For a few things. For one, I decided not to bring the dogs to work with me today because it was supposed to rain and I didn't know how much space we had at work (kennel of sorts). Thankfully they were safe at home all day and night.
Well, on the way home I was slowing down well before a speed limit change with a bad intersection ahead, I was going slower already because of the rain. As I approached the intersection and could finally see both ways, I was headed south and the car headed east was coming full bore and I thought to myself, he isn't going to stop. I braked but didn't want to swerve and cause myself to go off the road so I tried to go to the left thinking if he saw me he might be able to stop and I'd be farther over giving him more time. Wrong. We T-boned and my front end hit him square in the driver's side with him taking a huge impact and force in his door right into his body. It was a young kid delivering pizza and he was running late, he didn't even try to stop the entire time, no brake lights, nothing.
The weird part is when I realized we were going to hit I just accepted it and took my hands off the wheel and kind of sat back in my seat and just rode it out. We struck and my car turned left to right 270 degrees pushing his car up into the ditch onto the bank at the same time. I tried to get my keys out but couldn't so I grabbed my phone, had to unlock my door which somehow my brain managed to understand that and perform it. People at the houses were running to call 9-1-1 and I immediately got out and went over to see if he was ok. My job prior to this was EMT on the ambulance for two years and firefighter for twice as long. My training kicked in and I was directing them to try to stabilize his head since he was unconscious and bleeding all over from glass cuts to his face. He started coming around but was altered and disoriented and so was trying to pull away from the guy who was trying to hold his head.
Thankfully at that point ambulance and fire was arriving. It was in district of the ambulance I worked for and when my chief showed up and I realized I didn't have to be in control anymore I started to lose it a little, shaking and crying and really feeling the pain as the adrenaline started to slow down.
But I'm thanking God that I walked away with a soft tissue knee injury and cut on my wrist. I'm laying here in bed now totally uncomfortable and wicked sore and stiff, but I'm alive. My car is totalled. The axel's are done, the front end is shortened so that it's basically in line with where the front tires end. His car was at the same shop, it was a little 2dr Sunfire vs my Equinox. It was so messed up, the car folded in on itself, all the tires are point different directions, they had to pop his driver's side door.
So I was looking at maybe switching vehicles but I really liked my car. I guess I get to go car shopping again, something cheaper this time and hope I don't get screwed on an interest rate now. Sigh. But again, Thank you Lord I'm alive and so is the other kid. The damage was absolutely amazing and even though I'm going to miss some work and have to figure out how to get there when I do feel better, I'm here to tell the story.
I said tonight that all my old patients got even with me because I used to tell them, "you have to do it once in your life" regarding riding in an ambulance as a patient. Tonight was my turn and boy was it different being on the other side. Just glad it was people I knew and used to work with and that they were quick in getting there. Also I'm thankful for all the citizens in the home who called 9-1-1 and came to our aid.
Well, on the way home I was slowing down well before a speed limit change with a bad intersection ahead, I was going slower already because of the rain. As I approached the intersection and could finally see both ways, I was headed south and the car headed east was coming full bore and I thought to myself, he isn't going to stop. I braked but didn't want to swerve and cause myself to go off the road so I tried to go to the left thinking if he saw me he might be able to stop and I'd be farther over giving him more time. Wrong. We T-boned and my front end hit him square in the driver's side with him taking a huge impact and force in his door right into his body. It was a young kid delivering pizza and he was running late, he didn't even try to stop the entire time, no brake lights, nothing.
The weird part is when I realized we were going to hit I just accepted it and took my hands off the wheel and kind of sat back in my seat and just rode it out. We struck and my car turned left to right 270 degrees pushing his car up into the ditch onto the bank at the same time. I tried to get my keys out but couldn't so I grabbed my phone, had to unlock my door which somehow my brain managed to understand that and perform it. People at the houses were running to call 9-1-1 and I immediately got out and went over to see if he was ok. My job prior to this was EMT on the ambulance for two years and firefighter for twice as long. My training kicked in and I was directing them to try to stabilize his head since he was unconscious and bleeding all over from glass cuts to his face. He started coming around but was altered and disoriented and so was trying to pull away from the guy who was trying to hold his head.
Thankfully at that point ambulance and fire was arriving. It was in district of the ambulance I worked for and when my chief showed up and I realized I didn't have to be in control anymore I started to lose it a little, shaking and crying and really feeling the pain as the adrenaline started to slow down.
But I'm thanking God that I walked away with a soft tissue knee injury and cut on my wrist. I'm laying here in bed now totally uncomfortable and wicked sore and stiff, but I'm alive. My car is totalled. The axel's are done, the front end is shortened so that it's basically in line with where the front tires end. His car was at the same shop, it was a little 2dr Sunfire vs my Equinox. It was so messed up, the car folded in on itself, all the tires are point different directions, they had to pop his driver's side door.
So I was looking at maybe switching vehicles but I really liked my car. I guess I get to go car shopping again, something cheaper this time and hope I don't get screwed on an interest rate now. Sigh. But again, Thank you Lord I'm alive and so is the other kid. The damage was absolutely amazing and even though I'm going to miss some work and have to figure out how to get there when I do feel better, I'm here to tell the story.
I said tonight that all my old patients got even with me because I used to tell them, "you have to do it once in your life" regarding riding in an ambulance as a patient. Tonight was my turn and boy was it different being on the other side. Just glad it was people I knew and used to work with and that they were quick in getting there. Also I'm thankful for all the citizens in the home who called 9-1-1 and came to our aid.
