Next month, on January 9, it will be the 18th "anniversary" since an accident that changed my life forever. One wrong choice that I made as a child almost cost me my life, and I still tell the story today in hopes that someone will think twice before they choose wrong over right. At the risk of over-dramatizing this, I'd like to share my account with you....
It was a cold, snowy day in Northern Indiana on the morning of January 9th, 1997. I was a first grader at Jefferson Elementary which was right across the street from our house. My mom worked nights at that time, and my dad was a volunteer firefighter at the fire station which was also across the street on the other side of our house. He was at his day job, and my mom was getting me and my older siblings ready for school. I woke up in a cranky mood and was having a hard time finding something to wear. My mom told me to hurry because we were running late, but I was dragging my feet. I requested pancakes for breakfast, and upon her refusal, I threw a fit. Needless to say, neither my mother or I was having a good morning...
We had a chainlink fence with a big gate that separated our driveway from the two-lane state road that was in front of our house. My oldest sister Chrisney walked my sister Amy and brother Ryan across the street to school so they wouldn't be late. My mom finally had me ready a few minutes later and we went out to the driveway. She told me to wait on the porch so she could grab her shoes. A few seconds later, I thought in my six year old mind that I could certainly cross the street myself. So....I unlatched the gate, and off I went. (Not looking either direction to see if any traffic was coming) My mom heard a noise and looked out the big picture window, and saw my boots fly one way and my book bag in another direction. She was horrified, and ran across the street, still in her slippers. She saw that a lady in her car, going about 35-40 mph since it was icy, had hit me. I was thrown onto the hill and almost hit an electricity pole, but it had an orange construction fence around it which stopped me.
My mom scooped me up off the ground, and ran me over to the fire station. I don't remember feeling any pain until the firemen moved me onto the backboard, and put a neck brace on me. I distinctly remember a teardrop falling down the fireman's face who was right above me inspecting my injuries. He said, "This is Stan's daughter.." My mom followed the ambulance to the hospital, and I remember the EMT telling me to stay awake and don't let myself fall asleep. (to keep my body from going into shock) I spent that night in the hospital, and one of the sweetest things I remember was my brother spending the money he had been saving to buy me a huge teddy bear, and a girl bunny rabbit. I guess I was grumpy from the pain too, because I wouldn't let my little sister sit with me on the bed. lol
The impact of the car broke the three main bones in my right leg- tibia, fibula, and the femur. I had a hard cast from my knee to my ankle, and then had a fixation bar put in on my thigh with four pins to reset the bone.
It was a cold, snowy day in Northern Indiana on the morning of January 9th, 1997. I was a first grader at Jefferson Elementary which was right across the street from our house. My mom worked nights at that time, and my dad was a volunteer firefighter at the fire station which was also across the street on the other side of our house. He was at his day job, and my mom was getting me and my older siblings ready for school. I woke up in a cranky mood and was having a hard time finding something to wear. My mom told me to hurry because we were running late, but I was dragging my feet. I requested pancakes for breakfast, and upon her refusal, I threw a fit. Needless to say, neither my mother or I was having a good morning...
We had a chainlink fence with a big gate that separated our driveway from the two-lane state road that was in front of our house. My oldest sister Chrisney walked my sister Amy and brother Ryan across the street to school so they wouldn't be late. My mom finally had me ready a few minutes later and we went out to the driveway. She told me to wait on the porch so she could grab her shoes. A few seconds later, I thought in my six year old mind that I could certainly cross the street myself. So....I unlatched the gate, and off I went. (Not looking either direction to see if any traffic was coming) My mom heard a noise and looked out the big picture window, and saw my boots fly one way and my book bag in another direction. She was horrified, and ran across the street, still in her slippers. She saw that a lady in her car, going about 35-40 mph since it was icy, had hit me. I was thrown onto the hill and almost hit an electricity pole, but it had an orange construction fence around it which stopped me.
My mom scooped me up off the ground, and ran me over to the fire station. I don't remember feeling any pain until the firemen moved me onto the backboard, and put a neck brace on me. I distinctly remember a teardrop falling down the fireman's face who was right above me inspecting my injuries. He said, "This is Stan's daughter.." My mom followed the ambulance to the hospital, and I remember the EMT telling me to stay awake and don't let myself fall asleep. (to keep my body from going into shock) I spent that night in the hospital, and one of the sweetest things I remember was my brother spending the money he had been saving to buy me a huge teddy bear, and a girl bunny rabbit. I guess I was grumpy from the pain too, because I wouldn't let my little sister sit with me on the bed. lol
The impact of the car broke the three main bones in my right leg- tibia, fibula, and the femur. I had a hard cast from my knee to my ankle, and then had a fixation bar put in on my thigh with four pins to reset the bone.
The stuffed animals my brother and the hospital gave me
Hot pink cast of course ;)
Was in a wheelchair for about 2 weeks
Then on crutches for the remaining time
This was right before I went in for surgery to take the bar & pins out
My dad shared with me later, that on the way to work that morning, he had heard the song, "You Are My Special Angel". He would call me his special angel from then on.
Everything healed up nicely, and besides some physical therapy to help me walk properly, and re-learning how to do a cartwheel, I was able to go back to being a normal kid.
Now the wounds I had from the fixation and pins healed, yes, BUT they left me with 4 circular scars on my lower and upper thigh about a half an inch wide with no feeling in them. I used to tell girls when they saw them (like at swim time at church camp or something like that) that they were bullet holes (since they could probably pass as such.. lol) And I was in a big fight- their eyes would get so big ;) Eighteen years have passed, and the scars have stayed the same. No fading, reduction in size, or return of feeling has happened. They have become a part of who I am, and will be there until one day when I get a glorified body. They are a reminder to me every single day of a choice of disobedience that I made a long time ago. When I look at the first graders that I teach, and imagine one of them getting hit by a car, it amazes me that God chose to spare my little life, knowing that one day He would use me to serve Him. What a humbling thought!
My message to others, as well as a continual reminder to myself, is that sin DOES leave behind its ugly and a lot of times -deforming- scars. Thank God that He is always willing to forgive and most petty to the most grievous of indiscretions, but each one leaves us with a little mark that identifies us as the sinners we are.
May we resolve to think twice before we ignore the Holy Spirit's conviction and "cross the street" or go over the line when we know we should not.
<3 Stephanie
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