Spencer was asleep. Upon impact he woke up screaming. I was able to limp around the car to get him out. As soon as I opened the door he calmed down. He sat in my lap, in the middle of road, exclaiming about all the cars going by. Then the fire truck and ambulance came. Whoa, was that awesome! Everything was terribly exciting for him.
In the ambulance, my realtor called. Um, sorry. Going to have to postpone this for a while. Poor guy. Who knew it would be almost a year before we picked up that house search again. I feel like the last year was almost not even there. I just existed. And poorly at that.
At the time we still had Alaska car insurance, which has different coverage than Florida. Florida has instituted requirements so that nothing is out of pocket until you hit a maximum amount. I could not get people to remember I didn't have that special insurance and that I was paying for this! Eventually we had to get a lawyer, because the other guy was uninsured (the accident was his fault) and we were footing the bill. Oh, and you can't get your insurance to pay for things unless you get that lawyer. Great system huh? I wonder who designed it? Lawyers perhaps?
FYI, I highly recommend you have uninsured motorist protection for more than $100,000. My foot alone was worth the $100,000, can you imagine hurting more than a foot? I am sure there are many of you wondering how a foot can be worth anything, let alone the above. But, first the lawyer gets his share, there are bills to be paid and I can no longer do certain jobs because my foot will always have some problems. Oh yes, I will also have to have more surgery on my foot as I age. Isn't that fun?
The other thing I learned from this experience, get COBRA. In our situation, we did not think we would need COBRA because it was all auto related, but health insurance would have at least helped us ride this out. And now my foot has a pre-existing injury because I did not have health coverage at the time.
I am still not completely over the emotional turmoil I went through last year. I think this summer will go a long way to help me "get over" it. We bought a house this winter and my dad is helping me build (which really means, he is building) a raised planter for vegetables. My mom and I transplanted tomatoes today and Molly helped me transplant geraniums (purple, of course). We are enclosing our yard later this week to help my peace of mind with the kids. I am looking forward to a summer filled with water, dirt, gardening, and toilet training. I am hoping it will be a good one.
Showing posts with label accident. Show all posts
Showing posts with label accident. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Monday, March 23, 2009
Capital Regional Medical Center
Valet service at a hospital? For a moment I thought I was in California. Then we walked into the rotunda entryway, complete with green stonework and wood paneling. It must be California.
This surgery was different than any I have experienced before. The pre-op procedure was the most thorough collection of my medical history I have ever experienced. Everything was discussed from my adenoids being removed to ulna nerve problems and my oxycodone intolerance. The next day the anesthesiologist asked me a few questions and we found one that pre-op missed, my past hiatal hernia issues. Apparently hiatal hernia's can be a problem with general anesthesia. So, I took some disgusting liquid to get rid of any remaining acid in my stomach (which, btw, was described as tasting like SweetTarts, yeah right SweetTarts!) and a Pepcid to prevent future acid.
The orthopedic surgeon performing the ORIF told me a few choices I had regarding anesthesia, which were then contradicted by the anesthesiologist. I was dismayed at the complete lack of communication between the doctors. In Juneau, I have heard anesthesiologists and doctors have a professional disagreement about my care, but at least they were talking.
The hospitals chaplain joined Derek and I for a moment before I was taken away. He kindly talked to us about where we might be religiously in our future (turns out 25 years ago he was throwing up and in a fetal position on the floor asking for gods help, not exactly the same position we were in) and then said a prayer for my surgery. Hmm, I can hear my father groaning now.
I went in at 9:30 am and they were telling me the time again at 2 pm, so the surgery was around four hours long. My doctor told Derek he was able to use less screws, etc then he expected because once he moved one of my metatarsals the rest moved back into place, he left one permanent screw to fuse a section of mangled bones together, three larger temporary screws, and I have one spot where the cartilage was badly damaged (which might give me arthritis trouble later in life.) Some good news, some bad, but at least this surgery is behind me.
Recuperating over the last few days has been boring, tiring, painful, and drugged all at the same time. This is the first time I have actually felt pain reliever work. I have always skipped pain meds after surgery because it didn't change anything. This time I am all about the pain med schedule.
Now I am on the long road to recovery. I really appreciate all of the good wishes everyone is sending my way. It really helps!
This surgery was different than any I have experienced before. The pre-op procedure was the most thorough collection of my medical history I have ever experienced. Everything was discussed from my adenoids being removed to ulna nerve problems and my oxycodone intolerance. The next day the anesthesiologist asked me a few questions and we found one that pre-op missed, my past hiatal hernia issues. Apparently hiatal hernia's can be a problem with general anesthesia. So, I took some disgusting liquid to get rid of any remaining acid in my stomach (which, btw, was described as tasting like SweetTarts, yeah right SweetTarts!) and a Pepcid to prevent future acid.
The orthopedic surgeon performing the ORIF told me a few choices I had regarding anesthesia, which were then contradicted by the anesthesiologist. I was dismayed at the complete lack of communication between the doctors. In Juneau, I have heard anesthesiologists and doctors have a professional disagreement about my care, but at least they were talking.
The hospitals chaplain joined Derek and I for a moment before I was taken away. He kindly talked to us about where we might be religiously in our future (turns out 25 years ago he was throwing up and in a fetal position on the floor asking for gods help, not exactly the same position we were in) and then said a prayer for my surgery. Hmm, I can hear my father groaning now.
I went in at 9:30 am and they were telling me the time again at 2 pm, so the surgery was around four hours long. My doctor told Derek he was able to use less screws, etc then he expected because once he moved one of my metatarsals the rest moved back into place, he left one permanent screw to fuse a section of mangled bones together, three larger temporary screws, and I have one spot where the cartilage was badly damaged (which might give me arthritis trouble later in life.) Some good news, some bad, but at least this surgery is behind me.
Recuperating over the last few days has been boring, tiring, painful, and drugged all at the same time. This is the first time I have actually felt pain reliever work. I have always skipped pain meds after surgery because it didn't change anything. This time I am all about the pain med schedule.
Now I am on the long road to recovery. I really appreciate all of the good wishes everyone is sending my way. It really helps!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Surgery
I guess I was in denial about surgery.
I got a call informing me of my surgery schedule and a few moments after hanging up I had a minor panic attack. Unfortunately, I keep having them. I have had surgery before without worry, so why am I panicking now? Our lives are in such upheaval, I wonder if I am just reacting to an additional unknown outcome.
I really want to put this all in the past and move on, so I am trying to face everything head on and deal with it as soon as possible. Who knows if it's working; I'll find out when I realize I am in denial again.
I got a call informing me of my surgery schedule and a few moments after hanging up I had a minor panic attack. Unfortunately, I keep having them. I have had surgery before without worry, so why am I panicking now? Our lives are in such upheaval, I wonder if I am just reacting to an additional unknown outcome.
I really want to put this all in the past and move on, so I am trying to face everything head on and deal with it as soon as possible. Who knows if it's working; I'll find out when I realize I am in denial again.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Welcome to Tallahassee Driving
On Tuesday, I was driving south, on the inside lane, to Costco and a man came out of a side road and crossed traffic to turn north. Only he stopped in the middle of the southbound lanes. It took me a bit to realize he was not going to get out of the way. I slammed on the breaks and thought to myself "Huh, we are not going to miss."
And we didn't miss. I hit his driver's side, front quarter panel (of course, that is just the impact sight on his car, there was a lot more damage than the quarter panel.) I remember a weird sensation in my face and a lot of foot pain. I couldn't get the car to stop after we hit, so I put it in park and got out to get Spencer. As I was going around the back of the car, a man ran over to us and asked if I was ok. All I could say was "My baby." He responded with a bit of panic,"You had a baby in the car? Oh, good he was in a car seat." For some reason the first thought I had was, really he's not a baby, he's a toddler. In that moment, who really cares?
Spencer was crying up until I started to get him out of the car, then he quieted down. While we were sitting in the median waiting for help, he kept saying, "Mama!" and pointing to the cars going by. He has been doing that for a few weeks when he sees cars drive by and they are very exciting to him. Basically, this was just another exciting place to look at cars driving.
Spencer and I took the ambulance to the hospital, where they checked us both out. Spencer took everything with a grain of salt, but a little before the doctor came in he became a squirmer. The doctor said he obviously was doing fine. They x-rayed my foot and decided I also needed a MRI. The doctor told me my foot is bad and I needed to go to an orthopedic surgeon.
At the orthopedic surgeon yesterday I recieved confirmaton that I have a Lisfranc fracture along with some other bones in the same area. From what I can tell, a Lisfranc fracture is a dislocation of the bones as well as all of the bones breaking. So, my 2nd, 3rd, 4th metatarsels are broken and dislocated and some of the bones above the Lisfranc area are also broken.
This means in a couple of weeks, once the swelling has gone down, I will need surgery, complete with screws, pins and maybe plates. Recovery includes physical therapy and is about 4 months.
When I told the ambulance driver what had happened, he said,"Welcome to Tallahassee driving!"
And we didn't miss. I hit his driver's side, front quarter panel (of course, that is just the impact sight on his car, there was a lot more damage than the quarter panel.) I remember a weird sensation in my face and a lot of foot pain. I couldn't get the car to stop after we hit, so I put it in park and got out to get Spencer. As I was going around the back of the car, a man ran over to us and asked if I was ok. All I could say was "My baby." He responded with a bit of panic,"You had a baby in the car? Oh, good he was in a car seat." For some reason the first thought I had was, really he's not a baby, he's a toddler. In that moment, who really cares?
Spencer was crying up until I started to get him out of the car, then he quieted down. While we were sitting in the median waiting for help, he kept saying, "Mama!" and pointing to the cars going by. He has been doing that for a few weeks when he sees cars drive by and they are very exciting to him. Basically, this was just another exciting place to look at cars driving.
Spencer and I took the ambulance to the hospital, where they checked us both out. Spencer took everything with a grain of salt, but a little before the doctor came in he became a squirmer. The doctor said he obviously was doing fine. They x-rayed my foot and decided I also needed a MRI. The doctor told me my foot is bad and I needed to go to an orthopedic surgeon.
At the orthopedic surgeon yesterday I recieved confirmaton that I have a Lisfranc fracture along with some other bones in the same area. From what I can tell, a Lisfranc fracture is a dislocation of the bones as well as all of the bones breaking. So, my 2nd, 3rd, 4th metatarsels are broken and dislocated and some of the bones above the Lisfranc area are also broken.
This means in a couple of weeks, once the swelling has gone down, I will need surgery, complete with screws, pins and maybe plates. Recovery includes physical therapy and is about 4 months.
When I told the ambulance driver what had happened, he said,"Welcome to Tallahassee driving!"
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