Experience that Taught me a Lesson

Life is a funny thing one minute you feel like you are on top of the world and in the next your world is turned upside down. We all like to think that we have all the time in the world, but do we really? Let me tell you about the most unforgettable memory that taught me a lesson; One morning in September around three thirty in the morning I heard someone whisper into my ear “Judy, Judy wake up”. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to why I was seeing my tia (aunt) Eva standing over me.

Half asleep and Confused I ask her “Tia are you really here? Or am I dreaming?” she replies “yes, it is me, everything is going to be okay you just need to get up, get dressed and help your little sisters get ready” I could tell by the tremble in her voice that nothing was okay.

Once we were ready, we all jump into my tia’s car but still confused I ask her “where are we going? Where are my mom and dad? “trying to remain calm and also to keep me and my siblings as calm as she possibly could she replies, “I am going to take you to them just take a nap and I will wake you up when we are there.” After a thirty-minute drive that felt like an eternity, we arrived at the Memorial Hermann hospital. As I walk into the doors of the emergency room there was my mom waiting for us with tears in her eyes and at that moment, I knew something was truly wrong. But I had to prepare myself for the worst. It was my dad, something terrible has happened. My dad had to be transported in a helicopter and as soon as he landed, he was rushed into emergency surgery due to being pinned under his truck after flipping it and being ejected. His pelvis and leg were broken. The doctors had to put in multiple pins and screws to put him back together. They were working hard to do the best that they could to save his leg, unfortunately, his leg could no longer be saved so they would have to amputate from above the knee and down. After hours of desperation, we were finally able to go into my dad’s room to see him, he was just lying there letting the machine breath for him. I thought to myself “is this really happening? Or Is this all just a nightmare that will be over when I open my eyes?” then all of a sudden multiple doctors and nurses came running into the room, his blood pressure was dropping, they thought he was going into cardiac arrest they rushed us out of the room to take him back to the intensive care unit. It all happened so fast. I wanted to drop down to my knees, but I did not have the ability to move, I was numb. It was like I was drowning.

The man that helped raise me and took care of me could be gone in just a blink of an eye. I prayed and begged God to let my dad live. Just the thought of never being able to see him, talk to him or hug him ever again made my stomach turn. I never would have thought that a day like this would come so soon, a day where I would be forced to say goodbye. There were nights I spent in my room crying, crying myself to sleep, I was so afraid that I would lose him. I was traumatized. I promised myself to be on my best behavior and not talk back to him. I should have never disrespected him in the first place. I would always reflect on my actions, there were times I blamed myself if it was not for my actions then maybe he would have stayed home and not gone out. Three months and fifty surgeries later my dad began to talk, move, and was able to eat. He was now stable enough to be discharged. It was the best day I have had since September. I was happy and full of so much joy. things were different after that, my dad could not go to work, he had to stay home.

I did my best to help him get around and to take care of him. I must admit having to see my dad with only one leg and being in a wheelchair was going to take some getting used to. As months passed, he got healthier and stronger. He was able to get a prosthetic leg. Once he was familiar with the prosthetic, he no longer needed the wheelchair. He used crutches and his prosthetic leg. I was still afraid that when I wasn’t around, he would get hurt or fall and no one would be around to help him. one day while I was at work, I had this sick feeling in my stomach. Then I got a phone call from my mother, she was in tears. My dad had fallen but luckily my brother had gotten to him before anything serious happened. My brother called the ambulance and they went to his house and took him into the emergency room. He had injured his hip and they had to do another surgery on him. They put screws and metal plates in his hips. My chest felt so tight I could barely breathe My mom had calmed me down, but I thought to myself ‘’ Why? Why my dad? why did this have to happen to my dad?’’. If only I would have been there or called him to check on him. I thought, ‘’Was this my fault?’’. I thought I was the reason why he was in the hospital once again, I felt it in my stomach something bad was going to happen to him and I ignored it. On two separate occasions I could have lost him and maybe it was my fault. I learned the importance of telling people that you love them and to never take anyone or anything for granted because you never know when the last time is going to be the last time because time is limited and stands still for no one.

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