There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24b

I would like to apologize to you, my followers, for not posting in quite some time. I do have an excuse. Now, sometimes an excuse is not really a valid reason, but in this instance, I think perhaps it is.

The first week of October 2015 I was visiting friends in Florida and staying in their basement apartment. I have visited often and walked up and down the somewhat steep stairs numerous times before…no problem. But the night before I was to leave I walked down without turning on the light (Duh!), missed the bottom step, lost my balance and fell with a rather large thud on the cement floor. Shock waves surged through my body like a small earthquake! Even though my body was immobile on the outside, I still felt like I was bouncing on the inside…kind of like an instant replay in slow motion. My first thought was, “Oh my…I think I’ve broken EVERYTHING!” I caught myself with my left wrist and after sitting there stunned for a moment, I finally managed to pull my arm around to see that my wrist was about twice it’s normal size and was apparently broken. I was a little freaked, since I’ve never had a broken bone before, but at least nothing was sticking out!

I called for my friend’s husband, Mike, who had already gone to bed and was asleep. My friend Elaine was at work. Their little Yorkie, Ripley was standing at the top of the stairs barking frantically at the commotion below. I started yelling for Mike to no avail. Ripley was helping as much as he could by barking in his loudest Yorkie voice! Still Mike did not wake up. I finally decided I had no recourse but to drag myself up the stairs. I finally got myself up and scooted up the steps one at a time pulling myself with my good hand. (Do you feel sorry for me yet? LOL! Hey, I can laugh about it now!) When I got to the top, I started yelling for Mike again and by this time, Ripley realized something was terribly wrong, jumped on his chest and continued barking…my hero! Mike awakened with a start, jumped out of bed and the saga continues.

We called another sweet friend, Liz, who came in the middle of the night to take me to the hospital in the town nearby. By the time we got there, Mike had called Elaine and told her what happened. She works in the sheriff’s office at the county jail. So in she comes decked out in full uniform…utility belt, gun and all and sat down beside me. After a while we noticed that the people who came by looked at us very strangely and with what seemed like a little apprehension. It was only later that we realized that they thought I was an inmate that she had brought in for treatment. We had a really good laugh in the midst of my pain!

The doctor put on a temporary cast and said that I would have to see an orthopedic surgeon, for I would definitely need surgery. The next morning, Mike and Elaine drove me the eight hours back to my home, one driving my car and the other following behind even though they had to leave early the next morning to go back to their home and jobs. Now that is when you know you have true friends!

I had surgery three days later. The doctor put a permanent plate and nine screws in my wrist! So now I say I’m partially bionic! However, by God’s grace, I have healed in record time and done amazingly well. I can’t play my guitar yet, but that also is coming, for my God is faithful!

I will write again soon and share with you the lesson I learned from this experience. So until then . . . be blessed AND turn on the light!