It all began in the early morning hours on March 18, 1997 in Phoenix, AZ. I left my apartment at or around 5:30 AM. I was to be at work at 6 AM (a valley nursing home where I worked as an LPN). I was less than a mile from my home when I was "T-Boned" in an intersection by an 18y/o kid driving a 1952 Chevy. I tell people that I was hit by a tank. :) I was hit with such force that my car spun completely around tossing me all around inside. No, I was not wearing a seat belt. I cracked the windshield 3+ times with my head.

When the paramedics arrived I was on the passenger's side and halfway on the floor, totally unconscious and not breathing. Once in the ambulance, I was taken to John C. Lincoln Hospital in respiratory failure,multiple skull fractures, lacerated Rt. ear, fracture Rt. collar bone, fracture Rt. rib and many other contusions. In the E.R. I was intubated and taken for a CT scan. The CT indicated that I needed emergency surgery on my brain to remove 2 large subdural hematomas and repair a brain hemorrage and piece my skull back together as best they could. After surgery, I was moved to ICU where I remained in a coma for 3 days on mechanical ventilation, a feeding tube up my nose, a catheter in my bladder, IV's everywhere, and restrained to the bed. I remained in ICU for an additional week then transferred across the street to a rehab facility. I then was put through those wonderful therapies; speech, physical, and occupational. I had to learn how to swallow, to talk, to walk, feed myself, etc.

There was one thing that I never forgot through all of this, and that was that I was a NURSE. Even though I didn't know what happened or where I was, I did know that I was a nurse.

I went through 3 weeks of inpatient rehab and another 6 weeks at least of outpatient rehab.

Now 2 years later my balance is off, I have problems with my short term memory, my emotions go haywire at times, and I have anxiety attacks sometimes too. I also have come to terms with having a "seizure disorder".

I have not gone back to work as of yet, but I will. When my head is ready, then I will be there.

All the details of my accident, hospital stay, and rehab come from what I have been told and from what I have read. I don't remember anything from the evening prior up to 3 weeks after.

Although I may have lost a lot because of my accident, I have learned a great deal. Not just about head injuries, but about everything that goes along with it, and I learn more and more every day. And if it hadn't have been for my children, I would have given up a long time ago.

Thank You God for my Kids!!!
Denise Fury

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