Nothing like a brush with death to help you appreciate life. On March 7th, around 1 pm, our lives changed dramatically. A beautiful clear day, we were returning to New York after celebrating Allyson's father's birthday in New Hampshire. Driving down freeway I-91 in Vermont, going around 65 mph, a very large dark gray SUV was alongside us on the left. Suddenly the SUV pulled into us, forcing us off the road onto the very rough shoulder of the road, our tire blew out, and we started swerving wildly back across the highway, into a shallow ravine, going so fast we drove directly up two trees and stopping abruptly against a granite outcropping, our car facing heavenward. "Oh God, Oh God!" we cried. "My back!" we echoed. "The cars on fire we've got to get out!" The doors were up too high off the ground to get out so we had to unbuckle and fall back into the back seat and jump from there to the ground. We hobbled to the side of the road. By this time some cars were stopping to help, but not the SUV. Some very kind strangers were consoling us and calling 911. State troopers and emergency vehicles arrived . Our car was totaled.
We've spent the last five days at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, in a state-of-the-art trauma unit. Due to the upright position of the car, our spines were shocked dramatically. Allyson sustained a bad compression fracture of L1 vertebra and a broken ankle, Alex has a burst L3 vertebra with a 50% intrusion of bone into spinal cord area. Fortunately, at this level of the spine, the cord has become what is called the cauda equina, if the burst happened any higher it may have rendered Alex paraplegic. Prognosis is for complete recovery. We have been fitted with hard plastic "turtle-shell" removable braces, which, though painfully constricting allow us to stand upright and walk with support. We take them off for sleeping and lying down, but must keep the spine immobilized. After four months of daily turtle-shell, we will be able to set them aside and continue healing for about a year, at which time the bone should be stronger than ever.
We are feeling so incredibly grateful. Grateful for being alive, grateful for the exceptional medical care, grateful for the love of family and friends. Brian James, our master builder of CoSM, and our dear friend, has spent the week here helping and will be driving us back to recuperate at CoSM. We send our love to all who have been inquiring about us and greatly appreciate your healing prayers.
Our friends in Mexico have graciously rescheduled our event there. Our injuries will delay some travel plans we had in place to continue raising money to renovate the CoSM property. If you would like to help us keep this important endeavour of love and community moving forward while we heal and regain our strength, instead of gifts or flowers, please send prayers and make a donation to CoSM. Love to all and may you appreciate the day!
Signing prints, got to keep CoSM going... all proceeds from store go to building the center
may gods and goddesses bless you both. let love conquer all.
Posted by: martin mccreadie | March 12, 2010 at 12:59 AM