my poor baby

A bit of a personal note here, no art today, so feel free to skip if you want.

It's been a stomach churning, heart pounding couple of days for me.  My oldest son, A-, (30) had a bicycle accident.  He was zooming down a hill in town, hit a pothole and was ejected over the handlebars, landing on his chin.  No helmet!  (really? @#%$#W$^T(P#!&@#$(#@!!.....okay, just had to get that out!)

His injuries?  Lower jaw fractured in two places, three front teeth broken and pushed through his upper lip requiring stitches, stitches in his chin, fractured right elbow, left wrist sprain, major road rash on his chest and various other minor scrapes and cuts.  Luckily his girlfriend was riding with him though was way back up the hill, riding at a more reasonable speed.  Also luckily, a kind Good Samaritan in a van stopped, loaded up their bikes and them and drove them to home to get their car so they could go to the hospital.  It's so heartwarming to know there are still people in the world who will stop to help.

He goes in for surgery on his jaw Monday morning and the doctor expects a 3-4 week recovery period so it'll be awhile before he gets solid food.  And he loves to eat! 

I remember many times as the boys were growing up and they'd come running to me crying and bleeding from a scraped knee or a splinter or whatever.  I was the mom!  Super Mom!  I took a deep breath, calmed my churning stomach, wiped off the blood, gave a hug and kiss and sent them on their way.  The heart dropping feeling when I answer the phone and the girlfriend says, "A- has been in an accident - he's okay but we're at the hospital" is one most parents can relate to and doesn't go away just because the kids are all grown up.  And, I wasn't the one he turned to for the kiss and hug to make him feel better.  Sigh.

The best news?  He really will be okay.  As he told me today when D and I visited, mumbling through his immobile jaw, "I was so stupid....going too fast down that hill.  I should have been wearing a helmet.  I'm so lucky; it could have been so much worse.  This is all just cosmetic - I could have had brain damage or been permanently injured.  I'm so lucky."  Amen to that!  My heart has calmed, my stomach less churny.....my boy will be okay.

Thanks for reading and letting me share a more personal side of me.....this is where blogging becomes almost more of a personal journal.  As I sit here with tears in my eyes, realizing I'm sharing this with not strangers, but with people I've grown to like and look forward to hearing from (okay, and a few strangers). I am grateful for the support and empathy I know you'll share.  I see it time and time again as I read through comments as we share our artistic journeys and trials and tribulations.  But even more so when we do share a more personal issue - it's such a supportive and caring community.  I'm so pleased to be a part of it.