2003 Car Wreck

Have you ever seen someone in a wheel chair and wondered what happened to them: or maybe how they got there. Ever caught yourself staring at someone with scars all over their face. Maybe laughed at someone stumbling to catch their step. Well, I have been this person before.
The first thing I remember was people, all around me. Complete strangers. A lady sitting next to me. Saying “You were in a very traumatic car crash. You are at Fairfax hospital. November 17, 2003.”
Apparently I had forgotten all motor skills, basically how to do everything. I could do nothing but lay there, look around at all the strangers. Yes I didn’t recognize my parents as they were right in front of me. I’m a vegetable at this point.
Eventually I got stronger, and was able to move my arms and legs. Unfortunately the only thing they could do was thrash around and rip the tubes and ivs’ that were stuck into me.
As I laid there and listened to all of the people telling me things, I learned that I was in a very traumatic car wreck. I had lost the right side of my frontal lobe. There was a piece of my bone falp in my right abdomen.
My mom had gone off the road, hit a tree, and road down in a ditch. Leaving the only place the car was that was damaged, was where I was sitting. A piece of the cars framing had punctured my head. And because of all of this I was in the hospital and needed therapy to ‘make myself better’. So was sent to John Hopkins for many different therapies.
Early in the morning I would wake up and begin my day with physical therapy. Getting dressed, being able to take care of myself on my own. Following that would be speech, learning how to use my voice again. Occupational therapy, working with my hands. Recreation, doing activities, watching movies, and relaxing. It was always my favorite. But of course there was breakfast, lunch, and dinner in between. Every night I would have an ice cream sandwich.
I had learned who my parents were and most of the people that would come into visit me. There were so many people that came into visit me. Family, friends, everyone. They would bring cards, stuffed animals, and flowers. But what I really remember were the faces, puffy eyes, and quivering lips. I mostly remember people coming in and crying by my side, holding my hand.
Someone had to be with me at all times. Overnight my dad, my mom, and some others would come to stay with me. I remember one night when my uncle came to stay with me. Other nights my aunts would stay with me.
I remember how emotional everybody was around me. But most of all I remember how emotional about myself. How I looked. Staring into the mirror and thinking “oh god what happened to me. Where did my hair go? This straggled line reaching from ear to ear, where did it come from. Why do I have all of these red marks all over my face?” Lying in bed, crying, wishing that I was backing home. Back with all my friends leading a normal life. The first time they weighed me. I was over forty pounds more than I was before this tragedy.
As I was progressing, my dad took me to the movies. We went to see brother bear. I remember what a hard time he had getting me in and out of the car. But what I remember most was the people reaction to me. The way everyone starred at me. Looked at me like a freak of nature. I couldn’t figure out why. Was it the hockey helmet on my head, was it the wheel chair, and was it my dad. I had never thought that it could have been me. At this point if my heart had sunk any lower it would fall out of my butt, and onto the floor next to me.
Once I had gained back most mobility. They discharged me from rehab. I was sent back to Fairfax to have the bone flap removed from my abdomen and placed back into my head. I laid in a coma for a week or so. Then was released home.
Still I had not gained full mobility, therefore I had to do out patient therapy. About four years after getting out of the car wreck I had seven surgeries and procedures done to my face to correct the scarring.
In 2007, I moved to Huntsville Alabama. It was a new start for me. No one here can tell that I was in a car wreck. Now I am a junior in high school. I have a job at Hearthstone Assisted Living Center. Also I have a boyfriend that I have been steady with for over a year now.
If I had a chance to change anything about what happened to me, I wouldn’t. Being through all of these hardships has mad me into a stronger person. Sharing my story with others has helped me accept the damage it has done to me. The doctors at the hospital said that I wasn’t going to live. Well, I’m definitely living. And have much more living to do.