Alive Day 2012

So today is the 2 year anniversary since Chris was injured in Afghanistan (aka his 2nd Alive Day).  Looking back it seems odd that it has been 2 years, but I remember that day just like it was yesterday.  It was a Sunday morning and as far as I could tell, the highlight of my day would be watching the Broncos vs. Colts game with my friends Megan and Heather.  It was just after 10am when I got the call.  I know the exact spot where I was standing when I answered the phone.  And the sickening feeling that overcame me when the words "Is this Mrs. Champion?" came out.  Automatically I knew that what was to come was sure to be bad news.  After the next sentence "I have to give some news about your husband....he was on a dismounted patrol and stepped on an IED" I fell on to the floor and began crying.  The tears poured out and my heart broke in so many ways...I felt as though I was suffocated trying to find air to breath.  I remember all I wanted to do was write down the measely numbers and throw the phone down.  As I was writing the information down, best I could amist my trembling hands, my friend Megan walked in the room.  Seeing me, I think she knew something had happened to him.  I hung up the phone and she knelt down with me as I collapsed into her arms face full of tears buried into her.  A few short minutes later, I could hear my mom walk in the door.  At the sound of my sobbing she came barreling down the stairs to hear the news.  That moment will never leave me, and whenever I think of it I feel a little pain in my heart.

I also want to take a minute to thank the lovely ladies who were with me that day, Megan and Heather.  They were with me through all the uncertainty.  Through all my psychotic mood swings.  They comforted me and made me feel not so alone in the hours that followed that call.  I love those girls for that. And though my night ended with me throwing up (I will admit I drank a fair amount that afternoon/evening) and passed out before 9, they did exactly what any good friends could do in my opinion.  And we have photos from the photo booth at the Giggling Grizz to show it*

But I look back at the last two years and every little step during his rehab and recovery and am deifnitely happy and proud.  There were some moments that everything felt so bleak, and I felt so unsure of the future.  Days when it felt like life could never possibly be normal again.  But then there would be those moments, when a mile stone would occur (success in surgery, more movement in a foot, more bone growth, standing crutching and walking with a prosthetic for the first time) and glimmers of hope would pop through.  And it was those glimmers of hope that would keep me going.  Just a few months ago he got to RTD (return to duty) with his unit.  So not only has he recovered, he recovered very fast, and is able to perform his same job.  And even though we have had our own ups and downs, I am very proud of him and all that he has accomplished since his injury two years ago.  And I know he will continue to achieve in his career.