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Alice Harrington
My name is Alice Harrington. On July 24, 1997, I was making a typical journey around the Brazoria County, TX area. At that time I was a visiting psychiatric & mental health nurse. I, therefore, signed all of my notes R.N.,C. (meaning Registered Nurse, Certified). The certification meant that I had completed enough time in the psychiatric nursing field, had sufficient continuing education in the field and approximately $400. to take the test. I passed the test and was working as a home health nurse. I had just bought a new Z28, t-topped Camaro, in February and was feeling "on top of the world." That feeling, however, came to a screeching halt when I turned left, to visit a gentleman who lived behind the Sweeny, TX hospital and an ambulance "t-boned" me doing an estimated 75+ miles per hour. I do appreciate the irony of a nurse being incapicated by an ambulance, but I can't yet find it funny. I was initially ticket for "failing to yield,"but a judge later threw the ticket out, since it was known to be a hazardous intersection and the grass near the site had not been mowed in quite some time. After some 45+ minutes, they got me out of the remains of my beautiful car (for which I still grieve, as you can tell), with the "Jaws of Life" and Lifeflighted me to Hermann Hospital. I had, of course, sustained multiple injuries, including a "shearing" injury of my brain-stem, a ruptured diaphragm, and a "cominuted fracture" of my lower left tibia. My seatbelt and airbag saved my life, but ruptured my diaphragm. From Hermann Hospital I went to the American Transitional Hospital, and finally, to the T.I.R.R. (the Institute for Rehabilitation and Research) hospital, also in Houston. From there, I had a choice of going to "the Ranch" in Conroe, TX or the Transitional Learning Center, in Galveston. With my husband's input, I chose the latter. I had done some of my nursing school in Galveston, worked at the University of Texas Medical Branch Hospital (in Galveston) for one year after nursing school and had fond associations for Galveston.

I think that T.L.C. (the Transitional Learning Center) does a wonderful job for those of us with "aquired brain injuries." I understand that that is the new, preferred, politically-correct way to refer to those of us with brain-injuries.

The vocational department did what they could, to have me do some office work with my former employer. Neither they, nor I however, are responsible for the decline of the home health care industry. I don't expect to return to work , as a nurse, in the future. It will just have to be placed in my category of "fond memories."There aren't very many people who want to be primarily geriatric psychiatric nurses. But, I did, and I think I did it well. Oh well, I was verbose even before my injuries.

Now, a little more about myself and my history. I went into the Army at age 19. I made sure that they guaranteed, in my contract, that I would go to Europe. They did, specifically, Germany. I was assigned to the 554th M.P. Company, on Patch Barraks. I think that "Patch,"as we Americans called it, was known to the previous, German occupants as "Kurmacher Kaserne." I may have mispelled it, but that is what I heard several local people call it. "Patch" was located near Stuttgart-Vahingen, in what was then, the Federal Republic of Germany, or F.R.G. I enjoyed what I saw of Europe. I met and married my husband (also an M.P.) there. We lived, briefly, in Stuttgart-Kaltental after our marriage. A very kind, older couple, Hans & Maria Kemmler, were our landlords.

We went to Texas, my husband's home, after discharge from the Army. I used my veteran's benefits to go to college. I became a nurse.

I would welcome any e-mail from other brain-injury survivors, veterans who were stationed at the 554th M.P. Co. or any of our Deutsche friends who would like to correspond (in English only, please) to do so. At this time, I'm disabled, at home, and can no longer drive to the local museum, to do volunteer work (because of a recent seizure).

My name is :Alice (Taylor) Harrington, my injuries were sustained on the 24th of July, 1997.

Email Alice