Personal Narrative: My Trip To The Emergency Room

I had no idea that a simple trip to the local supermarket would result in a trip to the emergency room. This was definitely a tragic day that I will not soon forget. I have always been cautious about the safety of my children, taking every step to be sure I do what I can to keep them out of harm's way. Unfortunately, on this day, I did everything I could and it still did not make a difference.

I left my house that morning feeling happy and refreshed from my morning shower. My son, Adrian, was only three years old and he was excited to go to the store on this particular morning. I strapped him into his car seat, jumped in the driver's side, and off we went. I arrived at the store and right away found my favorite parking space. I felt

They gave me some gauze and told me to apply a little pressure to stop the bleeding. Every time I would remove the gauze I could see how his flesh had been ripped, deep, in the shape of an "L". It looked as if one of the metal corners of the food shelves had dug a hole right into his cheek. I recall thinking that I had taken every precaution I could have to make sure he was safe. I still felt as if I had done something wrong. Had I turned the corner to quickly or been too close to the metal shelves? I remember feeling as if I had failed him in some way. Luckily after they stitched his cheek up, and as the years have passed by, his head has grown and the scar is almost completely off of his face.

This event has changed my outlook on seat belts for good. I now know that a seat belt does give security and help prevent accidents but they are in no way a promise that tragedy cannot occur. I will never put any of my children in one of those toy car carts, and for months after I would warn any mother that I saw with their child in one. If I think about it, I honestly have not seen one at that store in over a year. Just thinking that they removed them makes me feel