A girl posting her near-death experience (she got out fine, thankfully) reminded me that I'd never written my list of my thirteen "almost-died" experiences. It's one of those stories you tell about a month into the relationship with a girl or new friend, and I figure I've been flirting with this journal thing long enough to post serious life events. So, here's the post:

Glad you weren't hurt!

I've almost been killed 13 times... And now I'm really worried, cause 13 is an unlucky number... Maybe the next one's the one? Though, I suppose, if it was gonna happen, it would have been the accident where the number BECAME 13....

In case you're wondering, my thirteen were:

1. When I was born, one of my lungs collapsed and I was airlifted to a different hospital (great, my first helicopter ride and I don't remember it). I was in the new hospital for two months.

2. A sliding glass door almost fell on me as a baby.

3. Also as a baby, had chicken pox bad enough to be sent to the hospital (a little less than one month this time).

4. Stabbed in the face, 1/4 inch from my eye, by a dart. (I get extra credit because the dart was being held when it stabbed me, instead of thrown).

5. About 10 years old, My friend stole his parent's car and drove us into a house. I hadn't been wearing my seatbelt, and got thrown, but I only had some scratches on me.

6. Got bitten in the face by a dog while visiting my Grandma. I was told to stop crying to get my little cousin to stop crying. I hate him.

7. Drowned in my first time in the ocean and was resuscitated.

8. Got pushed off the jungle gym by my teacher. This was when they were surrounded by rocks instead of wood chips. Blacked out, woke up in the hospital. I suffered some sort of brain damage, but it didn't affect any part I use.... Hmm, that doesn't sound right....

9. An ironic twist, on my 13th birthday, a car drove into MY house, tossing glass and sharp sharp wood all around me. But, this time I didn't get even a scratch. In fact, no one got hurt because I was the only one in the house at the time. But, even the driver wasn't harmed (though he should have been).

10. Just before we moved to a "nicer" neighborhood, after getting through a horrible ordeal with having to declair bankruptcy, our house was shot through by some gang member who thought we were our next-door neighbors (that's what he told the police).

11. Learning to drive at 16, I flipped my Dad's car. My Dad went unconscious, but woke within a few (very long) seconds.

12. Kind of a stupid one (not that any of the previous ones portray me any better, especially #11), but, when setting up a pod for an explosion in our school play "Dracula", a big one went off, and I got trapped under a platform. A couple burns on my face and arm, a lot of smoke inhalation, and a special mention in the yearbook!

13. A friend trying to sort of commit suicide while on speed stabbed me in the chest with a medium-sized knife. I luckily went into shock instantly, and blacked out. I didn't really feel anything. I woke up a couple times in between, but I only remember waking up a week after it happened and seeing my Mom crying and being kissed by my Step-Dad. I was out in about a month after that, but it still hurt a lot longer than that.

So, yeah. If you were wondering what type of person keeps a rolling tabulation of the number of times they've been near death, it's the type of person that's been shot at, stabbed twice, blown up, bitten, and involved in several car crashes... And I'm only 21!

I am SO not looking forward to number 14....