Accidents Happen

If you look at it from the positive side….and especially during the Christmas holiday season, it is the far better way to approach things…..there are an awful lot of great and wonderful things you can learn and so much more you can appreciate simply by being in a motor vehicle accident. Especially one that only involves yourself and your vehicle. There are lessons that even though you already know them, an accident brings home clearer and more important. Kind of a message to never forget the good things in your life.

It was a motor vehicle accident on a main highway, driving east to attend daily mass, a habit God apparently has recognized and appreciates. The sun glare at 7:30 a.m. along parts of Route 36 is horrendous, something even sunglasses don’t help.

Realizing it once behind the wheel, I thought I was being smart, pulling to the side of the highway and simply waiting few minutes until the sun rose high enough to enable me to see. My problem was in not knowing I was already at the curb, and my car certainly liked some big tree right next to it.

Much as I hate to admit it, I was numb and in shock! I, who was involved in an accident in an Uber vehicle enroute to New York only weeks before to celebrate Ice Cure, that wonderful company from Israel just approved by the FDA for its painless cryoablation breast cancer that cured me eight years ago, cure, was now in a second crash.

As I sat in the car pondering what to do next, Atlantic Highlands’ finest were already on the scene, apparently contacted by alert drivers. Like all in this department, it didn’t take anytime for Sergeant Sodon and Patrolman Cunha to take control, keep traffic moving, ensure I was ok, call the First Aid, get me warm and out of the rain, and God love Cunha, even offer me his hot coffee in spite of my bloodied face! As he was leading me from the wreckage, my closest and newest neighbors Mina and Gage, were standing along the road saying best wishes, offering help and showing me how much they care and were concerned.

It was the beginning of several hours and days that for me, strongly reiterated things I already know and perhaps take too much for granted.

…Not only are our local police along the Bayshore the best anyplace around, but the friends I have are so much better and so much more thoughtful than I deserve.

Not only Mina and Gage, so many others either saw the accident, heard about it, or called friends to find out if it were true. Friends from all the local towns left e-mail messages within hours, people who criticize or simply don’t like what I read in VeniVidiScripto wrote the blog to send wishes for a speedy recovery; relatives called when they heard it from other relatives, people I know only through stories or volunteer work I do rushed in with their own prayers and hopes for a speedy recovery. My friends with whom I mediate all sent warm wishes as did my friends at Portland Pointe, at Care One, at Ptak Tower, the Food Pantry, St Agnes and Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Since it was before 8 in the morning, it was the paid, not the volunteer First Aid Squad that rushed from their Highlands location to take me to Monmouth, yet those in attending for the paid squad are also volunteer first aid members from Port Monmouth . These volunteers are invaluable and so perfect at their job.

As staff in the ER at Monmouth worked up their first assessment, cleaned me up a bit, made me comfortable and began the routine this outstanding ER does so well, my family was already receiving calls with offers of help, prayers, encouragements and simply showing love and concern.

My family! Certainly more than I deserve. Only one of my four lives in New Jersey, and Tracie was at the hospital minutes after I got there….Mina and Gage had called her to alert her I was in an accident but was ok. My son on his way to Arkansas immediately informed Tracie he was driving up to be here. My daughter in Florida called and offered to fly up and stay at the house with me when I got home.

Grandchildren wrote their encouragement…things like “Can’t wait to hear your stories about this,  lots of prayers, and “I’ll tell you, Granny, you are one tough cookie. Get some rest and I love you.”

The list goes on and it’s too much of a story to include here. Treated in the ER, overnight in ICU, sent home because of quick recuperative powers, then back to Monmouth the following day for a deep infection in that mouth and facial damage. Two more days in another unit at Monmouth, more tests and discoveries, and then a trip back home loaded down with ice packs, medicines and advice about appointments to keep in the coming weeks.

For myself, while still recuperating, and slowing down … just a bit and not for long … it made me think it definitely should not take an accident to brag about or appreciate love, friendship, generosity, thoughtfulness, kindness, consideration, concern, solicitousness and so much more. It should be something to remember and say thank you for everyday.

If you’re read this, and learned something from it, do me a favor. Think of one friend,..or more…one person who has gone out of their way for you,…one stranger who has helped you when you needed something and without even being asked…. send a Christmas card, a note of thanks, or simply a big hug and a thank you and show your appreciation.

Oh yes, and my new neighbors and now dear friends Mina and Gage? They had planned on being with family out of state on a special trip over Christmas. But Mina got ill and is herself home in bed hopefully getting better, and still hopeful of being able to make that trip.

But that didn’t stop them from being so neighborly! When I got home from the hospital after the second trip, there was a huge beautiful red and white bouquet waiting at my home, along with a note of hope, good health, and happiness.

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Accident