Everything was just terrific. My siblings have each been married for about 18 months. I’ve been married for almost eight. My parents have been married for twenty-eight years. My brother’s son is 14 months old and walking all over the place. My sister’s first is due in about three weeks. My parents’ videography business was really starting to take off. My sister recently graduated college, and I’d just gotten more freelance writing assignments. Our family was happy together and on Sunday we got together for a late Thanksgiving meal.
And then yesterday morning on the way to work, my mom lost control of her car on a wet road in a curve. The car slid into the oncoming lane and a full-size pickup truck smashed into the front passenger side. It was such a terrible accident that the officers on the scene wrote my mom up as a fatality. My dad hasn’t found out about the other driver, but he thinks he might be okay.
They had to peel the passenger seat off of her. Had he hit the driver’s side, she would definitely have died.
Now my mom is in SICU (surgical ICU) and may be for the next couple of weeks. She has seven broken ribs on her right side, a gash in her liver (but no bleeding), several breaks on her pelvic bone, bruises on her lungs and one punctured lung. I think she also has a fractured cheekbone and maybe some other stuff that’s not too serious. Until they know how her lungs are, they can’t do much about her ribs. She’s on a breathing machine. This morning they let her wake up for a few minutes and she recognized my dad. She also tried to get up. I don’t think there’s any brain swelling or spinal damage.
She lost a lot of blood initially, but once they got it all back in her, her blood pressure was good and stable last night and has been most of yesterday (and presumably today). 104/62 was the last number I saw on her monitor. I guess that was her blood pressure.
I’m trying not to be too optimistic because a lot can happen. It’s her lungs the doctors are really the most worried about. None of the X-Rays/CAT scans showed any internal bleeding or serious organ damage, but they warned that her lungs will probably get worse before they get better. They have a chest tube draining fluid from her lungs.
I don’t know how my dad will make it without her. They were married at 18, and they’re still best of friends.
Well, that’s my rant against the unfairness of life. I’ll stick the requisite ‘fuck’ in just for the sake of making a proper Pit rant.
Others will do this far better than me, but for what it’s worth, I’m really, really sorry about this. Years ago, my Dad was taken ill quite out of the blue; no warning, nothing (not car-related, but similarly serious). Nothing prepares you or the rest of the family for it.
I had a family member live through much worse than this and found optomism to be a good thing. It can get you through things much better than the current despair you’re feeling and can really help those around you.
It should get better after the initial shock passes and even better still as you see your mom get better and better as every day passes.
She seems to have a great many good things to live for and I’ll take her wanting to get up as a good sign.
throatshot, I am so sorry to hear about this awful news. I will also keep your mom in my prayers and hope she has a speedy recovery.
I went through a similar situation with my mother almost 20 years ago. It was 2 days before Christmas, mom decided to take the bus to work because it was snowing so bad and she was afraid to drive in it. Dad was on a business trip in Connecticut so he couldn’t drive her, the bus was the best option. As she was crossing the street to get to the bus stop, some guy comes flying out of nowhere, going about 55 in a 30 residential zone and hits my mother fully on her left side. She lands squarely on her pelvic bone about 30 feet away. She had major internal trauma to her small intestine, a dislocated shoulder, her pelvis and left leg were smashed beyond belief, and quite a bump on her head. The first few days were very scary, they really didn’t know if she was going to make it. I was in the fourth grade and getting ready to have open heart surgery myself, this was not a good situation.
But my mother had a lot to live for, as your mother does. Every day will bring new hope, you have to stay positive. My mother recovered fully after 6 months in the hospital and several years on a walker or crutches. She can dance the night away now!
throatshot,
Just wanted to add my condolences to the chorus here. With luck and love, your mom will be feeling better and raring to go by the time that new grandchild comes along.
You and your family are in my thoughts, and many other doper’s here as well, I’m sure.
::sending good vibes throatshot’s way::
Oh, how awful—I’m glad her brain and spine are OK, those are the two biggest initial worries. And I hope the rest of her heals up right quick. Are they being generous with the pain meds?
throatshot,
Just adding my voice and my good thoughts to the many coming your way. Please let us know how your mom’s doing when you get a chance.
~karol
Horrible. I feel for you and yours and wish you well. Life sure can be a bitch sometimes. I don’t know that I can say anything to make you feel better, but your family is in my thoughts. No one should have to go through what your facing now. Stay safe and optimistic. Here’s hoping everything works out.
