The Comforts of Home

This morning, exactly two weeks to the hour after I was at O’Hare airport and getting on the plane that would take me to Jim after his cycling accident, I was at McGhee Tyson airport and getting on the plane that would take me home.

In the past two weeks I covered every single emotion under the sun as I watched Jim’s condition go from only being able to speak one word at a time, having practically zero memory, and needing assistance walking to a state I would call “100% back to normal other than the residual bruises and healing wounds”. The fact that this happened at all was tragic but it could have been so much worse (believe me, I ran every scenario through my head multiple times) and when I take my customary pause on the half-full/silver lining aspect, I’d say that the whole thing really caused a refocus on what’s important and a sense of gratitude for my husband and our life as a couple that I can’t describe in words.

We still have a home in Chicago though, so once he went back to work Monday and I stayed an extra day for good measure, it was time for me to head home. I’ve been missing home, everything about it. I cried on the plane and I cried when the taxi driver dropped me off, and again when I walked in the door to see my house exactly as I left it (thanks to 24-year-old Dylan, who held down the fort).

Here’s what I did in the first thirty minutes I was home:
1. Cried
2. Dropped my bags at the door
3. Called Jim
4. Cried again
5. Opened the chest to look at the mail pile that has been growing for two weeks

6. Closed the chest and pretended like the mail pile didn’t exist
7. Grabbed my keys and drove (I missed my car so much) to grab lunch across the highway at McDonald’s
8. Put on my favorite sweatshirt and comfy pants
9. Snuggled up on the couch with my laptop, the remote, and my lunch
10. Cried again

Since I’ve been sitting here I joined a conference call, made some travel arrangements for work (Not until December, shew!), watched an episode of “This is Us”, and started this post. I haven’t left the couch once except to use the restroom.

My plan is to keep things as low key as possible (stop laughing) for the next few days. I have work to do, and it will get done, but I’m ready to bask in the enjoyment of being home and in my comfy clothes for as long as possible while I’m taking care of business. Need me? You know where to find me.