h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Last night, on the way home from church (which is in Klamath, 20 miles south on Highway 101), just about 12 hours ago, just after coming up a hill, around 50-55 mph, a red car pulled out of the Arbor Glen Mobile Home Park. I saw the side of the red car, and was getting ready to say something (inhaled, opened mouth) when we were spinning around I clearly saw a tree in the headlights (not exactly a small one, either--we were in the midst of the redwoods...) and closed my eyes. Reopened them when we stopped, now in the other lane, facing south--in a good position for driving, even Not sure if we spun 180 or 540 degrees, or what. Bit too busy yelling. Anyway, we stopped, and within a few seconds, there were people opening up the doors and getting Faith out, and asking how we were. I was a bit distracted, trying to find my glasses. Not sure when they flew off, as I distinctly remember that tree trunk being clear, not blurry, and things start to be blurry less than 6 inches away. It took quite awhile for anyone to find them, too. Anyway. The person that got Faith out had me get her carseat out and hold her head, as she had said her neck hurt. Poor kid--she'd been just about asleep when she awakened rather rudely! She was crying very hard, and said she wanted to go home! She calmed down once I explained that, just this once, it was OK to be on the side of the road in her carseat because no one was going to get past our car. By now, people had parked around us with their hazard lights on, and others were directing traffic with flares. Things got organized very quickly--the man who got Faith out said he was a military EMT. The paramedic (I assume--no glasses as yet! I just know it wasn't the ambulance...) put Faith in the front seat of his truck, where it was a bit warmer, and had me continue to hold her head. When the ambulance did arrive (took a bit, as the nearest hospital is on the north end of Crescent City, so about 20 miles away...) they ended up putting a c-collar on her, to be safe, though Faith said her neck didn't hurt anymore. She also informed the man from the ambulance that her daycare provider has a son with the same first name as his Faith was a real trooper--she cried a bit when they put the collar on, because she didn't think she needed it (and, if I'd been in her place, I wouldn't have liked it either!) The CHP arrived finally, took statements, and off we went to the hospital to get checked out. I'd say it was about an hour later when we left. (Everyone's vitals were normal.) Faith fell asleep on the ride (she'd been falling asleep when the accident happened) and I spent much time reassuring nurses that she's *normally* a hard sleeper, since she didn't wake up until Xray time, even with the monitor next to her beeping because the blood pressure cuff wasn't on anything and so not measuring anything. Faith and I were in the same room, and Tom was a couple of doors down. After a bit, Tom and I got chest Xrays (we'd had the wind knocked out of us on impact, and both of our chests were sore from where the shoulder belts were) and Faith had 3 cervical Xrays--one lateral, and two from the front, laying on a table. For one of them, she was supposed to keep her mouth open, but she didn't. Didn't end up retaking that one, though. The Xrays were checked, and we were sent home to take tylenol or ibuprofen and take it easy, which we did, it being around 1:30 (We're taking it easy today, too) I'm a bit sore, but the pain level is more like I really overdid at the gym (I don't think I'm even going to end up with a bruise). Tom's asleep still, and Faith doesn't appear to have any soreness.

Now to tie up some loose ends... Turns out the driver was drunk. His passenger took off and had not been found the last I heard, so the assumption here is that he had something on him, or maybe a warrant. Paranoia says that maybe the person that said he was the driver wasn't, and the passenger was, but common sense says that it would be dumb for someone to claim to be driving when he wasn't, even though you'd think it'd be more likely for the driver to run. Tom called Thomas and Patty, and they followed us to the hospital, and gave us a ride home after we were discharged. Our car was towed to a locked lot. From what I overheard, there's a 6 inch dent just behind our left front bumper (or maybe the bumper got shoved back 6 inches? I've heard it both ways), our windshield is cracked in the lower left corner, and there's a 2-3 foot dent on the left of the other car, right by the rear axle.

Later today, we're going out for ice cream.

I'm glad to hear you're all ok.

Thanks

Poor Faith.

Eeessh! Glad you are all ok. Hope you enjoy your ice cream!

Enjoy your ice cream! Real glad you're all fine.

Now that Faith has decided to go sleeveless, like Mommy (I figured getting ready for bed will be easier the less I have to drag off later, and didn't feel like wearing a formal button-up shirt), I see that Faith has a tiny bruise on her arm. So between the 3 of us, there's an abrasion at the hairline (Tom), a butterfly-shaped abrasion just above the collarbone (teased Tom last night that I was going to tell people it's a hickey), and a dime-sized bruise. Oh, and Tom's shin is scraped (I should have a bruise on mine, from the way it feels...)

You know you're OK when you're trying to find wounds to show

Tom's on his way to get the stuff out of the car (all the church supplies--both guitars, both amps, mikes, mike stand, music stand he uses for a pulpit, Bibles, etc.) and to take photos of the damage for our records.

Good to hear that your all OK.

I thank the for watching over you. Be well now, and rest.

And a good thing they worked, too!

& - and a pat on the forehead for Faith being such a good girl

How frightening, glad you are all in one (slightly shaken) piece

I'm glad you're all ok

It's occassions like that, that make you wish you knew the proper name of your Guardian . To be able to thank them properly. I know from having been in similar spinning instances. I'm just really so glad to hear that all are okay, good Lady.

Right now, Faith's driving a bunch of stuffed animals around in her carseat--I wouldn't be surprised if she asks me to put collars on them

Argh--Tom just got back, and, unless we want to pay $65 out-of-pocket, we can't get to the car until tomorrow, because of the holiday. My half-finished book is in there

Thank goodness for seatbelts, Amy! I'm so glad you and your family are ok. I think you had a guardian riding with you.

Oh wow, what a lucky lucky escape, Amy! Thank goodness none of you were seriously hurt, and what a tough little cookie you ahve raised there Well done, all of you.

and for your guardian angels
W

Oh my, I can see an entire clinic for wounded fluffy-fuzzies in your very near future.

Very glad to hear that you're all OK chuck, never mind the executives from Megadodo Publications, fiends who drink and drive should be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.

Hear! Hear!

Well, after looking at 10 or so websites, ranging from car-type sites to health sites, all saying pretty much the same thing, I have written 'In crash DO NOT USE' on the carseat and placed it in the dumpster. Faith ony had about 6 more pounds to go before she outgrows it, but still... Fortunately, the Del Norte Child Care Center rents out carseats very cheaply, so we don't have to buy a seat just to replace it when Faith hits 40 lbs. Plus, we don't need one until we either find out if the car's usable or get a replacement, because we had separate seats for the car and the truck.