What Lesson Have I Learned?

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Five minutes after I posted my last blog (which, along with yesterday’s blog post, dealt with mortality) when I was going to see a sick friend and giving Yolanda a ride to her next job,  I ran head-on into a concrete wall and totaled my car.  The engine caught fire and my door was jammed, as was the door of my passenger.  We got one window open, finally, and then it occurred to me there was an override on the passenger door, so I clicked it and we both escaped.

Luckily my gardener was here and he drove me to my doctor’s  office.  I was afraid to move at all until someone showed me how to do so without risking damaging my spine, which was pretty excruciating by now. When after 5 minutes no one came out to help me, (It’s an emergency, Yolanda told them, and they answered that the doctor was with another patient!) I told Pasiano just to drive on to the Red Cross where with some effort and lots of pain and a back brace, I got out of the back seat of Pasiano’s car. (The front door doesn’t open.)

The X-ray tech and the on-call dr. showed me the X-rays, said there was a severe displacement of the spine and that they were calling in a neurosurgeon.  Only then did I start to panic a small bit.  “Breathe slowly,” I told myself and tried to go into a meditative state.  Meanwhile, Yolanda unbeknownst to me, had left with my purse to go try to find my friend Audrey, who lives more than a mile away and who wasn’t answering her phone. It had been clear to me that when I called both her home and cell phone with no answer that she was probably at a rehearsal and definitely not at home, but Yolanda hadn’t consulted me regarding her decision and unfortunately, my insurance info was inside my purse and I didn’t have any numbers to call to tell me which hospital to go to in Guad. and what neurosurgeon they’d recommend.

A half hour later the surgeon arrived to tell me no surgery was necessary and that all of the places that hurt were just pulled or strained muscles or organs.  He gave me two sets of little pills which I couldn’t take until I got home and had food to take them with.

Five hours since the collision event, the claims adjustor is here. He has affirmed the fact that my car is probably totalled. But . . . call me lucky.  In addition to my sore neck and back, I  hurt all over, have a seat belt burn from my shoulder, down my breast and to my waist, a severely bruised abdomen and stomach and two knees that don’t bend too well,  but it will all mend.  Five days in bed, the doctor instructed, and two of those little pills morning and night for seven days.  Having taken one an hour or two ago, I am feeling floaty and I’m sure the adjustor thinks I’m flirting with him, but it is one of those little pills that is flirting with him if anyone/anything is! As the Raquet Club security arrives, and the guy with the fancy tow truck, I continue to babble on. Nothing like little magic pills to help one take such matters in stride. He seems to be enjoying it.  I speak to him in Spanish and he answers in English!

Click first photo to see captions and enlarge photos. You’ll never know why the virgin is in these pictures if  you don’t read the captions!

This little fella has graced the dashboard of every car I’ve had in Mexico for the past 16 years.
His passenger is the Virgin. Although I’m not religious, I am superstitious and I have a particular affinity for her
The virgin of Guadalupe also adorned the tow truck.
Full extent of the damage. My little car looks like a pug!
Very grateful for those inflation bags.
It was no easy task getting the car turned 90 degrees to get its tires to rollup the tow truck bed.
I went in to get a sheet of paper for the claims adjustor to write his phone number on and missed the final exit. Just as well.

okcforgottenman tells me he’s had an uneasy feeling all day since reading my poem. Coupled with the one I wrote yesterday, he had a premonition that something was about to happen.  I can only say that if it had to happen, I’m so glad it happened in this particular way, where no one was hurt except my car and me.  Something like this has to reaffirm the importance of this wonderful gift of life.

What walks on two legs and is black and blue all over?  Me, until I get my rental car in up to 5 days.  Since I’m supposed to stay in bed until then, I guess it’s no loss.

The daily prompt today is adrift

67 thoughts on “What Lesson Have I Learned?”

  3. Subhash's avatarSubhash

    You will get well soon and like your attitude towards dealing it and writing a post, again the end was excellent. Did you happen to accidentally press the accelerator. Take care.

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  8. Jan G's avatarJan G

    OMG, Judy, I’m soon glad that you were not more seriously hurt, though it certainly sounds bad enough and most uncomfortable. Rest, try to relax, take your pills, and recover. Sweet dreams my friend.

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  9. barbwit's avatarbarbwit

    Heal well and soon. This would be the post I chose to read after not having been on the blog trail for some months. As Peggy Lee sang: Remember whenever you’re down and out the only way is up.” Thinking of you, Judy.

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  16. Unknown's avatarAnonymous

    I am sorry about your accident, your car, and the pain. But, I am glad you will be OK in a few days. I will be looking for more stories about this in the next few days enhanced by the pain pills!

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  19. Bernadette's avatarBernadette

    I couldn’t hit the like button. This post is very frightening. Take good care of yourself and don’t push yourself (like blogging within a couple of hours of such a horrendous accident!).

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  20. Jan Wilberg's avatarJan Wilberg

    Judy — Wow. There’s a message in there somewhere — hitting a brick wall and walking away from it albeit it very battered and bruised. Certainly, this means you have a lot more to say to the world. Many more poems, observations, and inspiration. Glad you are okay and on the mend. Keep posting about your recovery so we know how things turn out!. Best to you.

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  22. Cee Neuner's avatarCee Neuner

    I see I am late to your accident party here. I’m glad you were not injured worse. Your car, however. Take care of yourself and get plenty of rest. You have some great photos. Glad Yolanda wasn’t hurt.

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    1. lifelessons's avatarlifelessons Post author

      I am soooooo glad she wasn’t. It would be much much worse if she’d been the one with injuries. Kids, husband, lots of employers dependent upon her talents to make their houses neat and clean.

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  25. Manja Maksimovič's avatarManja Mexi Movie

    Ahhh, I look away for a while and then I see this accordion of a car! 😮 😮 😮 Need to catch up with your other posts but clearly it’s been a case of fortune in misfortune. Oh my oh my oh my. Big hugs, just not where you hurt (if there is such a space – earlobe?) 😉

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    1. lifelessons's avatarlifelessons Post author

      My earlobes, legs (not knees), arms and one hand are unscathed. Guess we’d better just shake hands, but it will have to be the left one. Exaggerating. My right hand is black and blue but doesn’t hurt. We can do a proper handshake.

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  33. Leland Olson Hoel's avatarLeland Olson Hoel

    Judy, You are a lucky girl! It also never hurts to have an angel or two riding in your vehicle either. I’m certainly glad you are on the mend. You certainly don’t need a car if you taking those little magic pills. I will be thinking about you and your progress to recovery best wishes take it easy for a few days.

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    1. lifelessons's avatarlifelessons Post author

      Only regulating through diet now. I hadn’t taken anything the day I had my accident..Wouldn’t have been driving if I had. The oil I was taking was only the size of the head of a pin..and taken at night, none of the usual effects. But I prefer not to take it if possible.

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  34. Jan Wilberg's avatarJan Wilberg

    Talk about scary – this would be at the top of the list. The doors not opening, the engine catching fire, and the initial sense of what was wrong with your back. Sounds now like everything can be mended and/or replaced. Take care and write more poems – especially in your ‘elevated’ state.

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