Complicated

A Different Brand of Happy

Concussion. Severe head injury. Seizures. Life-threatening bleeding. Amnesia. Hypothermia. Animal attack. Hell, vampire attack.

I was prepared for it all. I mean, how often do you have the opportunity to white water raft on the Nantahala in the middle of summer on a big sky beautiful day? Not a care in the world.

All I had to do was take care of myself now. No kids running around, no lightweight adventures for safety's sake! This was me time.
Adventures one was a week long trip to Hawaii where I island hopped on a cruise booking every outdoor adventure possible. Complete success and the most fun I can ever remember having on my own.

Adventure two was volunteering at a concert in Charlotte on the way here. Three nights listening to some of my favorite artists while I was gathering blankets left by open seating patrons and manning the medical tent when necessary. Free music and something that kept my hands busy.

Charlotte wasn't too bad either. For a brief moment I let my thought wander to what it would be like leaving it all behind and starting over in a new place.

After all, my family wasn't coming back. Either one of them. My sister had her own existence now. The ever busy Sophomore in college could be bothered once or twice a year to send an email or quick message. I'm sure resentment is there, but that isn't all one sided.

My third stop on the wanderlust tour of magnificent destinations was set to be the easiest one get. Gliding down the perfectly placed river bed atop majestic, roaring waters seemed like the most amazing way to spend a Tuesday morning. What could go wrong?

Everything. Every, single, minuscule thing...

Fast forward two hours and I'm flat on my back on a makeshift gurney being hand carried down the mountain to the emergency rendezvous point by volunteer firemen and the rescue rangers of Swain County, North Carolina.

To say these gentleman were ecstatic to come to my aid would be an understatement. To say they were every woman's manifestation of a sexy, muscle-bound knight in shining armor coming to the rescue would be a lie.

The high point was the nearly three-hour, eighties rock concert provided by the tone-deaf, NOT HOT, very past middle-aged men as we made our way down the mountain. The low point- basking in the fact that the only reason I was abandoned by my fellow rafters and labeled an emergency health concern was a dislocated toe and a strapless water shoe that will be burned when at last we are reunited.

Who knew that a toe could dislocate? Or that when your body trips on a rock, careens forward down an incline at a super human speed desperately trying to hold on to whatever dignity remains in tact, and comes to rest at the foot of the now perturbed tour guide you would be kicked out of the raft for safety concerns?

Safety concerns? I'm so done.

When we got to the outfitters hub, EMS was waiting. Realizing that I wasn't dying of exposure, held together by a tourniquet or otherwise incapacitated, they quickly assessed my wound, created an anatomical splint and made sure I was okay to drive myself home. As quickly as the thought to white water raft came into my head I pushed it back out and as I drove the winding road to my rented cabin I devised a plan for one final mountain adventure.

Stumbling up to the door of my gorgeous accommodation for the week was bearable. Once inside, I immediately took off the sweat-laden, waterproof clothing layers and hobbled to the shower. Today was a day for oatmeal scrub and a quick rose petal facial. By the time my conditioner was ready to rinse I was completely over the events of the morning and ready to enjoy the comforts of a fully stocked cabin on the middle of nowhere.