She's baaaaaaaack....

Flag day marked exactly two months since our serious car accident. My memories of why the accident happened remain stubbornly trapped in the recesses of my mind, which I have taken as a sign that it's best I don't remember what happened. I am grateful beyond words that the semi driver was unhurt and my husband and children sustained only minor injuries.

My own injuries defy logic considering it was a "van vs. semi" accident. I have various foot and ankle bone breaks and a broken hip, all "subsequent" to dislocations of my ankles and hip. I'm guessing osteoporosis isn't a big issue for me. The rapidly deploying airbag cracked three ribs, "cause you're so short, mom" according to my tall daughter.  I took a substantial hit to the noggin, which many would note to be the hardest part of my anatomy. The only symptom to remain there is a damaged nerve that runs the muscle that pulls my right eye to the right, sticking me with perpetual double vision which we manage using an eye patch or a piece of tape over my glasses, depending on how many folks I will encounter that day. It can be disconcerting for folks to see my eyes pointing two different directions. I have been that person, wondering which eye I should meet with my own gaze. Perhaps there is some karma involved here. The high priced neuro-opthamologist explained this injury so well to me I happily paid the higher deductible. He got extra points for using low tech diagnostic tools and showed me how to tape my glasses with a specific kind of tape so I don't lose all my right peripheral vision like I do with the eye patch. He said it can take 18 months for a nerve to heal and we just have to wait and see. Worst case scenario is that the nerve doesn't regenerate and they have to do surgery to pull the eye so it looks forward instead of to the left as it does now. In that case, it will never look to the right. I hope that won't be the case, but would consider it a small price to pay for all of out lives.

I get stronger every day. I have learned to use a walker for short distances. I would like to make it to the pool this summer as I think that would be good therapy for me. I see the ortho guy in a few weeks so maybe I can go to the pool after that. I'm hoping to upgrade from the Herman Munster boots he put me in a month ago to the "lite" version. Literally. I was so dang happy to get my casts off a month ago, I failed to realize the boots weighed as much if not more than the casts. The advantage is that I can remove them to air out and clean my feet. Also, my nerves are soothed by the boots.  By the end of the day, I am so tired of dragging around those boots. I air out my feet for an hour or so and cuss about putting them back on to sleep. I even tried to sleep without them one night and I was so worried about violating orders that I couldn't sleep. Who'd a thunk I was such a stickler for the rules?

Thanks to everyone who has helped our family during this challenging time. The Blue Shark family, Boy Scout troop 514, Becky, Mindy, Sue, Heather, Stephanie, Cathy and the many people who have brought food and sustenance to us and delivered me to my appointed rounds. We are so blessed to live in such a caring community and I look forward to paying it forward.