Today is my father's 59th birthday.
Last year for his birthday, he got some cards, a cake, and hit by a car. Well, technically the kid didn't run over my dad until the day AFTER his birthday, but details shmetails.
And since I was able to spend several weeks in Arkansas over the last year, helping my mom as she was full time care giver to dad and her own mother, plus part-time to an aunt of mine, I have learned a few things.
First, Grandma's physical therapist is cuter than Dad's. Heh heh. Just kidding. Not about Rich being cuter, cuz he is, but kidding that this is the foremost lesson. Which of course you probably guessed.
Moving right along....
To begin with, IF you are going to be run over by a car, it may or may not perhaps be better to try to jump onto the hood as it makes contact with you.
This is something dad had always thought would be a good move. (Yes, I do come from a family that frequently considers the worst case scenario.) However, he is not sure whether or not he did this. He doesn't actually remember too much of the accident. Mostly just thinking "That car is going to hit me" and then trying to sit up on the pavement afterwards.
Secondly, if you must go to a hospital in Mountain Home, Arkansas, do NOT believe them if they tell you that you are okay.
Or at least force them to x-ray more than one leg before sending you home a few hours after being victim to a car-pedestrian crosswalk meeting. You also might want to suggest extensive MRIs of the entire lower body some time before 5 weeks have passed, as the hospital is not likely to consider this on their own. My grandmother can also verify that you should not accept the doctor's word upon pronouncing you healthy when all along you have a broken back.
In addition, do NOT assume that it is safe to cross at an intersection just because the light tells you too and pedestrians have right-of-way and the law states that all intersections are official crosswalks whether marked or unmarked.
If you do assume this, then you are just taking fate into your own hands, because some teenagers are in too big of a hurry to show off their Wal-Mart purchases to their buddies to consider whether or not they should check for pedestrians.
Furthermore, when thinking that said teenager and responsible parents of such will exercise human compassion and accept the burden of one's actions, prepare to be incorrect.
This one speaks for itself. Or doesn't speak, as the case may be, since not once has anyone uttered a word of apology. In addition, said *@!*^]# teenager claims innocence in the matter entirely, so I suppose his attorney has probably instructed him not to say a word.
And finally, if you find yourself somehow the victim of circumstance and an idiot driver, choose your words carefully when explaining the accident to children.
Apparently my sister's then 5 year old that Grandpa had acquired super powers and he was quite impressed. After further inquiring about his glee over Grandpa's condition, she learned that 5-year-old was eager to see his grandfather "fly over a car". He was not nearly as happy when he learned that the flying was not going to be repeated.
Last year for his birthday, he got some cards, a cake, and hit by a car. Well, technically the kid didn't run over my dad until the day AFTER his birthday, but details shmetails.
And since I was able to spend several weeks in Arkansas over the last year, helping my mom as she was full time care giver to dad and her own mother, plus part-time to an aunt of mine, I have learned a few things.
First, Grandma's physical therapist is cuter than Dad's. Heh heh. Just kidding. Not about Rich being cuter, cuz he is, but kidding that this is the foremost lesson. Which of course you probably guessed.
Moving right along....
To begin with, IF you are going to be run over by a car, it may or may not perhaps be better to try to jump onto the hood as it makes contact with you.
This is something dad had always thought would be a good move. (Yes, I do come from a family that frequently considers the worst case scenario.) However, he is not sure whether or not he did this. He doesn't actually remember too much of the accident. Mostly just thinking "That car is going to hit me" and then trying to sit up on the pavement afterwards.
Secondly, if you must go to a hospital in Mountain Home, Arkansas, do NOT believe them if they tell you that you are okay.
Or at least force them to x-ray more than one leg before sending you home a few hours after being victim to a car-pedestrian crosswalk meeting. You also might want to suggest extensive MRIs of the entire lower body some time before 5 weeks have passed, as the hospital is not likely to consider this on their own. My grandmother can also verify that you should not accept the doctor's word upon pronouncing you healthy when all along you have a broken back.
In addition, do NOT assume that it is safe to cross at an intersection just because the light tells you too and pedestrians have right-of-way and the law states that all intersections are official crosswalks whether marked or unmarked.
If you do assume this, then you are just taking fate into your own hands, because some teenagers are in too big of a hurry to show off their Wal-Mart purchases to their buddies to consider whether or not they should check for pedestrians.
Furthermore, when thinking that said teenager and responsible parents of such will exercise human compassion and accept the burden of one's actions, prepare to be incorrect.
This one speaks for itself. Or doesn't speak, as the case may be, since not once has anyone uttered a word of apology. In addition, said *@!*^]# teenager claims innocence in the matter entirely, so I suppose his attorney has probably instructed him not to say a word.
And finally, if you find yourself somehow the victim of circumstance and an idiot driver, choose your words carefully when explaining the accident to children.
Apparently my sister's then 5 year old that Grandpa had acquired super powers and he was quite impressed. After further inquiring about his glee over Grandpa's condition, she learned that 5-year-old was eager to see his grandfather "fly over a car". He was not nearly as happy when he learned that the flying was not going to be repeated.
Posts
1 comment:
I thought perhaps the "then 5 year old" was going to learn some new words from grandpa while he explained what he thought of dead-beat teenagers and their parents. Hope he's doing better at this point.
Post a Comment