A Flower by Any Other Name....

The funny think about that line is its right! A rose really wouldn't smell as good if it was named randolof or cabbage. But I have found an exception. Stephanie by any other name would still be me. The list of nick names go on and on! Ice princess, Sheba, Grace and stubby. The last two really get to me. I was given the nick name Grace because of my lack of grace. I run into door ways, step on my own feet, hit my face in the door and sometimes I'm even smart enough to look down at the bouncy ball I just threw directly underneath me. I earned that nick name but Stubby is new. Although its new it still leaves me with the crowning glory of my mistakes.

Thursday night I was roped into weeding and watering at our old house. Putting on my flip-flops we left the house. Mom took the first shift weeding with the shovel as I began the first rotation of watering. As the flowers perked up mom handed me the shovel, that was it, my fate was sealed. Five minutes had gone by successfully. I was feeling so good about my weeding job I thought about coming down and weed the entire place as a surprise to my mom. While day dreaming I tried to get a weed perilously close to my naked toes. I chopped toward myself. The shovel slipped on a rock and then a rush of pain. I dropped the shovel and began to yell for my mom to come help. I knew I couldn't look down at my toe, if I did that would be the end of me. Mom came rushing over and went pale when she saw it. Her void of confidence right then wasn't exactly what I had hoped for. She helped me hobble to our car.

I sat in the car numb for two seconds and then I started hyperventilating. I have never done that! It was annoying and it bugged mom. Once I brought my breathing back under control I realized it was the combination of losing my vision to shock and the sensation of dripping blood had started the hyperventilation. I'm not exactly sure how mom was driving but I do know some of the turns were rather sharp.

Step two in the shock process appeared on the scene. Adrenaline, but not the fun type. This time it made me nauseous and thirsty. We made it home about three minutes later. I opened my door slid off of the seat and tried to stand but my knees weakened, my vision was completely gone. Before I knew it mom was yelling "don't pass out on me!" all I remember was my calm reply "I wont pass out, I just need to lie down". Next thing I knew my nose was smashed against the pavement. I had passed out in a possession that was considerate to my injury. My knees were tucked under me and my forehead rested on my arms. I began to pick my limp body off the ground when my started laughing at me. The only thing I could think of was how much better I felt! It was a miracle! I should have passed out earlier so I could have had the relief!

We made it into the house with great speed. We put my toe to soaking. Before I knew it everything was fine. Don't get me wrong it still hurts but the worst is over. My toe has now been every color in the rainbow and I will lose my nail, but hey! its all good! Dad came home and rolled his eyes at me. It took him six hours of being sarcastic, then he started bugging me about pulling off my nail. I won that battle, he will now patiently wait for it to fall off. The dog has stepped on it twice, my little sister stepped on it and dad likes to torture me with "messaging it" all that means is that he's thinking about pulling of the nail and seeing where it hurts the worse.

I've done well for myself this summer. One car wreck, one toe job, the removal of a mole and some pretty good bruises from wading the river. Good thing they didn't let me play with the fireworks, who know what would have happened!