Being Little

It is strange to think of my childhood for some reason. I remember somethings like they were yesterday and then others are just gone. The brain is a strange thing.

I got hit by a car when I was 5 years old. I was in kindergarten and really don’t remember the incident, except for what was told to me.

We lived in a townhouse and it was a small community. There was a fence with bushes and trees that we would play in. Do you remember Trolls? Trolls were my barbies, I loved them. I had every troll and accessory that you could think of. I had a troll house that I would take outside and make a troll treehouse with.

One day I wanted to play and my neighbor friends did not. My brother was out talking to a older neighbor and refused to play with me.

I took my trolls and my troll house out to the wooded area near the trees and starting playing. I wasn’t out there long until I decided I wanted to go back inside. Little did I know that I would drop my favorite troll, bend over and black out.

I woke up in the hospital and apparently was screaming my brains out. I was saying don’t let them take me. (I found this out years later driving through a Burger King parking lot). That’s for a later blog.

Getting hit by a car so little seems traumatic, and I do have a massive fear of my kids running off in the parking lot. I will snap if they aren’t holding my hand. That is not intentional, but a fear that I have because of this incident.

I was in the hospital for a month. I had to have pins in my shoulder for several months and I had a tire mark across my leg.

I missed quite a bit of school and I did forget how to walk. 5 year old me had no clue how much perserverance and deidcation it took to get better. I wish kids could see how strong they are in the moment, but it is something that we fail to see or remember.

One memory I have that from the whole experience was going to my kindergarten class and all the kids coming up to me and feeling sorry for me. Some thought the injury was cool and others cried. Kids tried to hug me and I was like an awkward turtle. (I wasn’t a hugger and it’s still questionable.)

I managed to get better (obviously). I didn’t know how strong I was then and still don’t sometimes. Being little is a interesting thing. I didn’t know what dying felt like or what pain really was. Was I ok? I wasn’t, but with the help of doctors and family I got better. My question for you is do you have a incident that you recall, that has made you have instincts you might not of had if it didn’t happen? Are you Ok?