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That's right. I just had a car crash. Took the exit ramp too quickly and WHAM. Car destroyed. Never had an accident before. Seat belt cut my neck and my chest hurts. My glasses flew off into the blue and I can't see. And now I'll have a $400 deductable and have to pay for a rental for a month because I didn't get that rental policy thing because "oh no, I never will have an accident". Good thing I paid my bills for this month already. And I was supposed to go to my old college Homecoming today too. I'm going to bed.
[ October 06, 2006, 10:37 AM: Message edited by: Telperion the Silver ]
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No. Not yet. Don't think I can afford to. Although I am getting a little worried about this chest pain. Hurts in the center where the ribs come together, especially when I take a deep breath. Hopefully it'll go away in a day or so.
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Busted ribs take six weeks to heal fully, but there should be improvement in a few days. Don't let them get worse on you. You may not feel like you can afford it, but you only get one body. Check back, please. I'd hug you, but I know how that hurts.
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Oh, no! I'm glad you're alive, though - that's the important thing. I narrowly escaped a similar crash once, and now I'm hyper-careful about exit ramps. I agree that you need to go see a doctor soon. If you have to, borrow the money from family or friends. Chances are it's just bruised ribs and you'll be fine, but better to have a doc see you now, in case there's a more serious problem.
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What state are you in? Many states mandate that auto insurance covers $2000 or more for medical. For instance in Maryland it is called personal injury coverage. If I was in your accident and I wanted to see a doctor my insurance company would pay up to $2500 for hospital and loss of income for work.
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Saw your profile, in Michigan you should have this coverage. Contact your insurance company and say you need to file a personal injury claim.
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I know what you mean about the ribs thing. When I was eight, we had a car accident, and I ended up with red bruising all along where the seatbelt was. But I got out of p.e. for like a month because it hurt so much.
In my junior year of high school I got a super nasty and long lasting cough, and had chest pain right in the middle there (like above the xyphoid process) I figured I'd broken a rib, but when my doc x-rayed it there was no bone damage. Apparently I had torn the connective tissue, and THAT takes 18 months to heal, oh joy. So it was literally that long before a could take a deep breath without pain. It did slowly slowly improve until no pain; like at first I couldn't breather without pain,t hen shallow breaths were fine, then full breaths, but deep breathing still hurt, etc.
But go see a doc. Don't want any loose bits of pointy bone wandering around in there, very bad.
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Thanks guys. *hugs* Took a little sleep. Feel kinda sick. Now I have to begin the horrible process of calling people.
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Telperion, I really am worried about you, and I think you should be seen. Persisting serious sternal pain after blunt force trauma is worrisome (not necessarily a bad thing, but worrisome in case). Given that you totalled a car, there were some serious forces involved.
Was there an airbag? Do you know if you hit the steering wheel, or was it just the seat belt and/or air bag?
About 5% of cases of blunt trauma to the chest result in a fracture to the sternum, and somewhere around 1/4 to 1/2 of those are associated with underlying damage to the lungs or heart. Less likely for this given you are young and healthy, but I really think someone should lay hands on you.
I am going to see if I can dig up a free or sliding-scale clinic in Detroit.
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Telperion, the City of Detroit Health Department does have a clinic accessible through 313-876-4827, but they appear to be booked up through November. You could try calling and see if there is a cancellation or an overflow clinic of some kind.
If you have trouble breathing, internal chest pain, heart palpitations, or trouble breathing, these are yet more worrisome signs. Regardless, you really should not be alone (especially just going off to sleep alone) right now. Is there someon who can stay with you or at whose place you can stay while this immediate period passes? If not, would you please go sit in a cafe for awhile and read or make your phone calls there, out in public with people around, just in case?
Please feel free to email me if you want help sorting out how to do an emergency room visit and payments afterward. I do think that would be the best course of action, but I understand that this is your decision to make. I can help, though.
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quote:Originally posted by Telperion the Silver: Thanks CT. I really appreciate it, and I'll keep an eye out for any symptoms.
Okay. I'll pull out my dusty "take a leap of faith and trust everything will be okay" card (not seen for several years, so it's kinda crusty) and leave you be.
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Telp, be well. Please take CT's advice, even if the symptoms are slight. *hugs* I'm sorry this happened but so grateful that you're in one piece.
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Keep checking in. I've lived with the harsh realities of no insurance for many years, but if you can be around other people for a day or two, that would be best.
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I'm trying to find a place to rent a car (looking at Hertz) and get new glasses. I'm so very sleepy but I can't sleep till I get this stuff done. Send me good vibes...or coffee.
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It's things like this that make me very greatful for the Canadian medical system. It might take a few hours (not always, my last time in the emergency room took less than 1.5 hours) but anyone can see a doctor and not have to worry about out of pocket expenses.
Telp, take care of yourself and do see a doctor if at all possible. I was in a fairly minor accident almost a month ago and I am still dealing with neck, shoulder, and back pain. Fortunately I was not at fault and insurance is covering all of my expenses (medical and vehicle). I hope everything works out for you.
Posts: 1336 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Hi everyone. Good news, I have a rental and I was able to find my glasses. The car is MESSED UP though. Totally totalled. I'm still shaken and my brain isn't working very well, but I'll be ok.
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*huggles Telpy gently* Try to stay awake or have a friend check to see if your eyes are dialated. Going to sleep with a concussion is *bad* AJ
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#1) I'm glad you made it through the crash relatively unscathed.
#2) Get your butt to the emergency room. I'm sorry to say it, but this isn't about us worrying about you, etc., etc., (well, okay, it's about that too), but underlying trauma that could be there, even if you DON'T feel it.
I don't want to scare you, and, yes, it sounds as if you may just be shaken, not stirred, but the downside risks of automobile crash-related trauma are just too darn serious to take lightly.
Go to the emergency room.
Go now.
If you have no other way of getting there, call an ambulance.
You should have gone immediately from the scene, but you should still go now.
Go.
Now.
If you are still reading this, you have missed the point.
GO ALREADY.
Git!
(and report back please...)
(PLEASE don't be a statistic...or rather, more of one. I hate reading those crash reports. I do it for a living. Don't make me read yours in the wrong column, okay? PLEASE!!!)
Also -- make sure they take you to the local trauma center where they are likely to know from car crashes. It makes a difference.
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I wish I'd seen this thread earlier. I don't come to Hatrack during the day, though.
crud.
It is a good sign that so many hours passed from the first to most recent Telp-post.
But the kinds of things that are running through my mind as still not completely unlikely possibilities are still nasty enough if untreated.
And feeling sick is already enough of a sign afic, that someone needs checking by trained medical professionals.
I wish I knew someone still who lived in that area. I'd sic 'em on Telp and drag the accident victim in for a thorough going over.
...
NOTE: Telp, AFTER you've been checked out and gotten some good sleep, I would like to hear all about the crash, the car, the off-ramp, everything!
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(Bob, I don't have it in me to insist anymore, even when I think I should. It burns out my frantic-caring receptors, but then again that's my problem, not the problem of people I care about. I do know that, and I'm working on it. But I'm glad to see you step up to the plate, for sure.)
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Oh, yeah, whenever one of the babies bonks their head, my husband wants me to check their pupils for "equal, round, reactive to light" at 30 and 60 minutes. He went to EMT school once. I wish I'd remembered that this morning.
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Hey Karl, add me to the nag list. Get checked out. The sleepy/brain not working stuff does not sound good.
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Me as well. At least have someone stay with you. You should probably be awakened during the night to check for concussion symptoms. If you don't have anyone else, I'm sure people here can call you periodically during the night to make sure you're awake.
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I'm going to convince myself that he's either sleeping through the pain or is over at the emergency room.
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I'm ok and alive. I didn't die and I didn't get any worse. I was just in shock. My neck wound still hurts where the belt cut in but the pain in my chest is almost gone.
I was shaken for the past couple days and I'm still scared when I take exit ramps but I'm doing better. I ended up making my trip to Alma College for my Homecoming and got to see my old friends and new frat Bros. Trip helped me out.
[ October 09, 2006, 02:01 AM: Message edited by: Telperion the Silver ]
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You went to Alma? A good friend of mine is attending Alma right now.
Please, seriously still go to the ER. You might be hurt and not know it, you might be hurt and you won't feel it for ten years, but you NEED to get it on record now so you can make claims later.
What freeway were you on? (just curious)
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Megan Thompson. I know she played soccer there for two years and only this year decided not to continue with it. Too stressful I think, with all her school work, and she didn't enjoy it like she did in high school.
She should graduate in two years with a degree I think in biology.
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. Get checked up on man.
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