Coming To Reality

I debated for a few minutes whether or not to post this picture of Jesse and I. I sincerely apologise if it shocks anyone. But please hear me out before you stop reading this post.

I'm a gifted writer (I am being humble, Mom!) and with that gift comes an overactive imagination.

When I first heard about Jesse's accident, images from CSI, Rescue 911, Discovery Health shows, and numerous movies flashed into my mind. But what haunted me most in my mind's eye was an image of Jesse looking like not Jesse.

I'm not especially close to Jesse, but he's my cousin and I love him. I love his gentle manner, his easy laugh, the polite look he gives you that so clearly says "You're crazy." From Sunday until Friday, I was so afraid that when I went to see him he'd be someone else. Someone one I wouldn't know not only in body, but in spirit.

Well, I went to visit him on Saturday and I can tell you this: he is on his way to being America's Next Top Model. With only 1/4th of his head is shaved (from where he had a probe in his skull to relieve brain pressure), a shaved chest (for the heart monitor thingys), both feet in casts, an itsy-bitsy, teenie-weenie hospital gown, and a scruffy beard growing in, this kid's setting new standards for sexy. I even told him he looked sexy with the scruffy beard and 1/4th shaved head and he just gave me the classic "You're crazy" look and smiled.

Oh yes, he's still Jesse. First thing the kid says to me (after my mom ascertained that he knows who I am) was, "Hey, how are you?" I couldn't help but laugh. Jesse, dearest Jesse, was asking how I was doing.

Here's a sample of one of our conversations:

Me: So, are they being nice to you here?
Jesse: Yeah. I went home yesterday, but then they brought me back and they told me I had to stay here.
Me: Oh. Well are they at least letting you watch tv?
Jesse: Oh yeah, they let me watch whenever I want. I just tell them and they put on whatever I want to watch.
Me: What have you watched?
Jesse: Mostly sports.

It was hard to hear him say he'd gone home, because I knew he hadn't. But as the day went on, it got easier. And then, as my brother Cameron and I were telling Jesse that we were leaving to drive home, Jesse said something so sweet to us. He said, "Thanks for coming to see me. And call when you're leaving."

We assured him we would.