Drunk & Driving

I was hit by a drunk driver a few nights ago. I was driving home after my last clinical shift of the semester. After our class finishes a clinical rotation most of us are quite happy and almost euphoric, because it’s a huge accomplishment and we are proud of ourselves and our classmates. And we deserve to be happy, because nursing school isn’t always a walk in the park. So I was happy, and couldn’t wait to get home to tell my husband, who would have been in bed because it was late, but I was going to wake him up anyway. He’s used to it and probably expects it.

I was going to make a turn and from behind I was hit, and it was a hard hit. I don’t usually write about things other than my children. I don’t like the attention; my inner core tends to be an introvert. But this time it’s important.

I can remember the crash and find myself waking through the night hearing the crunch of metal or the impact of my head off the headrest. It was a hard hit.There are more details to the story but they aren’t all that relevant, the important part is that the driver was impaired. He was driving IMPAIRED.

I have a concussion. That’s what happens when you are hit at 45km an hour when you are stopped. Your body retains most of the hit, or maybe your head. It’s been a rough few days to say the least. I have forgotten what I was doing twice, I have forgotten my daughter's name once. I asked Scott the same question three times within an hour. I am tired and have migraines and it’s almost Christmas. I understand things like this can happen, but who is most affected by this? Not me. When something happens to you, well, you just deal with it.

So who is most affected?

My family.

They don’t understand why I need to nap throughout the day. Why they have to stay so quiet all of the time because the noise puts me to tears, that the lights are dimmed or off because the brightness makes the room spin. They don’t understand why I just look at them when they ask a question because I’m not quite sure of the answer, or I’ve forgotten the question.  And it sucks, it sucks so bad.

So friends, people in my life, anyone who may read this. Please, please don’t drink and drive. The holidays are upon us and celebrating goes hand in hand with that, but leave your car. Find other arrangements. I am sure you all have that one friend (or five) who has said “if you need anything”. Well call in that favour because it’s worth it. Trust me, it’s totally worth it.