The story of how an intruder (didn’t) catch me

So, one of the most wonderful silver linings about the past few weeks is how many visitors I have had. I know I’ve mentioned them to you all along, but it’s just been so touching. Colleen visited me *every day* in the hospital and some at home, as did my parents and Jeff wouldn’t leave my side other than for a few hours in which he went home to pack me a bag. Kevin spent countless hours with me at the hospital and at home, most of which he was dealing with his own issues (he just had back surgery and is in a lot of pain.) Scott visited in the hospital and also came over to cook me dinner one night. Rebecca took me to the doctor and also sat with me for a little while at home, and Cara came over the other day to bring me soup and company. Jason and Sarah came to have coffee and dinner. Kevin brought 4 yo Mia to see me and we went to see my dad and my grandmother. And Anil flew all the way across the country just to take care of me when Jeff had to leave for work and couldn’t get out of it. Other friends have called and texted and contacted me frequently to see how I am feeling. All this support makes a girl feel so loved!

So, the interesting part about me being down and out and others stepping in to help is how much others are doing for me. I’m used to being the hostess in my own home, so it’s definitely a change having others help me. I almost feel guilty letting them cook for me, clean for me, etc. But I know that I don’t have the energy to do it myself and I’m so grateful for the assistance.

So, onto the funny story I have to tell you:

So, yesterday there was an unnamed friend over here. I won’t name this person because it’s not their fault this happened so I don’t want him/her to feel bad. And it turned out to be pretty hilarious at the end!

Shortly before the friend left, this person went into the garage to throw away a cigarette butt. So this friend was the last person to shut the door, and I guess he/she didn’t shut it all the way. I was in and out of sleep during this time so I had no idea any of that had happened.

The evening went on, and it was a pretty noneventful evening. Since my injury I’ve been sleeping on the couch, for a few reasons – 1. I wake up about every 3 hours in pain so I would be keeping Jeff awake with my whining. 2. Jeff snores and would keep me awake even more than I’m keeping myself awake.

Jeff and I have come up with a system, though – when he goes to bed he takes his phone with him. That way if I need him during the night I can call him and he’ll be right down. This has happened a few times, ok several times, since I’ve been injured. I have called him in pain. I have called him to tell him I think my cheeks are puffy (I thought my face injury was getting worse but I think it was actually a side effect to one of my medicines.) I have called him confused about what happened and where I am and why my face hurts (the drugs make me woozy!)

But, last night I was sleeping away. I actually only woke up once or twice during the night which is better than the average these days. I was having the weirdest bad dream – I must’ve watched too much Law and Order SVU before bed. I was dreaming that Carissa was missing and I was assisting the detectives in looking for her. And as I was looking for Carissa, I got a call that Jenny was also missing. And I was seriously freaked out – it was a pretty realistic seeming dream.

So, imagine the state of mind I was in at 5:30 a.m. when I was woken up to the sound of the back door opening.

I was instantly wide awake, but I was literally frozen in fear. I didn’t want to make any sudden moves as I didn’t want the intruder to know I was awake – or maybe he didn’t even know I was on the couch. I probably lay there silent, frozen, for a good minute or two before I made a move. I was hoping the door opening was part of my dream, but I was too scared to get up and check.

(I should mention that I’ve been having super vivid dreams. I will wake up, just having dreamed that the doorbell rang, and having no idea if it actually rang or if it was in my dream. I’ll dream the phone is ringing when it isn’t. I am not sure what’s reality and what’s not these days!)

I very quietly reached for my phone. Hid the phone under the blanket so the intruder wouldn’t see it light up. I called Jeff.

It was the perfect setup for a thriller movie – his phone rang, and it was on the coffee table right next to me. He hadn’t taken it with him upstairs. Panic. Panic. Panic.

Fight or flight kicked in. I gathered what courage I could, and then I jumped off the couch and ran up the stairs as if something was chasing me (for all I knew there was). Keep in mind I was drugged up, and I haven’t been super mobile, and I was half asleep. Oh, and I’m clumsy even when none of those things are true. A perfect storm. As I ran, I was wobbly and I crashed my already broken body into the side of the stairs and hurt my side and my finger, and my fingernail partially ripped off. I also must have either stretched out my bottom lip (which still has some pretty deep cuts on it) or bit it because it feels like I re-opened the wound and it hurts like hell today. I feel like I just lost a week or two of healing in that area.

I made it to the bedroom before any intruder, and I woke Jeff up in a panic. He went downstairs to check while I lay in bed, in a panic and in pain.

He came back up and confirmed I hadn’t dreamed it – the door actually was wide open. He then told me that our friend had been the last person in and had likely just not shut the door properly. And Jeff himself had left the garage door open, which allowed wind to get in the garage, which allowed the lovely back door to swing wide open.

So, I had woken up and taken my first major activity in three weeks – running at full speed up the stairs – all to run away from the big bad scary wind!

My lip and hip and finger are not thanking me this morning, but my fight-or-flight mentality is. At least I can run faster than the, uhm, air!