Day 2 - An Accident That Changed Everything

Day 2

This topic hits home. My junior year in college, I was headed across town to buy my textbooks for winter quarter. My friend, Becky, was with me. I was driving my oh-so-cute yellow Opal Kadett with the black vinyl top. My daddy bought me that car, and even though driving a stick did not come naturally, I loved that car. We were traveling South on Gallatin Road, having just come through the underpass across the street from Hudson's Filling Station, when a little old lady from Russellville, KY pulled out in front of me. I smacked her.....hard. My little Kadett was no competition for the land yacht she was driving.

Becky and I both hit our heads, but my most immediate concern was the excruciating pain in my chest from cracked ribs. Becky asked if I was all right. I told her that I could not breathe. She graciously asked if I needed mouth to mouth resuscitation. I assured her that I did not.

My knees were bleeding profusely. I remember a lovely woman who had cloth diapers in her car and used them to apply pressure to my shredded knees. I asked Becky to call my dad. I gave her his number at work. She ran to a nearby shop to use the phone, but returned quickly as she could not remember the number. I told her to check in the glove box for pen and paper to write the number down. It would not open. I was distraught that the pounds of green apple kisses I had gotten in my Christmas stocking that year were lost to me in that crimped, inoperable glove box. This was not the last stupid thought I had that day.

Finally, the sirens of the ambulance were nearing. The EMT was a boy from my high school. I had not seen him since graduation. I seriously worried about my appearance and what he must have thought about my deterioration since high school.

After time in Vanderbilt ER, stitches, x-rays, fainting, bursting into tears upon seeing Daddy, concern that I only had one earring on (no limit to my idiocy), I was able to go home where my little brother and sister were distraught and my parents took exceptional care of me.

Because of my injuries, I could not return to school on time. I missed two weeks of a very short quarter. When I did return, hobbling on crutches and sporting two quite impressive black eyes, I borrowed history notes from a tall, dark, outstanding student named Ken. And, my life changed forever, in the most wonderful way.

Day 2-An Accident That Changed Everything - check