So i know i have a few people who haven't heard the story about THE Accident... well here it is.
Emily Cole and I had been at Tanner Valentine and Tim Barber's new apartment watching Harry Potter. We left about 1:20am to head home. Emily was driving her Jeep Cherokee. We were on the I-10 heading towards the 60 split. We had slowed down because we couldn't think of which road we needed to take to get home... totally normal for us.. (Lol) We chose the 60 east and began our ascension of the ramp. By the time we reached the highest part of the ramp, we were more confident this was where we needed to be and started to accelerate. Then Emily could feel herself losing control of the car. we jerked left, then she cranked the wheel right. we slammed into the concrete barrier and whipped back to hit the left one. then our car came to a stop. we screamed for about a minute straight after the realization hit us.
when we finally got our heads up to speed i realized i didn't have my glasses on. i kept asking Emily to give them to me and she just kept apologizing to me and freaking out. i could tell both of my ankles weren't okay because of the pain i had with them. It wasn't an excruciating pain, like it probably should have been but I'll count my blessings. :)
I wanted to make sure Emily and I were alright and kept asking for my glasses. Finally she gave them to me and I saw that my right foot was not bending appropriately... I knew it was broken. No one told me about there being a HUGE gash and a bone sticking out of it.
We called 911 and an officer showed up. He kept asking how many people we had in the car. We'd tell him two. There was just Emily and I. He asked us over and over how many passengers were in our vehicle. We gave him the same answer every time. (Apparently they had received a call that someone had jumped off the ramp we were on.) I started to panic because we hadn't seen anyone else on the ramp. How could someone have jumped off?
By this time we had called our parents and told them we would keep them posted on what hospital we would be at because they wouldn't let anyone on the scene. Tanner, Tim and Doug were all at the bottom of the ramp trying to get to us. Then the firemen came and put a temporary splint on my right foot and were trying to figure out how to get me on the gerny. they wanted me to pivot off my left foot and hop over to the bed. i told them I'd try and away we went. as soon as i stepped on my left foot i felt movement and shooting pain. i screamed and wrapped my arms around the firemen and had them lift me onto the gerny. while they were strapping me in, it started to rain. Of course! so i laid perfectly still with my eyes closed while they hurried to get me into an ambulance. i was then rushed to Scottsdale Healthcare. They took Emily to Banner Desert on Dobson.. I was VERY unhappy that we were being split up! This was before I knew their reason.... Now I get it. ;)
Once there, my parents showed up and so did Tanner and Tim. Everything else was a whirlwind. I got an IV in my hand so they could give me Delaudid, my favorite pain medication, went and got every part of my body scanned and x-ray'd, then back to the Trama Room. They numbed my knee and stitched it up. (Had a 3-4" gash somehow) Then, the nurses wanted to try a local short term anesthetic so they could try popping my discloated foot bones back to where they belong. Failed. I woke up and was told I'd have to wait until 7:30am to have surgery.
Then the waiting started.. I was in MAJOR pain by this point because my foot is, literally, bending like an elbow which is causing lots of unnatural pulling on my leg muscles. I was still wet from the rain as well and shivering. All I wanted was for them to hold my foot up straight so the spasms would stop. That was not an option. My poor sweet parents just kept telling me they were trying.. I never saw what my foot looked like until a week or two post-accident. I couldn't muster up enough courage to see what ALL the fuss and drama was about. All I did was pray for strength and patience. I knew this road was going to be a long one and it has been.
I went into surgery as soon as they'd take me and was finished about 9:30 but slept until 10:00 or so. I woke up in the recovery room looking for any sort of familiar face and didn't find any. This time was different than when I had my gall bladder out. I woke up and could breath without pain and felt like I had taken a nap. I was then wheeled to my permanent room and was met by my parents and grandparents. I still wasn't sure what all had happened or what was going to happen. This occasion also introduced me to a catheter... not my favorite but I understand it was a necessity. I couldn't move enough to get anywhere near any sort of toilet.
I spent 4 days in the hospital. I made friends with a whole group of nurses that will never remember my name but I remember them and how much I loved them.
I was released on November 17 and that was when the REAL work began. I was given specific orders to not put any weight on either foot AT.ALL. I was to function with just scooting from my bed to my wheelchair or bedside potty..(miserable). I had fractured my fibula in my left foot and got a HUGE pin in it. I was off of that for a little over 2 weeks. Mom and I were staying at Grandma and Grandpa Allreds. As they had mostly tile, a shorter bed than mine, and were able to be home with me all day. I am forever in debted to those three people. My mother bathed me every other day in the kitchen and dealt with the tears and pain and whining... My grandparents were so sweet to sacrifice their living room for me. They would cook, clean, and talk with me when ever I wanted. I am so so grateful for my family.
After I got clearance to walk on my left foot, I moved back home and started using an awesome knee scooter. It was so good to be home with my dad, brother and dog again. Mom was happy about it too. :) Hide-a-beds are very hard on everyone but she slept on it every night with me.
January 26, 2012 = Walking day
I got clearance from my surgeon to start walking on my right foot again!!! As you can imagine, i was BEYOND thrilled. I could finally start getting back into a normal routine. Little did I know that it would be VERY painful and very difficult. I've been using a walking boot since then and now have graduated to a little air-splint. Being able to hobble is so nice! I can't walk far but I CAN WALK!
February 24, 2012 = FIRST DRIVING DAY
I had been trying to figure out how on earth I would drive to work again. It had been over 3 months since I had driven a car! I was itching for it!! So, I put a tennis shoe on so I could feel all the parts of my foot. I still don't have all the feeling back in the bottom of my right foot. All the tendon and ligament damage left me with a completely numb right foot. just the bottom, but its been "asleep" for 3 months. Anyway, I put the tennis shoe on and got in my car... It's a little rough at first but then, it just happens! I drove like a crazy person yesterday and loved every second of it. :) Recovery is coming along and I'm SO grateful for all the prayers on my behalf. Thanks to everyone else bugging Heavenly Father, He's given me what I've been waiting 3 months for! :)
Love you all!
p.s. if you want pictures, please ask! didn't want to cause any discomfort for those with weak stomachs!
