Had a car accident recently?

Question

I got hit friday night, night of the rehearsal dinner. Car ahead of me slammed on their brakes, I slammed on mine, just had time to think "thank God I didnt hit her" and smash - guy hit me so hard he catapolted my car into the car ahead of me.

To make a long story short, made it through the weekend on demerol & muscles relaxers, went to ER today when I realized I couldnt feel my hands, except they felt big and fat and funny. Was running a bath and thought " oh great no hot water" because it felt barely lukewarm to me. Then stuck my elbow the tap and it was very very hot !

The Doctor at first examination thought I had broken my neck, slapped a collar on me, put me on a spinal board, wouldnt let me move, an hour in xray and concluded my spinal cord is severely bruised. MRI sometime this week and an appointment with a neurololgist. The point is my presence has been sporadic here, this is why. Especially after the nice welcome back and all. Neck, shoulders etc pretty sore.

love you guys though. Just not feeling all that well right now.

Thank you everyone, I am still feeling dazed and confused, more so than usual :-( The second he hit me I got the worst headache ! I still have it. Unreal. The cops kept asking if they should call an ambulance. I called my son right away because he lives close by to where it happened and I felt unable to handle everything. Havent had a headache like that since about 1989 or so when I learned biofeedback to get rid of my migraines because nothing else was working, and that worked - really well.

So far everyone has been great, the driver got out and said he had no insurance ! But I have insurance for uninsured drivers hitting me, and thats when I called the cops, he was swearing at me, trying to say it was my fault. There are witnesses of course, like the lady ahead of me.

My glove box sprang open and the hinges snapped off and broke, the adjuster said he had to hit me REALLY hard for that to happen so there is probably "hidden damage" to my car that he cant see. Not good.

Gurly its nice to see you over here - I dont think you have been here before? Stay awhile, very nice people and you dont have to be a senior, just to play nice.

Answer 1

You know you're in my prayers. You're family.

I'm thankful for your life. It could have been so much worse.
Let us know if there's anything else we can do. I realize being so far away that it sounds screwy, but if we can do anything, you know we will. And let us know what the Doc's say.

How about some nice chocolate candy?

Answer 2

I am so sorry to learn of your accident. From the pain you are
describing, you must have a concussion. Did they exray your
head as well? My hubby had a fall once and three months
later his brain had swelled so large it was sloped over into
the side of his head from his forehead. He was having mi-
graines and he never had them before or since (luckily).
Our daughter was rear ended when she had just turned
21, she started having excruitiating headaches even before
a cop came to settle things. She has those same migraines
today. She was forced to settle with the insurance company,
in order to pay her medical bills.
I had nerve damage to my back following a rear ender well
over a year ago. And that next day I went to occupational
therapy for something else, and didn't feel too bad from the
accident. But the day after I was unable to walk due to the
nerve going from my hip down my leg to the top of my foot.
I haven't agreed to surgery for the nerve. It's an iffy situation.
So I cope with the pain when it hits by sitting down for
relief. Consequently, I'm unable to walk much or do anything
that requires standing for long.
Often injuries don't make themselves apparent until more
stress is put upon the areas in question that have been
either bruised or stretched, etc. So I hope you don't sign any
releases til you are sure that what is found, is all there is. That
is scarey to loose the sensitivity in your fingers and hands.
As a diabetic I know what that can be like to some extent.
Sounds like you're going to need a great neurologist and
soon to get to the bottom of the nerve damage. I hope for
your sake that there maybe some self healing to eliminate
any troublesome surgery in the near or distant future. Keep
in mind, that some of the best pain relief can be found in a
licensed acupuncturists treatment room. I know from what
my husband has experienced in the past with back pain was
remedied by two treatments, after going to manipulative
doctors and chiropractors for years. We both were amazed
at his quick relief. And the needles aren't that bad either.
Do take care, and I sure hope you are relieved of pain soon.
Shari

Answer 3

Wow you should have gone straight to the hospital. You cant afford to mess about with things like this.
My daughters friend had exactly the same thing happen and sadly the nerve damage is so bad she has lost the use of her left arm
She ignored it for a few days thinking it was just sore muscles but it got progressively worse and now her left arm is useless. All from a rear end accident. She is only 21 yrs old. Its so sad.

Take good care of yourself and listen to what the dr has to say. I hope you get better real soon.

Answer 4

Oh, about every 6 months, I hit or am hit in one form or another,,never anything major, just backing up, or not realizing a post is .... well, you know the story. Body repairs can get expensive, and I am not one to drive a dented car around.
I have never had an accident where anyone, including myself, was hurt...thankfully.
Sorry you have had this happen...I am surprised it doesn' t happen to me more often, but...the last time I was hurt was on my motorcycle,.... fractured my hip...there went that summer!
Hope you are feeling better soon, Love and peace, Goldwing (Phil)

Answer 5

I've not had a car accident recently, but my husband and I were both in different, serious wrecks within a week of each other before we were married. There can be long lasting affects, it's good you are seeing a dr. It sounds like you may have some nerve damage there, more tests are a good idea. I hope you heal quickly from this, I know you have some other health problems already. God Bless!

Answer 6

I'm so sorry this happened. As if you didn't have enough spine problems! I'm glad you checked the water with your elbow, you could have been scalded on top of everything else.

We all want you to get better. We're happy to see you when you're here, and when you're not, we understand. You just take it easy and follow Dr.'s orders.

As to the collision -- I don't believe I've been involved in one for the past quarter-century, but all this driving to and from Pa. through Washington and Baltimore makes me very fearful. You try to leave stopping space and someone slips into it.

Answer 7

Sooo glad you are able to be back, after all you went through. I agree with the others-get advice from a lawyer-a good lawyer.
Back in May-Bambi jumped out from the woods & did a number on my truck & slammed my head into driver's side window.
I saw stars, heard bells, & watched Bambi jump up & head back to the woods.
I had had surgery on my spine, in the neck area, a couple years before Bambi hit me. Fusion of 3 vertebra.
Needless to say, Bambi wasn't about to admit to a hit & run nor offer to fix my truck.
And the worst part about it: No Bambi steaks!!!

Answer 8

Please get a litigation attorney, I was injured much the same in the mid 80's, lost part of my hearing, and now have severe neck pain, I could not look down for months without almost going blind. I just let it ride and they gave me 5k after 2 years, I should have sued and didn't, the ins. company also paid all of my medical bills for 5 years, no matter what it was, which I did not use as I had free medical in those days thru my job.
take care of yourself make it thru the pain.
EDIT; PERHAPS, I should have said make sure you receive enough from the insurance company to cover your ongoing problems caused by the accident. I was rearended and my glasses were under my feet and my baseball hat on the floor in the back seat of my huge truck, I was knocked out -- not a mark on my truck but hit so hard the heavy duty bumper with a drop hitch was rolled under the truck so far it actually punctured the spare tire. She hit me going 40 miles per hour just as I was pulling out from a stop sign.

Answer 9

OMG! SO sorry for your injuries...you be sure to take care of yourself and get the rest and treatment you need. We will hold down the fort until you're mended and back to better than normal!

And yes, had my very first accident in life last year...got side swiped by a 'youngun' traveling way to fast and it spun my car around...tore up the car but gratefully I was OK...just bruised ego at the loss of my accident free driving record.

Answer 10

I'm glad you're back and wish you a speedy recovery. Please be smart and do not agree to anything from the other driver's insurance company. Don't settle anything until you know you are 100% recovered. I'm not saying you should sue anyone, but see an attorney before you sign anything. Make sure your doctor is able to tell you there are no permanent injuries.

Answer 11

I had that sort of accident many years ago when a car driven by some lads slammed into me from behind. The worst of it was I could see it was going to happen as I sat there in a traffic hold up and watched them in my mirror coming towards me, there was no way I could move to avoid them. Severe whiplash which visited headaches on me for literally years afterwards. The cheeky monkeys asked me to say it was my fault as their mother didn't know they had taken her car.You might be able to guess my reply which was short and not too sweet.