I spent Christmas in a hospital bed
Many people believe that Christmas is a time for love, gifts, food and family. And I agree; it is! One Christmas made this very real for me. This is one Christmas memory that was not about me at my home, around the warm fire, roasting marshmallows. I was in a hospital bed.
It started when I woke up on Christmas Eve morning, and I was all excited about our annual Christmas party. I got out of bed and there was my dad sitting on the couch drinking his coffee. He asked me if I was ready to go.
“Go where?” I thought.
“We have to go Christmas shopping for your mom sometime, don’t we?” he said. “Come on, just you and me.”
Before he could say another word, I rushed into my bedroom and was changing my clothes.
The next thing I knew, I was in the car heading toward the mall. But something happened before we got there. The car my dad and I were in hit a patch of black ice. The car went out of control, and I was scared. I remember closing my eyes, and I heard a scream. Then everything went quiet. I woke up when someone said in a calm voice that they would get me out of the car soon. I remember they called me “Miss.”
I finally realized that I was hanging upside down in my car and began to freak out.
“Where’s my dad?” I yelled as I began to cry.
“I’m right here, baby. I am OK” he said softly from his seat.
“Stay calm” I heard a strong, soothing voice whisper to me. I knew someone was there to help me.
What had happened was that my car had hit a patch of black ice, flipped three times, and finally settled upside down. The scream I heard had been my own.
I spent the next few weeks in the hospital, which took up my Christmas and my vacation time. But I was told that if I had not been wearing my seatbelt, I would have probably died that day. I learned at an early age to appreciate what you have because you only have one life. I had my Christmas miracle.