THE DAY OUR LIVES CHANGED!
THE START OF NEW LEARNINGS.
ANATOMY OF AN ACCIDENT
Clayton was a passenger in a '92 Mustang GT, being driven by a friend. It had been raining and the driver was trying out the power of the car, going in excess of 75+ mph.Wet road, high speed, a perfect formula for an accident!
Approaching a narrow bridge, the driver lost control of the speeding car. It went into a spin striking the bridge railing with the left front fender, flipping the car and finally coming to rest upside down. The driver was pinned by the steering wheel and his leg was broken at the knee and had some facial cuts from the air bag. Clayton was not so lucky.
Even though Clayton was an excellent driver and never got into a car, either as driver or passenger, without fastening his seat belt. Was he wearing his seat belt this time? The bruise on his right shoulder showed he was, at least part of the time. When the car went into the spin, Clayton reached for the steering wheel and released his seat belt because he was afraid they were going to spin off into the water...he was afraid of drowning if they went into the water! He knows now that if he had taken the chance of the car going into the water, he would not have broken his neck, severing his spinal cord at C3-C4. As a result, Clayton is a Quadraplegic. He will never have the joy of running and romping with his daughter, of dancing with her at the opening of her senior prom; nor will he be able to walk down the aisle with her to give her away at her wedding. He will never know the joy of that dance with the bride at her reception. He would gladly exchange his severed spinal cord for a broken leg and a few facial cuts!
THE ACCIDENT
My Navy husband was coming in to Norfolk, Va., returning from a four month tour of duty in the Mediterranean area. I was running late, needing a shower and to get dressed to meet him there. My son, Clayton, was at his girlfriends house, about 15 minutes away and had to be picked up and brought home.
Not having time to do all this, and get to Norfolk in a timely manner, I asked my daughter's boyfriend to get Clayton for me. This was unusual as I had never let anyone, other than family, drive my car. They should have returned by the time I was ready to leave, but they weren't. In a typical mother's panic, I decided to go look for them when a friend came to the door and said that the kids would probably be late as there had been an accident down the road. My heart sank and then I got very worried.
I got into our other vehicle and drove down the rain soaked road in the direction my son should be coming from. As I came upon the site of the accident, on a bridge about 1 1/2 miles from the house, I finally saw the car involved. It had a silver and green front end with a New Jersey tag. IT WAS MY CAR!
Jumping from the truck, I remember police and medical personnel running up to me and my yelling THAT'S MY SON! The smell of coolant, gas and rubber permeated the air. To this day, those smells remind me of THE ACCIDENT and all the horrible ramifications that resulted from it. A nurse asked me how I knew that it was my son and I blurted out, "Cause that's my car!".
This is a small town where everyone knows everyone and some people told me that Clayton had been air lifted to Baltimore Shock Trauma, and that he and the driver were still alive. I did not know at this time the extent of Clayton's injuries; his neck had been broken.
Shaking and cold with fear and shock, a kind fireman gave me his jacket and asked if I had a way home. Numbly, standing alone in the rain, I shook my head, no as I knew that I was not able to drive safely in this condition. He and someone else kindly got me home. I then managed to call the hospital and got in touch with Clayton's nurse. She is the one who told me that Clayton's neck had been broken. Before I knew it, I was talking with Clayton himself, and his first words to me were:
"I REALLY HURT MYSELF THIS TIME!"
TIP #3
U.T.I.'S.. Are very common is spinal cord injuries.. cranbarry juice does work. but, it is really watered down and has a lot of suger in it.. try cranberry capsules.. or strong lemonade.. you want the acid. not the sugar.. check with your DR. and make sure you can take EXTRA C..maintain a check of the urine Ph.
if the urine is acidic, you
must
neutralize it. if it is alkaline, you must add acid to the fluid
intake.
but, check with your DR. first, befor starting any thing new....
Today is the Tomorrow you worried about yesterday. One is led to believe
there are only two days in a week, today and yesterday, as tomorrow never
comes. Tomorrow becomes today as today becomes yesterday. Thus, there is
only Today; therefore, make it count for something!!!
THE ACCIDENT
My Navy husband was coming in to Norfolk, Va., returning from a four month tour of duty in the Mediterranean area. I was running late, needing a shower and to get dressed to meet him there. My son, Clayton, was at his girlfriends house, about 15 minutes away and had to be picked up and brought home.
Not having time to do all this, and get to Norfolk in a timely manner, I asked my daughter's boyfriend to get Clayton for me. This was unusual as I had never let anyone, other than family, drive my car. They should have returned by the time I was ready to leave, but they weren't. In a typical mother's panic, I decided to go look for them when a friend came to the door and said that the kids would probably be late as there had been an accident down the road. My heart sank and then I got very worried.
I got into our other vehicle and drove down the rain soaked road in the direction my son should be coming from. As I came upon the site of the accident, on a bridge about 1 1/2 miles from the house, I finally saw the car involved. It had a silver and green front end with a New Jersey tag. IT WAS MY CAR!
Jumping from the truck, I remember police and medical personnel running up to me and my yelling THAT'S MY SON! The smell of coolant, gas and rubber permeated the air. To this day, those smells remind me of THE ACCIDENT and all the horrible ramifications that resulted from it. A nurse asked me how I knew that it was my son and I blurted out, "Cause that's my car!".
This is a small town where everyone knows everyone and some people told me that Clayton had been air lifted to Baltimore Shock Trauma, and that he and the driver were still alive. I did not know at this time the extent of Clayton's injuries; his neck had been broken.
Shaking and cold with fear and shock, a kind fireman gave me his jacket and asked if I had a way home. Numbly, standing alone in the rain, I shook my head, no as I knew that I was not able to drive safely in this condition. He and someone else kindly got me home. I then managed to call the hospital and got in touch with Clayton's nurse. She is the one who told me that Clayton's neck had been broken. Before I knew it, I was talking with Clayton himself, and his first words to me were:
"I REALLY HURT MYSELF THIS TIME!"
TIP #3
U.T.I.'S.. Are very common is spinal cord injuries.. cranbarry juice does work. but, it is really watered down and has a lot of suger in it.. try cranberry capsules.. or strong lemonade.. you want the acid. not the sugar.. check with your DR. and make sure you can take EXTRA C..maintain a check of the urine Ph.
if the urine is acidic, you
must
neutralize it. if it is alkaline, you must add acid to the fluid
intake.
but, check with your DR. first, befor starting any thing new....
Today is the Tomorrow you worried about yesterday. One is led to believe
there are only two days in a week, today and yesterday, as tomorrow never
comes. Tomorrow becomes today as today becomes yesterday. Thus, there is
only Today; therefore, make it count for something!!!
U.T.I.'S.. Are very common is spinal cord injuries.. cranbarry juice does work. but, it is really watered down and has a lot of suger in it.. try cranberry capsules.. or strong lemonade.. you want the acid. not the sugar.. check with your DR. and make sure you can take EXTRA C..maintain a check of the urine Ph. if the urine is acidic, you must neutralize it. if it is alkaline, you must add acid to the fluid intake. but, check with your DR. first, befor starting any thing new....
Today is the Tomorrow you worried about yesterday. One is led to believe there are only two days in a week, today and yesterday, as tomorrow never comes. Tomorrow becomes today as today becomes yesterday. Thus, there is only Today; therefore, make it count for something!!!
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