My mom was just rear ended by a tractor trailer. She's paralyzed from the waist down. She's in surgery right now I just drove home from college. Please pray.
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04:29 PM
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WhiteDevil88 Member
Posts: 8518 From: Coastal California Registered: Mar 2007
BDub...horrendous....I'm so so sorry. It is too early to say if the paralysis is longterm or not, I suppose. I will send every possible best wishes and hopes that your Mom will recover to her normal self.
Nick
[This message has been edited by fierofetish (edited 04-15-2011).]
Done Dub. I've been through this. My Father in Law fell from a two story shed and was a quadraplegic. Things have dramatically changed, that's for sure. PM if you want to talk.
Jim
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06:43 PM
Patrick Member
Posts: 36442 From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Registered: Apr 99
Sorry to hear about this tragic accident. Be strong for the kids and happy she is alive, as bad as it is it could have been worse it sounds. She will be needing your strength and support, and you will experience much sdness and anger. Try and get past that as fast as you can so she can draw from your strength and positivity. Not an easy task, I know, but try for your family. She , and you all, have a long road ahead of you. Make sure to grieve the loss she and you have suffered, you need to to heal properly, but don't let the grief sidetrack you or sap the strength your family has and needs at this time. You and your family will be in all our thoughts and prayers and may God watch over you, your mother and your family and give you all the strength and grace she will need to get through this difficult time.
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07:45 PM
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84fiero123 Member
Posts: 29950 From: farmington, maine usa Registered: Oct 2004
Holy hell thats no good. just in driving one in the parking lot you can really feel the power of thoes things and what they can do to a car and it makes me affraid to be in front of one now, prayers and good vibes your way. I hope shes gona be ok As said above. It is bad but it could have been worse. just be thankful shes still here. 9 times out of 10 its a sadder story.
[This message has been edited by pontiackid86 (edited 04-15-2011).]
Well, I'm home. It's been an emotional roller coaster of a day, but we made it through. Mom is still in the hospital. Dad just left home again to go see her and stay through the night. I'll be taking the siblings there tomorrow as soon as everyone is up.
She had surgery around 1:15PM today. Her 8th spine piece (whatever the term is) was completely gone. The doctor said he can't remember ever seeing a worse spine. The 9th and a couple others were also bad. So they put rods in, then placed other bone around the rods in hope that it will heal. The nerves are gone there and are basically not coming back. She has bruised lungs that are bleeding a bit but the doctor says they should heal.
Love you all. Thank you for the support you have shown me through my friend dying last year and now. You are all amazing and I couldn't ask for a better community. I'm just happy she's alive right now. Everything else is just secondary noise.
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12:37 AM
FriendGregory Member
Posts: 4833 From: Palo Alto, CA, USA Registered: Jan 2004
Originally posted by theBDub:My mom was just rear ended by a tractor trailer. She's paralyzed from the waist down. She's in surgery right now I just drove home from college. Please pray.
Wow, this is exactly the story my friend had 25 years ago. He dropped out of collage to bring her back and forth to rehab. The said she would never walk also but, she is tough and will do what she pleases. She was in 1984 Special Edition Trans AM so, the better seats may have spared her some. She gets by very well for a old woman, any old woman. Do not give up hope, make sure she has means to get to rehab.
I will put this out, my friend never made it back to collage, changing the successful direction of his life. He does ok for himself but, not nearly what I expect he could have done.
Didn't notice this thread until now, so sorry to hear this Bdub. I hope your Mom does as well as can be expected and that your family are comforted at this time from your friends here and everywhere. Please keep us updated as you have time.
I'm not big on prayers but I know you are and I will be sure to say one for your Mom tonight.
Stay well and be strong for your family.
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01:09 AM
2.5 Member
Posts: 43225 From: Southern MN Registered: May 2007
Praying hard dub. A very challenging situation, I have not been there myself so can't offer as much advice as I'd like to. Just hang in there, be there for your loved ones. Life will go on for all of you. The best news in all of this is your mother is still with us.
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01:09 AM
Boondawg Member
Posts: 38235 From: Displaced Alaskan Registered: Jun 2003
They told us Rachel would never walk again, it took her 6 months to get out of the wheel chair. She still cannot feel anything from the waist down. There is always a chance.
Seriously, and I'm not just saying this, the prayers mean more than I can express. Knowing that there are prayers coming from all around the world mean so much to us. I don't recall ever having a time where I really felt like group prayer had an impact, but it definitely does here. I love you all so much and thank you so much for all of this. It means the world.
Now to my mom: She was on a breathing tube for her bruised and bleeding lungs, but they have healed pretty quickly and they were able to take out the tubes today so she could breath on her own. She really liked that. She was writing messages to us and it was a big relief to be able to talk. She's still in pain of course--the broken ribs are gonna take awhile--but she seems pretty positive about it all. The rehabilitation lady was talking to my dad and said a few words at the end that surprised us. She said "and get her back on her feet." Of course, we will not hold anyone to this or hold any false hopes, but we are praying that she'll be able to eventually.
Regardless of if we receive a miracle or not, we know God is in control and that it is through His power that we are all staying strong. We are all happy that she is alive and fairly well, all things considered. We just know there will be quite the change when everything starts to settle down again. I am prepared to serve my mom however I can and make this transition as easy as possible, but I know it's important to not make her feel worthless. She is a very strong woman, and is an amazing mother. I know that if anything, her drive to support us will carry her on to do remarkable things (recognize I'm not saying she should feel the need to provide for us, I just know my mother WILL feel this way no matter what we do/say).
We have a close paraplegic friend who will be able to help us transition. Also, I've talked to a close friend of mine whose wife is an injury attorney. We aren't looking for a huge settlement, we just know that in order to help my mom feel comfortable and let her do all the things she used to do we will need more resources, and insurance companies aren't willing to give out a lot without some representation. I haven't brought it up to anyone else yet because I don't think it's appropriate yet, but I just thought it was important to get in touch with someone so we don't lose track in the chaos still to come.
I've been helping keep the house in order as if my mom was here, which is really helping my dad I think. My brother is hanging with friends a lot, which helps him. One sister has a huge support group of friends that she's venting to, as well as us. My youngest sister doesn't quite understand the severity of it all, but she's happy everything is going to be okay and that Mom is still here. My dad was hurting, but I knew he needed some time away from all of us kids so we didn't go with him last night to the hospital. I think he got out all of his personal angst then, though I'm sure there will be more heartache to come and I'll be there for him. He seemed really happy today after my mom started talking. He knows we are going to be okay and is prepared.
Thanks for everything again.
- Brennan
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I'm young, impulsive, and naïve; but I'm learning.
"Of all the illusions that beset mankind none is quite so curious as that tendency to suppose that we are mentally and morally superior to those who differ from us in opinion." - Elbert Hubbard