How Fast You can Lose Your Independence
I don’t remember much of what happened but what I do remember is just as important. It was Wednesday February 21, 2018 and I was on my way home from work. I stopped to get gas after leaving the shop. I was 20 minutes from my house when I crashed into the other vehicle. I was driving my 2005 Hyundai santa fe when I had a head on collision with a Dodge 2500. I immediately blacked out upon impact. When I came to I felt very hot and tingly, as well as not being able to feel my legs. When the fire department and medics arrived on scene they immediately began working to get me out. One of the medics started administering Fentanyl and told me that both of my femurs were broken. The fire department had to cut the roof off in order to get me out. once the roof was cut the medics were able to recline my seat and transfer me to the board. They took me to the ambulance and prepared me for air lift. I was then airlifted to Baltimore Shock Trauma. I remember having to get a CT immediately upon arriving, as well as many nurses and doctors coming in and out to perform assessments. After receiving x-rays I was told that I had broken both femurs and my right patella. I had an 8 hour surgery where they placed a titanium rod in both legs and 2 pins in my right femoral head. On top of this I also lost all motor function in my right arm and a bad drop foot. I ended up spending a week and a half at Baltimore Shock Trauma from there I was transported to a rehabilitation facility. I would be in rehab for almost 2 months. At the rehab facility I had to learn to walk again. Nothing at this point had been easy I was having to learn how to do everyday basic stuff all over again. For my family I was essentially like having an infant all over again. I could not feed ,walk, or go to the bathroom myself. I had to rely on everybody else to help. Once I was finally aloud to go home things seemed fine but as time has gone on I have realized that the normal I once knew is gone.
