Saturday, April 12, 2008

21 Years Ago Today

All day I've been thinking it was 20 years ago today, but I just figured out it was 21. I was riding my bike to work, and it was raining slightly. I had to be there at 1:00 and I had slept late and not eaten. I picked up a doughnut at the the shop on the way and put it in my backpack. I was hurrying and not paying attention, and I almost missed my turn at the bottom of the hill. I turned too quickly and the bike slid out from underneath me, causing me to pivot down on my hip. The result was instant shock and intense pain. I had to lay in the rain for about 1/2 an hour before an ambulance got there, and several more hours of emergency room/pain medications/X-ray/Orthopedic surgeon consultation before it was determined that my femur was splintered in 4 places near the hip. I had to have emergency surgery involving a pin, some kind of fake metal joint, 4 screws and 37 (if I remember correctly) staples to close the whole mess.

Result: 2 surgeries, 1 nasty-thigh-long scar, and an uncanny ability to predict impending changes in the weather. I hardly ever think about it until April 13th rolls around. I always wonder what it would have been like if I hadn't screwed up my leg. How I wouldn't limp when I get tired, or how people wouldn't stare at the swimming pool or beach. The weird thing is, I'm pretty proud of my scar, and I feel bad for the people who see it for the first time. I can see the shock on their faces and how they try to pretend they didn't notice. I want to make them feel more comfortable by acknowledging it and telling them what happened.

I'm not sad, I just can't believe how much time has passed since the accident. In a couple of years I will have lived with the scar longer than I lived without it. That's just so weird.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, on the 13th? But you really were lucky in that you can still walk & enjoy good health. Every scar tells a story & most of them are interesting...too bad some people can't see past that.

hesira said...

I just realized I posted this on the 12th. It was April 13th, though.

I agree about scars telling stories.

Sam said...

Scars give us character. We all have scars. They make us who we are, and remind us of where we have been.

Betty said...

I'm so glad you were able to recover from the accident! I find that I don't feel bad for people who are uncomfortable with seeing something unusual. I don't get upset or annoyed, but I just don't feel bad for them and I figure it's on them. This is from several years of watching people's reaction to Husband's prosthetic leg. I think a kid's curiosity is great though.

Anonymous said...

I have an anniversary on April 12 every year. I had a bad accident, and almost died. That was 27 years ago, and I barely react to the anniversary today. Good luck to you.