After an accident

Two weeks ago tomorrow, I was on my way home from work. I was thinking about a stop at the grocery store and how we'd have delicious pulled pork sandwiches w/ coleslaw that I'd pick up when I heard horns honking behind me. When I glanced in the rearview mirror, I saw the grill and front end of a lifted, huge, black Chevy truck with the passenger side turn signal on...so it was a surprise to me when she suddenly veered towards my left as if to pass. And then, she didn't so much exit our lane to go around as got slightly out from behind me and barreled along as though I was simply an obstacle.

I heard the crack, crinkle, and crash of the exterior side mirror being sheared off and glass breaking. Felt the car being shoved aside. (I don't think it actually left the ground, but I'm not sure.) I think I even might have come close to closing my eyes as she passed and sped off up the street.

After talking to some witnesses, both of whom provided names, phone numbers and one a partial plate number, one of them waited with me for police. Who took forever and then filled out a form that turns out to be just an "incident report." Meaning, a report number I can give to the insurance company. Meaning that the city has a policy that if damage is minimal, they don't file an actual accident report and if nobody can positively ID the driver in a hit & run (even with a partial plate and good vehicle description), they won't file that either. Not even when I phoned them last week to amend that I had actually been injured.

The injury is another story...I saw the doc the day after the accident and x-rays were taken. The following Tuesday, I was told my wrist was fractured which made sense because of how much pain I was in. (I began wearing a brace over that weekend because whenever I moved my thumb I wanted to cry.) So they wanted me to have an MRI. MRI was on 7/2. On 7/6, they said it's NOT fractured, but if I'm still having problems let them know. On 7/7, many phone calls and explanations finally got me a hand specialist that doesn't have a bunch of shitty online reviews. And they worked me in for next week. My hand still hurts if I go without the brace for too long. There are times when my fingers feel clumsy/heavy, numbness, tingling, burning, itching, and general unpleasantness.

I'm currently off work, took PTO through Friday. I'm thinking of re-evaluating on that day whether to go back & then take the day of the appointment. Or should I take off all the way through that appt and then initiate a short term disability claim? It's hard to decide what to do. It sucks.

***

It is now 8/23. I've been off work on Short Term Disability. My last day worked was 7/7, but the people who administer the leave peg the claim for 7/15. Trying to get my doctor to back date it so I can reclaim those 6 days of PTO for my own, but it's not easy.  Since 7/7, I have read at leat 6 books, multiple comics, finished a couple of series on Netflix and have begun American Horror Story. I have also used limited time in front of the PC to finish organizing a back to school fundraiser for Very Awesome Girls Phoenix and it went off pretty successfully.

At my last follow up on 8/6, it was recommended that I start physical/occupational therapy, 1-2 per week for 3-4 weeks. I had my first session (their first opening) last Wednesday and was given homework. Since that day, I have done my exercises the prescribed 2x per day and on more than one occasion. I cried. Today, I procrastinated. But round one is complete. You see, by the time of that follow up, my wrist had mostly stopped hurting all the time. But now, working it through therapy, it hurts. Like, sometimes, it's almost an 8 on that 1-10 scale medical professionals like to use. I don't know if I'm overdoing it (which is possible) or if the pain is due to disuse. At any rate, a small area below my thumb remains slightly swollen, as does the pad of my thumb.

There is an annoyance I've encountered during this time, aside from the difficulty in doing things mostly one handed. (For example, I felt like a wild animal once while attempting to open a box of Pop Tarts. Though the animal would have fared better, I think). That is a particular tone that I've heard from people when discussing how long I've been home, not working. This tone of "but it's just a sprain" "it seems like you'd still be able to work with a brace on." As the PA said, sprains and soft tissue injuries take longer than fractures. I know I should heed her advice, to not get down about how long this takes. And that I should also listen to my husband and friends who encourage me often. But it's hard. It's so damn hard. Because it hurts and it feels like it won't be better. But at the same time, this morning's (afternoon's) PT session wasn't bad until the end. Maybe tonight's will be better.

In the meantime, I will continue to take this meme to heart:

LLAP

This morning, the world (the sci-fi world in particular) lost a great man. Leonard Nimoy passed away at age 83 at his home in California.

If you've used the Internet or any social media at all today, this is not a surprise. I never met him, but yet I've been crying as if I lost a dear family member. So many others I've interacted with today online have felt the same. It's days like today that restore some of my faith in humanity as a whole. One man has passed away and millions of us have taken to Facebook, Twitter, and other social outlets to share our grief. I've talked today with people I've never met, but we have a common bond - Star Trek.

I was first introduced to Star Trek by my mother, by way of Next Gen. (She actually told me "watch this, it's good TV.") She wasn't much for the Original Series, because she wasn't fond of Kirk, though she did like Mr. Spock. We watched TNG together and some of the movies with the original cast. We would talk about it sometimes and really, Trek was kind of my gateway to sci-fi fandom. My brother & sister also share this love of Trek. We don't always have a lot in common, but we do have that.

My story is one I've seen oft repeated today (though I seem to be unique so far as which parent provided my introduction) as we talk to each other. Grieve. Share memes and quotes and stories. In the gaming community, players of Star Trek Online have been heading to Vulcan to pay their respects. It's a fitting tribute.

To me, and countless others, he will always be Mr. Spock. But he had a long and varied career. He was also an animal lover, poet, photographer, and even helped get Nichelle Nichols equal pay on the series. It seems like he was a truly good man and one regret I have is missing him at Phoenix Comicon in 2011. However, they recorded, so if you'd like to watch it too, you can do so here. 

Let us all take care of each other and if your friend who really loves Star Trek seems incredibly sad for awhile, be extra nice to him or her, ok? 

LLAP everyone.  _\\//