The Infamous 2nd Date

the only picture of us from that weekend

For most people, I think the second date is typically something like dinner and a movie. Something easy and low key, so that you can get to know the other person, and decide if a third date is in the cards.

Well, Andrew and I didn't go the traditional route. I gave some of our back story here, but we were friends in college and spent quite a bit of time together during our last two years at Sonoma State. So when we saw each other that December in 2010, there was already a foundation of friendship. I didn't realize that night that it would turn into anything, living 500 miles apart and all, I just thought of it as a fun night seeing an old friend. But a few weeks after our first night out together in Sacramento with college friends, Andrew asked if he could fly up to see me again.

He decided to come up for a long weekend, and we planned our first date for Friday afternoon. I took the day off and drove down to our friends in Danville where he was staying. We had the most perfect first date. He took me wine tasting during the day, then we met our friends later for dinner. I was heading back up to the foothills that night for a birthday party, but Andrew wasn't going back to San Diego until the following Tuesday.

Somehow, he convinced me our second date should be just a few days later. And I should join the boys on a trip to Tahoe for a day of snowboarding. After an amazing first date, I was powerless against his persuasion, and agreed to call in sick that Monday and join them at North Star.

Our second date started out as calm as any other. Even though it hadn't snowed in weeks, and the snow was more like ice, it was a beautiful day and we had a great morning on the mountain. I hadn't skied in nearly 5 years, so my legs were a little rusty. But I managed to keep up with the boys on their snowboards. We stopped for lunch on top of the mountain, then decided to head back down for another run.

Rich and Andrew had "tested out" the back of the mountain, and said I wouldn't have any trouble skiing down. So reluctantly, I followed behind them. Shortly after we started the run, there was a long, steep drop! I was SO mad at them, but there was nothing I could do about it. They went slowly down the run with me, and thankfully, I didn't have any trouble! The boys had stopped once the run leveled out a little. They wanted me to count them down, so they could race the rest of the way to the lift. But I was still nervous from the steep portion above, and didn't want to stop. That was my mistake.

Not a few feet later, my ski caught an icy edge and down I went. I'm sure my fall was far from graceful, I know I tumbled quite a few times. The trouble was, the skis I had rented were much too tight, and didn't come off during my fall. So when I finally came to a rest I landed in a kneeling position, but my legs were twisted up behind me with my skis still attached.

Surprisingly, it didn't hurt at all. Mostly just a bruised ego, I thought. By that time, Andrew and Rich had boarded down to me, after watching the whole thing. They took my skis off for me, and since I was feeling okay, just majorly embarrassed, I stood right up. I still felt fine, just a little shook up, so I decided to clip back into my skis and head down with them. However, when I tried to clip into my ski, my knee went out sideways. I was the grossest feeling I can't even describe it. But I knew at that point, something was wrong.

By now, some time had passed and a ski patrol came by. He was an EMT and after describing what had happened, he decided to tow me down the mountain to check it out a little further. I was mortified! I couldn't even look at Andrew. Only our second date, and here I am about to be towed down the mountain at North Star. I told them to continue boarding, and just meet up with me at the lodge. I didn't want anyone to witness my humiliating ride down the mountain.

After a long, and awkward trip down to the lodge with the ski patrol, he assured me that it was most likely just a sprain. Just to ice it, and get it checked out by a doctor the following day. Little did I know, Andrew had followed us down the entire way (making the whole thing even more embarrassing). Once the EMT left, we went down to the seating area near the ice skating rink, while the rest of our group continued to snowboard for a few hours. I got a bag of ice, and I remember just sitting there crying. I think by that time I knew it wasn't just a sprain.

Surprisingly, I still didn't have too much pain. It was just throbbing, and I could tell it was starting to swell. We still had a few hours drive back home before I would be able to look at it more closely, so I just continued to ice it and hope for the best.

Rich dropped me off at home that evening (Andrew had a flight to catch so he couldn't stay), so I called my sister immediately. My knee was pretty swollen at this point and I needed some moral support. My sister says when she answered the phone, my first words were, "Don't tell Mom and Dad, but..." since I had called in sick, I was so scared for their reaction.

Later that night, my best friends came over to lend some support and keep me company. When I stopped icing my knee to show them the swelling, I knew it wasn't good...

Since the bruising was already so bad, I made a doctor appointment for the next morning. My friend came with me since I was in no condition to drive, and I was so happy to have a little support. Little did I know how that doctor appointment would change the course of the next year.


Stay tuned for part 2....