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Some chilling details about my car accident I learned last week, if you're interested...

Posted by landbeck Oct 18 '17, 17:41

I got a call from the Police Department that is investigating the car accident for June. I spoke with the officer investigating, and he explained that the County is preparing to pursue criminal charges against the at-fault driver, and requested that I be prepared to testify, if the States Attorney wanted me to.

He offered to meet me, to look at the car, if I wanted to. It's totaled, so has been in the County lot with dozens of other wrecked, totaled cars.

I couldn't recognize my car, it's so badly damaged. The hood was crushed backward, exposing the engine.

He calmly, professionally, walked me through the mechanics of the accident.

A 20-something girl was driving north, late to work and speeding, in her boyfriend's Dad's jeep. She crossed the grassy medium, and hit a Ford Mustang head-on, spinning her jeep around horizontally in an oval and then it hit me. I was behind the Mustang. The jeep was traveling north backwards, bumper first, went it hit my car.

The officer paused and said that my car's computer recorded some of the details, included that I was braking at the time of the strike. He also praised Honda for protecting me, that the kind of accident I experienced is not something car-makers can test. He said out loud that he couldn't believe I survived the Jeep strike.

The Jeep, going backwards, climbed the bumper of my car and went backwards through the windshield. I basically was hit, in the face/skull, by the back bumper of the Jeep as it came through the windshield. The strike knocked me out, broke both cheekbones, injured my neck, fractured my skull. The Jeep then spun off of the hood, and the hit/spin sent my car into the woods on the side of the road.

I knew I had hit my head in the accident, but didn't know until this meeting that the other CAR hit my head. The Jeep driver had a hurt wrist, was released in a couple of days. The Mustang driver broke his ankle, was out of the hospital in a day.

When I was admitted to Baltimore Shock/Trauma, I was in a coma. The graded my condition as a "3" on the 15-point scale. My wife and parents were told, warned, that when I died, since I marked myself as an organ donor on my driver's license, that the hospital would harvest my organs for donations. Nearly every staffer was teary when they told me they were so happy I survived, came back from the edge.

I found out that I had tiny pieces of windshield glass embedded in my arms and scalp. The nursing staff taught my wife how to remove them, gave her alcohol and swabs to clean the wounds. By the time I woke up a month later, they had all healed, so I never knew about them until my wife told me the story. It's a miracle I survived the crash. It's a miracle I woke up from the coma. It's a miracle I learned to talk and walk again. I don't know why this happened, but I know that it's a miracle I made it through.

Next week, I meet again with my neurologist to determine if, then when, I can return to work. Once that decision is made, we *might* get a offer from the at-fault driver's insurance. That should (I hope!) clear the lingering balances I still owe $ on, the co-pay portions of the quarter-million dollar hospital and therapy bills. If my daughter Suzu hadn't set up the donation line, we'd be so hurting right now. Another reason I feel grateful.

So now, I consider the life I have, and feel great gratitude that I made it. Great concern for people I know that are weathering their own trials. I feel great regret for all the times I ever over-reacted, over-grumped, this leads me to great determination to be a nicer human being from now on. Less of a grouch.

Please, everyone, be safe. Drive safe. Be nice. Make the world better.

Responses:

I'll just echo everyone here.. (NM) - Marlowe Oct 19, 03:51
Thank you for this. Your recovery is truly amazing. - Covington Oct 19, 02:30 2
- Mortal life is often a heavy burden. Keep doing the work, keep trying. Survive the issues, and you will be a hero to people who love you. -- nm - landbeck Oct 19, 03:02 1
  - I think "Be more like landbeck" has lots of impact and makes for a smaller sign but this works, too. :) - Covington Oct 19, 03:32
It’s truly amazing. The fact that you survived and have recovered as much as you have (and continue to recover) has honestly been one of the best - pmb Oct 18, 20:34 1
- Yes, this. -- nm - kelly, bobcat Oct 18, 21:41
Wow. Glad to see you recovering well. -- nm - . Oct 18, 19:23
If they’d done that crash on CHiPs, I wouldn’t have believed it. -- nm - Mop Oct 18, 19:21
I honestly have no words other than to say I'm glad you're here and I have no doubt why. -- nm - spamlet Oct 18, 19:08
Thanks for sharing...so glad things came out this way. Praying for continued recovery -- nm - SyrDragon Oct 18, 19:07
outstanding -- nm - mud Oct 18, 19:02
amazing -- nm - Remlik Oct 18, 18:59
I do not use the word miracle very much, but this story, and your recovery, are. -- nm - Andie Oct 18, 18:53
just speechless. so happy you are doing so well. -- nm - Jovian Oct 18, 18:51
Thank you for writing that. Glad you made it back to us and your family! - Guigue Oct 18, 18:37
Great to hear from you. And here's to your continued recovery. -- nm - Dano Oct 18, 18:32
Apparently you've got more work left to do, Landbeck. -- nm - Qale Oct 18, 18:30
um wow. So glad you're still here -- nm - Karl_S Oct 18, 18:29
From beginning with "why do bad things happen to good people" I think we've learned that good things can happen too. - Meg Oct 18, 18:19
I'm not finding the proper words to express myself. I am so glad you made it through. -- nm - crash davis Oct 18, 18:19
I think you're qualified to join the Avengers. -- nm - Max Oct 18, 18:19 1
- *lead* -- nm - Strongbad Oct 18, 18:22
That's crazy and amazing. We're all so very happy you're recovering well. - Krusty Oct 18, 18:18
Just...unfathomable. So glad you are here and doing so well! -- nm - ty97 Oct 18, 18:13
I think that nurse that stopped to help had a lot to do with your survival at least from the news article -- nm - zeitgeist Oct 18, 18:11 2
- True. If she hadn't intubated me on scene, I likely would have died. -- nm - landbeck Oct 18, 18:18 1
  - this reminded me that I had nurses stop twice for accidents. - b. Oct 18, 18:39
man. that's crazy. I hope you don't have a protracted insurance/legal battle now. -- nm - mafic Oct 18, 18:07 1
- OTOH, maybe with workman's comp (you were driving to work, could count) drool and talk jibberish at your interview and get disability at full salary?? -- nm - zeitgeist Oct 18, 18:13
Amazing will on your part. Be thankful *and* just a bit proud that you beat a car to the face. -- nm - TWuG, neck model Oct 18, 17:59 2
- AND despite the fact it broke most of my face bones, it didn't break my nose. -- nm - landbeck Oct 18, 18:16 1
  - Giving yet another meaning to the phrase "a good strong nose" . - . Oct 18, 19:21
I am so glad you are still with us. -- nm - peglegpete Oct 18, 17:56
*all the hugs* - b. Oct 18, 17:55
Quite something, just glad you're here. -- nm - budice Oct 18, 17:51
I am so glad you are here! I remember seeing my car after my accident (months later). It was C-shaped from being wrapped around the tree. - Spawndroid Oct 18, 17:51 3
- I'm not sure if I'm glad or not that I wasn't able to see mine, aside from a bit from the ambulance. - b. Oct 18, 18:03 1
  - I wish I could have seen it up in the tree. -- nm - Spawn Oct 18, 19:01
- LOL. I was telling Amy about your post and I looked down at the placemats to find a tiny shard of glass. I kinda freaked until Amy said she broke some - Spawndroid Oct 18, 17:56
It fills me with joy that you're still around, and with awe as well. -- (edited) - znufrii Oct 18, 17:50 1
- this -- nm - Beaker Oct 18, 18:09
My heart just grew three sizes. nm - ralph wiggum Oct 18, 17:49
good gravy. that's just incredible. wow. -- nm - prayformojo Oct 18, 17:48

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Some chilling details about my car accident I learned last week, if you're interested...

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