10 Years Ago Today

It was a Friday. I was just 18 years old. I was working at a local child care center in the 1 year old room part time while going to college. A lot of the kids went home early, as they did on a lot of Friday's and I was able to leave early while another teacher stayed behind with the rest of our kids.

I remember having to go to the bathroom, but I had decided to wait until I got home. It was only a 10 minute drive. It was Friday and I was actually getting to leave early! So I left and was on my way home. I was driving at the speed limit, or even slightly below the speed limit. I remember looking to ahead a bit to my right and seeing a car starting to come out from a side street and thinking "Oh my God, she is going to hit me!" There was NOTHING I could do. I tried to speed up a little to get past her before she actually hit my car, but I was not able to.

At the time I was driving a 93 (or 94) Chevy S-10 Blazer (small SUV). She hit the passenger rear side of the car in just the right (or wrong) spot. I don't remember much other than a lot of spinning, going upside down, and thinking "just stop!". My SUV FINALLY came to a stop (upside down) and I remember thinking "I have to get out of here!". I was hanging upside down strapped into the car with my seat belt. I vaguely remember seeing/hearing witnesses running up to me/my car to see if I was ok.

I undid my seat belt at that moment and the next thing I remember was being in the ambulance on the way to John C. Lincoln (not the closest hospital) because they needed a Trauma 1 Unit. I remember them asking me a lot of questions. I vaguely remember answering them. I vaguely remember having my clothes cut off of me.

The next thing I remember is being at the hospital. I don't remember arriving at the hospital, just that I was there all of a sudden. I remember them asking me who to call. I gave them what I remembered to be my dad's cell phone number. Then I kept wondering if it was even the right number. I think I lost consciousness a few more times because I remember being in the cat scan room but I don't remember going in there. I don't remember coming out of there.

I remember them telling me that my parents were on their way. I got some x-rays done on my arm and hand. I had a HUGE gash on my right wrist and some scrapes on my left hand. I think I had some scrapes on my face as well. When my family finally got there (which seemed like an eternity for me!) I was getting the x-rays done, so they were not allowed in right away.

After a little bit of time at the ER, I was released and allowed to go home. I wore paper scrubs since my clothes were cut off of me. I FINALLY got to use the potty, I still remember having to go REALLY bad. (funny the things you remember).

In the weeks following the accident, I had a skin graft on my right arm to cover/repair the major gash. The tissue inside my arm died off and there was just a gaping hole in my right arm. Other than that and some minor scarring on my left hand, I came out pretty good! Thank God it was not worse than it was. And thank God I was wearing my seat belt!

I can't believe it has been ten years! I have pictures somewhere of the car and of my arm, I could not find them when I wrote this post, but my dad did find some later that night. I posted them here.

(and I am sure my mom can comment on her reaction when they SAW my car, upside down, as they were on the way to the hospital, and they had no idea what condition I was in at the time!)