Last Saturday, I worked in the morning and then checked into the hotel, due to upcoming snow storm that was being predicted. I planned on staying there over the weekend and working each morning while avoiding having to drive in the unpredictable and less than desirable blizzard that was looming. After completing my shift and tidying up my kitchen, I decided to run some errands before the snow started flying.
I ran to the bank, paid some bills, stopped by the Post Office and picked up my laptop which had been forgotten at home. The weather was still clear and cold, so I grabbed some BBQ at Gates for myself and friend and went to visit him at work. It had been quite a while since I had seen David, so we had a great time while eating and talking. It was good to catch up but I lost track of the time and next thing that I know, the snow was coming down outside the window. We said our goodbyes and I got back on the road to head back to the hotel to settle down and get some rest for the evening. I took I-70 East and headed back towards Blue Springs. The weather was getting worse but I drove carefully and slowly incredibly thankful that traffic was still so light.
The next thing that I remember was an inverted face of a male paramedic leaning over me and speaking in a loud voice. I was very confused and in a lot of pain. Blackness. I came too in bright light, a lot of pain, and something clamped around my neck and head. I could feel something piercing both of my arms and it felt like my legs were both broken at the femur. Noise, light, pain. Blackness.
I opened my eyes again and saw my Mom and Dad in the emergency room with me. I couldn't really talk and I felt all types of electrical equipment strapped to my chest. I could tell there were IV's in both of my arms and a cervical collar was still in place around my neck. My Dad looked haunted and didn't speak but my Mom came over and quietly explained they were taking me to have an MRI and CAT scan done of my head and neck. All I could do was point at her and groan. Blackness.
The next morning I woke up. It felt like my left arm, leg and entire side were paralyzed. I was incredibly scared and had no idea where I was. I had a lot of pain in my head but eventually was able to move around a bit and figure out nothing was broken. I still have no memory of the accident. We have been able to piece together the events from the police report and wreckage of my car. It appears that I hit a patch of black ice, or some other compromised rad surface and my car left the highway and impacted head first into a guard rail. It then slid another 30-50 feet before coming to a stop, destroying the right hand side of the car. My airbag deployed, cutting and scraping my face badly and the injuries and bruising sustained to my left shoulder, arm and legs were from the seat belt and steering wheel on impact. I still have no conscious memory of the accident. I slept and laid there for two days.
Fast forward to today. The car was towed from a lot and I have since had it moved to my dealership. The insurance adjuster has evaluated the car as a total and complete loss. I have provided them with all the documentation, receipts and pictures detailing the value of the vehicle. They have moved promptly and efficiently and it looks like we will settle and I will have a full pay out by the beginning of this next week. Thank God for full insurance coverage! There will be the usual waiting game with the ambulance service, hospital and attending doctors to figure out with health insurance. So much paperwork! I have already found an exact replica of my car for sale by a private owner in the area and have been in contact with him to view it once the weather clears. He is the second owner and it has lived quietly in his garage, been well maintained and only driven in beautiful weather. I certainly hope that I can become the proud third owner. My fingers are crossed!
I am out of the hospital and have spent several more days resting and healing all the while taking care of a mountain of paperwork, phone calls, research and building stress. I cannot even begin to comment on where my emotions have taken me over this entire week, but I am incredibly thankful to be alive and to have walked away from this relatively unscathed. I miss my little car greatly and I have been up and down and everywhere in between while contemplating the different ways this could have turned out. One minute I am elated and confident that everything is working out great and then next, I am dejected and completely crushed. These kind of events have a way of altering my interior perspective and current priorities in life. I was supposed to be installing my new leather interior in the car this week, my birthday present from my parents, but instead, tomorrow I will be watching the wreckage being loaded onto a flatbed truck and hauled away. I have a lot of fond memories invested in that car. We hugged a lot of curves and had miles of smiles together.
I know I am rambling. I have a lot on my mind. You would think I would be used to being in car wrecks, given my past. I have totaled every single car I have ever owned and woke up in the hospital on five different occasions now. I am sure that phone call to my parents and the words "We have your son" was devastating once again. That part crushes me.
The long and short of it, life goes on. Cars can be replaced. People cannot. I know that I am loved and yet again, I am incredibly fortunate to still be continuing on this journey called life. I will be sharing more thoughts that come to me as days go by. I am thankful that I really don't remember much about the trauma and accident. I will be going back to work tomorrow and hopefully will be on the road in copy car number two within a week.
Take care of yourselves. Love one another. Life is precious. That is all for now.
daemon
I am glad that is the only damage and you are well!!
ReplyDeleteYou know how I feel already :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're you but most of all I'm glad you're here.