The Accident That Changed My Life Essay, Research Paper
The Accident That Changed My Life
I used to read in the news about people getting in car accidents all the time. The trouble is, I never thought it could happen to me. I guess you could say that I saw myself as invincible. With the way I?d been living my life, something was bound to happen eventually. I believe that everything in life happens for a reason. This is why my car accident changed my life.
I was a second year senior at Independence High School. Most of my time was spent hanging out with my friends. My friends were the most important thing to me back then and I would bend over backwards for each and every one of them. Because of all the time I spent out with my friends, I barely spent any time at home with my family. I also had a hard time waking up to go to school in the morning. Things had gotten so bad that I would sometimes miss school for weeks at a time. Little did I know, that destiny had a big change in store for me!
It was really late one night and I decided to go out. I went to pick up my friends and go to a party at some wharehouse. I remember having a lot of fun and laughing a lot with my friends. One of the people I was talking to had asked for a ride because his was leaving and I accepted. So now I was responsible for taking four people, including myself home.
After I dropped off the first guy, I was making a left turn. When I saw I was in the clear, I went ahead and turned. All of a sudden, I saw a big car heading my way real fast. I sped up to get past the lane he was in and finish my turn, but it was too late. He smashed right into me on the driver?s side. The impact bent the whole frame of my car, and I remember being able to touch the other driver?s bumper from my window (which was now in a million pieces on the ground)! Luckily, my friends were okay and didn?t have to stay the night at the hospital. I, on the other hand, was not so lucky! While my friends were able to leave, I was stuck there, in a coma.
I had an outer body experience in that coma. I remember being surrounded by white, no other color but white. As I was floating down this path headed towards a bright white light, I began to hear a harmony of beautiful voices. They were almost an angelic chorus of high-pitched notes. All of a sudden (I was coming out of the coma.), the whiteness that surrounded me was starting to disappear like clouds fading away. When all the clouds were gone I was surrounded by about twenty familiar faces of those I?d known and loved. As soon as I saw my mother?s face, I just knew everything was going to be okay!
It smelled like a hospital and my mouth was all dry and sticky like I hadn?t moved it for days. Come to find out, I hadn?t moved my mouth in two days! I really couldn?t remember what happened or figure out why I was at the hospital. I was hooked up to a breathing machine, so I couldn?t talk to anyone. The first thing I did was look at my mom for an explanation.
She looked at me and said, ?Hi Kimmy. You?re in the hospital. You?ve been in a serious car accident, but you?re in good hands and you?re gonna be alright.?
I knew that it was really hard to breathe beacause it hurt everytime I inhaled. Because I couldn?t talk, I couldn?t find out what was really wrong with me. So, I just waited patiently, knowing I?d find out eventually.
I acknowledged everyone with a thumbs up. When I wanted to go to sleep, I waved my arm towards the door, so that people would know to leave. It was really difficult to cope with. I was lying in a hospital bed in ICU hooked up to all kinds of machines. The hardest thing, was not being able to talk to my dad when he flew up to visit me. I did however, get to speak with my father after they took the breathing tube out.
When I was able to speak, I turned to look at my mom. The first thing I said was, ?Did you call work to tell them I can?t come in??
Mom said ?Yes, Lin called for you the day they brought you in here.?
?Thanks!?, I replied. ?Am I gonna be okay?? I asked.
Then, with such hope, she sighed and said, ?Kim, you are so strong, and you?re such a fighter. I know you are going to be okay. It?s going to take you some time to heal. But you are going to be just fine!?
?I sure hope so. I am so glad you are here. Shouldn?t you be at work or something?? I asked.
?You?re not going to believe it, but no. I?m not even allowed to sign on and check my e-mail. My boss gave me strict orders to take care of you first, as you and your brother are the two most important things in my life. I?m here for you as long as you need me. I love you sweetheart.?, she replied.
?That?s great Mom. I love you too! Can you tell me what?s really wrong with me now?? I asked.
She sadly looked at me and said, ?They have taken x-rays, and are running tests. We should be finding out the results pretty soon.?
While I?d been in the coma, they were giving me a drug that made me have amnesia. This was to protect me remembering the traumatic experience I?d been through long enough for me to heal emotionally. The doctors had instructed my mom not to tell me too much about what was wrong with me. She would only tell me one thing at a time. It wasn?t until the fifth day that I was made aware of the extent of my injuries.
The doctor told me I had lost a lot of blood and three blood transfusions were made (two of which were my own). I had broken five ribs which in turn punctured my lung and ruptured my spleen! Dr. Goldman had performed emergency surgery for the removal of my spleen. It suprisingly wasn?t until the eighth day that I was made aware of my fractured hip and pelvic bones. On the tenth day, I was released from the hospital to spend the remainder of the school year and the entire summer at home recovering.
I have to say that this was a major ordeal and even though so much bad stuff happened, I?m so glad it did. I have turned my whole life around! I quit smoking cigarettes and everything else I took part in that hurt my body. I?ve started to pay more attention to myself and what is important to me. School has become a great success so far and I intend to keep it that way. The best thing that happened, is the closeness my mom and I have to each other now. My family has become an issue in my life that I can?t ignore anymore. I thank God for giving me my life and my family. I am a whole new extra-responsible person. For the first time in my life, I can actually say that I?m proud of myself. If it weren?t for my accident I would still be on the right road headed in the wrong direction. Now that I have turned around, I?m going the right way, and I don?t intend on going back.
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