What If...

November 18, 2009 — The "What if" in life can be a bit silly to even think about at times. I mean it's usually about something that hasn't happened so why deal with it...right? Well I propose that maybe they are worth dealing with sometimes as they may cause one to stop and think a situation completely through or help them realize that what they have is really good stuff. That was the case for me just the other day.

It was about 4:30 p.m. this past Monday that I was coming home from the VA Medical Center in Temple, Texas. I had entered the area of Austin on I-35 that one with a sane mind or no other recourse enters at that time of day...rush hour. It was total grid lock and I mean total. I'd inch forward a bit and then stop a couple of minutes as the traffic slooooooooooooooooowly moved along. This is when Wanda gave me a ring on the phone. I figured she wanted to remind me about picking up the things she needed to fix dinner after getting off work. When I answered Wanda said "Terry, I am on my way home and I need to go to the hospital." Wanda never starts out a phone call with me using my name (she usually starts with "Honey") and the way she said my name I new instantly that something had happened to somebody and it probably wasn't good. In a split second or so there were any number of things that ran through my thoughts. She explained that she had been hurt at work...a heavy box had fallen as she moved a ladder and it knocked her over ending with her hitting her head on a metal table nearby. This took about 15 seconds to explain and again a multitude of thoughts ran through my brain. I mean head injuries are often times not good. My initial response on the phone was "are you alright." Wanda replied she was, but needed to go to the ER. Now Wanda is not one to ever complain about aches and pains as she has experienced much in her life. So when she does it raises a red flag for me.

Thank goodness a friend was there to get her from work and then to the ER. Her boss wanted to call an ambulance, but of course Wanda refused. I was in no position to get to her quickly being stuck in the "Austin I-35 Parking Lot." An hour later I get to the ER and she is holding an ice bag on a nasty lump over her right eye brow. A CT scan revealed no serious damage so they sent her on the way with an Rx for pain and nausea.

In thinking over this incident the past day or so the "what if" has cropped up in my mind. Here is someone I care so deeply about and we have such a good relationship and we depend on each other. What if she wasn't there...what if there wasn't the teasing we do with each other daily...what if she wasn't there to rub lotion on my bad foot, to look after our dog and cat, to look after her grandchildren and so many, many other things. What if she wasn't there so we could tell each other that we love and care about each other. These are the "what ifs" that are worth contemplating. They cause me to pause and reflect just how important these things are. Oh, I would get by without Wanda. Life would have to go on, but that life would be less fulfilling without her by my side and it's what really matters.