What a day...

So there I am, sleeping soundly in my bed this morning (I was up late the night before).  I am then suddenly awaken by some complete stranger knocking non-stop on my front door.  At first I think maybe they will go away, but they continue to rap on the door.  So I manage to roll out of bed and stumble downstairs to see why this person is so persistent.  I open the door and find this lady standing there.  She says "Your wife has fallen while running and is hurt pretty bad.  The paramedics are taking care of her right now over in Quarterfield Farms [An adjacent neighborhood]."  It takes me a few seconds to process what she has said since I am still trying to completely wake up.  Once I realize what she has said, I grab my keys and get in my truck to follow her.

My wife is a very avid runner, running 5-7 miles about 5 days a week.  She usually runs in the morning before going to work and I am usually in bed at that time, so started off just another typical day.

I follow the lady about a mile to the place where the accident occurred.  At this point I really don't have any details of what happened, so I am imagining what could have happened.  Did she fall and break an arm or leg?  Did she get hit by a car?  Did she pass out from exhaustion or dehydration?  Is this really serious?  Or is it just something superficial that is being exaggerated?   When I finally arrive near the scene of the incident, the firemen (yes, I said firemen) on the scene said that she has been taken to the local hospital emergency room.

My wife is also a very avid reader.  Currently, she is reading a book about the way in which different personalities react to disastrous situations.  According to the book, there are basically two types of reactions that people have when dealing with adversity.  There are the intuitive reactors and the analytical reactors.  The intuitive reactors base their actions on feeling and are more subjective.  The analytical reactors respond in a logical and objective manner.  The book says that the analytical reactors are much more likely to respond effectively to a disaster than the intuitive reactor.  Based on some of the exercises from the book, she is more on the intuitive side and I am more of the analytical type.  As I am driving to the hospital, I can help but to think of the book.  I realize that I am not stressed at all and that I am approaching the situation from a logical point of view.  

I arrive at the emergency room and inquire about my wife.  The attendant says that she is in Triage and that I will be able to see her when she gets to a room.  Remember, at this time I know nothing about the details of the accident.  As I sit in the waiting area, I am trying to think about what could have possibly happened and starting to realize that it is probably not just a trivial mishap.  A few minutes later, the attendant says that she has been assigned to a room and that I can go back to see her.  I follow her to the room and then I find out the details.  It was not a scenario that I had even remotely imagined.

While running, she tripped on some uneven pavement and lost her balance.  For some reason, she was unable to break her fall with her hands.  The end result was not pretty.   Her knees were the first to make contact with the ground, and her face was second.  The impact of her face with the ground managed to knock one of her front teeth completely out of her mouth.  There she is, a mile from home and lying in on the ground in pain.  As tunnel vision and shock start to set in, she remembers the disaster book:  think through this situation and react logically.  She knocks on neighborhood doors to no avail (the residents have likely already left for work).  Luckily a passing car stopped to help and calls the paramedics.  A second car also stops and the lady takes time from her day to come knock on my door.  I was not able to thank her and I don't know if I ever will be able to, but I really do appreciate her coming to find me.

The remainder of our day consisted of four hours in the ER and another three at the oral surgeon's office.  My wife was aware enough to grab the ejected tooth after the accident and this was re-inserted during the oral surgery.  Thankfully, she did not have any facial fractures and only has to deal with some facial abrasions and a sore mouth for a while.  Looking back, it could have been a lot worse.

There was also a bit of humor in the day.  She is a professor at a law school in DC and school is about to start in a few weeks.  One of the first things that she said to me when I arrived at the ER was "We have to take faculty photos next week.  I think that I will just use the one from last year."  Lying there looking like she lost a fight with a championship boxer and even she can make light of the situation.

And you thought you had a rough day...