Dear Ross:
I have followed the story of your son, his fiancee and future mother in law daily, except this weekend. Initially I was surprised to hear that Chris was at home, but then I remembered my friend last year.
She was in a vry bad accident last year, and like Chris broke/mangled her right foot. She also had broken ribs (from the seatbelt) a broken finger, and bruises you would not believe across her shoulder and chest, breast area. Of course the seatbelt saved her life.
She was in the hospital, about five days, and they sent her home. She had incredibly GOOD insurance. Her mother, the one she lives with, is 80 years old. She could not walk, but transferred herself back and forth into a wheelchair, through sheer will power, and medication. A week later, she is at the ortho guy, to schedule surgery. Mentions to him that her other foot is pretty sore, can' step on it, they take an xray, and sure enough the heel is broken on the other foot. They schedule the surgery, and she is out of work for 6 months. Her car is not salvagable. A group of us got together, and tried as best we could to help out. One of us was there every night....grocery shopping,take out the trash, etc. She had a very hard time with the injuries, and even though Chris is young, I suspect he is going to as well. It is a long, long road. She still does not walk properly (a bit over a year later), her foot is very swollen still, and, because of her age probably, it has changed her forever. The ortho guy told her that this was the best it would be.
She did not, however, have a brain injury.
Her health insurnace leaned the insurnace claim she had against the other driver's insurnace, so they were paid out of the settlement. So, about the only thing she got out of it, was a new car. Wages were not replaced, nothing for her pain and suffering. Mind you she had car insurance, and the other driver (an elderly lady) had decent car insurnace. Now she could have gone after the lady, but she opted out. It was a good thing she carried, privately, disability insurnace. Here is the kicker.....she is a registered nurse. So of all people, one would have thought they would have given her extra good care in hospital......but no, five days later, home to an 80 year old woman. You go figure.
In conclusion, Ross, I join all of the others, in being SO grateful that your son has come as far as he has in his recover, as well as his fiancee. It could be SO much worse., We wish you the best in the coming weeks, months.,
Marybeth
