The Worst Day of My Life, by Zac, age 11

      These are my son's words.  He's eleven years old.  This is how he remembers what he considers the day I hurt myself.  He didn't give this essay to me; he passed it in at school.  He gave me permission to show it to you.

     "It was a cold December day...the day that ruined my life.  My mom had just left with two of my three sisters to go see a Broadway play.  It was about two o'clock and I was home with my dad and my sister Molly.  'Zac get over here,' my dad barked.  I had no choice but to obey.  "We're cleaning off the roof,' he informed me.  That's where the real trouble started.  My dad started leaning out the window whacking away at the cold frosty icicles.  I wish I was one of those icicles being whacked to my death so I wouldn't have to experience what is now me my dad and my family's painful life.Just as I was daydreaming about sports I heard the first groan.  I quickly rushed over to the window where my dad was. 'Are you okay dad?' I asked.  'Yeah, I just felt a sharp pain in my back but I'm fine.'  Dad don't do that anymore I thought, but I didn't have enough courage to say it.  About an hour went on and the roof was almost clear except for the icicles my dad couldn't reach.  So he went outside and threw the broom at the roof for about ten minutes, then he fell over in pain.

     "For two months after that my dad was in horrible pain.  When I asked him what the pain felt like he said, 'It's like having a migraine headache every day, and on your good days it's like just having a bad headache.'  He had trouble walking and getting around to places, so he lay in bed as soon as he got home from work every day.  We helped out as much as we could.  Then suddenly his hours at work got shorter and the pain started getting worse drastically.  He started seeing doctors and they gave him medicines that did zip nada zilch NOTHING.  Then he had two failed back surgeries which did not only not work, but they made things even worse which I personally couldn't see happening.

     So this was pretty much the worst thing that ever happened to me.  The thing that made me want to quit life and burn in hell.  It was like this for two years until my dad had to quit his job because he couldn't sit down for twelve hours a day and he was in too much pain so now he is home on disability and can only do a few things.  He tries to go to all my sports games because that makes him feel better, and it makes me feel better too.  But what happened to my dad is not all negative.  The positive things, although not many, are that it has brought our family closer together.  Even though we can't travel, we spend more quality time together than you could even imagine.  Second, I look up to my dad now because even though it feels like he is getting stabbed in the back (literally) every second of his life he still does stuff with us and I look up to him for that.  My oldest sister is applying early decision to Columbia University and she wrote about my dad in her essay, and how he was the most important influence in her life, even though he has so much pain.  That was a thing that made him feel better.  I really love my dad."

     I really love my wife and kids. God bless, Colin

Comments

[qureyoon]

this is so touchin'
god bless your family :)

[Anne McGill]

Zac,

That is the best essay I've ever read.

We need the doctors to find something that will help your Dad with his pain and the understanding to deal with your pain too.

Thanks for letting us read this.

Anne M

[RqTect]

Pain is a Pain, But your still a live.

Old id Old, But your still a live.

95% of pain is in our minds

[Debi]

As a fellow chronic pain sufferer, I'd have to say we try to look for "silver linings", but after reading your son's essay - this particular lining is more like gold.

May God continue to bless you and your family,
Debi

[Jo]

I can't even begin to imagine what it's like for a person more so the family to face the fact that a cherished closed one will have to endure so much suffering every day. It's truly amazing that you guys have pulled through and ended up getting closer because, rather than in spite of the fact. Thank you for posting this.

[Marianne Richmond]

Colin,

I won't pretend to be able to imagine what your life with chronic pain is like, other than horrible...but you must be an amazingly wonderful person and father to inspire those heartfelt words from your son.

Marianne

[Steve]

Jesus said, "a good tree can not bear bad fruit". Obviously, your son has shown how very true that is. God Bless you, and your family.

[saija]

that has amazing insight for one so young ...

we've been doing this "chronic pain thing" for 22 years, married 32 years - but no kids ... sometimes i think children would have helped us to put things in proper perspective - during the more trying times ...

i admire my husband's ability to just get up every day, even though getting up is difficult ...

all i can say is ... God's grace has been sufficient thus far ... and i know it will continue to be - until we reach heaven's shore ...

blessings to all of you ...