And in a split second...

...it was all over. Sort of. So, our first full day at home. Yeah... actually, I wasn't sure about how it was going to go when I woke up at 5:37am. Around 6 I woke Chris up, fed him his drugs, and proceeded to just get on with my day. He stayed in bed, a little woozy, but eventually as regular morning came, he stood up out of bed, and started wandering around. He sat in the chair in front of the TV with his monstrous Carter pillow and watched CNN Headline News with me (sadly for Chris, this week is a non-Robin Meade week). He spent part of the day sleeping in bed and part of the day sitting in the chair. At one point, he even sat at the computer and checked his email and surfed the web with one hand. I guess lots of guys do that kind of thing anyway. (Yes, that was my one shot at Larsen humor, and I think I failed miserably). Generally, things are much much better than yesterday this time. Amazing how much being non-home means.

Lisa came over tonight and I managed to have a real meal since I finally had to cook for someone else. I called Chris' manager at West Marine and had him "employee purchase" the book for getting a Coast Guard Captain's license (Lisa picked it up at WM before she came). I figure if Chris is going to be hanging for a while, it's not a bad way to get one of those things that is important to him out of the way. Lisa also brought a lot of coastal navigation maps, so he can study the things he loves the most.

Lisa just "checked out" on some 30+ footers at a local Sailtime type of place, so she's joining and hopefully we'll be getting a lot more experience on some bigger boats now with Lisa Chapin at the helm. Good thing Chris taught me how to sail... he can kick back and enjoy the sailing, and Lisa and me can do the work. I love hanging out with smart and independent chicks.

So a few learning lessons (feel free to add your own):

1. When you move to a new place, find the local emergency room. You never know when you are going to need it. I had Chris in the car and we were driving who-knows-where when I had to call Cathi in North Carolina to find out where the closest place was.

2. When the dog runs off in the middle of a major trauma, let the dog run. She will come back. She knows where home is.

3. Take a second and hold your left hand out and your fingers out straight. See how your middle finger is longer than all the other ones? You probably use that one more than most of the other ones, right? Chris' left middle finger is now 2 inches shorter than it used to be. Tonight, he called it his "Hobbit" finger. Appreciate that you have a middle finger that can extend, it works, bends, and can pull the clutch of a motorcycle if you needed it to.

4. Realize that in a HALF OF A SECOND, your life can change for the rest of your life. Most of us take weeks to make decisions, thinking that it's a huge deal and it will affect the rest of your life. Yeah, really not that big of a deal honestly. The BIG DEAL are the decisions that are made for you that you have no choice over.

5. Appreciate that when bad things happen to you, it really CAN be a lot worse. It could have been your whole hand, or your head, or a piece of wood shot through your stomach. That pretty much would have sucked.

6. Know that the movie that you play in your head is different than the one the other guy is playing in his head. Just because you HEARD the accident doesn't mean you experienced it. He actually remembers it, can relive it, and watched it happen in person. Perspective changes everything.

7. Always keep $20 in reserve in your car somewhere. When you have to pay to park at a hospital, and they ask for $12 while you are exiting the garage to go pick your patient up at the main entrance, and you have $3 in your wallet, at least you will have another $20 sitting somewhere in emergency in your car (and the best part is, there is no need to panic when you have money in your car to cover those things).

8. Finally, appreciate those around you that are kind and giving and good family and friends. You don't know who they really are until your world changes. Those are the people that are there for you, no matter what. You'll know them when you see them.

Okay, that's my soapbox for the day, and all the things I've thought of in the last couple of days. I'm sure more are coming, but for now, kiss your middle finger for me and hope for another great day!