Sunday, November 22, 2009

The Moment My Life Flashed Before My Eyes

Today Lucy fell down a flight of steps. An entire flight of steps. Into a dark basement. Backwards.


I was a millisecond from pissing in my pants.

It was something I've always feared and I've always tried to be vigilant about. That was one of the worst things. I was five feet away and watched her fall. She rounder the corner in my uncle's house, and I stood up to follow her, knowing that the stairs were there waiting to gobble her up. She was walking backwards, pulling a toy along with her and just as I turned the corner I saw her feet and heard the sickening sound of her body thudding down the stairs. I ran towards her and there was nothing but darkness. I screamed as I catapulted myself down the stairs after her. When I heard her cry I thanked whatever I could because at least she wasn't dead. In the darkness I scooped her up, even though afterward I realized that you're not supposed to do that. Something in my mother-brain took over and in a matter of seconds I had the lights on and was clutching her to my shaking body. SOB was only a step behind me, and we immediately set about checking her over.

By some act of mercy, she escaped with only a few scrapes. No blood, no concussions, no broken bones. Earlier in the day her big brother smashed her finger in a door, and when we kept asking her to show us where she had a boo-boo she would show us her finger.

Later on I cried in the car. I think tonight I might go in and snuggle her a little before bed.

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5 comments:

Arizaphale said...

This happened to me TWICE with the BA. Once she was 8months and crawling. I was on a landing above and looked down to see her halfway up the stairs. I screamed her name in horror and of course she looked up at me an toppled over backwards. I watched helpless. Fortunately she was in a snowsiut and well padded. Also, as the doctor told me, 'babies are cartilege rich zones'. I feel your fear!

Lora said...

this is my biggest fear. I still freak out if Jake is on or near the stairs.

I'm so glad everything is okay.

Good thing that babies bounce.

Amy Jo said...

SOB thinks I was over-reacting, but honestly this was the scariest thing that ever happened to me regarding my children. I still feel like I'm going to throw up when I envision it.

RissaBear said...

This made me cry. That's my lil soul mate. Thank God she's built tough.

super des said...

The great thing about kids is that they are pliable.
You or I would not have come out of that fall so carefree.