Effect Essay!

A year ago in October I received one of those phone calls no one wants to get. I was at work and my father was on the other end. I could hardly make out the words he was saying. What I did get out of it was, " Ashley, I had an accident on a wrecker call, I hurt my head. I have to go, I'm in the ambulance. I love you." I had no idea what was going on. I thought my father was going to die. Once I calmed myself down I left work, to go to the hospital. My father was in the ER. He was just waiting for another ambulance to be taken to Bangor. I then found out that he had actually been standing behind the car he was hooking up to the wrecker when the leaf spring on the car let loose. It hit him in the head and caved in part of his skull. Immediate surgery was necessary. My father ended up being better after a few weeks, but it was a long recovery after that. The accident resulted in being out of work, family closeness, and life long effects.

After my dad's accident he was out of work for four months. This was a very hard transition for my dad. He's the type of person who has to be busy all the time. Because he had such serious injuries the doctor ordered him to stay in the house. Only to go out when necessary. After a couple weeks, he was bored. He was stressed out because he wasn't working. He was worried about all the bills, and how they would get paid. Even though he still had some money coming in, He couldn't stay on his usual budget and this bother him. My dad was down in the dumps all the time. He was willing to risk his safety just to go back to work.

When my parents got divorced my dad and I became distant. After his accident though this changed. You hear people say all the time that people are only hear for so long, so don't hold regrets. The accident was a real eye opener for my me and my whole family. It hurt me so deeply, the way I had treated my father for the past year. I couldn't take any of it back though. My father and I started calling one another on a daily basis. When he didn't call I would call to just check in. My father is very into the family scene now. He always holds gatherings for the family to get together and just spend time. It's very important to him that we all stay close.

There are many effects from the accident that will burden my father forever. He gets headaches almost every day. They last an hour or more, and don't allow him to do much during that time. He can't stand up fast, because that brings on the headaches. My father also has to be very cautious with every thing he is doing. Getting hit or bumping his head in the same spot could result to some very serious injuries or even worse. My father works in a garage,and occasionally under a car lift. Which makes the situation that much more dangerous. The doctors gave him a protective helmet, but my father is too stubborn to wear it. His vision was also effected, his sight has become much worse. My father has to go to the doctors all the time, something he has never done.

When I saw my father laying in that hospital bed so many things ran through my head. How could I live without my father? Why did I say all those bad things to him? Why did I always have to be so selfish? After my father had his surgery and he was stable, I was constantly thinking how lucky I was. Lots of people lose their father every day. Young kids lose their dad. It's just not fair. My heart goes out to all the children that loose a parent. I can't imagine the pain that they experience. I can honestly say that his accident has changed my life for the better. I will never take someone for granted again. I take the time to visit with not just my dad, but also the rest of my family. Of all the bad things that came out of the situation, it also brought some good.