A Nightmare

I am not even sure where or how to begin this post. My skills at parenting were put to the ultimate test last night. Yesterday afternoon/early evening I dropped Katie off at a friend's house. I asked her what adults would be home, what they were going to do, all the normal questions. I was worried about those silly girls riding around on the golf cart playing their music too loud and annoying the neighbors. Katie was spending the night so she could go to church with them in the morning and then play in a volleyball tournament together.

At 10:40 pm the phone rang and Chris answered it. He told me there had been an accident and the woman on the phone told me where it was. It was right around the corner from the other girl's house. I left Chris at home, thinking they must have wrecked the golf cart or something. I quickly put on clothes and headed out the door. It wasn't until I was halfway there that what the woman said on the phone finally registered. She said to look for the house with the car upside down in the driveway. I was trying to get my mind around that when I realized I had driven past the turn. I turned around and headed towards the scene. As I rounded a corner, I saw the entire road blocked off by police cars, fire trucks, ambulances and a helicopter. I pulled my van off the road, jumped out and started running. I could hear screaming and then I realized it was coming from me. There were spotlights on a car, which was on it's side in a driveway. As I ran, someone grabbed me and stopped me. They told me that my daughter and a boy were being prepared to be life-flighted downtown. All I could think about was how much she needed me and I had to see her. I started running again. A policeman stopped me, but I kept pushing forward. Two more police men also grabbed me and it took all three of them to stop me. They told me I couldn't get closer until the chopper lifted off. They actually threatened to put me in cuffs if I didn't stop. My legs gave way and I dropped to the ground, sobbing. It seemed to take forever, but they brought out two stretchers and began loading them onto the chopper. A policeman cam to tell me that they had stabilized katie so she was going to go by ambulance to the regional trauma center and they had decided to airlift the other boy instead. Once the chopper took off, they led me over to the ambulance. I saw them load Katie. She was awake and crying. I wiped away a tear, told her I was there and then they pulled me away and shut the doors.

I called Chris to come drive me to the hospital. I couldn't even think of getting there myself. I don't remember the ride. All I could see was that surreal scene with the lights, the helicopter, the car on it's side. We got to the hospital and I found Katie. They were afraid to move her so they brought in a portable x-ray machine. Once they got those films back, they took her to CT scan and then more x-rays. The police came and took statements. The doctor went in and out, nurses scurried around. People kept hugging me and asking if I was OK. The other girl was quickly released but her family stayed to make sure Katie was OK. Early this morning I was able to bring her home. She may have a cracked pelvis or possibly a dislocated hip that went back into place. We follow up tomorrow with the orthoped. She is scraped, bruised, incredibly sore and miraculously alive. Her seatbelt saved her life. The major impact was on the passenger door, right where she was sitting. The door is what hit the concrete culvert as the car rolled.

We found out where they had taken the car and tried to get some pictures. I took this over the wall where they stored the car. You can't tell how bad the right side is caved in or how half the roof is torn off. Tomorrow I intend to call the storage yard and get access to the car. I need to see for myself.

This is the mark the seatbelt left on her neck, even though the airbags deployed. She has a matching abrasion/bruise across her hips. My precious baby girl crawled her way out of the car but she doesn't remember how. The car burst into flames as bystanders pulled the last boy out and then was quickly doused.

How did this happen? More on that tomorrow. For now I need to focus on calming down and caring for her. I dread trying to sleep tonight. Everytime I close my eyes I see that scene.