Thankful...My Dad

I know you normally say what your thankful for on Thanksgiving but I think that New Years Eve is a really perfect night to reflect on all the things that you've seen, been through, experienced and most importantly ... What your most thankful from the past year. I know it's not NYE yet but I'd like to share something with you.

 Well if your a reader that doesn't know me personally I want to share something that happened to my family a little over a week ago & why I'm reflecting at this last year of what I'm VERY thankful for....

Last Tuesday afternoon (12/20/2011) I was getting ready to finish my day at the office and I kept getting a phone call on my cell phone from an unknown phone number (I NEVER answer numbers I don't recognize). The number called about 4 times... Finally at about 4:55 (5 mins before I'm sprinting for my office door) I answered the phone. The lady on the other side of the line asked "is this Andrea" I replied "Yes... Who is this" the woman said "I'm a neighbor to your father & wanted to call you to tell you that he was walking home from the store and he was hit by a car". My heart dropped and my mind went blank. She then went on to tell me "He was seriously hit to the head and he is at the hospital" I just hung up the phone. I  called my husband to let him know we needed to go to the hospital immediately! Long story short... We get to the hospital and my sister and I go into the emergency area to see my Dad. He was bloody, cut up, had road rash, almost missing his ear & had a neck brace on. I was beyond happy that #1 he was alive & #2 that he knew who me and my sister were. But was very traumatized by how he looked.

Here's what happened...The driver had gone to make make a left hand turn and my dad was walking on the crosswalk. The driver obviously did not yield! The paramedics said that he probably flew about 10 feet. My dad was in the hospital for 8 day!!!!!! He broke his neck and is now in a halo (this BIG metal contraption that is screwed into his head that allows his neck to stay aligned) that he will have to wear for at least 3 months & almost lost his left ear. Two days ago we found out that the driver had... No driver's license, and No insurance! Every time I tell people that the driver wasn't insured they say "well that sucks for your dad" of course financial compensation would be great to help him in the long run (cause I'm sure this injury will haunt him forever) but there's no insurance settlement that could have helped my dad from being paralyzed, brain dead or worst...dead. & this is where what I'm thankful for comes into play.....

I'm thankful that he is going to be ok and that I still have my goofy, always embarrassing, & best advice giver still in my life. I'm thankful that he can still come over and help me with all my crazy projects. I'm thankful that he will see my children be born and most of all I'm so thankful that he has such an amazing heart.

While in the ER my dad asked "Andrea, has the person who hit me come to visit me yet?" This seriously broke my heart. Here my dad is laying in the ER w/ a broken neck & is wondering if this person who almost killed him has come to visit. I've always known how sweet and caring my Dad is but this really made me smile to think that he was that selfless to care about the driver.

The day before my dad was in this accident he had called me at work to chat with me and I was a little snappy with him. You have no idea how bad that ate me up while I was sitting there in the ER waiting to see him. The first thing I said to him was "Dad I'm sorry for being mean to your yesterday when you called me" he replied "It's ok sweetie I know you didn't mean it". I felt like such a jerk for not having more patience. :(

I think that New Year's Eve should be a night that you look back and reflect on miracles like this or anything that you consider a miracle in your own life... There are so many things in my life that I'm so lucky to have but at the current moment I'm most grateful to have my Dad. The last 9 days have been a really big eye opener for me and something like this makes you just slow down and appreciate what you have and not take it for granted. I love my life, family & friends!

Thanks for letting me share this with ya'll

XOXO

Andrea