Clearly, I had it wrong when I thought that my myomectomy in May was the "ordeal". Last Monday, November 2, 2009, I found myself restless in bed. I decided to get up and drive some of my frustration out. It was early, maybe 630 am or so, but I drove over to the Virginia side and decided to watch the sun come up. I was heading back to the apartment to lay down and was making a left turn onto 12th St NW from New York Ave NW. I was partially through the intersection when I saw the Expedition coming towards me.I felt the impact of the hit and the car turned over and spun around. So many things were going through my mind at this point, but mostly, "This is it! I'm going to to die!" So when the car finally stopped rolling and sliding and I was not dead, I screamed! The car was sitting on its side, and I was still strapped in but thrown all the way to the passenger side. A group of people were talking to me and I was answering their questions, but mostly, I just wanted to get out of there!!! My neck and head were growing at a exponential rate, and I was shaking. Still haven't stopped shaking yet.
I reached for my phone (of course, I'm me) and did the worst thing I possible could: I called my mom. I'm sure she was on her way to work or at work, and I worked her all the way up. Then I called my friend Ebony and woke her out of her sleep.
I was still shaking and dripping (a bottle of water had exploded during all of the turning and throwing), and I kept calling my mother and apologizing and sobbing. They attempted to tip the car back over but quit that when they saw how much glass there was, too unsafe. They were able to hand me a cover after cutting part of the roof off and I covered myself as they began to cut me out. Every moment was excruciating, but they were done and one of the firemen was able to put the cervical collar on me and remove me from the car. He helped the paramedics tape me to the board and put me in the ambulance. I had been doing well up to then, but when they taped me to the board and put me in the ambulance, I still couldn't believe all that had happened. One of my friends called and I gave out an assignment to reach Ebony and have her come to the hospital. I was mostly unnerved and scared. I kept seeing flashes of the accident when I closed my eyes. Then the paramedics started working my nerves.
They started an IV in my right antecubital, whatever. Lactated Ringers, and some saline flushes, okay. Well, then they attempted to put an oxygen mask on me. I don't do masks. They make me feel like someone's trying to suffocate me. I held it in my hand and I was like, "Um, hi. No. I don't like masks. Can I have a cannula (preferably pediatric)?" They gave me the cannula and must have turned the flow up to 10LPM. This was more annoying than helpful. I felt like Bruce Banner, about to turn green. I had been crying and my nose was running and the oxygen was burning! I slid my finger underneath it and let the flow blow into my eyes. I began my journey as the 'difficult nurse-patient'. My blood pressure was only 102/66.
Got to GW and back into the trauma area. Lots of orientation questions and cranial nerves to test. Gripping hands, pushing toes downward and 'wiggle for me'. Look up, look down, look to your left, to your right. Your pupils are reactive to light. My pupils are about to be unresponsive to light and accomodation, cause I'm about to be done cooperating for you people. Went to CT, had a portable chest. They wanted a urinalysis. I was like, I hope you don't think you'll be using a catheter for that. Instead, there was a performance for the former quasi-thespian: peeing on a bedpan in front of the nurses. I laid there for a long time. So, could we try reverse trendelenberg's please?! Gravity could only help....
The CT and Chest X-Ray were okay. My abdomen was negative for blood. 800 mg of Ibuprofen and I was out of there. Clearly someone forgot to give me Ambien because everytime I closed my eyes, I could see that Expedition coming towards me and the car flipping. Everytime.
I had to wonder why God chose to keep me here. Clearly my goals on Earth haven't been met and he isn't ready for me yet. It's funny how thirty seconds can change your life. I can't say that I'll ever look at life the same again. I don't know if that's good or bad, but it's what I'm left with.
