A Split Second

I'm not going to lie.  I don't have an individual "Thankful" post for each day this week.  There was too much to be thankful for!  Mostly involving my wonderful family that came to visit me :) This week has been wonderful - lots of good food, laughs, conversation, and reminiscing with my 86-year-old Grandpa, 83-year-old Grandma, my parents and my sister.  It has been just perfect.

That is... until today.  A split second is all it takes to change a perfect visit into a not-so-perfect stay.  That second, which is still engrained in my mind, was when my Grandma fell and broke her hip this morning.

Today we went to Pacific Beach to walk along the boardwalk. We had just arrived and as we were walking from the car to the boardwalk, my grandma got caught up in the sights around her. As she stepped off the curb, 3 (idiotic) kids on bikes came in her path and to avoid hitting them she fell directly onto her left hip.  The worst part is I was turning to tell yell to be careful and watch her step when the stupid bikers got in her way.  It is in slow motion in my brain... I knew the moment she fell that she had broken her hip.  It was a horrendous fall and I am so grateful that she was okay otherwise.  Luckily her granddaughters are a PA student and a PT, so we were able to stabilize her until the ambulance came... but it is a whole different ball game taking care of those close to you instead of patients you don't know.  It broke my heart into 3,429 little pieces to see my sweet, loving, and strong Grandma crying in pain.

Can you believe that the kids on bikes just rode off?  Horrible.  The guilt settled in quickly, "I should have been there to help her on the step" or "I should have yelled sooner" or "I shouldn't have suggested we go to Pacific Beach" or "Why did I have to choose San Diego for my rotations- they wouldn't have come here if I were somewhere else." Unfortunately, the time machine invention has not been perfected, so I can't change that moment.  But one tiny little second changed both hers, and our lives in a big way.

The ambulance brought us to the hospital and her fracture was confirmed.  She's having surgery tomorrow morning, so PLEASE say prayers for her.  She is one TOUGH cookie and I know she'll do fabulous, but thoughts and prayers are appreciated.  The good news is that I get more time with my family in San Diego, just not in the circumstances I would have asked for.

So on a day of difficulty, I am grateful for this very real wake-up call of what is truly important in my life: The love, support, and health of my family.  

With Grandma after my UAA Graduation.
 Get well soon, Grandma! We love you!!