No More Collisions!
How I Spent My Saturday Night (or, another of many reasons I’m behind on much correspondence)
I dedicated my afternoon to the kitchen and living room, as I’d promised – got them looking pretty good, too. Around 7:30, Starr called to let me know she was on her way home, so I started dinner (boxed stroganoff).
Just before 8, my cell lit up with an unknown number, but I went ahead and picked up. It was Starr – she was calling with a borrowed cell phone from the scene of the car accident she’d just been in. I later found out that someone else had apparently missed a turn; and in confusion occupied the middle lane of a 60 MPH highway, doing about 20. Starr came out from behind another vehicle that was spewing smoke (oil leak perhaps?), saw brake lights, and did her best to stop in time.
All her windows shattered, and the airbag fired. The accident totaled her PT Cruiser’s front end, doing an estimated $8,000 in damage. Starr’s seatbelt and airbag did their jobs, and we later discovered that her greatest injuries were bruising from the restraints. A passerby unjammed her door and helped her from her car, and medical professional that she is, she quickly went to assess the other driver for injuries (no serious issues there either).
I abandoned dinner to spoil, issued a quick Twitter note to the world, and jumped right into the car. I didn’t speed – I mean, how stupid would a car wreck on my part have been right then? – but I somehow reached the hospital before Starr. A number of people replied with support on Twitter, Facebook, and email, and I would later find many phone messages after I left the hospital’s signal interference. Thank you all so much! One of the first things I did was pass along everyone’s messages, and they boosted morale for us both! (Thank you, jsciv, for the “Creeps” recommendation: Starr played that until we nearly killed the phone battery!)
Several X-Rays and five hours later, they decided that Starr was merely bruised, and sent us home. We’ve spent much of today trying to recover from adrenaline overdose and poor sleep. We already have some lines of attack with securing a replacement vehicle. The funny thing is that today’s a happy day for us. First of all, Starr literally walked away from a full-speed highway crash. Second of all, we’ve had our friends pouring out love to us all night and day; how could we be grumpy?
Thank you all!
Drama Burger, may I take your order?
I’m back home from Roanoke. (Salem, if you’re being picky.)
As I mentioned in the locked post, Mom’s in the hospital after suffering a stroke. She’s lost motor function in her right limbs, but still has full sensation, vision, and her normal faculties.
Sunday night Starr and I discussed the situation, and I decided to head up Monday morning. Mom was surprised and very touched to see me, and I got to see her moving her limbs ever so slightly – perhaps a centimeter or two – which, only days after a stroke, is a major accomplishment. I’m hoping for her sake that this is the beginning of a swift recovery. She’ll be starting physical therapy next week.
On top of that, Starr’s PT Cruiser is in the shop, and we just got Midori-kitty back from surgery. If exhaustion counts as exercise, then I’m completely caught up.
Much thanks to everyone who offered assistance and good wishes. It means quite a lot.
