The Unexpected

It's about that time for my monthly entry to this blog that I'm pretty sure most people don't look at anymore. Since I'm not really on a traveling adventure anymore, it doesn't seem like there is much to write about. This time, that is definitely untrue.

Let me start from the beginning somewhat, so the picture is fully painted by the time I actually show the main part. Vanessa my roommate/best friend was away in Bosnia for 3 weeks and came back two Thursdays ago. On that Saturday, our great friends whom we met in England were coming up from Buffalo, NY to spend the weekend. We hadn't seen them in 2.5 years, so this was a big weekend for us. Plus, we haven't had anybody stay in our apartment yet, so that added to the excitement of our friends visiting. Andy (one of my best friends here) and I have bonded recently because neither of us have jobs, we're the only two Americans here, and we hang out most of the time. We wanted him to meet our friends and I was so excited to go out that night with him, Vanessa, and our friends.

Andy had a bike race that day, and we decided to take our friends on a walk around the neighborhood in the afternoon. Around 4pm, I get a call (and I have to preface this by saying I NEVER answer my phone because I never hear it) and I answer it, and it's a strange girl calling me asking if one of my friends was in a bike race today. I said yes, Andy was in a race. She then proceeded to tell me Andy had had an accident, was unconscious and was being taken to the hospital. We raced to the hospital with absolutely no idea what to think. Andy suffered serious head trauma and a broken collarbone, and was in ICU for about 4 days and was then moved to a close watch room. That night I had to call his close friends here and his parents to tell them what happened. His parents drove through the night to arrive the next day. Since then, I've gotten to know his parents very well, it's been wonderful getting to know his parents and close friends, although we all wish it was under different circumstances.

It's been a week and a half since the accident, and Andy's finally going to be transported home to a hospital in Detroit. It's been extremely hard for all of us, and although part of me wishes he would stay here, I'm immensely happy for him and his family that he can finally start his therapy and go home where there is a bigger circle of support for both him and his family. Most of this past week and a half has been surreal, and there's been a constant cloud in my head, not being able to think of much else. Just hoping that he gets better and goes back to being himself rather than a groggy, dazed version of himself.

If this has taught me anything, it's that life is truly short and you never ever know what's going to happen. It's like there's your plan for life, and then another plan..and they don't always end up being the same. Andy made some of us drink a lot, and some of us cry a lot..but we've all come out stronger than we were before this. A lesson in knowing that friendships and family are what make a person, not money or materials...wow, I'm good at this sentimental stuff. Maybe I'll get a job writing greeting cards.

Be safe out there, and even if you assume those special people know..tell them you love them. EVERYDAY.