10:16pm February 26, 2005 ~ close call
Thursday night I herded Kahler into the truck so that we could go to dinner. After I strapped her in, she said, "Daddy, I love you thi-i-i-s much!" and stretched out her arms. I told her, "I love you thi-i-i-i-i-s much!" and stretched out my arms. Then as I was closing her door so that I could get in, she said, "And I love you thi-i-i-i-i-i-i-s...." and then her fingers got caught in the clamshell back door as I closed it. I have not heard her scream like that since she got her very first vaccination shots. I freaked out, and for a moment forgot how to open the door again to free her fingers. Once I fumbled the door open I gave her fingers a quick check before unstrapping her and rushing her into the house. Through some miracle her fingers did not look badly injured, and she could still move them. It turns out they only got caught between the plastic trim that borders the edge of the doors and not inside the door jam itself. After applying some ice and much comforting, I got her settled down, and everything was fine.
Later that night I had trouble sleeping just thinking about what might have happened if her fingers were extended an inch further. Since then I've found new appreciation for the driver side of my truck not having a clamshell door, which previously I had been citing as the only thing I didn't like about my truck.
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