Near Death Experience!? Possible graphic images!

[karissaelaine]

Has anyone had a near death experience that has effected them in a major way? I don't mean the exaggerated near death experience, I mean a very real experience.

2 years ago I was in a really bad car wreck. I was inexperienced and was going too fast around a turn, when I hit a 1 ton truck head on, with my tiny Ford Escort. I was cut out with the jaws of life and taken to the local hospital, where they debated air lifting me to a bigger city. I was in the hospital for 5 weeks with a broken right leg and foot, broken left ankle, and collapsed left lung. I had surgery on my leg and ankle and now have an 18" rod in my leg, along with a plate and screws. I have since had the metal removed from my left ankle, as it was causing me a lot of pain. I also has surgery on my lung because after 2 chest tubes it wouldn't heal. I am a lot better now, although I do have pain in my leg often.

[Sir Harry]

Wow, Karissa....That's just amazing.....and you lived to tell about it....Thanks for sharing!

[warhawk]

Hi Karissa:  I am glad that U are doing better.  Wow.... U are a walking miracle to survive that accident.

WARHAWK

[Lee]

No personal death experiences here, however I'm a retired firefighter and I'm currently working in a children's hospital, so I've seen my share of tragedy and dispair.  I can tell from your wreck that you are a very lucky young woman.  Kudos to you for enduring the pain and rehabilitation to emerge on the other side whole.  You definitely have someone looking out for you.  By the way, I love your shaved head, modeling yet?

Take Care,

Lee

[karissaelaine]

Thanks everyone! It was a very difficult time for me, emotionally and physically.

[Bolohead]

Thank you Karissaelaine for sharing this, I'm glad your much better now.  I have not had this kind of experience with a vehicle, but did with a firearm but have no photos of it.

Believe me it was bad enough at the time.

[Sir Harry]

To answer the original question about "near death experiences" Back in October 2009, I was working overnight at the grain plant on barges.....within two hours of the end of the shift, the hoist holding a 15-ton barge cover failed....I was on the outer end of the barge slip which is separated from the river.....I just remember someone yelling "look out!" and I think I lost consciousness. When I came to, I was floating in 15 feet of water (I was wearing a life jacket and hard hat) I was bleeding on the right side of my face and missing three teeth but I was able to swim and grab a rope on the other side of the barge slip...The tugboat crew pulled me out of the water, and I was able to remember everything except when I actually got hit in the head. I got 14 stitches in my face and I lost four teeth (the fourth tooth was so damaged it could not be saved). The company did take care of me though, paying all of my medical bills and "breaking me off" a little. By the way, I only missed two weeks of work, but I'm thankful that I was able to swim and that this didn't happen in the main part of the river!

[Frontier Guy]

No personal experience, but I have lost friends who died much too young for one reason or another (some their own doing, some not). Having been "this close" to that experience has had a profound impact on me to focus on the positive, seize the opportunities available, and be a good role model for others when I can.

But congratulations to you. How could that NOT have a huge impact on your entire outlook?

[karissaelaine]

I am glad to be getting so many replies that say "I have not had a near death experience", with the exception of SlySirHarry and J_B. I hope you have both recovered emotionally and physically.
I also feel like I am not the same person I was before my wreck. I used to have so much energy and now I feel like I have none. Seeing that I am 18, it may be some sort of hormonal change, but it has only been since my wreck. Coincidence?

[-Doug-]

Karissa, that's an major amount of damage. I'm gald to see that you were able to recover from it.

The closest I've come is falling asleep at the wheel after being up for way too long. I woke up after drifitng to the left side of a double wide lane and over corrected and turned the car perpendicular to the road. I went over the side of the road and hit an embankment that wasn't too far of off  the side of the road. I was wearing my seat belt but there was no air bag in this car - too old. Fortuneately it was late at night and there was no other traffic. I was able to climb out of the car and hail someone down to call the cops and my parents. No injuries but it made me really aware of how quickly things can go wrong in a car.

[Slynito]

Yes, indeed you are very lucky to be where you are today. It took a lot of strength, determination and courage for you at get yourself through that very hard time in your life...you are a very brave woman. It may take awhile longer to get through the emotional pain.

[Frontier Guy]

No injuries but it made me really aware of how quickly things can go wrong in a car.

Very fortunate for you Doug.

Stories like this (and Karissa's which started the topic) are strong reinforcement to life every day to the fullest, because life change "change in an instant."

Which makes understanding your priorities really important.

[Slyfive]

I crashed a kite buggy at around 70-80kms an hour and spiral fractured my right tib and fib so my foot was backwards and my leg pointed out at 90 degrees from the break (mid lower leg), I was very lucky not to break my back due to the way i impacted but I was full non weight bearing in a full leg cast for 8 months, I was 14 so they refused to plate as it may stunt the growth in that leg. Subsequently my leg began to bend and grew multiple bone calluses in order to stop itself from breaking when I walked. I eventually went back in to the doctor, although we had moved countries by this point, the x-rays showed that it had worn away most of one half of my ankle due to the botched first surgery attaching my leg at 15 degrees from straight. I then had a corrective surgery with bone graft to replace all the badly formed calluses and worn ankle, and a 30cm long plate was screwed in to hold it together. I nearly died from a massive allergic reaction to the drugs and general anaesthetic, I was lying in the recovery room coming to, I couldn't move or see very clearly by the doctors were standing around me saying I wasn't breathing, but I couldn't make my body do anything, it took a horribly long time for me to finally gasp for air, that is the last thing I remember for about 3 months, the drugs wiped my memory clean. Again 8 months non weight bearing and they messed that up as well etc etc blah blah blah and I had to have another surgery. I am now 23 and just able to use my leg properly again having had the last surgery a year ago.

[karissaelaine]

Slyfine -WOW. that is an amazing story. When I was in my wreck my ankle was twisted backwards under the seat, but your story, wow.

[Slyfive]

I reckon we're just both lucky to have been able to stick around. It will get better, the energy levels pick up after a while, it's a big thing for your body to go through, and by the sounds of it you're doing great. Has your breathing ability gone back to normal?