Getting Caught Up: I Crashed the Car

(Beginning side note: I haven't blogged for over two weeks. Wee Nora has been keeping me on my toes, as have entertaining Lana and keeping the house relatively sanitary enough for habitation. Oh, and sleep, definitely what little sleep I can get has taken priority over blogging. Sorry about that. Actually, when I don't write, I'm the one who suffers most, so I should apologize to myself really. Anyway, we've had a few major events happen in the last month, and even if no one else ever reads this, I need to chronicle it all as a part of our family's history. I also know my time and energy are limited, so I'll break it up into different parts.)

So, yeah. I guess the title says it all. I Crashed the Car.

We're all okay and fine, but it doesn't change the fact that I Crashed the Car. Once it was turned right ways and hauled to the auto yard, this is what was left:

Fortunately, Lana, new baby, and I came out of the accident looking a lot better than the car.

For as traumatizing and  scary as the accident was, it really is a simple story. Lana and I were headed to town for work and daycare, the same thing we do on most mornings. Our rural road was clear and I drove on it per usual. However, after coming down a big hill, the clear road turned very, very icy. The car went into a skid, and I couldn't get slowed down or correct the course. The car went off the road and we ended up in a ditch upside down. Our car didn't have many bells and whistles, but it did have really good seat belts, and for that I will always be grateful.

Lana's carseat also earned a hero's celebration as it held up perfectly and protected our sweet girl to the absolute best of its ability. Lana was scared and screaming, but she got calmed down fairly quickly, and me keeping her calm helped me to stay calm. We were both hanging upside down and I was able to unlatch my seat belt and Lana's seat. However, I could not manage to open a door. I was about to call for help on my cell phone when a man yelled that he was going to try to open a door. From the outside, this kind stranger opened the door and freed us. He carried Lana up out of the ditch and I crawled out on my own, not recalling that I was 37 weeks pregnant until I reached the level surface of the road. Lana was in the man's truck, wrapped in a blanket and eating a lollipop. She seemed okay, but her head was bleeding a bit and she was still scared. I felt fine and just wanted to get Lana and the baby checked out. The man happened to be a volunteer fireman and had already radioed for emergency services. They arrived quickly and I called Dan.

I can't imagine being Dan and getting my phone call. I was sure to begin the conversation with, "We're all fine." But I suppose even that does very little to make a man feel better when he's called with the news that his wife, daughter, and unborn daughter have been in an accident.

Paramedics determined that yes, I was fine, but couldn't make the same definitive diagnosis for Lana. Her head and neck hurt, so she was put in a neck collar and strapped in a stretcher to take an ambulance ride to the ER. I rode along with her and ended up laughing more that being worried. Lana talked that poor paramedic's ear off. She asked a zillion questions about the truck, the instruments, and all about Mr. Paramedic himself. (His name was Andrew, by the way, and his favorite number is 5.)

At the ER, Dan stayed with Lana through her examination, including a CT scan, and I was sent down the hall for fetal monitoring. Prayers were answered and thankful tears shed when tests for both girls came back just fine. Lana had no neck injury and baby girl's vitals were normal as well.

Again, the car took the blows, and the passengers were protected. Thank you little Cali the Cavalier. You served us well and held up when we needed it the most.

Lana's sweet forehead got a bit beat up when she was showered with glass from the broken rear window. She got a few stitches and we smother her in scar cream often.

Sis-in-law Angela snapped this picture of our girl when she volunteered for Aunt-of-the-Year duties and picked Lana up from the hospital, got her a bath and lunch, and let her run around her house while Dan and I stayed behind for continued fetal monitoring. For as scared and banged up as she got, Lana quickly returned to her normal, happy, smiling self. It makes my stomach ill to know she had this horrible experience, but so glad that she's bounced back.

A few weeks later, (after Christmas, baby being born, and another trip to the ER - there's a lot to get caught up on) we got a new car. I no longer drive what I jokingly called a "high school girl's car" and now sport a Subaru Outback, aka my "Mom Car." I've only driven it three days so far, but really do like it. I just hope it takes after the crashed car and will protect us if we ever need it to. Although I'd be more than fine with never, ever getting in a wreck again.