My Second Chance

I remember it as being a beautiful grade school day, just like any other. I walked to school along the nicely trimmed subdivision streets lined with well kept, and beautiful homes. I couldn't have been more blessed than I was, to grow up in such a nice area. As I walked along,even at the young age of eleven, I looked forward to my day. I enjoyed all the differant activities that we did at school. I also enjoyed learning about all the differant subjects that we studied.
On this day, gym class turned out to be a bit differant that the usual gym class.
Our teacher decided that we should do a relay race. This was a inside relay race that involved having someone toss you the basketball, and then you were to dribble it around the large orange cones that were set up.
Being the little daydreamer,however, I wasn't paying attention. I happen to look away just at the moment that the other child tossed the basketball to me. So,instead of catching the ball with my hands,I caught it in my tummy! And you guessed it, I caught it hard. As it hit hard, my hands grabbed hold of it, and I tried to take a step forward and start my dribble routine around the cones. However, I did not get very far. I took one step and collapsed. The last thing I remember was my teacher running towards me, and then being carried out. I don't remember being taken to the nurses office. I remember waking up sometime later, and the nurse asked if I felt ok,and if I would like to go to my next class, which was math class.
I said that I could do that, and so I did. I went back to class.
I really thought no more of this whole incident. I didn't even think of telling my mom about it,as I felt like what was the difference as long as I was okay now.
But I wasn't.
A couple of days later, on Saturday. I was laying on the family room floor watching cartoons with my brother. My mom took notice that I looked very white next to him. So, she took me to the doctors on Monday.
At the doctors office, my pediatrician discovered that I was very anemic. Blood counts should be 13 or so , and mine was 4.
So, they did a transfusion, and ran some test. All of the test came back negative.
Meantime, my color had returned, compliments of the transfusion.
I returned to school, and all seemed well for a couple of weeks.
Then, once again, I looked white as a ghost to my mom. So back to the pediatrician we went. This time, more test. Still, negative results. So, the doctor sent my and mom to the admitting office.
As a kid, I thought any new place was to be explored, and that it was cool. I soon found out though, that hospitals do not fall into this category!
All differant test were ordered. From blood test to a spinal tap. I was scared and tired of being stuck. When it came to the spinal tap, I just lost all of whatever composure I had at age eleven, and bawled and bawled. My one consolation, other than my parents was doctor that I will call Dr. T. He was a resident from out of state. And after he did the spinal tap, he was so kind and comforting. He even apologized for hurting me and gave me a hug. Also, sometimes, when my Mom and Dad were gone,and he knew I was scared, he would sit and watch cartoons with me.
Finally, I was weak from bleeding,and like the doctors told my Mom and Dad, they could'nt constantly transfuse me. They had to find this problem once and for all. They told my parents that exploritory surgery was the only other option they could use to try to resolve this whole bleeding scenerio. They explaiined they would check the abdoman area first as that was less risky than opening the chest area.Then if they could'nt still find it, they would look at the chest area, meaning the heart and lungs. They told them that I was'nt in great condition for this. So, I remember thinking that I might die. I remember talking to Jesus, and saying "Jesus, I'm just a kid. And, I don't know you, but I've heard about you, I know you are God, I don't know if you will let me live to graduate high school or even get married, but whatever you want ,I know it's ok." Then, I was out, fast asleep from the anesthia.
When I woke up, I was in the intensive care unit. The first thing I remember was my Dad telling me that they finally had found it, and fixed it. I found out later, that about eight inches of my intestines were bleeding out, and so the surgeon rememoved this bad portion, and put me on medicine to heal the rest. I apparently had a rare condition were the inside lining of my intestines are pretty fragile, and bleed easily.
I was finally allowed back to my regular room were I could watch tv! And then, spent about four days healing before they let me go home.
Once home, I got a awesome welcome from my brothers and sisters, and immeadiately noticed the big stack of school work for me on the dining room table!
They would'nt let me go back to school for about two to three more weeks, so I spent that time getting caught up on all my missed schoolwork that my sister and brother had brought home for me.