Thursday, December 2, 2010

I'm A Wreck


This car?
Saved our lives. I'm convinced.

This car?
Gorgeous.
My husband drove a commuter car heap for 7 years.
5 weeks ago my husband bought himself this gorgeous Volvo.


Tuesday night a stranger ran a red light and
turned right into us as we passed through a major intersection.
We were going 40 mph.
David and I walked away with only minor airbag related injuries.
We love our car. May I recommend a Volvo?

David and I were on our way home from a date.
We had gone to dinner with a
few of his work mates and left the restaurant around 9:45.
When we got out to the car I insisted on driving us home because
David had a beer at dinner and call me paranoid and crazy,
but since I don't ever drink I ALWAYS drive home.

As we approached the lighted intersection from the south
I noticed a black SUV
heading north weaving erratically from the
outside lane to the inside turn lane.
The next thing I knew I was gasping for air
because the chalk from the airbags
was coating my esophagus.
I looked over at David to ask if he was okay,
and he was coughing and clutching his chest, screaming.
I flew out of the car, ran around to his side,
and throwing open the door I asked if he was okay.
I remember looking at the front of the car and the damage as I ran thinking,
Oh shit, he is going to kill me for wrecking his new car.

(You see the first time I drove his car I ran over a dead skunk and the
stink was heavy in the garage for days. He was not happy with me.)

David caught his breath and said the airbags
knocked the wind out him,
but he was fine.
I took my phone from my pocket and
dialed 911 and told the operator we were in a an accident
and were injured. I climbed back into the car
(the door wouldn't close all the way though)
to get out of the cold. It had started to snow and I was
shaking/shivering like crazy.
I picked up my phone again and called my brother in law and
sister in law and asked them to go to my house to get our kids.

Since there is a fire station 3 blocks away it seemed like it
took less than a minute for the EMT to respond.
From there it was a whirlwind of cute firemen,
police officers and tow truck operators
buzzing around us like bees.
Each rescue officer asking if we were going to the hospital,
and I insisted no.
I didn't care if I had an amputated limb,
I was going home to see my kids,
picking up my car and driving myself to the ER.
I refused to ride in that dang ambulance.

My brother in law was on scene within 5 minutes
bringing us coats and
picking up the pieces of our car out of the road.
He was a hero for braving the snow and cold,
signing forms and reminding us to get our garage
door opener out of the car.
I was such a mess I would have forgotten my purse
if it were not for him.

It's funny when you look at the pile of items taken
out of the car currently sitting on our kitchen counter
as a reminder of our accident...
ipod, garage door opener, floor mats? (really, David),
an empty kleenex box
and a huge stack of napkins from every restaurant my
husband has ever visited.
Really? Good thing you brought home the napkins,
I tease my sweet husband.

David said I did all I could to avoid the SUV.
He said that we could always replace the car,
and it was a good thing because that car and
I seem to be incompatible.

Too many other things to mention. Too scary. Too sad.
I went and visited the car today before it was taken away.
Man, I am praying the insurance company replaces his car!

More on injuries later.
Airbag injuries are crazy.
Better than death, but crazy.


2 comments:

Jennifer said...

Wow! I am so glad you are both ok. That must have been scary. And quit it with the guilt -- the stranger ran the light. Not your fault. Again, I am SO glad you weren't badly injured. CHeck the Rochester PB for the sitch here with a suspected DUI hit-and-run fatality T'giving weekend. Sad. ((Hugs!!))

Jennifer said...

Oh my goodness. I am just so grateful you are okay!!!!