I took a horrific fall down our stairs yesterday, but The Kitchens Tour is still on at our home. We decided not to pull out because of too many people counting on us. I just couldn't bare to let down 4 chefs and 2 designers, the public who is really looking forward to seeing our kitchens (Not to be biased), and all the work and energy that we have put in over here.
Backing up to how it all happened. Rushing around yesterday on small window frames of time...I was in high energy mode to move about 10 containers/ boxes (varying in weight) down to the catering kitchen storage. As I was carrying 12 of my grandmother's yellow dishes from their farm, and 12 bread/butter, my foot slipped (I guess) and I couldn't brace my fall, and fell backwards onto the wood tread stairs 4 steps up. My arm hit the railing and I hit hard on my back and tumbled down...breaking most of the dinner plates upon the fall.
I couldn't breath. I knew I messed something up bad. I was in a lot of pain in the position that I fell. I laid there for about 10 minutes and began to realized the situation I was in was out of my hands and into God's. I was praying. Praying hard that I could be there physically for my children and husband.
Calling 911 was the inevitable. They arrived in lightning speed...seven minutes to be exact....as if they were wrapping up lunch at Tommy's Hamburgers. They assessed my situation, asked me a gamete of questions, including if I was pregnant...and proceeded to get a neck brace on me and a board under me. This was not fun. Every time they tried to scoot or inch me on, I felt like my body was cracking in half.
The paramedics, all four of them, wheeled me out of the house and to the curb of the street to load me in the flashing waiting ambulance. Once inside, (Jason rode with me) they asked more detailed questions as they checked my blood and began to start an IV. They pumped me up with something that was supposedly 10x's stronger than Morphine before we pulled down the street. I was still in terrible pain, ESPECIALLY when the ambulance "fell into the hole" and drove over the road that is breaking across our "private" street that the city won't fix. I almost yelled out Mayor Betsy Price's name in vain, but refrained cause she's so stinking cute and sweet. By the time we arrived at the hospital I had already had a second dose of pain meds.
Guess what? Everyone and their dog decided to go to Harris ER yesterday. So there I was in a hall with other sick and injured people. One even died next to me, and I could hear their family grieving. It was awful. Speaking of awful, they had to pump me up with more drugs just to move me from the stretcher to a bed. The doctors and nurses were soo patient and kind and they let me take my time, with their help, as I yelled out in pain as they slowly shifted me.
There just wasn't a comfortable position for me, no matter how much they doped me up. I had all kinds of thoughts racing through my head. They wheeled me around for a pelvic and chest X-ray, and a CT Scan of my full back. After the biggest "hurry up and wait" game of my life, the results were in. My L1, L2, and L3 vertebrates were fractured and my 12th rib was broken too. The doctor explained to me that although I was in a terrible amount of pain, it would heal 100%. My prayers were answered. It was great news to know I would be fine.
In the mean time, I was for sure they were going to admit me, besides, I could barely move my limbs without struggling, and couldn't move my body at all without yelling out in pain. Once they confirmed I had "real" injuries, that's when they decided to give me some sort of a muscle relaxer through my IV. It's the muscle relaxer that made me feel like I could move a bit and get comfortable. After 6 hours in the ER, they gave me one more boost of pain relief..but this time it was liquid crack. It was powerful enough for me to become the walking dead. I moved slower than a hunched over 90 year old lady, but I got to our SUV that Erma drove home to get.
I was higher than a junkie, had the shakes, lost my lunch by the time we got into the house and slowly made my way back to the bedroom. Our bed was too fluffy and high for me to climb into, so Jason brought a trundle bed from one of the boy's rooms. Ahhh, finally at home and in bed and only one more full day to get this house ready for 500 tourist.
Jason and I stayed on top of all my drug doses through out the night and set the alarm for every 4 1/2 hours to prevent debilitating pain from returning. He is the most amazing, supportive husband I could ever ask for. He is doing it all. Got boys out of bed this morn, cooked them breakfast, dressed them and he was out the door at 7:40 to drive carpool. As I laid in bed to allow the 6:30am dose of meds to kick in, I started making a list of EVERYTHING that needed to be completed in the next 24 hours.
I have an army of people coming to help me pull it all together today. Jim Irwin is coming to do the flowers and succulents for my new Porte-cochère herb and succulent garden. Plus he will help me pull together and complete the tablescape in the dining room that I've been working on since Monday. Mark Vaughan with DomainXCIV completely set up the children's Thanksgiving table in the breakfast room on Wednesday, and is coming back today to collaborate the final details with Jim on my table.
Plus, my housekeeper and assistant, along with my parents 2 housekeepers are coming over to punch out the following:
- Organize refrigerator for caterers
- Organize spice shelves
- Clean stove and oven
- Assemble slip covers on den sofas
- Clean out the bird cage
- Straiten up/ organize pantry
- Clean off the bar from all our everyday junk that piles up there
- Move ALL patio furniture to grass and wipe down
- Power wash and bleach front and back patios
- Wash/clean front and back exterior patio doors and windows
- Plan furniture layout for patio to accommodate 500 people
- Find and replace perfect size planters for 2 ivy topiaries that flank each side of fireplace
- Move pinion wood to wood basket and put wood in fireplace
- Fluff, straiten and style patio drapes
- Vacuum and mop both upstairs and downstairs.
- Move paint cans from laundry room to garage
- Move more dishes to catering storage room
- Set up 3 metro shelving racks in catering storage room
- Organize and place entertainment pieces on shelves
- thorough cleaning of catering kitchen from Sheetrock dust
- Load in kitchen supplies, appliances, and stock new catering kitchen
- Take dog to be boarded and move crate to garage
- Order organic meat and farm fresh eggs from Burgundy Farms to be delivered tomorrow morning
- Pick up car from Red Carpet that was left there over night an locked up, since we were at the hospital and couldn't get it before they closed
- Pick up 2 1/2 cases of champagne from Kings Liquors
- Groceries from Central Market, including fruit for empty fruit bowls and bar nibbles for serving pieces
- Move kids outdoor toys to garage
- Call electricians to put trim pieces in newly added light to catering kitchen
- Clear off entry table
- Move litter box
- Organize, organize, organize
I have been reduced to tears by the overwhelming outpouring of love from Facebook. I am blown away by everyone's comments, including offering to come over and help me today, babysitting, carpooling, bringing over dinner, and the overflowing prayers. In all honesty, I feel like this list can be punched out with the help I already have today.
Instead of helping me out with dinners and sending flowers, what I truly would love most from all of you at this time is to support a Wish with Wings and come to the Second Annual 2013 Kitchens Tour. With your help we could make this their most successful year to date. And at that time, I would LOVE a visit from friends while I hang out in my bedroom...away from the masses of tourists...and we can share champagne together. Pre purchase tickets here, or buy at the door when you park at Arlington Heights United Methodist Church. They will be providing golf cart shuttles to all the homes from 10:00am - 2:00 pm. Kid's welcome, but no strollers!
Or, if the Tour doesn't fit into your schedule this Saturday, you can also support a Wish with Wings by visiting Fort Worth, Texas Magazine's Dream Home.
AND, did you know that proceeds from Hangman's House of Horrors benefits a Wish with Wings too? This will be your last year to experience one of Fort Worth longest running and BEST haunted houses in Texas. They will be closing their doors for good after November 2nd.
Thank you again for your unconditional love and concern for my health, and for ALL the generous prayers. Love you all! I truly hope you all can make it on Saturday, and if for chance you missed my last blog on all the fabulous houses on the Kitchen's Tour, click HERE!
