Friday, February 04, 2005
MY ACCIDENT
Last night (Thursday) I totaled my little 2002 Hyundai Elantra that I liked so much! And it was my fault! That’s the hardest part to take! I can’t legitimately blame anyone else.
So I spent last evening in the emergency room at St. Vincent’s Hospital! They did a CAT scan of chest and stomach, etc. They checked to make sure my kidneys and other organs weren’t damaged and were functioning and that I wasn’t bleeding internally and didn’t know it. I'm all right, only very sore. And they said I'll be even sorer over the next several days! (I told them, "Thanks a lot!") So today I hurt everywhere, but just at different spots on my body at different times!
They didn’t even address the big cut on my leg. I guess in today’s world of modern medicine they’re only interested in the “big things” that they can use CAT scans, and the like, to diagnose conditions.
But there is much to be thankful for. God was with me and I see so many ways
He protected.
How did it happen? I really don’t want to tell you. (Just kidding!) I had to leave work late due to meetings, etc. A good friend was coming down from Fort Wayne to spend the evening. We were going to have dinner, lots of good conversation and prayer time together.
I was less than a mile from home. (Don’t they say most accidents occur within 5 miles or less from your home?) I looked down at the speedometer when I should have been looking at the road. When I looked up I was fast approaching this stationary Van. I hit the brakes and swerved to the right but not far enough to miss the Van. The left front part of my car struck the right rear part of the Van ahead of me.
It happened so fast and seemed so violent. Both air bags in my car deployed. That’s the first time I have ever experienced that. I am thankful that the driver’s side airbag hit my chest and not my face. My seat belt was fastened, too, which kept me out of the windshield. I wasn’t ticketed by the police. They said, “Accidents happen.” The Cop said there was no sign of alcohol or drugs and I had my seat belt fastened.
So now I have to replace the car. Car shopping is time consuming and risky business. I hope I get out of the car more than I owe on it! I just bought it one year ago this month. It’s sort of funny, too, that six years ago the 18th of this month I had an even more serious accident. I hit a flatbed semi loaded with lumber. I suffered considerable injuries from that accident and had several surgeries and was off work for about 5 months that time. So this wasn’t that bad.
Another good thing, our youngest daughter was in the line of traffic stopped behind the accident. So she was there to help and to take me to the hospital. That saved an ambulance charge! It was funny how she happened to be there and heard about the accident on her cell phone from her mother!
Well, my friend did get down from Fort Wayne. (He is a first-year Medical Doctor student!) He and Karon had a dinner at my house. Then they came to the hospital. So my friend and I had our visit and our prayer time. But we had it in the emergency room with me lying on a hospital bed with an IV in my arm, rather than in my living room!
Lessons learned? Many—but especially to keep your eyes on the road and not be distracted by ANYTHING! I was looking down when I definitely should have been looking up!
Jim
posted by jim 1:10 PM 0 comments
Comments:
Post a Comment
