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brendapals

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Hello to all my friends, I wasn't sure where to put this, so here I am!

As many of you know, I was diagnosed with bulbar onset ALS back in June 08. I'm doing pretty good with that, still working, going to 2 college classes, going to my sons' football games, baseball games, whatever comes up.

On to the story...
Saturday night, 11/1/08, our 18 yr old son went to a friend's Halloween party. He took a buddy of his that he runs cross country with, and their intention was to go to the party and hang out for a while, then both come back to our house and spend the night. ( and stay up all night playing video games I'm sure).

Evan left our house at 730pm and we got "the phone call" at 820pm. He called and told my husband that he had been in an accident, but that everyone was OK. Naturally, he was in my car-the Scion XB-more fondly known as "the toaster".

My hubby and I jumped in his truck and drove the 13 or so miles to the accident. It took my breath away for a moment, and then...the adrenalin kicked in. We had to park about one-half mile from the accident, everything was blocked to avoid another accident, my hubby stopped the truck, and I jumped out of the truck and starting "walking fast", running is not an activity in my arsenal (sp)!

Of course Evan was fine, so were the two kids with him, as well as the driver of the truck that t-boned him. He hugged me, cried with me, repeatedly told me how sorry he was ( and also listened to me whisper in his ear I knew he was sorry and I would have to kill him tomorrow! lol).

We took him to the ER, just to be safe, and yes, he was fine. A little "carpet burn" from the seatbelt, and that's it. The other 2 teenagers also got checked, and they were fine too.

My Scion is literally "toast", but I really do have a point to this whole story...

For those on here without a diagnosed, or with a diagnosed and struggling with it, or with a diagnosed and handling it fine, I just wanted to get on here and share a story about faith. I can't fully describe what it felt like rushing to my son, but I do know that God was with Evan that night, and also with me-He kept me from falling flat on my face around so many police cars!

So even with my ALS diagnosed, I was first a mother, and I have to admit, it felt great after the initial shock was over. Our 15 yr old stayed home with the 7 yr old, and for the first time since my diagnosed, we talked about something other than ALS. Evan reminded me that on a positive note, I still have a VW bug, 1969, that runs just fine. lol

Everyone is just fine, and I'm taking the day off to go to the junkyard place and clean out my car, then talk to my insurance co about the wreck. Life does have a way of throwing curve balls ( my ALS ) our way, but I love to come out fighting!

Never give up,
Never let up,
Never lose faith,
brenda
 
Brenda

I am so glad your son is o.k., sorry the toaster is toast. I know what your saying though, I don't have ALS but I have had two of my kids in bad wrecks, my daughter at 16 wrecked my brand new conversion van, and walked away, and 4 years ago my son got ran over while changing a tire on the side of the road. The police could not believe it when they called an ambulance for a child that was actually alive. He broke his hip, had severe road rash that required months of special care, and one side of his body is smaller from nerve damage, but he is alive and probably more thankful to be and enjoys life more today because of this. There is nothing in the world more terrifying than getting that phone call, I will say when I was called to be told, your son has been ran over, I felt the room spin and almost felt the ground before I caught myself from falling. I will never forget those days and Thank God He was watching over them, We always tell my son He was in Good hands with God and ALLSTATE didn't hurt either. Brenda, please don't kill him.lol. Once again I am really thankful your son is well and will keep you both in my prayers, sometimes they take awhile to process the wreck and he could experience some emotional side effects, give him a great big hug from me. Thanks again for your story.
 
Brenda, I actually just pm'd you about this. What a sobering event, and thankfully one that even though its a reality check, one without injury to your son or his friends. Any one of them being hurt could have changed his life forever. I'm so happy to read that the only real harm was to your coaster toaster.

Renee, I cannot imagine receiving a call that a child of mine had been run over! You'll have to tell your son that a firefighter who was run over by a bus in Dec 2005, ran in the NYC marathon yesterday. He ran all 26.2 miles of it. His name is Matthew Long.
 
Brenda, thank God everyone was safe. I can't imagine the terror you must have felt, but as always, you had the strength to do everything you had to do!

We all go through life feeling that the world is solid and predictable and we are in control of our lives and our futures, but it's not so, as we PALS find out. Everything can change in an instant. Another reason to tell the people we love every day that we love them.

Blessings to you and Evan. Whew!
 
Brenda:

Thank you for sharing your story and thanking God that your son was fine!
 
We've had the call too. It is terrifying. Glad yours had a good outcome.

AL.
 
Brenda,

Thank God your son and his friends are OK.
 
Brenda,

I know how you feel, too. My oldest two both totaled vehicles. Both walked away basically unharmed (the second one had to have a couple of stitches from glass from the windshield). Such a scary, scary thing.

This morning as I was getting ready to go to the neuro appointment and my mind was spinning in circles I was thinking of all of the times we've had close calls, all of the times that we have had that reality check.

And yes, keep on fighting! I am right there with you!

I am glad you didn't fall, too! :)

jennifer
 
Brenda,

I am glad that your son is safe. None of mine are drivers yet, but I can only imagine the feeling.

This April a friend of mine and I were in a rollover accident caused by an unattentive driver t-boning us. We were chuckling at the death of my old beat up Ranger, and shaking glass out of our hair when the Fire Department told us it was only the crashbar that saved our lives. Then our wives pulled up with seven kids in tow, and we realized how fortunate and blessed we really were that night...

Robert
 
Brenda,

Thanks for sharing the story! Glad your son came out of it okay but sad to hear you had to part with your toaster. I prefer the VW; good set of vintage wheels!

Zaphoon
 
Hi, Brenda,

I am glad to hear Evan is safe . I read the article in the newspaper and my heart just went out to you. I have been thinking about you alot. I know I don't see you or talk to you much but you are on mind quite a bit. It's still kinda hard even though it has been 8 years since mom passed away with ALS.

Take Care and stay strong!
LULU
 
So glad your son is ok. Both our girls totalled cars when teenagers but luckily were unhurt. Very scary to get that phone call!

Lin
 
Thank you all for taking the time to offer support and good wishes! I have shared all of this with Evan and he is very thankful also.

Yes, I have to admit, I felt a bit weird driving around today in a Kia Spectra. That's what the rental place gave me for 14 days! It was really funny watching my 6 ft 4in, 300+ pound hubby drive it the other night to a football game. I better not use the choice words he had for it.

As you all know by now, I come to you for advice.

I'm looking at a used van this weekend, and I don't know if I'm trying to be practical or morbid!
It's a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan, with a Bruno (sp?) lift in it and also comes with an electric scooter. The van only has 29,000 miles on it.

Since my toaster is literally toast, I will have to look for something, and someday I MIGHT need a van with a lift, what do you guys think? Am I completely losing my mind or what?

Let's remember, hubby is 6 ft 4 in, sons are 6 ft 3 in and 6ft 2 in, youngest son is only about 4ft 5 in. and then I'm 5ft 8 in. So I know we can't all ride together in the VW! hahahahaha

I'm thinking to myself, this is silly, it's just a vehicle, no big deal, I've bought a bunch of them, but you all are always so helpful, and let's face it, it sure beats talking solely about ALS/MND.

thanks to all,
brenda
 
Does the lift, pick up the scooter or is it a ramp and if ramp is it side or rear entry.

AL.
 
From what the lady said on the phone, the bench seat for the REAR also comes with this "package",
so I assume the back of the van is modified?
I will know for sure on Sat. when I drive up to look at it, then I'll have more info.

thanks Al,
brenda
 
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