Lucky To Be Alive

I consider myself extremely lucky to be sitting here and recounting this. Consequences are something that the sort of old and wise consider when contemplating an action. For the most part, I listen to my inner dialogue when contemplating possible consequences to an action. Only once before have I ignored the bells, whistles and sirens going off in my head. The last time was 5 years ago when I strapped on my roller blades that I hadn’t worn in 7 years. The whole time I was lacing them up I was telling myself I was stupid. The consequences of that episode was a broken elbow. But I digress.

I have been trying to trim my rose hedge now for 2 weeks, its huge and runs the whole length of the fence on the NW side of my property .. it was either too hot, too late or raining. I got off work early today and stopped by the post office to discover my peach ginger had arrived thanks to a generous friend. When I got home I potted it up and got ready to trim the hedge rose. In the far off distance I heard the thunder and noticed the black clouds forming to the north. I ran back into the house and checked the radar and indeed there was a storm just to the north of me. It wasn’t moving. As I was not seeing any lightning and only hearing thunder, I got out the hedge trimmer and extension cord and proceeded to trim the hedge. I might add I was wearing a T-Shirt, shorts and flip flops. The wind was picking up and the backs of the leaves on the trees were showing .. usually a good warning sign that something’s coming. A few rain drops fell here and there and I continued on in spite of the bell that started going off in my head. About half way through, I disturbed a wasp nest. Instinct made me drop the trimmer and start to run. My legs and feet got tangled up in the thorny branches on the ground and I fell back against the hedge rose and was utterly pinned by the thorns. I couldn’t move without shredding myself and to make matters worse, the wind was whipping my long hair and tangling it ever further into the hedge rose. Then the rain started. In one way, the rain was a good thing .. it confused the wasps. I let out a sigh of relief and started thinking of the best way to get me out of hedge rose torture chamber. It was then I felt the tingling in my feet. I had felt this once before when I was a volunteer firefighter in a rural town. We had answered a call to a farm where a barn was burning in the middle of a violent storm. The whole crew was outside the barn, standing in the pouring rain in puddles of water pouring water on the barn as fast as we could. I felt a tingling in my feet, then all of the muscles in my body contracted and I went rigid .. utterly paralyzed. I saw the rest of my crew standing as rigid as I was. A loud kaboom went off and we were released, and fell to the ground. We had been hit by a lightning leader. Our bunker gear saved us.

As I felt that tingling in my feet I was very calm, knowing what was coming. In a scant few seconds, time seemed to stop. I noticed that my brug buds were finally unfurling, I wondered if the kitties would be able to figure out that all they had to do was knock over the bag of cat food and tear it to get food. I was sorry I wouldn’t be able to see the double purple datura in bloom or the peach ginger. I thought, how odd it will look when somebody finally finds me, a hedge rose captive, burnt to a crisp as this time I wasn’t protected by thick rubber boots and bunker gear. Imagine your worst leg cramp happening to every muscle in your body .. that is what happened next and then the deafening kaboom. I was conscious the whole time and I pitched forward leaving hair and skin behind stuck in the hedge rose and managed somehow to put my arms in front of my face and fell into the canna, I remember thinking I’m glad it wasn’t the Bengal Tiger! After a few minutes I got up and was shaking like crazy, probably residual electricity running through my body. The first thing I did was look at the soles of my feet. They were totally unscathed as was the rest of me except for scratches and thorns imbedded in my arms and legs. Once again I had been hit by lightning and came out of it unscathed.

I sincerely hope that in another 5 years I won’t disregard the bells and whistles of consequences for my actions. I am darn lucky to be alive and thank the good Lord for watching over me.

X

X, you must be doing something right or the Lord isn't finished with you yet! Some day you may be called on to accomplish something and you'll think (Ah, so that's why.) In my experience, miracles have an objective. Been there, done that! LOL

I think you are right katy! That's actually the 3rd time I've come close to death. My karma is very good.

Here's a pic of 2/3's of the hedge rose that grabbed me.

X

Oh my gosh X!!! How unbelievably horrible yet unbelivebly wonderful the way things came out. You sure do have a way with words! I have to tell you, I got goosebumps, hissed about the thorns, welled with tears and prayed my way through! I am very happy you made it through that! Take it easy, will ya?? LOL

X, a wonderful well written story that I am so glad had a happy ending. Do be careful and listen to your inner warnings from now on. Donna

Well it's the next morning .. my friend next door spent over an hour last night pulling thorns out of my arms, legs, back and head. My whole body feels like it's been in a train wreck but thank the Lord I'm here to feel miserable! When I went outside this morning to check the garden, I noticed Rain Lily's blooming everywhere and my Brugmansia finally decided to open. Yesterday seems like a far off nightmare. But I'm still here.

X

You may want to get checked out by your doctor. When this happens it can cause disruptions in your body - neurological and or cardiac problems than may not show up until later.

I was never hit by lightning but when I was two I was involved in a car accident where I was thrown out the car and the car landen top-down on top of me. There was a small indentation in the earth and had I landed anywhere else the car would have crushed me. Of course I don't remember it but ......

Thanks for the concern Mobi - I was checked out this morning. Except for an amazing euphoria, everything checked out normal. I am so glad I wrote about the experience last night because I'm losing my conscious memory of it. The doc said that was not unusual for a sort of amnesia to kick in.

X

X- WoW! Read about my hair-raising experience with lightning this year on another thread! We are two very lucky ducks!~PrairieGirl

OMG!!! So glad to hear you're OK!!!

I've had a couple of near-death experiences with lightning and man it is terrifying!!

pam

You should know better than to be outside when a storm is anywhere around, even in the far distance. A couple from our church was going to vacation at the beach in FL and I told them if they even saw a storm in the distance to run for cover. Remember, 3rd time is a charm. So be careful. Think of the kitties and the flowers that need you. Liz