Mom got the call.

We abandoned the new Wii game and jumped in the car.

20 minutes later we pulled over behind the jeep, roof caved in, upside down.

It flipped 5 times after hitting the rumble strip at an angle.

Lights were flashing, your brand new iPod was gone and Coke cans were rolling down the shoulder of I-40.

One of you didn't have a scratch on you and the other looked like he got jumped by a gang of bikers.

Is it wrong to wish that the 20 year old's side of the car was the one that sustained the most damage rather than the 70 year old's?

After he hung upside down, trapped by the seat belt and the EMT didn't even have a knife to cut him out?

And then the injured one refused to get on the stretcher and go to the hospital because he's fine, and it's a waste of his time, and medical professionals don’t know what they're doing?

And all because a distracted driver talking on the phone almost cut you off and you swerved and overcorrected.

 

You're a good driver.

 

One of you had to sleep in a recliner for two months afterward, but it's all good, so let's not talk about it anymore.

 

Then a year later, the 20 year old is 21 and the phone rings at 2 am after I just got in bed.

I hear voices, see lights.

I run into my dad in the hallway and ask him “What's wrong?”

He's in a hospital in Virginia, he got hit by a truck, it was only going 20 miles per hour and he just stumbled and hit his face on the side of the bed after ingesting some alcohol.

His balance was a little off.

But he still took an $18,000 helicopter ride he doesn't even remember.

His jaw is wired shut for a few months; it's the ultimate diet,

But it's all good now.

 

The next year and the other one feels sick,

but he just lies in bed for a week until he says he's going to Baptist.

Something must be really wrong.

And then he decides if we don't take him home he'll catch a cab back to the house because he sat through hours of tests and they still don't know what's wrong, and he can only sleep in his bed at home, but he's in too much pain to sleep anyway.

So yeah, go ahead and check out AMA.

Then they call you back the next morning and take out you're dead, blackened gall bladder.

You almost committed suicide by gall bladder, what is that?

And then you won't take the antibiotics to prevent an infection that could possibly lead to more surgery?

And you nearly send yourself into kidney failure because you're not thirsty enough to drink a glass of water?

I thought you were wise.

All because you have dignity and pride and you're strong, and showing weakness, vulnerability, not being able to take care of yourself is not okay.

But when's the last time you made dinner for yourself?

Can you only feed yourself with microwave popcorn?

 

You're both hard-headed, literally and figuratively.

 

I've grown up with all 4 grandparents, a rarity that I don't take for granted.

And no major health issues or accidents have happened until recently.

And one of you injured your back, and then they gave you the wrong brace, but you can't get the right one for 3 more months because insurance already paid for one brace, but you're not the one who messed up.

And Obamacare is gonna screw you over because you lived passed 75?

 

No one in the immediate family has passed away . . . yet.

I haven't experienced that kind of grief, felt that kind of pain.

 

I'm not ready to let go,

To accept that most of you are octogenarians and I should just expect the call one day saying that you're gone.

So here I am, holding my breath, waiting for the bubble to burst, for you all to leave me,

But I'm not ready.