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Friday, July 3, 2009

Being Hit by a Drunk Driver was One of the Best Things that Ever Happened to Me

It was January 2005, I just closed escrow on my first home. I was happy to get the keys and move in. I had taken the day off work to start the moving process. However, a client called me very early that morning needing my assistance. I normally took the kids to school, but I made arragements to have my long term boyfriend take them so I could go see this client and then get started on moving in.

However, on my way I was involved in a hit and run by a drunk driver that could have ended my life. I was sitting at a red light waiting for it to turn green when I was hit full force. I don't remember being hit. I was knocked unconscious, but I remember coming out of it being surrounded by a group of people, not knowing where I was or what had happened. Luckily, people saw the accident happen and chased the person who hit me and fled the scene.

The back end of my little 4 door Honda Civic had been smashed all the way to where the back seat was almost touching the back of the drivers seat. I had my massage table in the trunk of my car at the time. The impact propelled the table through the back seat and over my head to the front windshield.

I was laid up in bed for 3 months to heal from head trauma, vertigo, neck and back injuries in addition to some left sided injuries to my shoulder, elbow and knees. The vertigo (severe dizziness and nausea)was so severe that I felt like I got off a really fast merry-go-round. I couldn't see straight, everything was moving, at the slightest movement I felt like I would throw up. If you have ever been drunk and closed your eyes and felt the whole world spinning, that's how I felt 24/7. I couldn't hold up my head. I couldn't think clearly. I couldn't take pain pills because my body rejected them. I spent time in the ER dealing with a bad reaction to Vicodin. I was throwing up non stop and heaving into exhaustion. I felt like I had no quality of life. I couldn't even function: physically or mentally.

During the healing phases, I would get flash images of the accident reoccuring in my head. I was brought to tears when I realized I would normally take my kids to school that morning. Thoughts went through my mind of my children no longer being in my life. I was shaken! My kids are such a huge part of my life, but at that time I was working, my kids were in public school. I taught evening fitness classes and time with my kids was somewhat limited.

Thoughts went through my mind, "Was this a life that mattered?", "If I died today, did I give my kids the skills they needed in life?", "Did I make a positive impact on my kids?" I thought about that being my last day to live and questioned the way I had been living. Did I live a life that I could die a happy person feeling totally confident that I had done all I could do in my life? Did I spend my time in ways that mattered most? Did my kids know how much I loved them? Did I savor them or take them for granted?

I wanted to hug them, cuddle them, kiss them, tell them how much I loved them. I wanted to laugh with them, to grow with them, to watch them experience life. I wanted to support them and share this gift of life we had. Even if it was only one more day.

This was the beginning of a major life shift for me. I felt gratitude for the accident, because it made me reevaluate my life. I started shifting my life immediately. I did not return to work full time. I only saw clients when my kids were in school and in the fall of 2005, I enrolled my kids in a charter school. I began a homeschooling program. I really didn't know how to homeschool or anything about it at all. However, I repeatedly had the intuition and inspiration to do it,so I trusted that guidance.

Other changes evolved as well. I ended a 5 year relationship that seemed to no longer be syngergistic. I discovered raw foods. I decided to take my career into my own hands and become self employed. Freedom in all life aspects became very important.

I was given another chance to live. And ya know, we don't have to wait until something like this happens to start a new life. Every morning the sun rises we are given another lease on life. What are you going to do with it?

8 comments:

Sunny Jamiel said...

Way to go Lori. You are really a brave and inspiring person.

Laura Bly said...

How amazing to write and to teach others how to live with appreciation and gratitude. Thank you for sharing it with us as a reminder for those who have forgotten or a lesson for those who haven't learned that life is here to be lived, alive, awake, and fully in the moment.

Mauimandy@The Grains of Paradise said...

Wow Lori...amazing story! Much aloha to you :-)

Christer said...

Hi Lori, Thank you for sharing. In the stream of stories on the internet there is a danger of overload, so I don't get to the end of all of them. Your story is very special, and obviously from the deepest part of your being, and that power is transmitted. Inspiring. You are beautiful both inside and out!

Caroline said...

I just found your blog through We Like it Raw and I am so inspired by you! I've been about 50% raw for two years now and am always looking for awesome blogs...yours is definitely added to my daily read list.
Lots of love and best wishes,
Caroline

Unknown said...

Another reason why you are an amazing person.

MonkeyHandler said...

Bless your heart. Thank you for the encouragement of finding our own happiness.

Laura Bruno said...

Wow, Lori, I can definitely relate! From one life-changing head trauma survivor to another ... cheers to second chances and new life!