Some people have accidents on accident, but others have accidents because they were foolish! The second is definitely a description of me in the case of the following story. In fact, I am only putting this story online because it was requested by a friend of mine (and because it is an interesting tidbit of information about me that most people do not know very well). I know that I will probably be teased to death about this, but I assure anyone that reads this that I am not so foolish anymore! :)
This story takes place in the year of our Lord circa A.D. 2008 during the reign of our very own President Bush on August 3 in Baghdad, Kentucky at the National Homeschool Alumni Reunion (HSA Reunion). On one particularly bright and sunny day, I decided to liven things up a little (honestly, it was not on purpose!). I was standing out back of the cafeteria that was located at the camp where we were. I was standing on a balcony approximately fifteen feet above a concrete floor. There was a nice walking trail a short distance away that I wanted to go for a walk on, so I decided to drop down from the balcony. I climbed over the short railing, grabbed on to the lowest rail, and attempted to swing down into a hanging position. If I had been successful, I could have easily and safely dropped down from the balcony, but, as I swung down, I found out that I had too much momentum. As I swung down, my forearms hit the decking, which jutted out a short distance from the railing, and knocked my grip loose from the railing. I proceeded to fall down, trying to support my fall with my left arm. When I hit, there was a bang (like a small gun). I did not realize at first that I was hurt. When someone from above asked if I was fine, I answered that I was. I next looked down at my wrist and saw that it was bent. I knew then that everything was not all right!
It is so swollen that you cannot see the bend as well as I could! :D
The following are accounts I wrote shortly after the accident and after I had already had the platinum plate put into my wrist:
At the time of the accident, I did not know that I had broken it until I looked down and saw that my wrist was bent. I was slightly out of it as I walked about 15 feet. A queasy feeling in my stomach caused me to sit down in case I went unconscious. When pain becomes extreme, it no longer is a localized pain but is a state of being on the edge of one’s consciousness and knowing that there is pain there. When pain reaches this level, unconsciousness is the result. The first time I woke up, my mind felt as though it were “buzzing” along with a sense of delirium. The next time I woke, I thought I was waking up at home in bed. This thought turned to the realization of where I was, and the thoughts of the Reunion returned. Somewhere during this time, I remember people walking by me. By God’s grace, I went unconscious while leaning against the rock pillars that supported the balcony. Because of my position, the people around me did not realize that anything was wrong with me, and I could not call out. It looked as though I were simply relaxing, which I was, in a way. One person realized that everything was not right when she said hello and I did not respond. She asked if I was okay. Since I was not sure how hurt I was, I was debating on what to say. Eventually, I said in a disoriented voice that I did not feel well. In almost a frantic voice, she tried to keep me awake and tell her what had happened. I said simply, “I fell.” At that, help was called in from the cafeteria. For several minutes after they came, I felt as though my body did not want to move, but my brain continued to function. The medical people on staff made sure I was not paralyzed and checked my heart rate. They also made sure I had not lost my memory with questions such as where I was, when I was born, what had happened, and how old I was. I tried to be very thorough in my explanations, a fact which helped me remember much more. The people there got my suitcase and wallet, laid me down, and called an ambulance. When the ambulance arrived, I was put on a stretcher, my head was put in something to keep my head still, and I was taped down with wide medical masking tape. I am very thankful for everyone’s concern. Dave Eldridge, Noah, and Camile (one of the people in charge of the Reunion) came to the hospital with me. Both my nurse and the lady who did the X-rays were Christians. God is good!
My Later Account of Lessons Learned
God’s blessings come in all sizes, shapes, and varieties. Some events that may be painful or irritating at the time often yield the greatest lessons and the greatest blessings. One blessing in my life that I want to thank God for is my broken wrist. Though I still have much to learn, breaking my wrist has opened my eyes to how I have been blessed with everything that I have. Few people can really appreciate what they have. Most people take for granted the great health that they have. I know that I did and sometimes still do.
Allow me to give you a small hint into the many things that a simple break can affect and how much that we take for granted. Imagine with me for a moment that you greatly enjoy sports, like to play piano and guitar, enjoy to run and ride your bike, and like to lift objects. With this background, imagine a day with a broken wrist. You wake up early and begin to make breakfast. You grab a box of cereal and go to the refrigerator to grab the milk. Suddenly, you realize that you are not able to lift the milk with your hand and also carry the cereal. Upon finishing breakfast and reading the Bible, the time has come to go to school. As you bend down to tie your shoes, you suddenly realize that tying your shoe requires both hands to pull with such a force that would cause great strain and even pain. Next imagine that you usually bike to school. Such a simple action is not encouraged with a broken wrist. First, it is difficult to ride with only one hand. Even if this were accomplished, any sudden movements would instantly require the use of the injured hand.
Having accomplished the task of getting to school, you are now behind your desk waiting for your professor to begin. In preparation, you begin to take your books out of your backpack. The problem is that opening your backpack requires your injured hand to help pull the zippers open—a task that actually causes a small degree of pain. Even harder though is putting your books back in the backpack when you are finished with them because this requires one hand to open the pack and one to put the books into the pack. In short, you are not allowed to play sports, even soccer. An accurate kick of a ball into your wrist would nicely break your wrist all over again. You are not allowed to run because any falls would re-break your wrist. Lifting is obviously prohibited. Furthermore, even assuming you have retained decent movement in your fingers, you cannot play the piano or guitar because your wrist is not strong enough and you cannot bend or twist your wrist. You find yourself thinking about how fortunate people should think themselves to be when they can bend their wrist easily even when making simple hand motions.
Please do not misunderstand what I have written here. Having a broken wrist is merely an inconvenience for me. I am not having a pity party or trying to muster up sympathy. My wrist is doing absolutely splendidly! I simply want people to be able to appreciate what God has given them.
I have a question for you. Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be paralyzed? Have you ever imagined what you would be like if your mind became diseased such that you could not think coherently? If God were to allow this to happen, would you still trust Him or blame Him? Your whole life would be changed. The things in life that you enjoyed the most would be taken from you. If people would honestly consider this, for whom would they live their lives? Do not just consider this. Really imagine that such an accident or disease happened to you!!! In some ways, when God takes away all the earthly things that you and I most depend on, it is as though all that remains is God and the individual. When in this situation, we can truly learn what it means to trust fully in God. We have no one else to turn to besides God. He is the only One in whom we can find comfort. He is the only friend who stands beside us in difficult situations. He is the faithful guide and protector. I cannot fully appreciate any of these things myself. I can, however, desire to serve God with what He has given me. If I have one good arm, I will serve Him with that arm. If I have no arms at all but have a mouth and tongue, I want to speak forth the message of God’s love. Such actions on my own, though, are beyond my ability. Only by the strength that God provides can I be who God wants me to be and do what God wants me to do.
