in a split second your life changed....

[Merrydeath]

what happened to you to change your life, or made you sit up and wonder what if..........

this is mine

IN A BLINK...

Last Monday, Feb 4, will be in my memory for a long time. I was going home from Omaha and my friend, Andy's house, (Marrs meeting, yeah!!) and feeling a bit melancholy. Going east on I-80 and not really seeing much in the morning fog, I remember thinking, 'if a deer goes in front of me, I wont see it'. Just as I went over a small hill, I saw a patch of black ice in front of me. There was salt on it but not enough. My car spun 180, 360 degrees, going around and around in the dark and fog. I yelled and tried to pump my brakes but it was no use. I ended up backend first in a ditch, facing traffic. I checked: no blood, nothing broken, and my car was still running. I drove a bit forward over the grass in the ditch and tried to drive out all the way. I got one tire on the road but couldnt get over the lip. I pushed the gas a bit, still no going onto the road. Slowly I reversed the car and went back down the bank. Just as I got down a bit, I saw a white and red wall run in front of me. A semi had gone in the ditch and just run over the tire marks I had made.on the road. I sat for a moment, then drove in reverse into the ditch. I was worried that the semi was going to slide back into me, since it was a bit muddy, and the semi was slammed into the hillside. I watched it a moment, then decided I had better get out of my car. The driver of the semi got out and askd if I was ok. I shook my head yes, and then just shook a bit with all the tension. Another man came over, saying he had seen the whole thing and just how terrible it was. I agreed but wondered why he was so upset over the cars in the ditch.

and then it occured ot me to look over my shoulder at the westward lane of traffic. In the Median sat a green car that looked like mine, only the top was gone. I breathed deep, and realized that a car that had been behind me had spun out of control. It had gone into the other lane of traffic and slammed into the semi, which then traveled across to my lane of traffic, almost crushing my car. This wreck was all that was left of her car.

I stood and shook for a moment, and saw another semi almost hit a truck by the side of the road. Going into my car, I got my big lantern and tried to warn the cars and semi's to slow down... it helped a bit and no one else had an accident, thank goodness. An ambulance came on the scene, with paramedics checking everyone out. They let me sit in the ambulance to keep warm and make sure I was not in shock. After all was said and done, my car was ok and drivable, and didnt need a tow to get out of the ditch.

The woman who died in that wreck was young, and her life cut short too soon. Why did it happen like that? I might never know... I have to think that it just wasnt my time and it was hers, or I'll wonder why there is a god that would allow something like this... I prefer to think that it was just fate. A cosmic instance. Of course, my sympathy goes out to her family, with a wish for strength and hope ..

Meanwhile, I'm looking at life more closely, what I really want and what I can do.. I'm hoping that my future has someone special in it, who likes ren faires and movies and tv and hugs and apples and me! I can hope...

My grandson has some health issues, but so far its ok. He has RSV and on oxygen for now, but he's in a good hospital with caring parents. Your prayers would be appreciated for him. He'll be a year old on my birthday next month. What a delight..

I guess my final words are: don't live for the future, live for now. Next year might not be. That doesn't mean you do what you want to whoever, but don't wait for after dinner to have dessert, dont wait for next year to go on vacation.. carpe diem.

[Red Cat Jenny]

Merry...I am speechless...

You no doubt, have changed others lives through this too.

Bless you for being alive and for reminding us how precious life is.

[Merrydeath]

thank you, Jenny.. I could have died many ways that morning... its still astounds me. It also amazes me that a life can be as little as an inch in a news report.. all those dreams and wishes, prayers and smiles could be reduced to so little. Sadly, such is life...

[Silkie McDonough]

Thank you for sharing this Merry. I try not to take life too lightly but then ...it is a month later and I wonder ...what happened to all the time. It is too easy to become complacent.

Also, we are glad that you did not leave this life ...we kind of like having you around ...however seldom it may be.

[TheBlackFox]

If I ever wrote my autobiography, it would be called "Ten Seconds." If I had waited just ten seconds instead of pulling out on to the road in the middle of a hurricane in 1985, that Chevy Nova would have driven past me instead of into me.

When it hit my lil' Ford Escort, it collapsed the driver's side, pinning my hip to the seat and sending the rest of me to the passenger's side, sliding my face across the broken bits of windshield.

Later, the State Trooper told me that if I had been wearing a seatbelt, it would have ripped me in half.

I died and was revived at the scene. Lungs crushed close, huge lacerations on my face, internal injuries, and my left hip broken into 6 separate pieces from the anterior through the pelvis.

I spent 6 months in Bethesda Naval Hospital, getting my lung capacity back, letting the internal organs heal, and learning to walk again. . .but with 26 screws and 3 plates holding my hip together.

Within a year my U.S. Navy career which I loved, was over.

On the upside. . . . my girlfriend, who I'd just broken up with, was effected by the Florence Nightengale syndrom and became my wife and mother to my two wonderful children.

In one split second, my Navy career, which was taking me in a different direction, brought my wife (now ex) and children into my life. Truly a silver lining.

I have no regrets about the cards dealt me. . .but I do often wonder. . . "What if. . . ."

[MadL]

Automobile accidents...cursed he who thought them beasties up!!

In the 70's me first vehicle was a beautiful 1961 Triumph 350 motorcycle. When I returned from the Corps I needed wheels, my father had this one with only 9k mile and not ridden since 1961 or 2. Engine frozen from sitting in the garage none use so long, but I spent the better of the next few weeks tearing it down complete, and learning first time all the way, and then rebuilt it and for the first time in over a decade I brought that engine to roar! Oh it was a happy day when I kicked that engine over, and I became the hit of the town, even had a motorcycle cop follow me into a parking lot once...scared the heck outta me (what'd I do? what's I do?!), he just wanted to know if I would sell it..

Well, me and that bike rode fer the next year or so, turning heads everywhere...until one day, along around 1978 or 79, I was headed to some mates for a leisure day and outta no where a primer'd color Mustang drove right through a red light in front of me! I was doing around 45~50mph I would say, never had chance to even hit the break, I hit that Mustang broadside at near freeway speed, and I wore No Helmet either...

I remember the sudden stop of me prized girl between me legs, and I remember my face zooming straight at a face in the rear passenger seat of that Mustang, a blank look he had, young Hispanic fellow, for a split second we stared eye to eye then I realized my day was about to end so I put me head down fer I knew that glass was going to hurt and Hurt Bad!! Everything went black....

Next I knew I was rolling up onto the corner on the opposite side of the intersection....alive...I rose to me feet with strangers rushing and telling me to sit back down - No! Where is my bike?! I turned and saw her still spinning on her foot peg just before her engine died...I tried to get to her but my legs were not none too steady and people where pulling on me....I looked down, my pants where spit open from hip to knee...but I still stood, I was alive...I didn't hit the Mustang with me noggin??? I looked around - That Blag'ard Had Fled!!!

Well, after some months of therapy I healed, but me bike, I never could get her to run again. Latter when I joined the service a man came to me, offered me $2K and told me he had an antique bike/car museum and she would be well looked after....I sold my beautiful motorcycle and headed off into the Army...

Accidents can indeed make you stop and think....

Again around 1993 or so, returned to civey life, purchased a brand new min-truck, just made my last and final payment and twas awaitin fer the pink to arrive...just put brand new tiers on her too, after three years of drivin her. I was headed to work one morning, heading up the freeway as I always do and sticking to the right line so I may exit two more ramps down as I always do.....Suddenly, my truck, she be steerin sorta funny now..? I tried to turn the wheel...just a tad, not to change lanes but just to see....but nothing....how odd?

Now let me say, I take good care of my vehicles, never let minor things turn to major, so I knew something wasn't right, I knew something was amiss! I tried to speed up, but there was now 'Umph'...I tried to slow down, and she wasn't havin none of that...?? Then suddenly she began to turn to the right....but her movement continued to go straight!??! Now I KNEW something was no right on this morning, now I KNEW something was happening and I had to figure it out fast - fer that be a good 20 foot drop off the edge of that freeway!!

It was most likely only about a quarter of a mile or less that all this took place, that was when I looked in me rear view mirror, first just wanting to get a look at surroundin traffic so's I know who to avoid as I figure out what to do next, when then I saw it....I saw....NOTHING...??? I saw....Silver, and Shiny??? I looked me other two mirros, same thing??? Now what's this I remember asking me self?? Then I saw again - It was the grill of a Eighteen Wheeler!!! She was shoving me down the freeway!??! Now fer what I would now say to be about the next half mile I began to realize that she either did Not Know I was stuck to his truck's nose, or he was a Mad Man and it was my life he was after!! -- just a reminder, remember that new head line back about 1992 or so when a trucker in California went insane and crashed several cars, fer pleasure or what not...and remember that stolen tank in California, also ran over several cars....

Well, at least twice I remember giving up and turning loose the wheel, sayin to me self "This is it, life has been a blast but this is how it will end fer sure", but then I chose to be damned if it would and again I struggled with the wheel and gas to try and break free - and break free I finally did - NOT GOOD! NOT GOOD! Fer now I be in a mad spin!! At least 5, 7, or 8 times around I would say, again I tried to stop the spin (I know how, I 'play' on mud and ice a lot, I know how!) but she wasn't respondin, she just kept spin'n round and round, again I let go of the wheel and give up, again I take the wheel and say to me self "BLAST YE, OBEY ME NOW!", I saw the center medium coming, just a short thing, I would surely go over and on into oncoming traffic or worse flip end to end with the speed I was moving...then *WHAM - BAM*....I stopped? It was over...

Turned out one car, one stupid other driver opted not to stop and watch like all the others, but instead he raced his little car, he raced it right up the center curb in hopes to pass me...said he was late for work...but he wasn't fast enough, instead of passing me he became wedged between me and the center divider, he became my break and kept me from going over or from being flipped end to end...

Again, a few months of therapy and I was healed, but my little red truck was destroyed, the bed nearly ripped off and crushed up higher then the cab it was, the cab itself was said to be 2 or 3 inches shorter in length, and the chassis was a bent where chassis' are not meant to bend. My little red truck went to the junk yard....and the pink slip came in the mail just 5 days later....

Yup, automobile accidents will make you think...about what was, what could have been, and what might have been. But I suppose we should think more about what is....eh?

Perhaps some other day I can tell of the man who fell from a plane and hit me head broadside, both of us doing a bout 125mph....or the time me parachute did not open, at 13,000 feet

(and yes, these be True)

[lady snow]

when i was alittle opast 18, we have a bad ice storm.

i was in school miles away from home and it was just rainging there when i left for home. the night before i have had accidently took the keys to the ski school home from work ( i taught skiing to children). my noss called and i promised i woulf drop them off on my way home from school.

the closer i got to home the icier the roads and all got. i even thought about aborting the trip to the ski area and going over aparta mountain and just going home.

but i was 18 and this was my first 'real' job.

i had a lot of trouble getting out of the parking area in front of the offices and had to stop to get clear the ice off the windshield.

the next thing i remember is waking up from a coma a week later.

i had skidded on sheet ice on downhill 's' curves about halfway home and was thrownm out of the car. i was belted' but it broke.

i don't have a spleen, had damaged organs, concussion, broken and cracked bones, put a rin through my left lung....

but i have no memory of the accident and the only memories i have from the week in the coma is that i could tell you anybody that came to see me if they talked to me.

my mom told me that she knows that i kept saying that i'mk going to live forever, but i didn't have to go around proving it.that was only the forst of my near death experiences, but i feel it was the worst.

[Merrydeath]

I"m truly glad that you survived that coma, and are the sweet person you are today.. you would miss your smile, lass!

I'm having some difficult surgery on the 31st. I'll be off work 4-8 weeks, depending on how it goes. Hopefully this will take care of some problems I have had for a while and I'll be bounce back ok. I'll be at 1/2 salary and no other income for that time. Thank the gods for my deep freeze and ramin noodles!

[lady constance]

Reading all these stories...... i realise my life has been covered with grace....

i can think of many moments that death could have been possible... yet it did not happen--and my immense gratitude to God .. and learning not to take anything for granted.....

years ago{in nov '04}my husband and i had a still born child, Marie Elizabeth at 31 weeks.. she was perfect in every way, blue eyes......

cause--a 2 vessel umbilical cord { normally they have 3}...

the stillness inside of me, where there should have been excited life ... the ultrasound i saw and knew immediately it should not be still in there-- i diagnosed it out loud before the nurses and docs could mention it.....

and the process of delivering a still born was almost too much for me and my beloved husband... but moments of grace from above held us together...how there can be anguish and yet peace within the soul can only be a work of grace .....

life is precious at every age.... it can be taken away at any time for any reason, or no reason at all...

we can either be raging against another Will... or we can look and see adn be grateful for all that we have currently--taking nothing for granted.... loving every moment...

and facing that every moment could possibly be the last with another... do you want to be right or do you want to be loving?--what memory do you choose to leave for a legacy after you are gone?

adn if it is another who dies, leave youself with the comfort of having your last words and actions be the most loving you can----

that was my eternal lesson... and i t has not been lost upon me -- not for a minute since.................

i know the other side of the coin...being a recovery room nurse by trade....

how often i get called into work for a trauma case...

i pray on the way to work to be what i need to be for my patients-- mercy, kindness, loving ,caring, tender... and for their life....

truly i tell you 24 years of my trade has taught me life is held together by a mere golden thread......it can be cut at any moment..

lucky are those who know it is coming and make good choices and surrender to the almighty....there is no finer place to lay but within mercy itself....facing ones self as we truly are---God already knows and loves us anyway.... the more we have done that is so dreadfully wrong{ and my life is full of that sort of stuff}, the more rights we have to His Mercy... that paradoxical reality!! He longs to be merciful... but mercy cannot be given unless it is requested-- that math equation !! asked and it is given... no end, the ocean itself is not as deep as Gods mercy for those who desire it!

when i consider the mercy bestowed upon me all of my life , i am merciful to those around me.... for i should give what i myself have been given... boundless mercy and love!---

enough--- me be sayin too many words....

lady constance

[lady snow]

years ago{in nov '04}my husband and i had a still born child, Marie Elizabeth at 31 weeks.. she was perfect in every way, blue eyes......

i know the heartache -- had 3 mioscarriages and a stillbirth bnefore i had my oldest boy and between him and drew i had an ectopic. (another one of those near death experiences)

the stillbirth was at 5 months, nbut i wasn't told what the sex was or anything. she didn't think i should know, i guess, just called it a mass of tissue. and the ectopic was at approx. 16 weeks and had burst the tube.

[lady constance]

Lady snow..... you DO understand....

my heart reaches out to yours.....

i take every patient that has the same as you tubal pregnancy or miscarriages... they need some one who has been thru the same for whatever they want or need to discuss/cry/moan .. no feeling is wrong.... there are no words, are there?

we must let another rest in our hearts and arms for consolation....be whatever they need us to be for them....

thank you for your kind words....

our babies play together!!! awaiting us to join them in the eternal city--tugging at God to attend to our needs down here..{ that is wht i beleive}

thank you,

lady constance

[William Brand]

I had two tires blow off the rims at 95 miles per hour at four in the morning just forty miles outside of Winnemucca, Nevada. We never left the road and we didn't hit a thing.

Four years before that I was thrown from the bed of a truck in a roll over accident and walked away with only a scrape and some troublesome long term whiplash.

I've been clipped or nearly hit by other people so many times in my life I've lost count.

I'm a near miss magnet.

[Ransom]

Have a doctor look you in the eyes and tell you that inside your right lung is a malignant tumor the size of a baseball. Suddenly, most stuff becomes pretty trivial.

That was 15 years ago, and other than the loss of the bottom third of my right lung, and some very interesting scars, I'm fine.

I heartily agree with Mary. Don't live for tomorrow. Enjoy today........because...

Who knows, tomorrow earth may be destroyed to make way for a super galactic freeway.

[Capt. Sterling]

Have a doctor look you in the eyes and tell you that inside your right lung is a malignant tumor the size of a baseball.

You got to love those doctors... Mine told me I needed to schedule an emergency surgery to have my entire insides redistributed...he said two weeks, I said I was busy can it wait... he said, sure but you'll be dead in two weeks, you're already dying, your kidneys are shutting down... Nice... Then I nearly bled out on the table... "but we got things back under control just in time!" This coming from a guy who is the top in his field... glad I didn't go to number two....

[Merrydeath]

Having some difficult surgery on 3-31, not sure when I will be online again but I'll have Sea Rover or Bess post for me... its 4 hours long and then 4-6 week recovery. Say a few prayers to those gods and even dogs... I have to be ready to sell my house an start with faire season soon.

[lady snow]

you don't have to ask twice, merry. i'll keep you in my thoughts and best of love and luck to you. friend.

[BriarRose Kildare]

awww, Merry, know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. I will light a healing candle for you. Much love, hugs and blessings to you.

[Iron Jon]

Have a doctor look you in the eyes and tell you that inside your right lung is a malignant tumor the size of a baseball.

You got to love those doctors... Mine told me I needed to schedule an emergency surgery to have my entire insides redistributed...

I heard pretty much the same thing from my doctor years ago when my wife was 7 months pregnant. I was at work and started bleeding so I drove myself to the emergency room right away. They did a bunch of scans and tests, consulted with an urologist, and diagnosed me with bladder cancer... I was 33 and the Doc said I was the youngest case he'd ever seen, lucky me! They also wanted to schedule emergency surgery right away... I had to talk them into letting me return my work car and go home and talk to my wife first before they started. I ended up having several operations to remove the tumors but this October I'll be 14 years cancer free!

[lady snow]

that's wonderful, jon. i just hope you stay thatt way to!