Accidents

“Accidents can be prevented,” is a line I’ve used dozens of times over the years, directed at my son as well as my husband.  It’s a mother’s biggest worry – that something would happen that could injure a child – especially when it’s something that could have been prevented.  And just like Job is quoted in the Bible, “That which I have feared has come upon me.”

I think it would have been easier if the injury had happened to my son, rather than by my son.  He was outside playing badminton on Saturday, when he and a friend stepped away from the net and began smacking the birdie directly at each other. The birdie impacted his friend’s eye at such a high rate of speed he didn’t even have time to blink.  I knew it was bad when a bunch of yellow goo gushed out of his eye socket and he couldn’t see a thing. The pain was intense.

After an all too long six-hour wait at the emergency room, he found out he thankfully didn’t have a detached retina.  That was the initial fear and possible outcome of such an injury, but many were praying, so I won’t dismiss that a miracle happening in there somewhere.  The next day, and another doctor appointment later, he found out his iris suffered a few tears, but no surgery would be required and it will heal on it’s own.  Hallelujah for that.  My heart still ached for all the pain and stress he went through, though.  He didn’t once get upset and just joked that he was always worried he’d be the one inflicting pain on my son, as they horse around a lot, and he’s an incredibly buff dude.

It made me realize how someone’s life could change so dramatically in literally, just the blink of an eye.  The possibility existed that he could have been permanently blind on that side – over a simple game of badminton – on an otherwise uneventful summer day in the life of a teenager. Oh, how thankful I am it didn’t go that route. 

While my son wanted to dismiss the entire event as “just an accident” I made him back up to the point where he realized something could have been done differently that would not have ended with the same results.  Taking responsibility for our actions seem to be harder and harder in this country, as we all want someone else to be at fault. 

I used to work with the data from the “unusual occurrence reports” of a major hospital in Seattle.  Each and every little incident had to be reported to the legal department, in case it resulted in a lawsuit.  I saw lawsuits stem from crazy things like someone visiting a patient, stood up on a rolling chair in the room to tie up balloons, and fell off.  They sued the hospital for their injuries.

I’m hoping this badminton incident, and the idea that accidents can be prevented, is not soon forgotten, as both boys will be learning to drive in the near future, which opens up a whole new arena of worry for a mother’s heart, but as I’ve learned from experience, prayer is the best weapon I have.