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| Dad and I mucking around in the hospital...love that kid. |
Unfortunately, at some stage, everyone is going to die.
What a morbid way to start a blog post.
We all know that our time will come one day. I guess we just don't think about it, or choose not to think about it on a day to day basis.
It's a depressing thought.
But what happens if someone you care about has a near death experience?
What happens when death becomes a tad too close to reality for you? When all of a sudden it doesn't only happen when you're 85 and you've lived your life. It's so scary. It changes your perspective on life.
It's not that you become more morbid...well, in a sense you have a new appreciation for death. I guess you just become aware that every day is precious and that you never know when your number or the people you care abouts number, is up.
It certainly has changed my perspective on life.
My story
My Dad almost died two months ago. It still brings me to tears.
I am just so grateful that we still have him with us today.
It was a normal Saturday. I played netball and the went over to the club rooms to volunteer my time on the bar. I got a text.
"Dad's in hospital. He's had a heart attack. Don't worry."
Don't worry. Two words that cause the ULTIMATE PANIC. Don't worry.
I tried not to worry. I kept myself busy on the bar.
Then a phone call.
"It's serious. Dad's being flown over to Adelaide. They're trying to stabilise him now".
Crap. It's bigger then last time. Crap. Please be okay. Crap. Hurry up and get here where the medical support is greater. Crap. Hurry up and get here so that I can see you.
Dad arrived at midnight on the Saturday night. We raced up to the Royal Adelaide Hospital to see him in Emergency. I will NEVER forget that image. My Dad, lying still. All hooked up to all sorts of beeping, flashing and electrical devices. My Dad. Pale, lifeless and weak. My Dad. MY DAD!
I felt sick.
Dad ended up pulling through, but not unscathed. We were told that he should've been in the morgue with a heart attack the size that he experienced. The left side of his heart has been damaged for life.
What I've learnt.
Dad's heart attack made me put things in to perspective. I no longer dwell on the bitchy stuff that gets you down. I now know that as long as I'm healthy, and the people that I care about are healthy, then that's all that matters. Everything else is just a bonus.
I now know that life is so precious. I know that you have to tell the people that you care about why you love them, that you love them and that you are proud of them. Take the time to phone them, catch up with them, or at the least text them, so that they know how you feel.
Never leave things on a fight. Always resolve things. You don't want the last thing that you say to someone be "I hate you" when you were caught up in the anger and frustration of a moment and you didn't really mean it but never got a chance to redeem yourself.
Always take a step back and think about the things that are important to you. It's the simple things that matter the most.
But most importantly, don't take life for granted. Don't take your friends and family for granted.
For you never know when their number may be up.
Have you had a near death experience? Have you experienced a similar story to my own? What have you learnt? Are you slightly morbid? Why?
Look after yourself and those around you,
Kirsty xxx
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