Growing up, my dad and I would wrestle, play fight and throw the ball around parts of the house where my mom frowned upon such activity.

Let’s just say she did not think an impromptu game of “Red Rover” between my dad and me was not best held in the hallway.

To this day, if I had a dollar each time she would say “careful, someone’s going to get hurt,” my children’s college tuition would be covered.

And, just like every other prediction or premonition my mother had, she was right. Someone did get hurt. My dad.

During one particular wrestling match, my dad broke the middle finger on his right hand. After a quick visit to the doctor, he stepped out, looked at me and said, “I broke the dang thing.”

Not only was it broken, but the weeks that followed made it even worse — I mean funnier — as he had to drive with that particular finger in a splint. You can just imagine the looks he received driving down the road with “that finger” raised for all to see.

It was a lesson we all learned; mom was always right.

Many years later, with three children of my own, that lesson has since been learned again. In this case, Stephanie’s always right.

As the two of the kiddos were playing the yard, playing around and fighting as siblings often do, she warned, “someone’s going to get hurt.”

Someone did. It was Fin.

During a tussle, Fin fell awkwardly and hurt his elbow.

After a series of X-rays and an examination by a doctor, it was confirmed. He had broken the “dang thing.” On the X-ray showed a small fracture just above his right elbow.

Again, lesson learned; mom was always right.

So, for the next three weeks, Fin, our youngest and most rambunctious, is restricted to no PE or recess at school. God help his teachers.

But while it is a lesson learned for us all, it was a moment to be thankful. Thankful for the great medical care we are blessed to have in Vicksburg and nearby.

In the years we have lived here, all of us — for one ailment or another, some more severe — have had tremendous care. From our family doctor to the pediatrician, to the emergency room at Merit Health River Region to the surgical rooms at University of Mississippi Medical Care.

There is really no way to place a true value on what it means to have not just quality care, but compassionate care so close by.

The nurses, residents, attendings and specialists at Batson’s Children Hospital were phenomenal in how they cared for Fin’s fractured arm. Later in the week, those who helped set his cast at UMMC were just as caring and wonderful with such a young patient.

We all learned a number of valuable lessons in this life moment. We learned that horsing around will at times get someone hurt, but in the event that happens, we learned again, there are plenty of people and facilities close by to help.

 

Tim Reeves is editor of The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at tim.reeves@vicksburgpost.com.