My Life, Or Something Like It

Just a quick word for anyone who's read my recent laments about my son:

Monday night, I called my ex-husband to see if he'd come up with the money to help our daughter with her down payment for this semester in college. I found out that they had been trying to reach me because it seems my son had an accident and was shot in the foot by a .22 caliber rifle. They were just leaving the hospital ER when I got hold of them, with instructions to bring him back the next day (Tuesday/today) to see an orthopedic surgeon to determine what course of action to take next.

Details are sketchy, as my son was not very coherent when I spoke to him, and was the only one present in the bathroom when the shooting happened, but near as I can tell, he was with his step-brother out at the step-brother's grandfather's farm - out in the barn with step-brother and the grandfather. My son went into the bathroom out in the barn, and as he was finishing, he dropped some change - or maybe he was getting change out - who knows? Anyway, it rolled under the coke machine the man keeps in the bathroom, and when my son got down on the floor to retrieve the change from under the machine, he bumped it and knocked over some guns that were leaning against it, loadad, safety not on - and the .22 discharged, shooting my son straight through his shoe, through his foot and out the other side.

Naturally, the landowner (says) he does not have insurance, and since it's my husband's wife's ex-husband's father we're talking about (people from Arkansas, could you explain that to the others among you who might find that confusing?), there won't be any financial help from that direction, so that means whatever is done, will have to be paid for by my husband (which won't happen) - so more likely it means my son will have to go to my parents for help if something else major needs to be done.

Please say a prayer that the 90 days of wound care, 30 days of antibiotics, and weekly visits to the surgeon throughout this time are all that is required (along with a minimum 4 wks off his foot - so that means NO WORK). The wound care alone will be over $600. The good news is, that so far he's ok - and I really expect him to stay that way - IF - and I do mean IF he follows doctor's instructions!! I really hope this gives him reason to pause and take inventory of his life. I offered to go get him and bring him home to care for him, but he declined. That hurts so bad. I feel like he's being brainwashed. Whenever I talk to his dad and the rest of that clan, I get the DISTINCT impression that they champion themselves for protecting him from me. I know it is a direct kick-back to "thou shalt not control me, woman" - the attitude/resentment my ex-husband carries about me to this day. I won't say he's incorrect there - but then again, at the time I figured anyone who would get drunk and get in a car and leave his wife stranded 60 miles from home (albeit at the home of friends) without even a ride to work the next day might need a little lesson in good judgement from time to time??

Ok, so where is the part where I get to just live a normal life? Not that this is about ME by any means - I mean, I don't want to be a Drama Queen Mama and go wailing about how you all should feel so sorry for me (not that it would work anyway, lol) - but DAMMIT, when can I just have a WHOLE month of bills paid on time, groceries in the fridge, work going well (mainly because I'm putting forth good effort and staying focused), and no one is not speaking to me, sick, or in jail or in danger of either?? Ok - so no one's actually ever been to jail, but still.

And I still wonder why no men have lined up to check me out?? ...osm