Where did Christmas Go?

I was discharged from the hospital a couple of days before Christmas. Prior to my accident I had been stressing alot about the holidays. I had not had a chance to do any shopping, and I was feeling unprepared to host Christmas dinner for my family as planned. Of course, the accident quickly put an end to any thoughts of hosting anything, nor was I in any shape to go anywhere else. My sister, (the one who was with me in the car at the time of the accident), came over on Christmas Eve, all dressed up and looking very cute, but it wasn`t much fun for her. Not that she complained. I was unfortunately quite miserable and in no mood to celebrate anything. By 8:30 that evening I was in so much pain I had to go to my bed in the den and lay down for the night.

Both my sister and my husband tried to help as I struggled with the halo to find a position that caused the least amount of pain to my neck and head. I finally found one but it left me awkwardly splayed on my back halfway down the bed, with my feet dangling off the end. My husband said I looked very uncomfortable but I didn`t care. I`d found the sweet spot and I wasn`t moving. He piled on the blankets and let me be.

As I drifted off to sleep I remember hearing the two of them chatter quietly about what had happened. After a short while I heard her leave. So much for Christmas Eve.

The next day was not much better. I had alot of pain in my neck and nothing I did seemed to help. I was unable to find pain-free comfort either sitting, laying down or standing. A gray haze lingers over the memory of that day as I tried in vain to numb the pain with medication. If it wasn`t for the Christmas tree standing in the corner of our family room, you would never have known it was Christmas day.

My sister hosted the dinner at her house that night, and although my family wanted to drop in after dinner, I declined. I was just feeling too miserable to see anyone. Next year will be better :).