On November 18, 1992, at 7:50 AM, I left home in the family station wagon (instead of driving my own little Red Geo Metro), headed for my job at the bank. I had to go a few blocks out of my way to drop my younger sister off at school. I dropped her off proceeded on to the next stop light where I was broadside (a direct hit in the driver's door) by a cement truck with a 30ton load, eighty thousand pounds total. My vehicle, upon impact, did a 180-degree turn and skidded 120 feet to do a head on with a pick-up truck parked on the other side of the street, narrowly missing an on coming car. The driver of the cement truck failed to stop for the red light.

Police and Emergency Squad were on the scene in minutes. A policeman thought I was dead, but a paramedic (and friend) crawled in and got an airway open. I was removed from the car using the "jaws of life" and transported by squad to a hospital 10 miles away. Care flight from Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, OR was called and on it's wav when it had to set down at Dayton Int'l. Airport because of heavy fog. I was then ground transported to MVH in Dayton. Suffering from a closed head injury and in a coma, I was treated with Manitol, a diuretic for the brain administered to reduce pressure. Not responding well I was then put in a barbiturate coma on day 3. On day 6 it appeared that this tactic was working and I would live.

The rest of the story: Acute care facility, 3 weeks, 2 days coma arousal facility, 3 months rahab facility, 8 months. I then went home to live with my family, Mom, Dad and a younger sister. I still did outpatient therapy 2 or 3 days a week for another 5 months. In summer of 94, 1 spent 7 weeks at Center for Comprehensive Services (CCS) in Southern, Illinois and in the summer of '95.1 did 3 weeks at Learning Services in Durham, North Carolina. Anyone having survived a serious head injury will know that time was spent learning to breathe, stand, walk, talk, think, eat, toilet, dress, relearn activities of daily living, etc., a process much more intense and difficult that the first time I learned these things. My deficits are; speech, I have disarthria, lower voice and slower speech; vision, difficulty tracking (which shows up as difficulty keeping my place when reading lines of print; walking, a slower and less steady gait and a~xia, a tremor in my right hand often referred to as intention tremor as it only activates when I intentionally do some skill (particularly fine tuned skills) such as writing.

Life before my accident: Salutatorian of my graduating class, National Honor Society, Spanish Club, participant in H. S. Musicals (the lead role in Hello Dolly), Percussionist in marching band receiving Superior ratings at state competition all four years of H.S., basketball cheerleader all four years of H.S., Bremenfest Oucen, Octoberfest Oueen, Championship Ballroom Dancer (winner of the largest Pro-Am Scholarship in the nation in 1991), and Dean's List, College of Engineering, University of Cincinnati.

Life after my accident: I continue to receive some therapies and improve myself, I work out daily and have improved in strength, perseverance and my physical appearance, dropping weight and toning up. I have some unusual pets, A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, A Ducorps Cockatoo, A Scottish Fold Cat and a common, but gorgeous, large long-haired golden cat. I spend time enjoying and caring for them. I attend church regularly, including Sunday school classes, women's group and retreats. I have a home which I helped design and furnish. In summertime, I bicycle and help with the yard work. Last year I (with my family) took a barefoot, private charter sailboat cruise in the Caribbean where I was introduced to snorkeling and parasailing. I enjoy dining out, movies, music and SHOPPING. I'm not big on watching TV but spend many hours at my computer. I am somewhat impulsive, definitely impatient (a virtue I'm trying to learn) and am almost always positive-minded rather than negative.

My parents continue to instruct me in HOPE... to view it as a powerful force in my life.... I think I'm getting it!