September 11th

        Part One : The Accident 

For myself and many others September 11th is a day we will never forget . Many lives were lost in the attack on the twin towers from workes in the building , to civilians on flights , and all the many brave souls who were apart of the rescue and clean up.  Now not only will i remember this day as a tragic loss for my country but as a day that changed my life for two reasons.

Septmeber 11th, 2013, was a day for most Americans is a sad day of remembrance of the lives lost due to the horrific terrorist attack . Now for me not only will I forever be changed by that event in our history but the same day this year my life changed forever.

I was on my way to work when I was involved in a terrible accident. My car was tboned and I remember waking up in an ambulance . Scared and in shock I still remember smelling the sterile space of the ambulance as I regained consciousness for the wreck. I was on the stretcher feeling the tight hold the straps of the gerany had I my body, and the smothering hold the neck brace had on my neck. Confused I looked around wanting to speak, cry, scream out and nothing was coming out of my mouth. I must have lost consciousness again because the next memory is waking up in the hospital being transferred from the gearny to a emergency department bed .

Until this point I had not felt pain , much less felt anything at all. I felt as if I was trapped inside my body unable to feel or speak. I was moved from the gearny to the bed and then it hit me. A exscruciating burst of hot pain in my pelvic region as if a hot knife had been thrusted into my lower back . I began screaming "no don't, please don't move me". As I see several unfamiliar faces rushing around me with brows furrowed, they begin  attatching iv's and leads to my body as I lay there helpless and lost. 

In order to asses the bruises, lacerations, and status of my body I was told " okay me. Rhodes we have to roll you on your side in order to take a look at your left side". I remember thinking okay just hurry and fix me , but all I could muster up was a nod of my head. As the doctors and nurses began to roll my body over I felt a pain that I had never felt before. I tight pressure began forming on my left hip, followed by a increasingly sharp pain , and then finally a immense pulling and burning pain shot through my hip all the way to my toes . During the shot of hot pain coursing through my left side a loud pop noise occurred followed by a numbing sensation. 

I suddenly found the strength to speak and yelled out loud " stop, my hip is out of socket". A look of confusion and worry painted the faces of my doctors and nurses as they gently laid me back down flat on my back . I was then left alone, laying there by myself with thoughts of confusion as to what happened , where was I , and slight wall of darkness slipped over me as I tiptoed in and out of consciousness. Finally a nurse walked in , after what seemed like hours, with a small clear siringe with no needle. I asked her "what is that ?" She then replied with a smile that seemed to be covering up just how worried she was and said " this is for you, something to take away your pain and help you relax". It was that moment when I realized something is wrong , all I could think is I need my boyfriend steven and my mom.

Once I had calmed down and the medication took affect, I was in a state of almost outer body experience. I felt like me but like I was watching everything that was happening from the corner of the room. I could see myself lying on the bed in a room that was big enough for a car to be parked inside. Lying on the bed ,stabilized by straps and a neck brace , I saw another nurse one who. I had not see before enter and she began asking me questions . I do not quite remember everything she had asked me , as it seemed like I was playing the game of twenty questions. Then she leaves yet another bout of solitary with me just attempting to understand what had just happened when a huge group of doctors and EMS personel entered the room. 

The tight , suffocating straps and neck brace remained snug and secure around my body holding me to a hard, flat plastic board. The team working on me grabbed all side of the board I laid on and picked me up , placing me on another gearny to be transferred back to the ambulance. I was hen told "ms. Rhodes you are being transferred to a hospital in Greenville , which is about an hour drive, where you will receive treatment for your injuries from your wreck". A sudden feeling of awareness swam over me like hot water from a shower, and then I remembered. The crash, the injuries, the pain , and just by hearing those words I was imidiately thrown out of shock and into a complete state of coherence. That moment I understood what had taken place and I wanted to just see, hear , or feel someone I knew and loved. 

As I was wanting , craving the feeling of normalcy and to see a familiar face I heard his voice. Warm and calm his voice flowed through my ears like sweet harmonized music and put me at ease. It was steven! My boyfriend had showed up just as they were about to roll me back into the ambulance and send me to Greenville. As soon as I saw his face I began to feel every ounce of pain, making me burst into tears. The EMS men placed me back into the ambulance and I was on my way to Greenville. 

I don't know how many of you have ridden in an ambulance but it is not a smooth ride. The effects of the pain meds begin to wear off and each bump , no matter what size , the ambulance hit I could feel the pain more and more each bump we passed over. The only comforting thing was knowing that Steven was followng directly behind the ambulance and tha soon I would be able to hug him and see his charming handsome face.