Part 1- Pain Is Beauty

Note: For those of you on the east coast who have been out of the loop with all of this, I have included a ton of links to get you updated.

After these last few months of Nie Recovery, I wanted to do my little, insignificant part and attend the benefit concert in Provo last night. I arranged for Brian to stay home with Cole, donned my Shabby Apple dress, my going-out shoes (Chinese Laundry satin heels) and put on my brightest lipstick. This was an event for Nie and she was always encouraging us to get dressed up and be more feminine. I kidnapped one of my hero's, my friend Lisa, who is raising three daughters- one who has Downs Syndrome and a severe case of diabetes (among other things). She of all people needed a night out.

We went down to Provo where I proceeded to choose the only parking spot with black ice in the entire lot. As I stepped out of the Jeep, it all kind of happened in a blur. I remember my left leg going one way and my right going another. I was flat on my back, with my dress above my head. I felt shooting pain in my left ankle, but could tell that I was otherwise alright. My only thought was, "Please, do not let anyone come by and see me right now, in all my glory, open to air!" I tried to roll over on my side and it wasn't really working. I was in between two cars and could not find the space. Lisa is screaming at this point and wondering if I hit my head, was having a seizure, broke my leg, etc. I admit, the smacking noise of my body hitting the ice was really loud. I assured her that I was alright, but needed some help getting up. She replied, "Nik, you have THE worst luck of anyone I know! These things always happen to you!" Then she started to laugh hysterically. By the way, there was only ice on my side of the car. She ran around the back of the Jeep to assess the damage. By this time, I had rolled on my side and was looking for my keys. They were in my hand when I fell. I am in a silk dress and heels, laying in a parking lot, in the dark, looking under the Provo City truck that I had parked next to. Are you imagining this in your mind? (Go ahead, keep laughing) Lisa kept asking me if I was okay and if we needed to go home. I told her that we had to find the keys or we were not going anywhere. She joined the hunt and found them at the front of the car, because they had apparently sprouted wings during their flight and had landed a good fifteen feet from where I fell. She helped me get up, I actually fell once more, and was laughing all the while. She repeatedly told me throughout the night that I had scared the crap out of her and that it was like a scene from a movie. She couldn't think of anything to compare it to, but said that she couldn't get the picture of me laying there with my dress up to my ears, out of her head.

I hobbled to the Covey Center and upon entering realized that my legs were covered in that lovely black stuff that seems to top parking lots in the winter. Dirt, tar, snow, salt-a lovely combination. We found the bathroom where we inspected the damage. I have a perfect crescent-shaped welt on my right knee, that looks just like one of Stephenie Meyer's vampires bit me. It is accompanied by two large bruises, but I will wait for them to turn nice and yellowish before I post pics :) We grabbed paper towels and washed my legs off while laughing. I am thankful, once again, for the pharmacy that I carry everywhere with me, so I self-medicated and we enjoyed the show. Here are some of our pathetic attempts to take our own picture while trying not to laugh. We had an awesome time. The ankle throbbed, but thankfully I had an aisle seat and stretched out. The music was incredible, the comedy great. I really felt that those in the room were a big family, connected for one cause. Surprise...I almost fell again when getting back into the car. We scoured the parking lot with our eyes and realized that yes, this was the ONLY patch of ice in the entire lot. When I dropped Lisa off she said, "I can't wait to see what you have to write about this!" The culprits