Stop A Moment

Friends flocking together

I'm going tonight with two friends to see my dear friend and neighbor who has been in the hospital since early August. A drunk driver hit her car in the middle of the afternoon near our neighborhood. It was a horrible accident which left her fighting for her life.

She's had some setbacks. But her recovery is going in a positive direction. She had been transferred to an inpatient physical therapy rehab center only to have to return to Hershey Med Center due to a complication. She is now back in rehab and should be home within the next two weeks. She'll be wheelchair bound for a while as her broken pelvis continues to heal. This past weekend, family built a ramp so they'll be able to wheel her in and out of her home that she misses so dearly.

We are hoping that she'll be home in time for her daughter's first birthday on October 28th. She's already lost so many precious moments with her three children, including her son's first day of Kindergarten.

I look forward to spending some time with my friends tonight. We all belong to a neighborhood Moms Club called the Flamingos. There's about 12 of us that try to get together at least once per month to celebrate birthdays and spend some grown-up time together. Tonight, we will flock together to encourage our friend who has beaten the odds but still has a long road of recovery ahead of her.

Here's three of us making a scrapbook for her at our last Moms Only outing:

Some of the flamingos had never scrap-booked before but were willing to pitch in
to make this special gift!

Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust

My friend that was in the accident is doing better. She's being moved to the Intermediate Care Unit after having been in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit for over 4 weeks. She may soon be able to talk once a smaller trach tube is in place. She got to see her children (and they got to see her) on Monday night for the first time in over a month. She actually sat in a wheelchair and went outside for some fresh air. She wrote on her dry erase board "that was wonderful".

The search for the 2009 WDW Moms Panel began this week. I'll be sad to see my tiara-wearing year end but excited to see what new adventures will be found on my continued journey. I know that dreams come true. One of my personal dreams that I've held near and dear to my heart since I was a child is to be an author. Maybe, I'll navigate my way along that path. I'll need a special endeavor to embark on!

For now, I'm gearing up for our next WDW trip. Time of departure: September 25th!

The Long Road

We've been on a journey. Down a long and winding road. My friend in Surgical ICU has had some setbacks the last couple of weeks. On and off the ventilator. Internal bleeding and more. But yesterday was a good day. She sat up in bed to do physical therapy. They rolled the ventilator OUT of the room, saying "you won't be needing this any more"!! And her feeding tube may be removed within days.

Last night, I had a moment though. A few tears were shed. I called a dear friend to chat for a few minutes. I had just looked at photos from the crash. And realized. Just. How. Close. We. Came. To. Losing. Her.

**note my friend's car is the white one. The Good Samaritan that stopped to help is wearing orange and holding the WDW bag that I gave my friend for her recent birthday!

Needing wisdom

My friend is still in ICU. Last night her husband told be that she had a setback. On Saturday she was sitting up and talking. Yesterday she was back on the ventilator and sedated. Her breathing had become shallow. She is showing signs of an infection. The doctors are puzzled.

I'm hoping that the doctors find the wisdom to know what to do today so that my friend's recovery can get back on track. They were going to be running tests last night and today.

Yesterday her children started school. Her daughter is in third grade. Her son is in Kindergarten. Baby K is doing better now that she's figured out how to drink from a cup. It broke my heart to see the kids heading off on their big day without their Mom there to cheer them on.

The driver that hit her in the head-on collision was arrested last week. DUI. In the middle of the afternoon. In our quiet town. Senseless.

I hope the doctors find the wisdom they need today.

The tears keep falling

I  have been avoiding this post. Not sure where to even begin. Last week one of my best friends (and neighbor) was in a head-on collision not far from home. So that I don't have to describe the accident again, see here.

As she was wheeled in to her first surgery, she was asking about her children. They are 8, 5 and 9 months old. The eldest is also one of my son's best friends. She was also asking her Dad to promise her that she would be okay. He couldn't. So he just kept telling her "you'll be fine".

Right now, she is in her third surgery. If all goes well, she will have pelvic surgery on Monday. She fractured her pelvis in four places.

I've been acting as the Family Liaison. Her husband calls me each night with an update and I phone and email the zillions of people that have sent prayers and well wishes to her family. I am also coordinating all efforts to help the family. A friend is in charge of Home Meals, another in charge of getting donations for hospital meal tickets, someone is getting school supplies for the kids, my husband is coordinating lawn care, a neighbor is cleaning their house every 2 weeks and so on. Everyone is thanking me for my efforts but truly my job is easy.

When so many good Samaritans are at the ready to help, I just have to put my organizing skills to good use. And it's therapeutic for me. I love her family. I love her.

Last night the doctors told her husband that in their meeting, they all agreed that her remarkable progress is due to some higher power. There is no medical explanation. The North Londonderry Police Chief told him that it defies explanation that she even survived the impact.

So there are many blessings even in the midst of this tragedy.

Their WDW trip in September has been canceled but a wonderful friend and fellow Disney Mom has offered to shop for gifts while on her own trip to Disney. I sent her a gift card yesterday to use. I hope to bring some magic to the kids. The kids are going to be given Disney on Ice tickets by another concerned person. And another friend of the family going to Disney in September hopes to bring back gifts as well.

They haven't been able to see their Mom. She is intubated and under heavy sedation.

She will miss weaning her baby. Baby K screamed for days until she finally gave in and began drinking from her sippy cup, just yesterday. She will miss her son's first day of Kindergarten and her daughter's start of third grade. But we have volunteers taking photos and video to commemorate the occasions in a scrapbook.

and ...after months...she will come home. I'm hopeful.

Accidents happen

Some lady hit my van this morning. I'm innocently sitting in a parked position, waving to my son as he goes in to school. Then, a neighborhood friend walks up to talk Disney stuff with me. I'm helping her family plan their first trip to WDW for May 2009.

Huge bump. Metal crunching awful sound.

A woman in a rental car crashed in to my van. My fairly new van. My mini-van that is carrying my family to the Outer Banks this Sunday.

Left rear headlight damage. Damage to the left rear bumper - think large dent and lots of red paint from her rental car.

She had no information with her. I followed her to her house. Now I'm waiting for her husband to contact me and let me know what their insurance office needs.

I got home. Called my husband. Called my insurance agent who told me what to do and what to expect since I've never been in an accident. Won't get fixed until after we return from vacation. So now I have to drive around a nasty looking van. But I may have to get the rear tail light fixed temporarily so I don't get pulled over.

I took pictures. My witness that was talking to me is married to a State Trooper. That's a good thing. I just hope Mrs. Crash's rental car is covered by her insurance.

But for perspective, let's consider my last post regarding the fatal accident near our neighborhood. No one was hurt. It's just a car. It can be fixed.

And although I'm a bit rattled, I know that accidents happen.

Too close to home

I'm usually reading my book by 11 at night.

But late this afternoon, there was a tragedy near our house.

Neighborhood talk says that a young woman who lives directly behind our house drove her car accidentally in to the Mennonite barn that is just down the road from our development. At least 2 young adults were Life Lioned to Hershey Med Center.

Life Lion is never good around these parts - this helicopter named after the Penn State Lion transports only critical passengers. To know that Life Lion was so close to our neighborhood has my heart racing.

It's all hearsay thus far:

Passengers ejected from the vehicle. One woman is deceased. Coroner on the scene now. Young lady that lives behind our house was driving.

I did see ambulances near the accident scene and a TV crew when I was returning to our house after my son's Karate class.

Right now, I just want to hope that the parents of these children are with them. And that the news isn't as bad as what people are saying.  I want to pray that lives aren't changed forever.

Tonight I'll watch the news.