My Slightly Sideways Look At Life And Trucking In Canada/US

The spelling mistakes add to the charm of this Blog..!! A Blog is like a woman..???? you start at the bottom and work your way up,,,!!!!!

Für min chumpels üs di schwiitz, nim da google übersetze

Just go to Google Translatehttp://translate.google.com/translate_t



Friday, September 12, 2008

1000th OF A SECOND


Aug 11th

I called Spirit driver Brian who i new would be in Georgia,just south of Chattanooga, and arranged to meet at the J for coffee and a chit chat...the tight bugger didnt even pay..
He would be loading near by so was killing time at the J flirting on the internet ?????
We said our goodbyes as i needed and wanted to get another 200 miles under my belt today,was in no great hurry, just like to keep my daily quota up..

Rounded Atlanta swung down onto the I75 south,,woo hoo not much traffic making good time,good musik pumping out my speakers,the sun beating down,good times...

Cheaked my mirror,,bum one of the load straps has loosend and is dragging close to the trailer wheels,so i pulled well of on the hard shoulder..got out and began tightening the rouge strap

1000th of a SECOND

Pain,,,,,excrutiating pain,,,hot searing sensation,im crying ,shouting ,swearing,why ????
STOP THIS PAIN
I,m on the floor,no im laying on the interstate looking under my trailer ?????
I scramble to safety under my trailer,,,SHIT THIS PAIN,,please some one stop and help me,cant you see me here???? under here waiving ?????
A blonde haired woman appeared,Dixi, cell to her ear shouting instructions and directions,she holds my hand ,words of comfort,she needs my name ??? how old am i ?? PAIN,,, PLEASE STOP THE PAIN
Distant sirens,Dixi assures me they will be here in 2 minutes,they arrive, more questions, they move me ,NO THE PAIN ,STOP PLEASE,GIVE ME A SHOT
Another rescue vehical arrives,i get my first shot and placed on a streacher then into an ambulance,i get a second shot,the pain subdues,every thing blurs,a hellicopter.......................................................................................................................

Aug 13th

I hear voices,strange voices,strange room,strange bed,strange dream this ??? all in HD,perfect sound and vision with smells. Strange people here,where am i ?? i,m told my fiance is here ??????
Louise appears,her eyes red from crying,Debs too,,??? small memories begin to form in my head
slowly getting an idea,i hold Louise and cry and cry and cry.
My right arm is in a large cast and bandage,my left arm is blue and violette,,, I,M ALIVE..

Sept 12 th
I,m home at Louises, 3 opperations and a skin graft latter, i still get flash backs ,i need months of therapy to learn to re-use my arm and fingers,, the doctors in the Grady Memorial Hospital,which has one of the best trauma units in the whole of the US,saved my arm,reconected arteries and tendons screwed bones together,planted skin over what was left of my fore arm,,.
I have so many people that i should thank,
All the nurses and docs on floor 6B
To my darling Louise and Deb
To Kim my boss who blubberd every day till she new i was safe
And my friends that called and texted me daily whilst i lay 3 weeks in an Atlanta hospital..
The future is un clear,but im happy and alive.

1000th of a second

So what happend ????
A driver of a Dodge Ram truck,whilst talking on his cell,whilst driving under the influence of alchahol, drove with approx 80 miles an hour half on the hard shoulder,missed the rear of my trailer but clipped me with his mirrors almost ripping my right arm off. He just drove on oblivious to his deeds,lucky for me a whitness got his number, he was arrested and charged.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

A terrible story, and not much consolation, but at least you lived, and it sounds like you have great support mate.

Graham Parks said...

Thanks Mick, yes the support has and still is amazing. I have no idea what the future will bring..

Mick Flynn Images said...

Hi Graham, I have just read your post as well, and lets face it, none of us know what the future will bring, but we are sure you will get through the situation ok.
Take care
Cath

rudds said...

Graham, Great to know your OK mate, well reasonably OK anyway!
A lot of the guys have been asking of you.

How long is the recovery likely to be or is it a case of wait and see how it all heals.

You take care anyway mate.

Paul
BTA

Graham Parks said...

Hi Paul,recovery ?? rehab should take approx 3 months with good therapy i should retain 85-90% usage of my right arm..

Martin said...

Graham,

Sorry to hear about your injury but real glad to see on your blog that it isn't worse (sounds like it could've easily been!!).

I believe in the Karma; you're still here because you deserve to be! Good luck with your recovery process.

Any chance of asking the docs/rehab staff if, while they're fixing your arm, they can fix your spelling??? LOL ;-)

See you over at BTA soon!!

Martin.

Graham Parks said...

Martin your well wishes just cracked me up,,which hurt tons as i also have a busted rib or 2...Rehab is limited to learning how to wiggle my fingers,,Woo hoo

Javi said...

Sorry so much!.I have no words.

Take care,and have a fast/good recovery!
Javi

Lorna_D said...

I can't beleive what I'm reading, I really hope you are ok. Let me know who that ba$tard is and I'll set the Yanke drivers on him.

Take it easy and listen to your nurses ;)

Get better soon

Lorna

Graham Parks said...

Oh Lorna you are so funny,putting a contract out on that guy had passed through my mind tho...But i,ll leave that to the courts.
And if you dont believe the words i can allways put photos up..????

kb33 said...

Hi Mate

Can't believe this as happened to you Just read it again and you were so lucky, But as someone said its Karma and you deserve to still be with us, Really hope you have a speedy recovery and get back in a truck pretty quick .

All the best mate and don't forget them skiing lessons ;0)

Kevin

Anonymous said...

OOOOH MY,
Sorry to hear about this mate and hope you have a full recovery and will be able to keep living the 30 year later dream.

All the best,
LOAFY...