Sunday Morning - August the fourth, 2:29 AM. I got that call that no one ever wants to get.
Becky, is calling. My first thought? She must need a ride, because she just got off of work, and I'll bet she had a few to drink.
Then, the truth is borne out. Becky is calling me, because a dancer friend of mine, Mary, is in ICU at the local trauma hospital, and they need to talk to family members. NOW! That's all I know.
While I haven't spoke much about Merry-Mary (I call her this, because she is always smiling), she is friends with Freya, and Sienna. Also dancers at the club that I go to. Freya is the one that I asked out earlier this summer/spring who blew me off, and now we hardly speak.
But my friendship with Sienna, and Mary is still good.
So, after talking for a few minutes to Becky, I immediately called Sienna, because those two girls are like sisters, and I knew that she would know how to contact Mary's family.
After a few minutes, of calling, and text messages, I made the bold decision to get up, and drive to Sienna's house, and knock on the door. Within 20 minutes, I found myself on the front stoop, of a very dark house. I was hoping that someone would be awake, but, alas, it was super quiet.
I knocked on the door, and rang the door bell. I expected the Sienna's dog would awake, and begin to bark. I stood back from the front door. Nothing.
Counting to 60, I did the same thing, and waited. And then, waited again.
Nothing. I tried calling her cell while standing on he stoop.
Finally, after 4 times, I walked away, and drove home. Knowing that Mary was still in need of treatment. I even tried calling Freya, even though I knew that she had changed her phone number, in part, so that I couldn't text her any more. I was unsuccessful, and got back in the car, and headed home.
I arrived home, and laid down, and slept fitfully, constantly waking up, and checking the phone.
What hasn't been explained was this past Friday, I had "one last visit" to Splendor, to see all of my dancing friends, one last time, then walking away, to take a break for a while. I had sent a series of what can only be described as drunk/sleep texts to Sienna and Mary, around 2:00 AM. I know this because according to my phone, it was 1.5 hours after getting home, I sent Mary and Sienna a series of badly written text messages. I capped all this off by writing what turned out to be 10 messages, on Saturday morning, that were better written, and explained my taking a break and why.
I never heard back from either of them, during the day on Saturday.
So, I am home, checking the phone, and remembering those messages, and thinking that's why I am not hearing back from Sienna.
Then, a few minutes to 9, my phone bleeps, and its her, and shes asks me, what's up, and asked if I had heard from Mary, because, she hadn't. I simply responded, "Mary is in ICU, please check your voice mail, and your text messages". Eight seconds later, the phone rang, and understandably, a very upset Sienna is on the phone.
I had tried to call the hospital, several times, because I wanted to make sure she was there. I kept being told they had no record of her.
Sienna, got in her car, and drove to Mary's parents house, to tell them she didn't know where Mary was, or what all was wrong with her, but the hospital was looking for family. That is one brave girl. I do not think I could do that.
All I knew about her injuries at this point was that she had been in a wreck, the car had flipped 4+ times, and she had a badly lacerated liver, and was in "bad shape".
Soon, because of a call from Sienna, another friend of Mary's named Kimmie, had gone to the hospital, and started walking the halls in an effort to find her. Kimmie was able to find Mary's boyfriend (who had been driving the car that wrecked), about the time that Mary's parents were able to locate her in ICU.
I finally got the call back that she was headed into surgery, and the list of injuries sustained.
Lacerated Liver
Torn Carotid Artery
Sienna then headed for the hospital. I asked to join her, to give her (Sienna) a little support, but, she asked me not to come as her (Mary's) family was there. I understand that the nature of my friendship with Mary/Sienna/Freya/Kimmie is odd, and didn't want to distract her parents about why the old guy was there.
Finally, I get the call. She is out of surgery. This is the updated list of injuries:
Lacerated Liver
She had a blood clot in the Carotid Artery, that they mostly dissolved, and then put a Stent into.
She lost a kidney.
Several broken ribs.
My heart collapsed. Mary is in for a long recovery. Life will be forever changed, and all in the Blink of an Eye.
I stayed in contact with Sienna throughout the day, wanting so bad to go and sit with her, to provide any kind of moral support that I could. But, it had started to rain, and I did not have the red car at home, so, didn't leave.
During this time, I got another call from Sunshine, a different dancer from the club, and she had heard about Mary being in ICU, and knew that folks were looking for Sienna, and so she tracked down another dancer, who ad my number, and then called me. Amazing how folks' good nature pops out when there is a crisis.
So, I haven't sleep much tonight, and am exhausted, It's 4:08 AM, as I type this. I know that in 1.5 hours, I have to get up, and go into the office.
Its going to be a rough week.
Life Changes in The Blink of An Eye.
See You On The Other Side.
P.S. Tonight, my "lunch" buddy Tori, who I normally eat dinner with, on Tuesday's before she goes into work to do her dancing gig, texted me, and asked when I go to see Mary, that I come get her as well. It is good for my heart that this happened. Those dancing girls at Splendor are a tough, territorial bunch, but they have great hearts.
UPDATE - Heard back from the Sienna. Apparently, because of the clot, Merry-Mary has had a stroke that is affecting her left side. Consensus is that she will recover from that, but, it does extend an already long recovery. This is where, on twitter, we would put a "Sad Face".