Chapter 11 - The Wreck

 

     After about a week of recovery at the house, I returned to my work teaching. Matt was able to care for himself and he only cleaned the surgery site once daily. The bullet had entered his shoulder and exited through his back just under his lung. That wound had to be cleaned daily also.

     A second week of staying home was enough time for boredom to set in, so Matt decided to take my old van to the store. His excuse was that he needed cigarettes, but I think he also had other reasons to leave. We would find out later that he was still actively using drugs.

    I was just about to leave school when I got a call from a coworker. “Carol, I am on the interstate just after the Deerfoot exit and there is a red van in the ditch on the other side of the highway. Is Matt at home?”

    My heart sank. I assumed he was at the house but with an addict one can never assume. Within minutes I had enough information to know it was my van and my son. Matt had left around noon on his adventure and on the way back somehow managed to wreck my car just shy of an overpass on the interstate. After seeing the pictures of the automobile, I could not believe that he had once again escaped death. Another miracle!!  A few more feet and the van would have plunged down another 30 feet into the creek below. I am certain he would not have survived that impact.

    He was taken again to UAB hospital. This time I was so angry I refused to visit. I didn’t even check on him. The discharge doctor told him he was one lucky fellow to have survived two serious episodes in as many weeks. At what point does Matt wake up and see that God has a purpose for his life?

     The seat belt had saved him but it had also damaged an artery in his neck. The doctors did some repairs and ordered him to ICU for a few nights of observation. There was a possibility of blood clots forming in that artery. I let his father communicate with Matt but I refused to listen to his story. I knew it would be riddled with lies. Why can he not learn to tell the truth?

    Matt's combined charges for both hospital stays totaled over $250,000. He was indigent and unable to pay. He talked only once with a financial counselor at the hospital, yet his hospital bills were paid for through the kind charity of a generous, anonymous donor. I think we are up to at least 10 miracles by now!

    Matt spent several weeks going to doctors’ appointments. He developed MERSA even though he was on several antibiotics. His physical wounds were beginning to heal but the inevitable heartache from the consequences of his actions were becoming more of a problem each day. His dad and I agreed that we would let him handle his legal issues with a court appointed attorney. We had already spent a great deal of time and money with his prior arrests. This one had the potential of being extremely costly and his dad and I were not wealthy people. We had to rely on the grace of God once again.

      I remember very clearly a word of encouragement I received about Matt when he was dealing with the MERSA. Late one night as I was having my quiet time with the Lord, a thought about his infection came to my mind. I began convincing myself that there might be a chance he would NOT be sent to prison since his staff infection was so contagious. I felt a small sense of relief then a sudden shock back to reality that, yes, he would be going away. Then a peace came over me and I heard a small quiet voice say, “I’m going to protect Matt. You let me worry about the HOW.” I knew I had heard a voice from the Lord.

     So as soon as Matt was released from the surgeon, we appeared before the magistrate ready to face the consequences. God had another miracle in store for us.