A Special Merry Christmas

He naps on the easy chair, mouth wide open as the chair is fully extended. While we have just exchanged gifts, ate breakfast with mom, my sister, her husband, and my nephew, still this Christmas with my dad is perhaps the most special.

Monday October 12, an oncoming car got too close to Dad on a very narrow part of Jericho Rd in Virginia. When Dad moved over to miss the car, his right front wheel hit soft pavement and then dropped into a deep ditch. The resulting swerve turned the home heating oil truck completely around, rolling over NASCAR-style onto a soybean field coming to a stop about 100 feet off the road.

With the driver's side laying on the ground, Dad was suspended almost upside down for about an hour. What is more incredible is that dad was partially thrown out of the truck on the last roll and the cab actually RESTED ON THE SIDE OF HIS HEAD, his feet suspended up in the cab. Yet between the soft ground and the ladder on the truck tank's driver side, dad suffered no skull or head damage.

First responders to his accident told him that they thought that he had been killed. Rescue teams had to cut the truck with metal jaws and saws to get him out. He was airlifted to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg.

Result? One small crack in one neck and back vertebrae. A neck and back brace for six weeks. A few scratches on the head requiring 6 stitches. Two nights in the hospital. Later the doctors discovered a crack in his lower back that is healing on its own. And that's it. 77 years old--wait, he turned 78 November 21, and that's the extent of his injuries. He has a little tingling in his fingers, and walks bent-over a little, favoring his neck, but otherwise he is well. Judy is working with him to exercize his neck.

We are indeed grateful for God's protection of Dad during this ordeal. Dad said that he knew the LORD was with him. He said that God really made his presence known to Him and he is indeed grateful for God's protection. With no airbag, and with the seatbeat having been unloosed during the roll, I feel that God's hand kept dad in place, protecting him and especially his head. He remained conscious throughout the accident and rescue, and even explained to the police how he wound up in the field. And despite Judy's concerns (Judy is a nurse and worked at Parkland Hospital in Dallas years ago), he turned out to be a very nice hospital patient--the nurses really enjoyed him. Judy had told dad that he had better be on his best behavior with them--and he obeyed Judy!

Dad is now AT home, and as a result, we didn't have to GO home to care for him, although we are now here for a Christmas visit. We return to the DR January 1. In fact, Judy's mom will brave airport security and flying at 80 years of age and visit us in the DR from January 1 to 19!! So this Christmas, we will be able to spend time with BOTH sets of parents!!

The truck was totaled yet God interviened there too--the truck lost no fuel so there was no fuel spill (and no further mess to deal with!).

The miracle continues--Dad was able to return to work December 17. None of us wanted dad to end his truck driving career with an accident, so he drove and I rode with him, doing the heavy work of dragging the hose and filling up the home heating oil tanks. While he is still not able to lift anything, still helping him return to work was a thrill for us. He did fine and showed no ill effects from the accident. Oddly enough, our first delivery took us up Jericho Road, right by the accident site.

I told dad, "I wouldn't have it any other way."