Tag: accident

Fandango’s Friday Flashback – February 12

**Trigger warning**

This week we look back to my daily prompt post from 2017 … this is a post I did about my history and worst of times. I want to mention again there are options and places to go for help… there are others who have been through it, you are not alone. For this week’s FFF …

Out and Away

At the height of my ex-husbands drinking and my lowest moments I often thought the best option for me to get away from all the mess was to drive straight into a tree off the highway… thankfully I had a friend who saw how deep I had fallen and helped pull me back up.

Being in a household with a heavy alcoholic is hell, total isolation, guilt, shame, anger and a million more emotions all bottled up and shaken well and often.  But the thing to remember is you are never alone.  There are millions of ways to break free and get help that don’t have the disastrous results of this poem.  Reach out, find help, you are NOT in this battle alone.

Al-anon   http://al-anon.alateen.org/

Suicide hotline  http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/  1-800-273-8255

I was aware of the snow

But I left anyway

I had to get out

I had to get away

The house reeked of alcohol

Again you had too much

I had to get away

I had to get out

I felt the tires lose traction

And the impact with the tree

I had to get out

I had to get away

Unconsciousness turned the world grey

Maybe this was my escape

I had to get away

I had to get out

Saying goodbye to the life I knew

And hello to eternal peace

I got out

I got away

Dinner On Hold

blurry photo of a person pouring red wine in wine glass beside assorted foods
Photo by Ekrulila on Pexels.com

The table was set for two and dinner was just about ready.  She had just opened to wine to breathe.  Her cell phone rang, and Mandy answered it, “Hello.  Yes, this is Mandy Ivers.”  After a long pause she continued with a shaky voice.  “Are you sure?  He should have been closer to the east side of the city about now?  Yes, of course.  I will be there as soon as I can.”

Mandy drove to the hospital the gentleman on the phone had told her that her husband was in.  She approached the registration desk and inquired about her husband.  The receptionist said, “I will page the doctor for you.”

What seemed like forever, Mandy waited.  The doctor arrived and led her to a consultation room.  “Mrs. Ivers I am sorry to tell you that your husband was in a serious crash.  He is in surgery right now and it will be a crucial night for him after he is out of surgery.”

“What is wrong?”

“From what the paramedic told me he was hit by a driver running a red light.  He at least has broken bones, a collapsed lung and some internal bleeding.  We will know more when the surgeon comes out to speak to you.  It should be within the hour.”

The doctor left Mandy all alone and she began to sob.  Jeff was her world.  What would she do without him?  They had tickets to go to Vegas next month, he couldn’t miss that!  The door opened and the surgeon stepped in removing his mask.

“How is my husband?”

“He is weak, but stable.  He will be in the iCU tonight and if all goes well, we will move him to a private room tomorrow.  You can go home and get some rest or if you would like there is a ICU waiting room where you can stretch out on the couch and if there is any change the nurse will let you know.”

“Can I see him now?”

“Maybe later in the night, he is still in recovery from the surgery.”

Mandy sighed and said, “Okay.”

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – dinner

A to Z Challenge – N

A2Z 2020 logo

The letter N …

It happened back in February.  I received a phone call from my niece.  She was on her way to work and needed a ride due to a stopped train on the railroad tracks: she was going to miss her bus and be late for work.  I left home headed the long way around town to avoid train crossings.  I was one block from the place where she was waiting for me.  I went to turn onto the street when a vehicle came up suddenly and t-boned my car.  It shattered the passenger window, sent me across the intersection, stopping just maybe 2 to 3 feet from hitting a light pole.  The impact was hard enough that the baseball cap I was wearing came off my head and landed in the back seat.

The accident did a lot of damage to my car, it was totaled. I was ok, as was the other driver.  But even to this day I still am so thankful my niece was not in the car with me.  It is frightening to think she could have been hurt if in the car already.

My niece has been like a sister to my daughter.  I spent a lot of time, when she was younger, babysitting her; so she is a second daughter in a way.  I care about her a great deal and that is why I’m grateful my niece was not with me that night.

On The Road To Disaster – Part 3

Part one

Part two

Part three…

Betsy had been driving about fifteen minutes when the lights of the town ahead could be seen through the fading sun of the day.  “See Mike, just up over than next hill and we are off on our adventure.

Mike reached over a kissed her on the cheek.  “This will be a great vacation babe.”

As they crested the hill Betsy turned and said, “You are so right.”  That would be the last thing she remembered.  She awoke in a strange bed and knew from the IV that she was in a hospital but how, why, where was Mike?  She slowly moved her hand to look for a button and felt pain shoot through her chest.  She finally found the button and pressed it.

“May I help you?” came the voice over the intercom.

“Where is Mike?”

“Just a moment Betsy, I will get your doctor.”

For what seemed like an eternity she waited to hear news of Mike.  The doctor finally came into the room with a big booming voice, “Well look who finally woke up.”

“How long have I been asleep?  Where is Mike?  What happened?”

“Slow down Betsy.  You were in a car accident do you remember that at all?”

“No, just driving up the hill outside of town, then waking up here.”

“Well you were in a very serious accident.  A drunk driver crossed the center line and hit you head on.”

“Where is Mike?”

“Unfortunately, I am afraid to tell you that Mike did not live.  Neither did the driver of the other car.  But the good news is you and the baby are both ok.  You have some cracked ribs, a broken leg and lots of bruises.”

“You can’t be right.  Mike never gets hurt or sick.  He is just in another room isn’t he?”

“I am sorry to say no Betsy.  Mike and Jerry Duncan, the driver, both died.”

She looked in shock as tears started to well in her eyes.  Then she suddenly turned back to the doctor and said, “Did you say baby?”

“Yes, you and your baby are both going to be fine with a little rest and recovery.”

Betsy burst into tears.  She just lost the love of her life but gained something more that would always connect her to Mike – a child.

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – live

Dawn’s Horizon

She had never been real outgoing. Today was going to test her adventure skills.  “Are you all packed and ready Dawn,” her mother asked?

“Mom are you sure this is a good idea? We wont get lost?”

“Your Dad and I used to hike these mountains all the time. I am sure we will be fine. Relax it will be fun.”

Dawn was going on her first ever camping and hiking trip and she was worried. Worried about snakes and bears and starving. Her parents insisted they could catch fish to eat for the weekend. Dawn was not convinced.

“Maybe we should take a can or two of tuna to be sure we have food Mom.”

“Your Dad and I have always caught fish for us to eat and I am sure we will manage today.”

They packed all their gear into the back of the SUV and set off on their trip. It would take them 45 minutes to arrive at the park and then about an hour hike to get to the camping area they wanted.

Dawn was staring out the window with her headphones on listening to music. Her mom was talking to her dad about something when it happened. A semi driver in the opposite lane suddenly clutched his chest. He slumped over the steering wheel and jumped the median hitting them head-on. They never made it to the park, and they never would again.

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – adventure

The Message

too late

I thought to

honk my horn

there were tires screeching

glass breaking

and the sound of twisting metal

a scream

and more horns

they were all

too late

the mangled metal came to rest

on the median

smoke filled the air

from the exploded airbag

and the smell of blood

started to drift to my nostrils

too late

I picked up my phone

the message was still on the screen

I should have never

looked at my phone

but now that thought was

too late…

Out and Away

At the height of my ex-husbands drinking and my lowest moments I often thought the best option for me to get away from all the mess was to drive straight into a tree off the highway… thankfully I had a friend who saw how deep I had fallen and helped pull me back up.

Being in a household with a heavy alcoholic is hell, total isolation, guilt, shame, anger and a million more emotions all bottled up and shaken well and often.  But the thing to remember is you are never alone.  There are millions of ways to break free and get help that don’t have the disastrous results of this poem.  Reach out, find help, you are NOT in this battle alone.

Al-anon   http://al-anon.alateen.org/

Suicide hotline  http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/  1-800-273-8255

 

I was aware of the snow

But I left anyway

I had to get out

I had to get away

The house reeked of alcohol

Again you had too much

I had to get away

I had to get out

I felt the tires lose traction

And the impact with the tree

I had to get out

I had to get away

Unconsciousness turned the world grey

Maybe this was my escape

I had to get away

I had to get out

Saying goodbye to the life I knew

And hello to eternal peace

I got out

I got away

Happy and Grateful – Day 4

I have undertaken a challenge this year.  I am trying to find the good in every day by writing about happiness and gratitude that I feel.  No matter how small there is always something to bring a smile or make you grateful, if just for a moment.  Follow along with me as I dig deep as necessary and find the peace of the day.  Join in if you are feeling happy and grateful too – in the comments or on your own blog.  Let’s find some fun!

Timing, fate, karma, a guardian angel… however you want to look at it, it came together for me.  I had another appointment out-of-town.  I dread the drive there, I dread the drive back.  The timing of this appointment put me right at the start of rush hour traffic on the way home.

I was almost out of the worst of it and headed to the highway for a straight shot home, when I looked into my rear-view mirror.  I happened to see a deer fly through the air and another one turn back around instead of crossing the road.  Just maybe two car lengths behind me was where this happened.  I had just missed being the one to face the deer head on.

I can gladly say I have never hit an animal with my car… in this area there are plenty of deer to contend with.  I have seen deer in many rural areas, but this was the first time in a very busy area of town I have seen deer.

Bottom line was I got lucky on the trip home.  It could have very easily been me in that spot at that moment they crossed the highway.  I am happy I do not have car damage that needs to be fixed, or injuries that need to heal.  And grateful my trip home was a safe one.

Day 30 – 100 Days of Happiness

From bad to good news… that split second when things improve is such a relief and a moment of happiness.  Today a good friend’s son was in a car accident.  Those moments waiting to hear news on his condition took far too long, but when I heard surgery was over and he was going to be ok it brought a relief and happiness beyond words.  There is a lot of healing to go through, but the healing will come and life continues. I am so happy things did not turn out worse…. thank God.