Happy Halloween everyone! I used to hate this hallowday (sorry, couldn't halp it) but now I celebrate it as the day I survived.
Five years ago today, at 6:47pm est, I was walking across a street on the way to dinner when I was struck by a car going 40mph by a drunk college student going from one party to another. I flew over the 30 feet or so (I'd have to check the records) and was going in and out of consiousness for about 40 minutes until the ambulance came. My clothing (including an awesome and brand new sweater I had just gotten for my birthday! ) was unceremoniously ripped off of me by the paramedics rather dissimilarly to the way I had imagined and hoped it might happen that night. I was taken to the hospital where I was given a clean bill health and walked out a few hours later! I had to borrow some clothing from a few friends.
This was an event that changed the course of my life. And it's totally awesome memory! It also changed my outlook on Halloween. It's the day I survived!
Given the circumstances of the accident, and the fact that I suffered no major physical injuries other then really painful bruising (in the following days), led many to consider the event miraculous. From what I've been told however, most people on campus hadn't heard that I actually survived. Apparently I still haunt the place.
To be honest, I would have preferred the physical damage.
The damage from the accident was mental. And thank god for it! If it weren't for the brain damage, I would never have pulled out of school the next semester. I would never have run into the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the Acceleration Studies Foundation, nor had time to obsess over all this open source, blogging, and social networking stuff!
The day I survived led to the rest of my life. So, thank the gods for drunk driving, brain damage, and Halloween!
In other news, if you frequent my site you may notice a few changes. First of all, it's no longer blue, but red! Also, there's a pretty butterfly in the top right corner. Ignore the butterfly. I like the overall color scheme, and am thinking about revamping my web presence and the butterfly is helping me in my thinking. Ignore the butterfly.
You may also notice a new widget to the top right. It's a countdown to my next surgery. This will be number thirty.. something on my vocal chords since I was an infant. I lost count after I passed thirty.
For many, this would be something to be sad about. I find it life affirming. And funny. Very funny.
Each time I have surgery, there's a remote chance I might not wake up from the anesthesia. This is a reality I've faced since I was young. It's never something I've feared. (Needles on the other hand...) To be honest, I've almost grown to enjoy my hospital visits in some perverse way! Save for having to deal with insurance.. That completely ruins the experience.
Why am I blogging this? Because each surgery I've had has been a day I've survived. I've had more brushes with death than I can even count, and each one has given me an appreciation for life that I'm thankful for without words, and a morbid sense of humor that it pains me to have to reign in around most company.
Also, I wanted to explain the widget. It's my way to celebrate! Ignore the butterfly.
Tags: surgery, halloween, life, celebration
