Sunday, November 30, 2014

I'll just be over here getting ready to move to Mackinac Island*

August: My car is totaled while Isaac is driving it and another driver hits him. He is not injured.

September: Diana totals her car.  She is not injured.

October: Calypso is in a minor fender bender with Isaac's car while hers is in the shop getting transmission work done. No injuries.

Early November: Isaac hits a deer with his car.  Deer is a casualty.

Mid-November: Driver in front of me stops short, I rear-end him.  Still waiting for word as to whether or not the car to replace the one totaled in August is...totaled.  Minor sprains and strains.

Late November (today, in fact): On her way back to Georgia from Pennsylvania Diana is at a full stop on the interstate in Virginia in heavy traffic and another car hits her so hard she spins and winds up in the median.  She finds he glasses in the back seat.  Diana is concussed and whip-lashed. 

Dear God thank you thank you thank you from the depths of my heart for protecting my girl from serious injury.  Please, I beg of you though, no more accidents. Every time one of my kids calls me with this information my heart stops and then restarts at levels normally only achieved in cardio classes.  I'm so grateful no one has been seriously injured or worse.  I'm also feeling quite emotionally whip-lashed by it all.  Surely, you understand what this sort of thing does to a mama's heart.  I know I am a fortunate mama because I get to hug my kids again but ya gotta know it all terrifies me that one day that may not be the case.

Dear Diana, Calypso, and Isaac, I know you think I am silly because I always want to hug you before you leave the house and tell you I love you.  Please indulge me.  This is not frivolous.  I needed to do it before all this crashing began occurring.  Even more so now.

Dear family from North Carolina,  thank you thank you thank you for getting to my girl and taking her someplace where she can rest peacefully and for helping her sort out practical logistics while letting her head rest and heal.

Now someone please remind me how exactly this breathing thing works.....


*Mackinac bans nearly all motor vehicles.  Sounds good to me right now.

18 comments:

Craig said...

Heilige scheisse, that's a lot of accidents. I think 1F was in a couple of fender-benders when she was in high school, but she was driving our old 12-passenger van, which is roughly mechanically equivalent to a tank, so her own health-and-well-being was never threatened. But I know whereof you speak.

And concussions are scary; rest and recuperation are prescribed. . .

stephen Hayes said...

Wow! Scary road occurrences. I hate driving and stay off the road as much as possible.

Secret Agent Woman said...

That is quite a list of crashes! No one warns you how terrifying it is to be a parent and have your kids out on the road. I try not to think about it.

lime said...

apparently the driver who hit diana is facing criminal charges as a result. diana was at a standstill in the right lane and was hit so hard she spun all the way into the median on a two lane highway. i am only now beginning to see her fortune/the protection she experienced in this situation. my heart is still in my throat though.

Sailor said...

Those are scary calls indeed, thank God they weren't hurt any worse-

Craig said...

And of course you know that there are more reasons than just the absence of non-emergency motor vehicles that living on Mackinac Island would be uber-pleasant. Although, in the absence of motor vehicles, you have to watch out for the horses. And their, uh, leavings. . .

lime said...

i'm cool with horses. as for their form of "exhaust" i figure at least that has the value of being an excellent fertilizer.

Hilary said...

Holy crap, M. I can't imagine how you're feeling. Yes, I can. I'm so glad that nobody had life-threatening injuries but I know the toll that takes on your nerves. I have always be the hug and "I love you" kind of mother also. Thankfully, my sons indulge me. Big hugs to you. Breathe!

(not necessarily your) Uncle Skip said...


I can see where Mackinac Island is looking pretty good... except for the snow.

I pray Diana recupes quickly and you are able to exhale soon.

Kat said...

Good grief! That is so scary!!
Enough with the accidents already. Cripes!!!

I know how that messes with your head, though. When I was pregnant with Joey I avoided a near fatal car/truck crash in which a semi driver fell asleep at the wheel and his semi crossed the median, hit the front grill on the incline back up the median, and was flipping and rolling at me, missing me by about 6 feet. I thought I was going to die.
Exactly two weeks later, on the very first day it snowed, I hit a patch of black ice and rear ended someone. Even though I was only going 10 or 15 mph and the other truck had no damage my little car's hood went into the truck's bumper and was totaled.
Then, exactly two weeks after that I was driving a rental car home from work and a deer ran into my passenger side door as I was driving. It was madness and it made me paranoid. It just made me feel like I really have no control over what happens to me.
Exactly two weeks after that I had my husband drive me to work and pick me up too. I wasn't taking any chances. ;)

SO thankful you and your family have escaped these accidents relatively unscathed.

Tabor said...

Shee++it. I do not know how it works. This is so totally crazy and I am so glad you still have a tinge of humor in your post. I will sit now and meditate with blessings for you and yours for the rest of this year!!

It's.a.crazy.world said...

I hope you don't have to have another of those calls....ever.

Anvilcloud said...

That's really weird. In my own sphere, I have been in three accidents in the past year, which is the same number as the past 40 years. I mean, I had 0 accidents in the past 39. Go figure.

Jocelyn said...

My heart flipped over with this one, especially your paragraph of gratitude to the NC family who got to your girl. Praise be that they are all safe--including your own self!

Bijoux said...

Glad all are ok and I recommend biking.

Roxi said...

Um.. I think the whole family should stop driving..

Tim VanSant Writes said...

Glad everyone is pretty much okay. That breathing thing?

1. In
2. Out
3. Repeat as necessary

Hey, that's the same as another -- um, never mind. ;-)

I'll go research cars made of bubble wrap for you.

Unknown said...


I pray Diana recupes quickly and you are able to exhale soon.


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