09/26/2009

Last night Ryan’s brother came over to play video games and his wife and I decided to go to the movies.  I thought it would be more fun than sitting around watching them, and we have never really hung out just me and her.  We went to see the new Fame (don’t bother) and then we left.  We got onto the highway and were busy talking, driving slower than I usually drive, in the right hand lane.  All of a sudden, we saw an SUV in front of us in the far left lane swerve to miss a mattress that was on the highway (I have no idea how it got there, but it was definitely a mattress).  The driver lost control of the car and came careening across the three lanes in front of us.  I slammed the brakes, but we crashed head on into the passenger side of her vehicle.  I can’t really remember what happened, just remember this sort of slow-motion crash, screaming, and thinking all at once, "something terrible is about to happen to me," "please let Martha be okay," "please let my baby be okay," "I hope I don’t get knocked out."  The car came to a stop and I screamed at Martha to ask if she was okay….she was, and at the same time, I realized I was too.  Other cars were stopping around us and I got out of the car, shaking…Martha had to get out on my side too.  A woman who had been right behind us stopped and came running back to ask if we were okay…she was an emergency room nurse.  Another man who hadn’t seen the accident also stopped…he was an army medic.  Since we were okay, they went running over to the other side of the road to check on the other driver. 

This summer we bought the Rodeo and I thought is was too big, but it was a good deal.  I’m so thankful that we were driving it!  The entire front end was completely smashed in, and parts of the engine were everywhere.  I called 911 and tried to tell them where we were…at that point I realized my glasses had flown off, because I couldn’t read the signs.  I found them on the floor of the car, totally unharmed.  The nurse came back over and told us that the other driver was okay…a small cut on her hand and she was pretty out of it…she might have a concussion, but would be fine.  The army medic came over and brought us some gatorade he had in his car and told us to drink.  He was really nice but said that the accident had made him pretty jumpy and given him flashbacks, because it looked like a bomb explosion.  The police and emergency crews came and shut down the freeway…I felt bad for all the people stuck behind us (but not too bad).  We had called Ryan and his brother, and luckily they were able to get off an exit before and take the side street over to a business on the other side of the access road and walk over to us.  The fire and rescue folks took some big clippers and were working on my engine…I assume cutting the fuel lines, etc., as fluids were dripping onto the road.

After a long time, the emergency crew got the other lady out of her car and took her away and a tow truck came to pick up both vehicles.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get any of her information, but the police got all of it in their police report.  They did not ticket anyone, since the other lady had been swerving to avoid debris in the road.  I understand that, but at the same time, that made me really worried.  I’m fairly certain our car is totalled and I was worried about what we would do.  Luckily, I called my insurance company this morning and they said that even though the police didn’t fault anyone, it was still her fault and they would fight her insurance company over it.  Either way, everything will be okay…worst case scenario, we would be out our $500 deductible, but my company said they did not even think that would happen. Now I just have to wait and see if they will fix it (I just don’t see how) or if they will total it and cut me a check.  I’d almost prefer they fix it, because I do NOT want to shop for a new car.  We got a really good deal on that one used, and I just don’t know if we’ll get that good of a deal again.

Most of all, I’m just so glad that no one was seriously injured.  For a moment, I really thought we might be killed.  I could not stop crying and shaking once it was all over…I almost started crying on the phone today describing it to the insurance agent.  I was also so worried about the baby…I’m so early in my pregnancy that I was worried about what the stress and adrenaline might do, or if something else had happened I couldn’t see.  Ryan reassured me that pregnant women are in accidents all the time and everything is fine, but it’s hard not to worry in a situation like that, when I’m already so worried most of the time!  Still, I know he’s right, and everything still seems to be normal, so I’m sure it is.  Today I am very happy to be alive.