A lot of people have asked me what happened last night so I figured a blog would be more informative than telling the story dozens of times.
It was around 8pm Sunday August 8th and I was driving back to the condo from dinner at the parents in the right hand lane. In the center lane, a car was apparently not traveling fast enough for a tiny black shoebox of a car (think Scion, Fit, or PT Cruiser) and it decided to cut into my lane. I was driving defensively and swerved towards the exit (46) when my car spun out and I 360-ed a few times. I heard a crash outside of my car and continued spiraling until the back of my car hit something. I didn’t start to panic until I heard the back windshield shatter.As soon as I saw people rushing to the car, I quickly looked to my arms to see if they were bleeding. No open wounds. The rearview mirror had liberated itself from the windshield so I couldn’t see if I had any head wounds, but I didn’t remember hitting my head on anything during the chaos. There was a pool of caramel macchiato at my feet. People started asking if I was okay and though I was shaking, I told them I was fine.
I asked them what I was supposed to do next as this was my first accident. They suggested I contact the police. I called it in and don’t remember much of the call but I do remember crying towards the end of it and telling them I wanted to get out of my car. A police officer arrived and asked me what the issue was. I explained the situation and asked if I could get out of my car. He told me that I should wait for the paramedics. I started getting claustrophobic and they finally allowed me to get out of my car (after calling my parents).
I looked on the ground and a lamppost had been taken down during the crash. Looking back at my car, that was the initial impact I felt on the drivers side rear door. The final point of impact was the trunk on the passenger side.The state police arrived and took down my information and the paramedics showed up and tried to convince me to go to the hospital. I refused as I was fine and just had a little bit of pain. I promised to check in with my doctor in the AM. My parents arrived and we walked over to the state trooper who gave me my case number. He told me that he had to write me a ticket for failure to maintain my own lane as there was no one else involved in the situation to merit blame. The witnesses left me their numbers and I was extremely grateful for their assistance.
A tow truck arrived and pulled my car from the embankment. We followed it to the repair lot and I collected what I could from the wreckage. The tow truck driver, Mike, gave me a lot of perspective. He pointed around the lot to a few cars and said “Fatality… fatality… fatality…” and my throat thickened as I saw a completely mangled blue bunch of metal that was once a car. “You walked away from it,” he said. “You were one of the lucky ones.”He was right. There were so many things that could have resulted in me being worse off. Had the fuckface that cut me off done so sooner, I probably would have flipped my car. Had the trees not been there, I don’t know if I would have stopped. The lamppost could have landed on my roof and crushed me.
Someone was looking out for me. Whether it be God, Norma, or my faith that I am not through with this life.
Today I am sore. Very sore actually, but as Jim Butcher said in the book White Knight, “Pain is a part of life. Sometimes it’s a big part, and sometimes it isn’t, but either way, its part of the big puzzle, the deep music, the great game. Pain does two things: It teaches you, tells you that you’re alive. Then it passes away and leaves you changed. It leaves you wiser, sometimes. Sometimes it leaves you stronger. Either way, pain leaves its mark, and everything important that will ever happen to you in life is going to involve it in one degree or another.(Chapter 31)”
Though I am feeling overwhelmed with the idea of financing another car and cutting back on shopping and eating out and *gulp* traveling, I AM ALIVE. I am not ready to give up. I am a fighter, and I will be damned if I leave this world on terms other than my own. I want to get married, have children, retire, see the world, make little differences in the lives of those I meet. I want to see the people around me succeed and marvel at my successes no matter how minute they seem at the time.
Mostly… I want to be able to vote, perform boring tasks like Jury Duty, and volunteer at the events that help to continue to give me perspective.
I drove past exit 46 today on the way to see my brother and Ashley. The lamppost has already been repaired. There is little evidence that there was even a crash there last night. But the memory will hopefully be burned into my brain. Not to intimidate me, not to terrify me, but to remind me that I lived and that I continue to do so.Thank you to Jon and Shirley for leaving me your numbers to pass on to the insurance adjuster. I hope that they do not take up too much of your time.
Thank you so much for the immense outpouring of well wishes, concerned texts/IMs/emails. You are all VERY important to me. It floors me how much you all jumped to verify my health. It touches me deeply.
Thank you. NOW GO AND LIVE!!!!!
Oh… and rest in peace Oogey. You gave your life for me. You were a very good lil car.
Holy shit!! I’m so glad you’re ok. Watch out for whiplash, ok? That hurts like a bitch and if your neck starts hurting, go to a doc so you can get treated. I’m pissed beyond belief at the cop who gave you a fuckin ticket. That’s bullshit.
I’m so glad you’re ok..and Oogey is a damn good car. *mourns oogey*
I am so glad you are ok!!! Is it sad that I started crying reading this? *sigh* I hate being such an emotional person but things dealing with the safety and well being of my friends REALLY gets to me! Love ya, babe!!!
OK, so you are OK…that is perimont…but what a load of bullshit is this ticket???? With eyewitnesses, this cop is legally incorrect….fight it baby! I am just so thankful you are OK. Call me if you need me!!!!
PS. Crash’s comments re whiplash are oh, so true….any strange symptoms, please see your doc ASAP!
I’m glad you’re upright and ambulatory. *Zen Hugs* I can’t believe that the driver who cut you off is getting off scott free. I would definately fight that ticket darlin’. Also, re: whiplash … I hope you don’t have it as it’s a bitch.
Thank GOD your alive.
Stay safe and keep smiling..
DJ
Oh wow, deja vu! I am glad that you are okay, did you get a head scan? Whatever you do, no matter if you remember hitting your head or not, it is soo important to get one. I didn’t and had an undiagnosed TBI from it, which can cause some crazy shit to happen. Again, I am soo glad you’re okay