Hi friends!
This past month has felt like a roller coaster, and I’ve been meaning to fill you all in. My fiancé Will and I kicked of July at the beach in South Carolina and it provided just the right amount of rest and relaxation. We were there for a whole week and our days consisted largely of long walks on the beach, reading by the beach, paddleboarding and bike rides. And, then the month took a crazy, surprising turn!
One of the highlights was going out on my little brother’s boat with Will. We went to an inlet and posted up on a sandbar. It was like we had our own little private beach. Jackson caught a few sharks while we were there and I found a hermit crab and sand dollar. On our way in we fished and I caught a fish for the first time in many years! (Side note: everything we caught or found was released back into its habitat.) Our beach trip definitely helped me slow down and enjoy all the blessings in my life. If you have not visited South Carolina’s beaches, you should really check them out. The marsh land, islands and inlets that make up the coast are so unique and beautiful.
And then…
The week following our beach trip, I dove straight back into work for a big event. There were a couple late nights and then it was time to hit the road on Friday to meet up with Will outside of Pittsburgh for a motorcycle race. He was all set to race on Saturday, July 15 for an endurance race similar to the one we travelled to New Jersey for on Memorial Day weekend. When I look back on that morning, it did feel chaotic and rushed. Maybe those were the only signs that things were “off.” Will started the race and I watched him zoom by… only to hear just one second later, “Will’s down! Will is down! I saw him go down!”
I immediately went into auto-pilot, focused on getting to Will and seeing if he was ok. We travelled down the track and I could see him getting up from his bike. He gave us a thumbs down sign, and might heart sank, knowing something was wrong. Will got a ride back to us and it was pretty clear from the beginning that his collarbone was messed up. Part of it was actually bent upward, like it could almost break his skin.
An ambulance ride and emergency room visit later, we discovered Will’s collarbone was in four pieces. Will and I filled his pain medication, stopped at a local diner for lunch (where Will quickly became the center of attention!) and headed back to the track to pack our bags and get home as quickly as possible. Since we drove separately, I packed Will into the car with ice and pillows so he could drive somewhat comfortably. Then, I followed behind him for our 4 1/2 hour drive home. I was calling him often just to double check that he was as “ok” as he could be given the circumstances.
After the accident…
In the days following the accident, Will was in a lot of pain and I was getting up several times each night in an effort to help him get ice, medicine, an extra pillow or anything else to try and stay as comfortable as possisble. Thankfully Will got scheduled for surgery pretty quickly, just five days after the accident. While surgery is the best decision to fix everything, that day was probably the most difficult for me as I was pretty tired from the week at that point. While we waited for the surgery to be done and then to hear that we could see Will, it felt like time was passing so slowly. I hated seeing Will in more pain, and I so badly wished I could just trade places with him.
After surgery day, I was pretty exhausted. I crashed on the couch the following night and slept a lot over last weekend. It has really been a whirlwind and I am still processing everything, but I feel so grateful that Will is healing now and getting back to his normal self. It amazes me in hindsight how quickly everything else fell to the wayside and how quickly Will’s recovery became my first priority. It was also amazing to see Will’s family and everyone who cares about him come together. In spite of all the stress and anxiety that has surfaced in the past week, some wonderful moments have occurred that I am very grateful for. I’m also reminded just how important our relationships with each other are.
Isn’t it odd how hard times can bring people together more than ever? Have you ever had a loved one get hurt unexpectedly? Have you been the main caretaker for a loved one? I would love to hear about your personal experiences and any takeaways you have had after someone important to you was injured or fell ill.
Let’s hope the rest of July is uneventful for us!!
Cheers!
Sarah Camille
Oh no hope he gets better soon! But it sounds like you both still had an amazing time and fun experiences!
XO-Lisa
http://www.thatssodarling.com
Wow! I feel the whirlwind for you! That is a lot to take in and process for sure! I hope you both are able to get some much needed rest and downtime. BTW, I from the Pittsburgh area!!
Thank you! That’s awesome too. It was my first time going to that area. I definitely need to go back and explore more!! 😊
As of my knowledge sharks are a protected species…
Oh geez…sounds like quite a scare but I am glad he’s doing ok and is on his way to recovery. You learn how strong your love is when the one you love is in pain. This experience will definitely bring the two of you closer together. It’s so nice to know that you have someone to take care of and that someone will take care of you.
Sorry for your hubby’s accident! Wishing him a speedy recovery and you some relief! Glad ya’ll had fun though before in SC. I’m a SC born and breed resident and can agree that the beaches there are amazing!
Jesus broken in 4 places and he still got up from his bike?! he’s amazing and so are you!
I’m sorry to hear about his accident, but m glad things are taken care of so quickly. My husband got a bad infection last year and was in the hospital a few nights, I was a wreck. It is fortunate that he had you to help with the recovery process!
Wishing your husband a speedy recovery!
I am happy that Will had you during his time of need. Family comes first and you kicked in right when it was required. Hope your fiance gets better soon. Wishing you all the luck.
Gayathri @ Musings Over Nothing
Thank you so much!!
Oh no!! Spouse being out of commission is one of the hardest things to go through. My hubby was a firefighter but got injured pretty bad at a house fire. He had 4 surgeries and has permanent nerve damage on his left leg. We were in our mid 30’s when this all began and it has been a hard journey. He was in a wheelchair for a while then progressed to a walker & cane. Forced to retire and unable to do the simple things, we have had to make major adjustments in our life. On the upside, we’ve gotten closer and have slowed down to enjoy the little things in life. Tuesday’s are our date days without the kids, lol.
I’m glad to hear you’re hubby is on the road to recovery and that you’ve gotten the rest you’ve needed to be his pillar of supporter.
On a side note, the Carolina beaches are gorgeous and I haven’t been there since I was a kid 😌💕 – Cori
Thank you for the sweet words, Cori! You two have been through a lot. I can see how an injury like that forces you to slow down, but it is nice how much it makes you appreciate all the things. That’s great you fit in a date day without kids. Sounds like you should head to the Carolinas for some beach time too!! 🙂
-SC
Now you’re talking 😉
It sounds like you’ve had a really kick butt month! I’m jealous of all your sunshine 🙂
OMG a broken collar bone has to be the worst! Wishing him a speedy recovery!
xoxo Christie
http://icanstyleu.com/blog/
I’m so glad your doing better!!