Despite our injuries, we feel very blessed

Joe and I loved going out for motorcycle rides, but on April 23, 2018, that all changed. While riding our motorcycle, a gentleman in a car ran a stop sign causing our motorcycle to crash into the car. At 55 mph, Joe hit the car with his face, suffering many facial and head injuries. I don’t remember anything about the accident. From what I heard, I flew over the car upon impact and landed 40-50 feet away.

Both Joe and I sustained life-threatening injuries that required a great deal of medical attention to overcome.  Joe had multiple brain contusions, severed his carotid artery−twice, shattered his humerus and had pelvic fractures. He subsequently suffered two strokes and underwent facial reconstruction surgery. Because of the strokes, Joe was in a comma for 28 days and lost the use of his left arm and left leg. He is now home, but is still undergoing treatment.

I shattered my left arm, sustained fractures to my pelvis, and part of my hip bone went through other parts of my body. My right foot was also shattered. All of those areas had to be fixed, surgically. My orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Robert Gorman, was able to repair bones in my forearm with metal. I also have nerve damage in my left leg from when my sacrum was crushed. I am doing okay, though I am not able to use my left leg and I am still going through various surgeries.

Despite the traumatic injuries we sustained, Joe and I feel very blessed. The doctors told us that 80% of patients who suffer injuries like ours, don’t survive. We believe we are here today because an ambulance just happened to be in a church parking lot near the crash, and because of the exceptional care, and the timing of the care, we received from Bronson, a Level I Trauma Center. We are blessed to be alive. Drs. Gorman and Roberts are amazing! They had to work so hard to put us back together. Their bedside manner is just so awesome!