My husband said that he just rolled over onto his back and took a second to realize what happened. A woman who witnessed the hit and run stopped and immediately got out and asked if he was okay and called 911. She was apparently so shaken up by witnessing the event that she didn't think to get a license plate and didn't have a clear memory of the car or driver of the vehicle that hit him. However, I cannot be thankful enough that she stopped to help. Another driver also stopped and they helped my husband to a nearby shade tree out of the road and sun.
My husband was in a lot of pain, but adrenaline was pumping so he was upright for a bit and then started swaying from dizziness, so they laid him down and waited with him until the fire department, police, and ambulance got there. The impact of the fall from the bike cracked his helmet, so the ambulance said they had to take him to a trauma center instead of the ER. They put him in a neck brace and on a board and started for the hospital.
Then I got the call. The call came with my husband's name attached, but when I answered it was another man's voice. A member of the fire department, he said...accident...husband hit...go to hospital, was all my brain heard. Calm panic, if there is such a thing, set in and I grabbed my purse and keys and ran out the door. The only other time I got a phone call like this was when my dad died. These are the most frightening calls you never want to get.
I got to the hospital and they let me in the trauma center and my husband was hooked up to everything, had his clothes cut off him, and a neck brace on. Needless to say, I freaked. Inside, of course. I didn't want to scare him or stress him in any way, so I just approached, took his hand, and asked what happened. He explained everything and said that the hospital did all the tests and were waiting for results. He said his left shoulder took the brunt of the fall (and it looked like it did), so it hurt along with his hip. We were in the trauma unit for six hours and they told us that his spine and head cleared. No major injury to those or his internal organs. YES!!! I screamed in my brain. No broken bones either, which was amazing. He just tore away a ligament in his shoulder (which is why his arm hung there and his shoulder looks deformed). No surgery needed though. He had some major road rash (scrapes, bruises, etc. from hitting and skidding on the pavement) on his hip, shoulder, and back, but that would heal up quick. All great news...until...
Oh my god, we don't have insurance. Keep it together, I told myself. My husband is alive and no major injuries. But oh my god, we don't have insurance and he rode in an ambulance, had to go to a trauma center, and had all those tests! This is going to be very scary, but I'm going to do some research and with any luck we will figure this thing out.
But my husband is alive! The bastard that hit him and left will hopefully be found, but the odds of that are slim. I still can't believe anyone could do that. To feel the impact of a body hitting your car and just drive away... Makes me so angry that he lay there in the road. My husband. And someone just went about their day not knowing or caring if he was okay after hitting him.
BUT! Our friends and family were amazing. We got an outpouring of support and kindness from them all. We've only lived in Raleigh for a year and a half and the people we've met here have been so wonderful! Everyone sent messages, people volunteered time, resources, and meals to help us. Me and my husband were both pretty overwhelmed at the generosity shown by these beautiful people.
Going forward, I'm going to try and keep the blog and my shop at the same pace, but at least for the next couple of weeks I may be a bit behind while I try to help my husband recuperate. I did successfully bath and clothe him the morning after, so I would call that success so far! Thank you all for you understanding and for letting me share this exhaustively long post. Things will get lighter from here, don't worry! For yours and my sake! :-)
Last Week's Thursday Thrill:
