A little help from my friends……. You know, that is what really keeps me going, and that is what this blog post is all about. A shout out to friends, and family.
When I was sent to Jasper, IN for work, I knew nobody. I was living in Henderson not knowing a soul. I got to know a few people who worked in our Evansville office. They befriended me.
When I was forced to go to Evansville and leave Jasper, as I had to go fix some stuff in that office I already had a friend or two. Tara, bless her wild hearted soul, was great to hang out with, and Jenny Jenny, at the time, one of my new techs working for me was friendly. One of the only techs that was. I had a well deserved reputation as a hard nosed, by the book asshole, and honestly, I was.
As I progressed in that office, I made some real friends. Jenny and her husband Bob, Tara, of course, Raye-Raye and her then husband Damon, and Kim-Bro. By allowing me into their world, I met other great people.
Raye has a great family. Her sisters, (and yea ladies, your all lovely and hot-tot-tot-tot—tot.. Lol) and her niece, Christie. All of these are still lasting friendships to this day. They were all so good to me. My son now has lasting friendships with Christie’s kids, and for that I am doubly thankful.
Jenny as well, let me into her family world. Her mom, Jaye, had worked at TMX, so I knew her, but she became a real friend when her daughter accepted me into their tight, loving group. Her hubby Mike, is a great guy. Hard guy to understand, but i think if I told him right now I needed him to come down here and help me, he would. He’ll, I was honored when I got invited to his bachelor party…. (help me out here, I am pretty certain that was the bachelor party!) We hit golf balls into the Ohio, trying to hit the coal barges as they passed. Mine barely made it into the water, Mike was smacking the balls so far I think they had headaches!
Through Jaye’s clan of kids I got to meet her son and his wife, her other daughter Amy and her hubby, and Ash and Curtis, friends of the clan. They all accepted me. When parties were on I was always invited, when motorcycle rides were on, they made sure I was always aware…. When I had one to many Raye, Jaye or somebody always made sure I had a place to stay and a safe ride there.
Sunday golf outings with Damon were always great, even if Bob always found a way out of going, haha. All the time I spent on the weekends over at Christie and Kim-Bro’s (I spell it that way ’cause I can’t spell his last name, and that is how it is pronounced lol) my kids hanging with their’s…. They were a blessing, as well. I still consider Kim-Bro one of my best friends, and we traveled all over three or four states on our two wheeled adventures.
Also, my lasting and loving friend ship with fellow employee Kristal, flourished while I was at Evansville office. I cherish that friendship, as well.
I am sure I have missed a few names that should have come to mind, and I apologize if I missed someone, I have met so many great people out of my Indiana experiences. See! Angle and her husband, from Jasper office welcomed me into their home for one weekend of great conversation, drinks and good times! Oh, and I cannot forget a crotchety ol’ Texan name of Cary Nelson. That man believed in me, trusted me to do the job for him, gave me more advice and direction on how to manage people and deal with the job…… And he makes one he’ll of a good Texas mesquite smoked brisket!
To tell you about friends….. After being in a coma for two and a half weeks, tubes in me everywhere, keeping me alive, my first real memory is of seeing Jenny, Kim-Bro, and my son. (my “shovel face” memory) I am sure other friends were there, but I can’t remember, I was SOOOOOOOOO hopped up on drugs you would not believe! Also, I want to take a moment to say a thank you to my kiddo’s mother. She came to visit as well, bringing my boy. She took time away from her family and their needs to make sure Tyler was there. She also gave my mother hope, when they thought I might come out of the coma with brain damage, I thank her for that.
Jenny and Bob travelled far to visit me in the hospital, and also at the house,you guys are always welcome, your part of the family now! Ash, you need to know that when you and Jenny came down for that photo shoot, you both were a huge blessing. My Grandmother passed away recently, and those photos are lasting memories of the great matriarch of our family. Those were the last family portraits taken of us all together, as far as I know.
Then there is my friend Shanna, I have known her since we were both fourteen. She is a nurse, and slipped in one night to my room to talk to me after she got off her work shift. Oh, just for a laugh, and so you know, Shanna, my memory of that goes like this, because of the drugs I was on. We were on a desert plain, at night. Stars above our heads as I lay in a bed surrounded by sand. Away in the distance there was a hospital room door standing out of place all by itself on the plain, light leaking in from under the door. Oh trust me, I have lots of screwed up memories! Those coma drugs were he’ll on earth. One day I will write about the real seeming life I lead inside my mind, but I am not ready for that yet.
I have lots of great friends back home. Farrah and JP, Andy and Sarah, my folks, my brother and sister-in-law Kyle and Kim, my brother Wes and all the gang at the VFW. The gang at the V has held fund raisers for me, and some even visited me while I was in recovery from surgery in Louisville. I was surprised as all get out when Brooks and Jerry came stepping into my room, telling me stories to give hope, and just letting me see some familiar faces when I was far from home.
I know I have forgotten to name some names, and I apologize for that, but know I appreciate all my friends and all you have done for me. I hope all of you continue to stick by me as I walk this road fate has given me.
Thank you all!
N