Crash

Last Tuesday, Katy and I were at the library with the kids, and when it was time to leave, Eliza begged me to drive home with Katy, Reuben, and Miriam. I tried to convince her to ride with me so that Katy wouldn't be stuck with three loud kiddos the whole drive home from Columbia. Katy told me it would be okay for her to drive with her, though, and Eliza was happy.

So on my way home, I was sitting, stopped at a red light when I heard a loud CRACK.

In a blur, I was aware that I had slammed my foot further down on the brake but felt my car get like thrown forward and crashed into the car in front of me. My head and neck, especially, h

ad been flung forward and as my car came to a stop, I was disoriented and the world was blurred. I tried to look around and was really confused until I realized that my glasses had been thrown off. I felt around until I found them on the ground.

(A big white truck that was hauling a bobcat on a trailer behind me had slammed into me-- I still don't know why, but he's been charged with a failure to yield...)

I looked around me and saw my belongings thrown askew and could feel myself shaking. Other people got out of their cars and someone asked me if I was okay. I kept telling people I was okay

but started crying for a bit, I think just from the shock of it.

I found my phone and with shaky fingers called the person that I always call when things like this happen. I called Dad. Told him I didn't know what to do, and he talked me through some things to do... and I was very grateful that I had someone to call at that time.

Because of my sharp neck pain and colossal headache, the EMT's put me in a neck brace and strapped me to a board on a stretcher and took me to urgent care. It was nice to be cared for, but the hard board and tight neck brace had me feeling confused about what was hurting me worse, the safety precautions or my actual pain. When I got to ER, my dad and mom were

waiting for me. No broken bones, and I was given pain meds and muscle relaxants and sent on

my way.

I guess my little Honda Civic is totaled, although things have been put on hold because of the holiday weekend (and that the driver who hit me not answering his phone or reporting the accident to his insurance yet. Yay for my Statefarm agent.)

On an upside, my insurance got me a rental car. I asked for something fuel efficient and the rental car employee gave me a Dodge Challenger:

I'm definitely not a muscle car person, but the car has been kind of fun. The fast acceleration is pleasant.

I've had a LOT of neck and back pain. My family helped me out a lot, especially with caring for Eliza, so I spent the night at Mom and Dad's the rest of the week. That ended up being neat, though, because I think I ended up getting to spend more time with my siblings who were all home for Christmas and my parents. It was funny to be back down in my basement again! HAh! It's been surprising to be very aware of all the different ways you bend and use your back muscles. I came back home last night, and I think I overdid it this morning with Eliza because my back has been cramping up and spasming some this afternoon.

Ironically, staying in one place can be the most painful thing. I've had trouble sleeping for any long period of time because I wake up in pain. Makes me have new empathy for those with back problems because what I usually do to stretch now make me cramp up and trying to pick up a 35 lb four year old leaves me an out of breath mess.

Enough whining, though.

Bottom line, I am so immensely grateful that by some serendipity, Eliza was not driving with me when this accident happened.

Now to fight with the insurance company. :(