My 4 Year Anniversary

Four years ago my life changed dramatically. In an instant, I went from being a vibrant, independent, working young woman to a paralyzed, fighting for my life, unconscious, dependent young woman. Although I count it a blessing to be alive,and I truly believe this is my test, my life is nothing as I once knew it. Four years ago dependency became my reality, for now. I say right now, because I do not believe that this situation is permanent.

Okay, let me tell you what happened, as I know it.

On Thursday, November 11, 2004, on my way to work, I was a 4th grade teacher, I had a single car accident. My car went off the road, down the embankment, and I'm told, flipped about 13 times. (I don't know how true that is.) Well, the car came to rest upright, on the opposite side of the road in the middle of a field. (During the flipping and all, I was knocked unconscious, supposedly by the airbag. That's not all the airbag did, either.Wait for it, it's coming.) When my consciousness came back, after what seemed like an eternity, but was only maybe 5 minutes, a passer-by stopped to assist me. I gave him my home number and he called my parents as well as the ambulance.

I was in and out of consciousness waiting on the ambulance, which happened to go in the wrong direction when coming to get me. Well, when the EMTs arrived they realized that they needed the Jaws of Life to cut me out of the car, so more waiting. The Jaws came and they cut me out and someone slapped a neck brace on me. I was taken to the hospital where I saw my mom. Others were there, but I don't really remember them. I do however remember as the doctors cut my pants, that I was not wearing matching underwear. (I know I have a strange sense of humor, lol.) Anyway, the hospital was small and therefore unable to handle my condition, which was still unknown at this point. I was stabilized and transferred to another hospital about 45 minutes away.

I can't tell you much about what happened at this hospital, because frankly I don't remember. I only remember getting an MRI and thinking as I was rolled through the halls that "it is too early in the morning for lights to be that bright." (There's that crazy thinking again.) At this hospital is where my family was told that I had broken at least two bones in my neck and was paralyzed. This hospital couldn't treat me, so they decided to airlift me to the hospital in the capital city which was a Level I trauma center.

Getting in the helicopter, I told the nurse that I always wanted to ride in a helicopter. She responded, "this is not the ride you were hoping for." I must have lost consciousness again because the next thing I remember was getting unloaded onto the roof of the hospital.

Over the next few days I was poked and prodded and unfortunately flat lined twice. I was put on a ventilator, had tubes inserted into my chest and stomach, my lungs collapsed, got a trachea, a plate was put in my neck, had a staph infection, and to top it all off, I got a halo inserted into my skull for my birthday. I, well my family, was informed that I had not broken 2 bones, but 4 bones in my neck.

After all of that and staying in ICU and not being able to talk because of the trachea, I was moved to a room on the floor, then to a rehab facility. I stayed in rehab for a month, then came home. I had good days and bad days there, but family and friends were always around to be supportive.

Oh, almost forgot about that airbag. Even though my car was totalled and it seemed as if I should have died, I didn't have a bone broken in my body except for those in my neck, which leaves me to believe that although air bags are meant to save lives, they are the reason why my neck was broken.

This is my test and I'm praying for a miracle.