was putting on a show. There was a cop car and an ambulance and a woman on the grass unable to stand up on her own.
5. When I first fell, I called Katrina, since I was on her street. While she was getting help, I left Timmy a message telling him that I thought I hurt myself. When he called back, I started crying and couldn't talk to him. Katrina spoke to him. He told her to call the ambulance and that he would meet us at Crozer.
6. When they were carrying me to the ambulance, I said outloud, "Jesus please." The one medic said, "it's okay." My response: "oh no, that was a real prayer."
7. The drugs in the ambulance were awesome. Really awesome. They worked instantly and didn't make feel loopy. I was amazed.
8. Katrina drove in the ambulance with me. It was an another adventure. We like going on adventures together.
9. Timmy had called out sick that night because he was sick. So, all of his platoon buddies were working while we were at the hospital. They all came to check in on me. It was nice. They even reminded me of the last time Timmy and I were at the hospital together. It was two years earlier when Timmy broke his shoulder. I went into the medics' office and told them Timmy had broken his spatula :) At that moment, I knew I had said the wrong word but it was too late :) When Timmy's one co-worker walked in, I told him, "I broke my spatula."
10. Mark tried to visit me. He had heard about it from Joe; they were both at the Media Prom. Mark asked Barb if it was okay for him to leave to check in on me. She said yes. But unfortunately, he went to Riddle. That made sense - Riddle is the local hospital. But I wasn't there. We did get to speak on the phone, though.
11. The drugs at the hospital weren't as good as the ones in the ambulance. I turned to Katrina and said "this one makes me feel loopy." She laughed at me because I didn't have to tell her that; she already knew.
12. They needed a urine sample for a pregnancy test before they could do the x-ray. So Timmy and the nurse walked me to the bathroom. I told Timmy that I would try to do it myself and I would call out if I needed him. I called him in when I realized I couldn't zip my pants back up. So, he helped me with my pants and then proceeded to collect my urine sample. We walked out together and he handed the sample to the nurse. She said something like "oh, you took care of it already." His response: "Yeah, if anyone should deal with her urine, it should be me." I instantly thought, "so this is what in sickness and in health means." He's wiling to deal with pee :)
That's what I really remember from that night. I remember all the people who were concerned for me and cared me: Timmy and Katrina who stayed by my side. Joe and Dave whose first thoughts were to pray for me. Mark and Marti who couldn't wait and had to call us. Mary who was being a good mom and worrying at home. Timmy's friends who checked in. I felt loved.
