My Top 10 Fears

Lately, I’ve developed some anxiety over a few things, so I decided to list my all-time fears. Here they go:

10. STAIRS!:  I’ve been on crutches for about five weeks now and have several more weeks yet to go.  My office is located on the second floor and I’ve had some close calls.  A view from the top looks like an unending, terrifying, decent into a trip to the ER.  It makes my palms sweat just thinking about it.  I will be relocating to the first floor.

9. Appendix bursting:  It just makes me cringe.  We don’t even need it!    

8. Flying solo:  I actually took flying lessons when I was younger.  Pretty cool, until there’s no instructor along for the ride.  I was unprepared, and when I realized I was lost and low on fuel, I had a panic attack.  Fortunately, my training and sheer will to survive kicked in, and I was able to use landmarks to guide me back to the runway.  That was the last time I flew an airplane.

7. Achilles Tendon rupture:  I’ve always had this fear, but it has intensified into a full-blown phobia ever since my doctor told me I have a 75 percent tear in mine.  The words “snap” and “pop” have made me hate Rice Krispies.

6. Heights:  I should qualify this by saying I am not afraid as long as I know I am sufficiently tethered to something that is somewhat reliable.  I have jumped out of perfectly good airplanes, bungie jumped, and climbed cliffs, but I knew I was protected to a reasonable degree of certainty.  But put me on top of a roof or a questionable balcony, and I flip out.

5. Nail grinders:  It’s a long story.

4. Breaking a bone:  I have never broken a bone, and I never wish that on anyone.  My son has made me watch enough YouTube videos of the really bad, pop-through-the-skin type breaks, to know this has to be one of the most painful injuries on Earth. 

3. Physical pain:  It’s a common theme with me.  (See above).

2. SHARKS!:  Not really, but I just had to.

1. Something happening to a loved one:  While most fears tend to involve something happening to one’s self, I would much rather something awful happen to me over a loved-one any day.