My Michele and Me

My name is Rachel and my daughter Mia. We are survivoirs of a horrific car accident that changed our lives. It was a wednsday morning and we were running late for school and work. Niether of us had gotten a great nights sleep and were a little grouchy. That,  plus the dark, wet roads and the fog made for the combination that slid us down a hill on our country road and a metal fence post literally lodged into my tire and flipped our car onto its side and into a tree. The worst part of this equation was that She was in the front seat. We both had our seatbelts on but I had told myself "we are just going down the road to her school, what could possibly happen?" A couple of months earlier She had asked me why couldnt She sit in the front seat, all of Her other first grade friends got to sit in thier mom's front seats?! I remember rationalizing it all in my head just then, the part about what could possibly happen and her being tall enough right? And arent we all so proud of those next stages of Our Baby's Lives? The rationalization took all of about a minute and I let her sit in the front seat just going to and from school, literally on 2 roads.

 

Now She is a paraplegic, She suffered a spinal cord injury at T1 and T2. I'm sure I will somehow learn to forgive myself someday, I dont know, it doesnt feel like I ever will though. I just keep going back to that moment in my mind, before we got into the car that morning and seeing myself putting her in the back seat in a proper restraint for her age, and cant help but wonder what would have happened instead of this reality. I really hope that after reading this it helps just one parent change their mind about letting their child sit in the front seat, even if its just on your own road. That was where it happened for us, the road that changed our lives forever, our road.

As you can imagine my car got smashed pretty badly. They had to cut the front windshield open to get us out of the car. It was the most horrible 15 minutes of my life, laying there looking at my Daughter, talking to her and doing everything to keep her talking to me and awake until help arrived. 

We are truly blessed to be alive and that I only had a broken arm. We have a wonderful support system , family and friends that love and pray everyday for us. We both have health insurance, medicaid, that does cover mostly everything she needs, her rehab, wheelchair, catheter supplies, outpatient therapies and counseling. My parents have moved us into their home, first floor and built a ramp for her.  The greatest thing is She still smiles and laughs and is my beacon of hope and love everyday.
We are not in desperate need of anything except a vehicle to get us to her school and all of her doctor and therapy appointments. A family member suggested this to me  and I am all about putting my faith and trust into God and Goodness now so here goes. 
God Bless, 
  A very Grateful Single Mother, Rachel


ps ..the picture was at rehab where we spent Christmas, and seeing her with the santa that came to visit with that smile on her face is the stuff of true miracles.