My cousin Mike!

I love my cousins! Every single one of them. I think we all have been pretty lucky to grow up together relatively close. Our family (on both sides) is big into holidays and gathering everyone together. I love this about my family though it is sad now that the kids are all older and living further away from each other. I am in Arizona, Lyndsey is in New York, Valerie is in Bulgaria, Sam & fam are in Virginia, Mike is in Indiana, Andy & Julie are in Abilene, Lisa is in Arkansas, Cindy in CA, Sheri & Caren in Vegas, Holly (where are y'all now?) and Matt is in Houston....everyone else is pretty much in Dallas still...I'm jealous! :)

Mike and his girlfriend Carol Ann came to Scottsdale for a nice little vacation a couple weeks ago. I had no idea that they were here at the time they came..which is fine since it was their vacation and all! :)

On Tuesday, May 12, all that changed. Mike & Carol Ann were on a nice little hike on Camelback Mountain. Carol Ann decided she was done for the day and Mike kept hiking. During his hike he lost his footing while he was going around the face of the mountain and started to fall down the mountain. His foot stopped him from continuing to skid down the mountain but he was seriously injured in the fall. News stories are here, here, and here.

I was able to drive up there on the 13th to visit him for a brief moment. He was on a lot of pain medication and at that point the doctors had no idea what his outcome would be. Thank the Lord he was discharged from the hospital two days ago. He has had to have multiple hyperbolic chamber treatments, surgeries and a lot has been in extreme pain.

I drove to Scottsdale last night right after work to meet up with Aunt Jan, Carol Ann and Mike for dinner before they all headed back for the prospective homes today and tomorrow. Mike was feeling well enough to get out of the hotel for a little while and go to dinner. We went to a super nice sushi restaurant in Scottsdale.

We shared a lot of sushi and a ton of sweet conversation. Jan and I both loved getting to watch Mike and how much he cherishes Carol Ann. I really enjoyed getting to catch up with Mike and get to know Carol Ann better! Here are some pictures from dinner last night.





After dinner we dropped Mike off at the hotel so he could settle in for the night. Carol Ann drove Jan back to her hotel and then we went to Walgreens to buy Mike for bandages for his foot. When we got back to the hotel Mike had his boot off and I got to see his ankle with all the swelling, bruising, healing skin and scaring. So exciting. I know I was a little tacky about seeing it but he let me take pictures to share with my mom and the fam.

Now, the interesting thing about Mike and Carol Ann both is that they are both doctors. So, when you ask them questions about the injury they are both very technical. Dinner last night so funny when Mike started taking about nueropathic injuries and medications taken. It was a little over my head but I smiled and nodded. I got to see the x-rays too (when I was at the hospital the first time I visited). Apparently, the surgeon was quite surprised when he opened up his ankle and could not find any reminisce of ligaments, tendons or nerves. It was so badly damaged. He has gained some feeling back in his foot but it is definitely not back to 100%.




I am so thankful for family. I am so thankful that I was able to see Mike and give him a hug. No matter the age difference or distance of any of my cousins, I love them so much and cherish any moment I can spend with them. As I told Mike more than once, "Man, I don't care. I'll take you however I can get you!"

Lastly, this morning right before Jan drove to Tucson on her way back to Houston, I saw the baby quail again. You can see the babies a little better than the last pictures I posted.