Scariest Moment Of My Life

During my 35 years on this planet, I’ve had a few scary moments, but none as scary as the one I had today.

My partner, Jackie, called me up and started off by saying how she had been changing our daughters nappy (a scary enough task in itself sometimes) and she had seen something “lurking” in the deposit within. She described it as a tiny metal tube, and as soon as she said that, my stomach went all funny, my legs went wobbly and a chill ran through my entire body.

Why ? Because I knew, as soon as she said that, what it was, and more importantly, it was my fault !!

A couple of days ago, my step son David had asked me to add a link to his watch strap (I used to work for Argos and had become quiet adept at doing this for the Jewellery dept.). The first thing I had to do was detach the clasp mechanism by popping the tiny sprung bar out. As soon as I did, the spring shot out like a bullet and fell somewhere near my computer desk in the corner of the living room. It sounded like it had gone behind the PC and I checked the floor and couldn’t see anything, so I assumed it had gone behind out of harms way.

Obviously not !!! Sofia must have found it and, as most 1 year old children do, put it in her mouth and swallowed it. All I could think of is it doing some kind of damage internally and I just freaked out !! I even came close to tears.

Jackie re-assured me, and she called the doctor who said there should be nothing to worry about at all, especially as it had passed straight through with no visible signs of any distress throughout it’s passage !

The pure terror that my negligence might have harmed the most precious thing I have in the world was overwhelming and took a while to get over, but as any parent will testify, it’s all part of the process and I’m sure there will be more to come !

Anyway, we have her 1st birthday coming up on Friday, so plenty of time for extra fuss ;o)