Monday, January 26, 2009

A Wake up Call


Last week, one of our employees had a sister to shoot herself. This was her second time shooting herself. The first time she barely missed her heart.

Her husband said he thought everything was fine as he went out to the driveway to get the morning paper. When he walked back in the house, she was dead. She was 54 years old. She was a very beautiful lady.

The employees wife called me to let the office know what had happened. It was strange talking to her. I hope I said the right things.

Suicide "runs" in my family. My uncle hanged himself in his 40's. He drove a nail in the wall about head high, looped his belt around his nect and stuck one of the belt holes on the nail. Then he lifted his feet until he was dead. The coroner said at any time he could have just put his feet down and stood up. My grandmother tried to kill herself once that I know of as well.

It would never be admitted, because in my family we don't admit things that could be embarassing, but I am fairly sure my sister tried as a young teenager. I came home from first grade one day and both her wrists were bandaged up. I was told she cut her wrists when a milk bottle broke while she was washing dishes . But both wrists?!?

Last week, for the first time since my uncles death, I saw the effects of a suicide on family members, again, but at an older more mature age. It was a wake up call.

3 comments:

Raine said...

I have taken suicide off my list of "options" I have seen the damage it does to those left behind and I love my kids too much to ever do that to them. Are your uncle, mother and sister bi-polar also?

Surgeon In My Dreams said...

Oh my Dear Raine.... Mental illness does NOT run in my family.

Ask 'em, they'll tell you !!

+++sarcasm dripping down chin+++

When I have asked, it has been denied every time.

susan said...

Hello
Sorry I didn;'t see this a few days ago....

Suicide also runs in my biological family.

Considering the odds of me be still being alive is a miracle.
But it's a struggle not to become a statistic. it's hard.

Hang in there.