Have you ever experienced a car accident? What about hurting yourself skiing or playing sports? Sometimes we don't like to share our bad experiences-depending on the severity. I would like to share my personal experiences with various accidents to help others go though their painful recovery. Also, to let others know that they are not going through it by themselves, but that God is with them!
Coincidentally, most of my stories of my accidents has happened since I've been a student and a resident of Morris, Minnesota!
You don't really appreciate the people that God has put in our life until something "bad" happens to them. Don't do this! Growing-up in St. Paul, I witnessed various accidents from low extreme to high severe!
Fingers Slammed by Car Door
I can remember when someone (one of my siblings) closed the car door on my mom's fingers. My mom had to see the doctor because of this.
Small Car Hit by a Bigger Car
Another time was when my dad got his orange 70's car hit by another car in downtown Minneapolis. We got the call from the hospital he was staying at when my whole family was home. As a little kid, I was very sad when my dad came home with a arm bracelet and to see that pain in his face as he was slow in his daily activities. My dad had to stay home for several days, which we had to do our best to take care of him. Due to this car accident, my dad has been buying bigger vechiles ever since (first a 80's tan suburban truck, 89' blue voyageur mini-van, and now currently drives a 90's voyageur purple caravan)
Face Hit by a Swinging Bat
My siblings and a neighbor were playing baseball with a tennis ball in front of our townhouse garage. When my neighbor slow-pitched the ball to my sister, she swung the bat and somehow hit my younger brother in the face playing cathcher. I remember seeing him rushing home with blood all over his face. Praise God it wasn't as severe!
I went with a group of students in UMM"s International Student Association to go skiing one weekend in the winter of 96'-97'. The specific date is unknown at the time of this writing (Friday, February 27th of 2004), but I can somewhat vividly remember the people and environment of this story I'm about to share with you.
We drove about 30 minutes northeast from Morris to Andes Tower Hills (15 minutes west of Alexandria, MN) in a carool/caravan of international students and friends. When we got there, we had to go through a line to get our rental skiing gear. We were just laughing and anticipating to go out in the snowy slopes. As I walked outside, I can remember viewing the the various hills/slopes in front of me with awe! I was soo.. excited as I haven't gone down hill skiing since 6th grade (1989)-Battle Creek Middle School trip to Afton Alps! Between then, I've gone cross-country skiing with some outdoor classes at Harding Senior High, which I was familiar with skiing-as I thought I did! The folks that were with me immediately rode the lift in front of them-not knowing where it was going to take us! As I was ridding with a friend and chatting with anticipation, I began to feel that deep "fear" in my stomach as my eyes look way down below from above. We were high up in the air, and still going and going up this "HUGE" hill. Longer and bigger than I thought of and hope to start downhill skiing on-especially I haven't down-hill skied for 7+ years or so...
Slow-Motion Drama Experience
As we approach the top of the hill, I didn't want to get off and continue to ride the lift to take me back where it started-safer flatter ground! Nope, I had to get off and find a way to get down the HUGE hill! I kept saying to myself-"this won't be too bad!" As my friend already went down the HUGE hill, I decided I'll find a way down! I slowly pushed myself down with my ski poles with my legs locked (a no! no!)-scared still! A short moment later....aw! I crashed! That hurt a bit! "Ok, I'll just keep working my way down like this"-as I said to myself. Crashed! Then again, crashed! I believe the pain was tremendous after the 3rd crash! This is when I started to feel something in my knees! I slowly skiied the rest of the decline sloped to my friend waiting for me as he was smiling! I look in to his eyes with pain and he told me to stop and rest! I then made my way to the emergency room and was told to quit-after only one attempt! I would call upon God for help (see personal testimony)....
Season of Sorrow
I watched the rest of the folks in our group skiing that afternoon-late evening with sorrow and pain-wishing I could've prevented this stupid accident! When everybody finished, we slowly walked to my mini-van and I think I drove as I remembered! It was painful a little as I drove when I pushed the gas pedal and breaks. Fortunately, it was about a 30 minute drive home and I would be able to rest!
God Sent
I don't exactly remember the exact time span, but I did remember visiting a friend-Nate (whom I met from Inquiry Class my freshmen year) at the Humanities Fine Arts center. He noticed I was in pain, which he highly reccomended me to see a doctor quick! He took me in his car and drove me to the emergency side of Stevens County Medical Center. The doctor told me to take care of my knees and get checked out tomorrow since it was late at night already.
The Next Day: My Call Out to God!
"15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him."-Psalm 91
I went to see the doctor and I was more in pain than yesterday of my skiing accident. As I waited in the room where the doctor was going to check me, I remember I had this peace-comfort presence! I then out of the blue started to talk to God! I said, "God, if you are real, please heal me of this accident! I'm in pain like never before. I don't want my parents to get mad because of the insurance-medical bills to pay for this injury. (yes, I was more worried about the financial than the physical aspects; due to finanical hardships.)". I then said something like this to God, "If you heal me, I'll follow you". (this is before I dedicated my life to Christ) The doctor came right after my prayer-conversation with God! He came out with the X-Ray results and told me that I didn't break anything, but a torn muscle tissue in my knee-something like that medically? I then said, "thank you God", in my head!
Recovery: Healing Process
more later....
-Deer Hit my car in 2004
I was driving with a couple of friends to visit a friend of ours in Wheaton, Minnesota and just clipped a deer's hind legs that just came of the ditch and ran in front of us. I was fortunate that I was driving the speed limit to break in-time!
-SUV/4WD almost clipped my front or almost "head-on-collision" (see Winter Driving Story on February 2011
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