The Accident That Almost Was

Well, Christmas was good this year, with the exception of too many toys once again. I swear that they have gotten combined 50 to 100 toys this year alone (or last year, as it's officially 2006 now!)

Anyway, we had a good break, good visit with my family etc. And things WERE going great on our return, until Boom decided to tempt fate...

Boom was excited about being in his barn/garage thing out back, with a fire in the old stove and music on, happily trying to carve out some of his own version of Lincoln Logs since the kids got some for Christmas. After a few prototypes, he brought in his first perfect pieces, smiling like a school boy. I went back to my cleaning and rotating of toys hoping to get rid of a least a FEW...

Next thing I know I hear Boom screaming outside (I was upstairs and could still hear him from the closed windows up there.) I immediately thought of the table saw and my heart stopped and my stomach churned. I flew down the stairs where Boom was still yelling in agony and I asked what happened. All he could say was, "Help me!"

Now, I don't know how you are in emergency type situations, but I am as good a a lump of jello, only I don't even taste good. I basically panic, cry, and freeze up. So I asked him what I was supposed to do, was it a "911" type of thing, etc. He just kept groaning and holding his hand in the sink, which I wasn't about to go near.

Eventually he was able to get out that he needed something to wrap his hand in (I know, I know, how could I not know?!?!?) and luckily I could tell there wasn't much blood. But what I wouldn't have given to have something to help with the pain. A shot, a pill, SOMETHING. I thought that if only he were in labor I could help him breath, and how much more obvious to me it was that labor pain is not REAL pain in the sense of something being wrong...

Anyway, he confessed that he thought he lost his fingers, and wasn't even sure until he looked in the sink himself. He had shut the saw and radio off and run into the house. Luckily, his fingers were all there, though how bad we weren't really sure.

We wrapped them and to cut a long story short, he eventually went to the ER that night to make sure that he was getting it clean and wrapping it right. They couldn't do anything for him since the skin was just tore up pretty deep, but they cleaned it and gave him a script for antibiotics and a bad shot of antibiotics. So at least hopefully we won't have to worry about infection. I usually don't care for antibiotics, but in this case I didn't mind. Two of his fingers may never look the same again, but they are there, and for that we are thankful.

We were both shook up pretty bad, and Boom will be wary the first few times he uses anything sharp again, but we are glad for what DIDN'T happen.

So, we now look forward to a New Year full of possibilities, uncertainties, adventures, and probably a few tears. We are thankful for the blessings of God so apparent in our daily lives, and we are content. I don't know what this year will bring, but I pray that God will give us what we need through both the ups and the downs, and that we may learn ever more to depend on Him and show those around us the LOVE of Christ, and that we may ourselves be free from the guilt that binds so that we don't place guilt on others.

A Happy New Year to you and yours, as well.