Whirlwind

Well, I've neglected the blog realm long enough that I've shamed myself into writing again.

So, let's recap what's been happening since over...eight months ago, shall we?

1. I got married! (the new header picture is proof, obvs)

2. Taylor and I are adjusting to living together, of which my affection for can be determined by how much he snores or plays hockey on his PS3. Just kidding. Sort of...

3. I have a new boss at work! He is simply wonderful and I'm so happy we have a great guy like him on board with our organization's mission!

4. I traveled out of the country for the first time! Yes, the daughter of the travel agent has never been out of the country till she was married off. For shame, father. We went to Playa Mujeres, MX and loved every second of it. Except the 4 a.m. plane ride home.

5. I was sort of in the hospital for a week. Which I think is partly why I've been neglecting my blog so much (besides the whole getting married thing). Getting this out in public view is still a little unnerving, considering I'm not sure who knows and who doesn't. But I'll explain below.

I visited home (Kansas) the weekend of Oct. 8 and was staying at my mom's house. The weekend was pretty normal; she had a friend in from Missouri that I hadn't seen since the wedding, and some of her friends came over for a BBQ. Typical weekend. Taylor was with his dad in Dallas at the OU v. Texas game (his first ever to attend, so I let him slide from coming home with me...). Sunday morning I was getting ready to leave to head to my dad's house and have lunch with him. I started to pack and was fixing my hair in the bathroom when our home exploded due to a propane leak which was ignited when the furnace kicked on.

First, there was a flash fire along with the explosion which leveled our two-story house. After the fire subsided I knew we had to get out. I immediately yelled for my mom and made sure we could get out of the house. 3 of the 4 of us made it out. Our dear friend Mary Lou was not so lucky.

After the ambulances and fire truck arrived and we were assessed my the medical staff (and called my family, of course) we were taken to a hospital in Wichita and debride. I stayed in the burn unit for seven days, and my mom was just down the hall from me. My prognosis was second degree burns to 15% of my body. This included my head, face, hands/left forearm, abdomen and tops of my feet. I was bed bound for just over a day. The second day I was there they had to shave my head because I had burns on my head. Not to mention my hair was basically ruined anyway.

My mom was air-lifted to the hospital. They put a ventilator while she was in the ambulance. Her prognosis was second degree burns to 45% of her body with a small third degree burn on her foot. They shaved her head also. She had several complications while in the hospital- they weren't uncommon to burn patients, but she fought through them like we knew she would. She has been through so much since Oct. 9 and is expected to make a full recovery, which I am ecstatic about (to say the least).

So, the past few months have revolved around lawyers, insurance, hospitals, physical and occupational therapy, wigs, Vaseline, doctors, meetings and lots of trips to Wichita. The house is still under investigation and no person/business has been found at fault yet.

Also, I've left out a lot of details due to a few reasons:

our lawyers advice and to protect my family. I have received phone calls and messages from Wichita area reporters wanting to interview me (one of them was while I was still hospitalized) about the accident. I have refused any interviews thus far, and because I know the media does want to get their hands on some information, I don't want to release public information on my mom's condition. If anyone has questions they can contact me personally.

It's been such a hard road going through this at 23. I'm her only child so many medical decisions fell to me. Taylor and I are now handling my mom's affairs until she is able to. I began and finished occupational therapy for my hands. I'm also seeing a trauma therapist to help with my emotions (and sometimes lack-there-of) around this experience.

So, here is my attempt and letting the blog community know what's been going on in my life. If you have seen me since Oct. 9 and I looked different, that's why.

Funny enough, I miss my hair so much. I have a wig, but it just isn't the same. Those of you who grew out their hair before their wedding know what I'm talking about. It had just gotten long, then I was forced to chop it off. At least the wedding was out of the way!

Now to the better things that have happened after the accident:

1. I got a new car!

2. Taylor and I went skiing with his family over New Years

3. I had a really good first Christmas with Taylor's family and juggling the in-laws now

4. Taylor and I are hoping to save for a down payment on a house when our lease is up

5. When we get a yard, we want to get a puppy! (breed and name to be determined...)

6. I'm coming up on the one year anniversary at my job!

7. I had to replace my laptop because of the accident and now have a MacBook Pro

8. Taylor and I did Black Friday for the first time this year- it was an adventure to say the least

9. Mom is doing significantly better and becoming more independent each day.

Thank you to everyone who heard about the accident or just saw something was wrong and prayed for my family! Please know they meant the world to me and my mom.