They have the scientific facts, but all I know is, clotting too much has never been a problem for me. It's not clotting, when I should, that has been the issue in the past. For example, when they did my first core needle biopsy, it wouldn't stop bleeding, and I had 3 nurses on the table, pressing on my chest for over 20 minutes. That doesn't sound like I have blood that clots too much, does it? Therefore, I'm hoping I don't have to have the blood thinners, for fear I may bleed too much! Just seems like common sense to me.
The title of this blog is "When it rains..."
It poured the last two weeks! First of all, my brakes and transmission on my van were both going out fast. I felt brilliant for realizing that the school I work in has an auto mechanics class! I asked the instructor if his class could replace my brakes, and got the parts from my father, who works for a wholesale brake supply company. The class fixed my brakes on Friday! I had 5 wonderful days of driving without that LOUD, GRINDING noise, causing everyone to stare at me and my van in disbelief! It was pure heaven after having no brakes for way too long. The parts were only $60. Although I can't even afford that, it was a bargain for having brakes and feeling safe, again!
Those 5 days were all I had in my glorious little van -
On the morning of the 6th day, It all came to an abrupt, horrifying end! I was on my way to work - usually a very peaceful, smooth drive up a one lane "highway" from my town to the town I work in only 8 miles away. As I drove up the road at about 50 miles per hour, I noticed a little red car, stopped at the stop sign waiting to cross the road I was on. There are no stop signs on the road I take, as it's the main road between the only two towns in the area. As I approached the intersection, the woman driving the little red car suddenly decided to gun it across my road only about 30 to 40 feet RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! The timing was perfect - IF SHE WAS SUICIDAL! There was no time to brake, but I did yank the steering wheel as hard and fast as I could, to try and lesson the impact and avoid hitting her head-on. After hitting her at 50 mph, I careened off her and hit the side of the embankment straight on, flipping my van and landing in a ditch, upside down with my tail end in the air, in more ways than one.
Hanging there, upside down, in my seat belt, I realized the engine was STILL RUNNING, and I noticed a lot of fluid "raining" down the outside of my now shattered window. My legs didn't seem to work, and there was an intense pain radiating through my left leg. My mind raced to the other driver in her little car. I thought her car had to be smashed to bits. I could hear the other woman saying over and over, "Hello, are you okay?" I looked out the passenger window, to see her legs. She was just standing in the middle of the road, calling to me over and over, but never coming around to see how I am or help me. At least she was okay. By this time, I was already calling out for help, but she must not have heard me. I found the ignition and turned off the engine, then went to work on getting out of there. My seat belt wouldn't come undone. I was finally able to use my arms, pushing against the roof of the van (remember I'm upside down) to hold my body up and loosen the seat belt enough to get it to release. I fell to the roof, covered in glass, and inched my way out the broken window, on my bottom, using my arms to pull the weight of my body out onto the dirt. My legs weren't working at all, and the pain in both knees was unbearable!
By this time, several people had stopped to help. Thank you, to whomever stopped! I never did get their names. Three men worked together to pick me up and take me across the road, for we were all afraid the van would blow up. Everything from that moment until the ambulance ride happened very quickly. Someone had said they called 911, a woman who seemed to be an off duty EMT, began examining me, another woman wrapped me in a blanket, someone had called the school to tell them I wouldn't be coming to work, and finally, a doctor on his way to work stopped at the scene and began checking me for broken bones, concussion, etc. What I hadn't realized during all this is:
My son, Christian, was on the school bus only moments behind me! I never saw them pass, but he said I was on the ground surrounded by people when they passed. Having worked at my son's school for the last 3 years, every kid on that bus knew me well. They all panicked, and as soon as they arrived at the middle school the entire school knew I had been in a bad accident. My poor son must have been freaking out, but he never admitted that. All he said later, when I asked him, was that his friend, Rachel, saw my face and told him that she thought I was okay! He apparently decided to take her word for it, and remained calm. :-)
I am okay. My left leg hurts pretty bad, but the doctor in the E.R. said I don't have any broken bones. I have a brace for my leg, but today is the first day I have gone without it - so far!
That was just part of my week. To top things off, my best friend and I got in a horrible fight, and may never be close again. I think that hurts more than the accident ever could.
With all that "rain," I am still looking on the bright side, really. I am SO lucky that I wasn't hurt worse in the accident. I am SO lucky that there was no one else in the van with me, especially my kids. I'm so glad that the other driver wasn't hurt, even though I want to slap her silly for doing what she did. ;-) I am pretty lucky that this means I will get some money to replace my vehicle, and I needed money badly for my time-off during my recovery from the mastectomy. I will hope I don't need to use much, because I still need a vehicle, but knowing I have that as back-up helps ease my mind.
I should have named this blog "I'm SO lucky!"
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