Wednesday, September 6, 2017

A bad accident and my first visit to Winston Salem

Friday was going okay until about 4 o’clock when I got a call from Maddie that her parents had been in a bad car accident.  I asked her if she wanted me to come down and she said yes, and when I called Cathy she sounded pretty bad, didn’t know even if Lou were alive, and also asked if I could come down to look after Maddie and Claire.  I was a Walmart so I ditched my shopping cart and started down.  It was overcast and then it started raining about halfway there but I drove nonstop and got to the apartment around 6:30.  We soon found out that Lou was going to be transported to Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem and that he was seriously injured, with 6 (later changed to 7) and a broken clavicle.  We had pizza for dinner and then spent the evening waiting for updates.

Saturday morning I drove the girls to the hospital and we got to see Lou in the emergency room and he looked pretty bad.  After out visit we went back to the apartment and I rode my bike and I think I pulled my side because it really started to hurt.  I thought I might have to go to the emergency room but I took some Tylenol and that helped a little.  We went back to visit after having dinner at Zoe’s kitchen and Lou had been move to an ICU unit.  He was able to speak but got confused at points.

Sunday was a hard day because after I took Maddie and Claire over to see Lou, all four of us returned to the apartment and then I dropped Maddie and Claire off to see Lou and then Cathy and I drove up to Hillsville to get all the stuff out of the SUV.  Both Cathy and I were shocked at the condition of the Rogue (we had both been expecting some damage to the right front passenger door but the whole right front and been smashed and the right front wheel was almost horizontal.  Clearly the Rogue was totaled, and after a brief crying stint by both of us, we unloaded the vehicle and drove over to the crash site (Cathy wanted to see it) and she decided that it had to be her fault (it seemed to me also that it was her fault) but I kept telling her it was just an accident, words that had little effect on her.  I drove her back to the hospital where she visited briefly and got the keys to the apartment then Claire and I drove back to the apartment and unloaded the stuff from the Rogue.  Then we drove back to the hospital and picked up Cathy and Maddie and we all went back to nap.  We went out to Zoe’s Kitchen for dinner and then I dropped Cathy, Maddie and Claire off and after I had two walks, Maddie and Claire returned and we headed back to the apartment where I watched the Virginia Tech game, a very exciting victory by Tech. 

Monday morning went slowly because Cathy wanted Maddie and Claire to visit Lou so I took them over and then we went back to the apartment.  We finally headed off to Radford around 10 and got there a little after noon.  I dropped her off and then went home to do my knee exercises and my weights and yoga.  I went to bed around 12 but the upstairs tenants woke me at 12:45 and I had a tough time going back to sleep, eventually having to take a 2.5 mg valium and it was past 3 before I dropped off.  I got up around 8 and had my breakfast, then started my knee exercises and called Cathy.  I did some things for her but she wasn’t doing so well so I offered to drive her back down and she accepted.  I got my stuff together drove over and we had a good drive back down, chatting a lot and we went to the apartment, picked up the girls and went to eat at Zoe’s Kitchen before we dropped her off at the hospital and Claire and Maddie visited.  There was a possibility that Lou would be released the next day, which seemed kind of shocking to all of us.  Then Cathy stayed and I drove the girls home.  I watched some TV and did my yoga exercises. 
Wednesday was a good day even though the rain made driving difficult.  Claire wanted to see Lou so I told her to come with me and Maddie and after I dropped Maddie off at Wake Forest, we took a short walk with umbrellas around the main library, a lovely park like campus.  I will ride around it at some point.  Then I dropped off Claire (Eric had gotten there) and I rested in my truck until we got the word that Lou was being released so I drove down to the exit, picked up Claire and with her help we drove in the rain back to the apartment and waited for Cathy and Eric to bring Lou back.  When they arrived the three of us got Lou up the 24 stairs and into bed where he collapsed.  Then I said goodbye and just before 2 I headed off and had a pretty easy drive to Radford and then to my apartment where I took a needed nap and then went for a 30 minute bike ride, then cleaned up my truck, then did some flute playing, then got to my blog.  I want to do 15 more minutes of flute and my yoga and weights, and perhaps go out for some prayers and singing.   


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