Bring on The Fun in the Sun...
_ What a beautiful Wednesday, why not go to the tiki bar that
just opened?
Monica had decided to go at 3:00 PM with another friend but I was busy slaving away at work. For the next few hours I was swarmed with text messages about how the tiki bar was packed with all of our local friends. Monica was rubbing it in my face that the weather was warm around 70 degrees and the view of the lake with the sun glistening down was like heaven. I had asked the family I babysit for if I could leave at 4:30 PM that day instead of 6:00 PM because I had to run a lot of errands. LIE, obviously! Well, they let me leave early so I raced home as quickly as I could trying to avoid traffic as much as possible. When I got home I quickly showered, got dressed and ready, and hopped back in my car are raced over to the tiki bar. At roughly 6:30 PM I had finally got to there. At this point, Monica was pretty tuned up on captain & cokes. I ordered her water and made her sit for a while.
We had a table with two of our other friends, Lauren and Julie. Julie had to go home though at 7 so she left us. But Lauren hung around for a while, had a few drinks, and left to go home at about 8:30. Monica and I had walked to my car when Lauren left. We were going to leave because our other two friends had left. Monica and I have this motto: Why not? You may think I am lying, but honest to God when we are contemplating spontaneous things we stop and say why not? This motto never ended up in a tragic event though, until this night. As we were standing in the parking lot contemplating the motto, Monica pulled my arm and said, “Lets just go back in, why not Lindsay?” So, I followed. We hung out until 9:45 PM. At that point I had decided it was enough time spent at one bar, we should go home. As I was pulling out of the parking lot, with Monica in the car, two of her old friends, one being her ex-boyfriend, had been sitting in the parking lot and Monica offered them a ride home with us in my car. I told him I would drive him as long as he gave me directions the entire way. Then I started driving all of us home…….
Monica had decided to go at 3:00 PM with another friend but I was busy slaving away at work. For the next few hours I was swarmed with text messages about how the tiki bar was packed with all of our local friends. Monica was rubbing it in my face that the weather was warm around 70 degrees and the view of the lake with the sun glistening down was like heaven. I had asked the family I babysit for if I could leave at 4:30 PM that day instead of 6:00 PM because I had to run a lot of errands. LIE, obviously! Well, they let me leave early so I raced home as quickly as I could trying to avoid traffic as much as possible. When I got home I quickly showered, got dressed and ready, and hopped back in my car are raced over to the tiki bar. At roughly 6:30 PM I had finally got to there. At this point, Monica was pretty tuned up on captain & cokes. I ordered her water and made her sit for a while.
We had a table with two of our other friends, Lauren and Julie. Julie had to go home though at 7 so she left us. But Lauren hung around for a while, had a few drinks, and left to go home at about 8:30. Monica and I had walked to my car when Lauren left. We were going to leave because our other two friends had left. Monica and I have this motto: Why not? You may think I am lying, but honest to God when we are contemplating spontaneous things we stop and say why not? This motto never ended up in a tragic event though, until this night. As we were standing in the parking lot contemplating the motto, Monica pulled my arm and said, “Lets just go back in, why not Lindsay?” So, I followed. We hung out until 9:45 PM. At that point I had decided it was enough time spent at one bar, we should go home. As I was pulling out of the parking lot, with Monica in the car, two of her old friends, one being her ex-boyfriend, had been sitting in the parking lot and Monica offered them a ride home with us in my car. I told him I would drive him as long as he gave me directions the entire way. Then I started driving all of us home…….
9:55 PM (Phone Call, During the Drive home)
_
Andrew: Hey are you going to Adelphia’s tonight?
Me: Hey!!! I wasn’t going to but maybe… Are you??
Andrew: Well, if I can get a ride home back to Philly after Adelphia’s then I want to.
Me: Monica, would you go out to Adelphia’s now?
Monica (in the background): Why NOT???
Me: Let me know what you decide Andrew.
Andrew: Alright… I’ll text you.
Andrew: Hey are you going to Adelphia’s tonight?
Me: Hey!!! I wasn’t going to but maybe… Are you??
Andrew: Well, if I can get a ride home back to Philly after Adelphia’s then I want to.
Me: Monica, would you go out to Adelphia’s now?
Monica (in the background): Why NOT???
Me: Let me know what you decide Andrew.
Andrew: Alright… I’ll text you.
...ALMOST HOME
_ After I hung up, I continued driving down Erial road. There
were two boys in the backseat, and Monica in the front passenger. No one was
wearing a seat belt, but me. One kid was sitting directly behind Monica, the
other was slouched over the center console giving me directions. As he was
directing me, he told me to cross over Hickstown Road. I went through my green
light going 40 MPH. A 27 year old woman with her two grandparents in the car
decided to make a quick left turn and SMACK! We had a head on collision.
_ I opened my eyes to find all three of them knocked out
unconscious. In the moment, I thought they were dead. To be honest, the two
boys in the car didn’t matter at the time, all I cared about was my best
friend. I screamed for them to wake up but no one moved.
10:02 PM (Phone Call)
_
Dad: Hey Baby! Me: DAADDDD (screaming) Dad: What’s the matter?? What happened?? Me: I got in an accident, everyone is unconscious!!!! Dad: WHERE ARE YOU??? .... HELLO, Lindsay??? Me: Erial & Hickstown… GET HERE NOW I’M SO SCARED!! Dad: I’ll be right there!!! Me: Dad please hurry... Dad: I will, I love you so much. |
Panic Mode...
_ While hanging up the phone, the elderly woman had walked
over to me screaming, “Is everything okay?” My immediate reaction was to scream
at her saying “No you asshole, my friends aren’t moving right now!”
I walked over to the car and found the two boys pulling Monica’s limp body out of the car. They laid her on the glass covered street. I immediately screamed at them to leave her alone. As I started to kneel down next to her she opened her eyes and started calling my name.
“Lin… what’s going on?”
“Monica, please lay back we were in an accident and your bleeding all over.”
“I’m fine, please don’t call my mom.”
“I have to Monica, were not okay, this is very serious.”
“I’m fine, I’m good.”
From then on, the police arrived, the ambulance took us away, and the night is a blur. I’m not sure if this is because it was so traumatic, but some things just aren’t clicking in my memory. I even told my insurance company my air bag didn’t go off, but when I went to get any valuables out of my car I noticed the air bag clearly went off. It is crazy how any minute your life can dramatically change.
I walked over to the car and found the two boys pulling Monica’s limp body out of the car. They laid her on the glass covered street. I immediately screamed at them to leave her alone. As I started to kneel down next to her she opened her eyes and started calling my name.
“Lin… what’s going on?”
“Monica, please lay back we were in an accident and your bleeding all over.”
“I’m fine, please don’t call my mom.”
“I have to Monica, were not okay, this is very serious.”
“I’m fine, I’m good.”
From then on, the police arrived, the ambulance took us away, and the night is a blur. I’m not sure if this is because it was so traumatic, but some things just aren’t clicking in my memory. I even told my insurance company my air bag didn’t go off, but when I went to get any valuables out of my car I noticed the air bag clearly went off. It is crazy how any minute your life can dramatically change.
Day 1 of Recovery
_ I woke up this morning and I couldn’t move my body. I had to
call my mother in the middle of the night because I woke up crying. I wonder
why these things happen to innocent people. I haven’t spoken to Monica since I
was discharged from the hospital. She is still at the hospital, I pray she gets
out soon. I can’t handle this guilt. I know that none of this was my fault, but
I can’t help but think that since I was the driver, this is all my fault. I am
so pissed off that the other driver is telling the police I had a red light and
she had a green arrow. That is bull! I was going full force 40 MPH, there was
no skid marks in the road. I had a green light. Well, those little details
aren’t that important right now, I just want Monica home safe. I don’t care
about my pain and bruises; I wish I was the one who got hurt the most. Oh yeah, I tried to shower but couldn't stand. So, I had to use a stupid shower chair like an old person. Pathetic...
Day 2 of Recovery
_ Well, today Monica and my two other best friends are coming
over. We are ordering food because Monica is embarrassed of her face and we
both can’t walk and move. Sitting is such a chore. But at least we are alive! I
am so happy she isn’t mad at me. But my guilt isn’t going away. Last night I
had to take something to sleep because my mind starts racing at night, I can
hear the crash. It literally plays in my mind over and over. I hope my pain
goes away soon. UGH. This is the worst experience of my life.
Day 3 of Recovery
Today I woke up feeling stiff, weak, and sore. I am so tired of the phone calls from the cops and insurance companies. You would think they would give me time to just recover and stop hounding me. I feel like I have enough going on in my mind that their constant phone calls are just too much to handle. But I can say that so many people have reached out to me to show their support and be there for me right now. Monica is going to the burn center today for her face. I am so scared that her face will scar. That would break my heart. Lets hope all goes well.
Day 4 of Recovery
_ I tried to drive for the first time today. I only drove in
my neighborhood. But my leg locked up so I had to stop. But the good news is I do
not have to wear the leg brace anymore. It actually makes me feel emotionally
better not having that on. The brace made me feel more hurt then I probably am.
Everyday I feel better in some parts of my body, and worse in others. I broke
down in the middle of the night last night because I was overwhelmed with
guilt. I know that everyone is still alive, but I can’t help but feel
responsible in some way for all this pain I caused. Still praying though and
trying to be optimistic and positive.
Tweets:
Your life can change in a matter of seconds #twitterive
Laugh as much as you breathe, and love as long as you live. #twitterive
Your life can change in a matter of seconds #twitterive
Laugh as much as you breathe, and love as long as you live. #twitterive