Day 9 at Shepherd. I just got a giant grin on my face and Jan's nurse Andrea got a tear and smile as we both did a happy dance. Andrea asked Jan if she would try and take her medication (one pill) by mouth. Jan agreed. She took the med that was in a small paper cup (like we have all seen meeds in) with her right hand put the med in her mouth and swallowed it with a sip of water. It is the first time she has shown this kind of cooperation when asked to do something and showed good fine motor movement to boot. She still has a long way to go. This may seem small but in my mind this was a huge step. Just before this she was telling me (and crying) she wanted to go home. I told her I do to but we cant yet. She still does not understand just how far she has to go. Today she was not able to tell me what city she is in but did tell me she was in a rehab hospital. She also said we told her three days ago she could get the hard collar off her neck and she is close to being right. She still does not have the ability to walk but is working on it in therapy. She is clearly increasing the use of her left hand and arm. I am told she also ate about half of her breakfast and was specifying what on the tray she wanted. Today is a good day.
To everyone in the Starkville and Oktibeha County area, Jim Brown has a meeting scheduled for 18 July with the Board of Supervisors at 10 am to discuss 3 foot law signage around the county. There will representatives from Starkville in Motion and the Bulldawg cycling club there and hopefully someone with Bike Walk Mississippi for support. We feel it would be good to have as many people there as possible. Understand it is not an open forum. Jim will be given time to speak. No one else. Those that come should only come to show support but only with quiet respect. ie no rowdiness. Jim asked that we show the Board that we as cyclists are a respectful bunch. Please come if you can and give Jim your support.
When this happened to Jan, I started writing this probably for two reasons. First I needed something that would distract me from the severity of what had happened. Second I truly did not want what happened to My Little Darlin to have happened in vain. Everyone reading I think has helped make something good come from this tragedy . From comments posted many no longer use their cell phones while driving and are much more aware of those out there exposed on the roads. I believe this has and will help from now on decrease the chance of what happened to Jan or worse from happening to someone else. Bottom line almost certainly all of you following this ordeal have and will play a part in saving someones life, maybe even somebody you know. You will not know for sure but THAT IS A GOOD THING. Do not ever stop, it only takes a second to change your and anothers life forever. Others have become more active. This is another way that lives are being improved and even saved. Trust me one of the best ways to live a long and healthy life is to do stuff. Get off the couch. Life is for doing stuff. It is all good.
SHARE THE ROAD, IT'S A LIFE
PUT THE !%@$# CELL PHONE DOWN BEFORE YOU KILL SOMEBODY
GET OFF THE COUCH, LIFE IS FOR DOING STUFF
SUPPORT BIKE WALK MISSISSIPPI, IT IS OUR VEHICLE TO GET GOOD THINGS ACCOMPLISHED
If you have not already
**********PLEASE CONTACT AND ENCOURAGE YOUR STATE SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE TO SUPPORT THE 3 FOOT LAW AMENDMENT***********
I Love My Little Darlin, a simple thing can be a huge thing, I am smiling
David
To everyone in the Starkville and Oktibeha County area, Jim Brown has a meeting scheduled for 18 July with the Board of Supervisors at 10 am to discuss 3 foot law signage around the county. There will representatives from Starkville in Motion and the Bulldawg cycling club there and hopefully someone with Bike Walk Mississippi for support. We feel it would be good to have as many people there as possible. Understand it is not an open forum. Jim will be given time to speak. No one else. Those that come should only come to show support but only with quiet respect. ie no rowdiness. Jim asked that we show the Board that we as cyclists are a respectful bunch. Please come if you can and give Jim your support.
When this happened to Jan, I started writing this probably for two reasons. First I needed something that would distract me from the severity of what had happened. Second I truly did not want what happened to My Little Darlin to have happened in vain. Everyone reading I think has helped make something good come from this tragedy . From comments posted many no longer use their cell phones while driving and are much more aware of those out there exposed on the roads. I believe this has and will help from now on decrease the chance of what happened to Jan or worse from happening to someone else. Bottom line almost certainly all of you following this ordeal have and will play a part in saving someones life, maybe even somebody you know. You will not know for sure but THAT IS A GOOD THING. Do not ever stop, it only takes a second to change your and anothers life forever. Others have become more active. This is another way that lives are being improved and even saved. Trust me one of the best ways to live a long and healthy life is to do stuff. Get off the couch. Life is for doing stuff. It is all good.
SHARE THE ROAD, IT'S A LIFE
PUT THE !%@$# CELL PHONE DOWN BEFORE YOU KILL SOMEBODY
GET OFF THE COUCH, LIFE IS FOR DOING STUFF
SUPPORT BIKE WALK MISSISSIPPI, IT IS OUR VEHICLE TO GET GOOD THINGS ACCOMPLISHED
If you have not already
**********PLEASE CONTACT AND ENCOURAGE YOUR STATE SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE TO SUPPORT THE 3 FOOT LAW AMENDMENT***********
I Love My Little Darlin, a simple thing can be a huge thing, I am smiling
David
So glad you seemed to have a good day. Those must be very welcome, and I hope they become more and more frequent.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted you to know, I was hit by a car in a hit & run on March 10th. Even though witness accounts and even the police report clearly stated the driver was at fault, I was able to get no effort from local authorities to try and find the driver. I was lucky, though. I wasn't hurt nearly as bad as Jan was. A bad concussion, some broken ribs, and some rather severe disk herniation at the C4-5 level with spinal stenosis that will likely require a fusion. We have a 3 feet law here too, but what good does it do us if nothing substantial happens to those who violate it and injure, even kill others. I'll be meeting one on one with my representative here in Colorado on July 16th. I hope to discuss ways things can be introduced nationwide to try and make things safer everywhere... and not just for drivers, but cyclists too. I and those I ride with are well aware of the laws and how they apply to us, and how to increase our safety by being visible, but too many others aren't aware, and in many cases, they are the source of some of the negative attitudes directed toward us.
My experience on Mount Evans last week was positive, where cyclists and motorists were sharing the road in harmony, and the motorists appreciated our visibility, and we appreciated their courtesy. This proves to me that we CAN share the roads... but, there needs to be better infrastructure everywhere for it, and better education, for both cyclists and drivers.
Finally, nothing happens if no one says anything. When I called the city about some dangerous potholes in some bicycle lanes, or lights that weren't being triggered by cyclists, they were out the next day painting stencils for the cyclists and filling in the holes. Too often we wait for others to take care of the issues for that. I've learned that we have to take the prerogative to be the squeaky wheel. There are people out there who WANT to help, but they don't know where the trouble spots are unless they're out there riding them too, or unless we tell them.
You an Jan are spurring positive change. Jan has never met me, but please tell her that I will be thinking of her tomorrow as I ride in the event here in Colorado known as the Triple Bypass. My own charity effort with most of my riding this year is to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders. However, with the addition of the column I now write, I also have the opportunity to reach others, raise more awareness... and perhaps make things a little safer and better for all of us. I will never know if I've succeeded there or not, but I know I will have tried, and if a few people can avoid being injured as Jan was or I was, and can avoid being killed through these efforts, I will never know it, but I will know that at least I made the effort to try, and that perhaps it has done some good.
Kindest Regards,
Belinda
You are right, that small thing WAS a huge thing! Hurray for Jan! Taking a pill AND eating half her breakfast, that's terrific!
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