I Can't Believe We Are All Okay!

Anyone who has been reading this blog knows that I recently hung my first gallery exhibition and the Artist's Reception was two days ago on Sunday, Nov.8. You could be wondering why I haven't posted anything about the event as I promised I would. Well, here is the story...

The reception was an absolute success... a wonderful turn-out, my sister flew in from Guelph for the weekend so she could attend, my high school art teacher (the one who talked me into continuing with art in grade ten instead of taking typing) came with his family to see me and so many friends, family, and artists came. It made me feel so special. The best was that Tommy had been fever free for two full days, so my husband brought both kids for awhile and then my parents took them back to their house while John and I finished visiting at the gallery. More paintings sold... I think at this point 14 of the paintings are spoken for... so really I was over the moon by the time it was over. John and I met at home so I could get out of my heels and take out my contacts.... two things I rarely wear! Then we headed to mom and dad's to pick up the boys and say goodbye to my sister who would soon be catching her flight home. Everyone was in such a great mood and the kids were goofy- you could tell they were feeling better- it was so good to see them so full of life after being so sick. As we drove away there was a small discussion about going for dinner, but I decided that the best would be to go home and start unwinding since that had been the most active Tommy had been in over a week. We could order in food and eat with our jammies on and have a quiet family night.

We were almost home going north on Victoria Avenue and approaching Taylor Street which is an intersection that we pass through many times coming from my parents. For some reason we invariably always have to stop at the light. It is a long red light that always seems to be red no matter when you are there. Well, this time it was as green as green could be and my husband was commenting to me how he couldn't believe that for once we made the green light. With his next breath he said "She's not stopping!!!" and next thing I knew there was an explosion right beside me and we were moving sideways and spinning and then we were rolling!!! It happened so fast and yet it was all in slow motion. The kids were screaming and I remember yelling "Keep your arms in! We're okay!!!" We came to rest on Sammy 's and my side of the car apparently on the boulevard. I will never forget Tommy screaming with blood all over his forehead "Are we going to die???!!!" I could look back and see him- his car seat secured right where it should be with the seat belt holding him in place behind John's. I reached out to him and we held hands, and I told him we were all okay and help was coming, but I couldn't reach Sammy and the impact was right on our doors of the car, so I was terrified of his condition. He started talking- yelling that he was scared. I asked where his arms were, for some reason I was petrified his right arm was out the window and pinned under the car.... but in the end his was the one window that was intact. John's was broken, Tommy's was broken and mine was broken. When I looked down at my  window I just saw grass.... and a Fruit To Go laying there. We could hear people rushing around yelling outside then a face appeared by our windshield, which was smashed and peeling away from the van on John's side. It was an off duty Fire Fighter who was going by. I screamed to please get my kids out! And they did, ASAP. They went in through the back of the van and got Sammy out first, then carried Tommy out in his car seat.... Tommy didn't want to let go of my hand... I'll never forget the look of panic on his face as they pulled him away from me.

Then a lady came back in- I think that Fire Fighter's wife- and she held my head/neck/spine in alignment. He had done an assessment of the vehicle and reported to us that there was no fuel leaking and that help would be here soon to get John and I out. And she was the kindest woman, Eileen? Irene?, and I would love to hug her. She talked me through it all. She kept answering my repeated questions about whether my kids were okay and she kept me posted on where they were and what they were doing. She kept my messages going back to them that mommy and daddy were fine. Then the sirens...finally... a rush of relief when I heard orders going on all around and then the windshield getting pulled off and a Fire Fighter coming in to support my head so Irene(?) could get out. All the while I thought John was dripping blood down on me so I kept asking him if he was okay and we held hands... now I realize it was actually bits of glass falling on me. They didn't know what our injuries were... I honestly felt like I could unbuckle and walk out, so did John, but they wouldn't let us. They ended up using the "jaws of life" to cut open the roof to get access to us. They got me out first with a neck brace and on the board. These people are so skilled and they were all so kind and took me to an ambulance... the kids were inside and they were standing and talking and okay!!! They did everything right... all of these people... these rescuers... they were complete perfection. And I am so upset that don't think I would recognize one of them if I passed them on the street... it doesn't seem right. Once John was out and in the other ambulance they sent Sammy over to ride with him and Tommy stayed with me. As the EMT buckled Tommy up my sweet little guy asked him if they ever crashed in ambulances. My heart ached for him. At the hospital we all arrived one after the other- even the lady who hit us, but we didn't see her. They got a hold of my parents who came so quickly. Dad went to the kids in the pediatric unit and mom found me and John in the other wings of the ER. As soon as they were there I relaxed- the kids had gram and gramps and wouldn't be so scared. They sent John and me for a bunch of x-rays and we did a lot of waiting. Mom called my other sister who came with her husband. Finally they were discharging the boys, they were fine, except for the cut on Tommy's forehead/eyebrow which they had taped closed (no stitches). I wanted to see them so badly but the doctor warned me that there were some very sick people at our end of the ER, so I just told my parents to take them home- I didn't want them exposed to anything. Time passed and eventually the doctor let me know that the x-rays looked good and I was cleared with warnings of what to be paying attention to over the next few days. I waited for John with my sister and her husband and finally he was released. We were all okay! It is an absolute miracle! I can not believe we all came out of it virtually uninjured. We each have our scrapes, aches and bruises, but it is impossible to complain when I know the result could have been so much more horrific. We are all okay!

So my dear bloggy friends, that is the story of my big day... and I am sorry I have rambled on about the experience, but it has felt good to release it all. The next post I make will be cheerier and more about my reception with more pictures of paintings. I can't promise you that I won't talk about this accident again because there is more on my mind, but this has been a marathon post so I should stop now and please know we are truly okay. I know one thing for sure: I will never drive any other vehicle than a Honda Odyssey as long as I am driving my children around.

I can't believe these articles, here and here are about us. 

Thank you to Saskatoon Emergency Services. Thank you.