It began as a BEAUTIFUL day to go hiking. And that is exactly what I did with my beloved friend Liese. We talked about how we needed to change our lives around and become empowered. Exhausted by the second hill we had just climbed, we headed back to our cars. Liese was starving and so was I since I had woken up much earlier than her, and had had to wait an extra hour for her to meet me at the time SHE had specified. 7 a.m. She didn't get there until almost 8:30(maybe even later). I agreed to a breakfast at Denny's and off we went. After filling our stomachs, we proceeded to delay our leave with coffee at Starbucks. I chose to have some chocolate coffee(large) instead of my usual chocolate. After giving each other hugs and making Liese SWEAR she would be on time for the next hike, I raced off happily in my Toyota Echo. If I had only known...if only....sigh...

I'm not sure where I was when the car came into my lane from the right. All I know is that I was somewhere on 280 and I had just realized a car was coming straight toward me on my right side. I think I was on their blind spot. Anyways, I (being the careful driver that I am-yes I AM!!) TRIED to avoid causing an accident by swerving to the left to get OUT of the other person's way. There was no one on my left so I knew I could do that without any trouble. Unfortunately, due to my coffee adrenaline rush, I got too excited and made a hard left swerve instead of a soft one, and ended up across three freeway lanes. I ended up right in front of a car in the fast lane and just had enough time to register I was about to be in a major collision.

WHAM!!

Next time I opened my eyes, I was somewhere on the freeway in my totaled car with two men telling me not to move. My back was killing me, and I was totally freaked out by the fact I just missed death by a millimeter and that it could still get me with internal injuries. Not a happy moment for me. The ambulance finally came and whisked me off toward the nearest hospital. It just happened to me County Valley Medical.

The hospital ride was surreal. They kept asking me where it hurt and I kept saying my lower back hurt. Thank goodness they were distracting me from the major IV and needle they had stuck in me while I was talking. They got me to the hospital and into ER. I barely remember seeing a bunch of faces and lights and questions being hurled at me. I think I was going into shock after the shock. They figured out that my only injuries were three fractures to my pelvis, and put me aside to deal with more exciting patients who had multiple fractures all over their bodies.. A stupid cop came in and tried asking me questions but gave up when I became incoherent. He said "Sorry you are having such a bad day but contact me when you are feeling better" Yeah right.

Well, the doctors got back to me and sent me to have my pelvis x-rayed one more time before giving me a bed. Not a comfortable experience laying on my back with a fractured pelvis. After x-rays, they finally deposited me in a well-lit room with a woman who kept moaning and groaning and having problems with her pain medication. I didn't realize how much her complaints were deserved until my second day at the infamous COUNTY hospital.

On the second day, apparently the busier-than-usual surgeons came rushing into my room and took off all restrictions so that I could take x-rays STANDING!! The nurses tried to explain I could LOG ROLL only and that they had been told I could have spinal injuries but guess what? Apparently, the surgeons are ALWAYS right. So I spent at least an hour screaming my head off as the nurses tried to get me out of bed and into a wheelchair. They finally doped me up with morphine to stop my screaming, but it wasn't enough since once they got me into the x-ray room and tried to get me on my two feet, the waves of pain just overwhelmed any medication I had been given. COUNTY SUCKS!! After I got back from that experience, somebody from Kaiser figured out I belonged to them and had me transferred the next day. THANK YOU KAISER!! Unfortunately, bed pans sucked for my entire hospital stay, and I NEVER want to see another bed pan for as long as I live.

While at Kaiser, the clever doctors figured out a way to take x-rays WITHOUT making me stand. Whew! Of course after three days being there, apparently somebody from County who had it in for me inserted an x-ray request for standing x-rays again. Thankfully the previous day I had taken some x-rays with a radiologist who just happened to be working that night when they sent me for my last x-ray. He looked at the paper, looked at me, and looked at the paper again. "You are able to stand now?" he asked with disbelief and I shook my head vigorously and told him I couldn't even log roll(term for turning on one's side) yet. He handed me the paper and told me to look at the instructions. It said "stand" and then some garbly gook. I adamantly insisted I was NOT going to stand for no freaking x-rays and he quickly called the nurse on duty and clarified the situation. The nurse told him to log roll me and he didn't buy it thankfully. Instead he thoughtfully did x-rays while I was lying down. First time he'd tried to do side shots of a person that should've been standing. Great people over there at Kaiser!:-)

So a week passed. Lots of TV and talking to rotating roommates. I could swear they switched me three times while I was at Kaiser. Something to do with not enough room and too many patients. Guess I should be thankful they didn't throw me on the streets. Finally, it was time for me to start moving in some kind of direction besides just lying there like a log. The first physical therapy went great. They got me into sitting position and I was feeling invincible. The next day though turned out to be a disaster. Apparently I still required some kind of pain medication BEFORE physical therapy to keep my body from going berserk. The second time they tried to get me sitting up and into a chair caused my blood pressure to drop to the point they needed to lie me down again. It went from 108 to 70 in a couple of minutes. Thankfully the nurse recognized the lolling head and falling body as signs that it wasn't the Vicodin kicking in but low blood pressure. But I have to say-low blood pressure is the best feeling ever. If it wasn't going to kill me, I'd request that as my drug of choice!! NO PAIN WHATSOEVER. I could've sworn I was ready to walk at that point. Unfortunately the nurse had to bring me down out of the wonderful painless clouds I was floating on and get me hurting again...DANG IT!! The third physical therapy session went MUCH better because they doped me up first on two Vicodin half an hour before they tried to twist me into a pretzel. This time I insisted on moving myself VERY slowly. I managed to get into a chair this time and stay up for about half an hour with no lightheadedness. Of course after my episode the last time, the doctor was threatening to keep me in the hospital for a few more days to make sure I wasn't going to code blue on them. I assured the doctor that I felt fine, and that I really wanted to go home. The next physical therapy session was the litmus test on whether they would let me out or not. I passed with flying colors. Got myself into a wheelchair and flew up and down the hallways much to everyone's surprise and delight...and maybe dismay...;-) I got to drive my own wheelchair!! I'm sure a lot of people were seeing me upside down with my wheelchair wheels spinning and surgery. ;-) But I did so well in my wheelchair that day that I was out the very next day!! YAHOO!!!

So far I've been able to manage going to the bathroom, showering, feeding, and getting myself in and out of the groovy wheelchair they lent me with my loving boyfriend's assistance. Just about on the verge of being able to walk again and I am feeling positive about the future. So now, WHERE ARE MY CAR KEYS?!!!!;-p