One Year Later

One year ago today, I was in an accident on my way to work, totalling my precious car, Gertrude. The following is what happened, as I remember it:

On my way to work at approximately 5:45 AM, I had just merged onto the highway to begin my trip, and I was driving along in the far right lane. I noticed the car next to me turn on his right turn signal, indicating he wanted to merge into my lane. Herein lay the problem, since I was in the way, and apparently he didn't see me. I was hit on the driver's side, in the back quarter panel, slinging me sideways and across 4 lanes to the far left lane.

I remember, sliding across the highway, but I do not remember hitting the median wall, which I must have done since my side mirror was broken off, and my window was shattered. I sat in the lane, praying that I wouldn't be hit again before I could get out of the car.

The police arrived, and tried to help me pull out of the lane. This is when I discovered that my back axle was broken, so my car would not be moving on its own. I had just realized that my hand was bleeding and I couldn't find my glasses (and sadly, never would. My favorite pair, too.), so I was freaking out at this point, and I really wanted to get out of the car, but the traffic was really preventing that. All the lanes had to be closed until my car could be towed back across the highway, and I had to climb out the window, since my door was smushed shut.

Thankfully, my fabulous husband had not left for work yet, so he was able to come pick me up, get my stuff out of the car, and take me to the urgent care to get my hand fixed. Oh yeah, and he was there to remind me that I was pregnant when the doctor wanted to take an x-ray, since I kinda forgot. Did I mention that my head felt a little fuzzy?

Long story short, that was that last I saw of Gertrude. The insurance company came and got her, I got a check to replace her, and the guy who hit me got a ticket for not having insurance. My parents had an extra car that they let me use to get to work until we got a new one, and I have a wicked scar on my hand. There goes my dream of being a world famous hand model. ;)