Health Status
First published April 3, 2001 on http://www.johnghormley.com
Why a health status page?
On August 25, 1999, I had a car accident. While driving to work that morning,
I was going east into the rising sun down a tree lined boulevard. As I was
approaching an unmarked and seldom used railroad crossing, I drove out from
under the shade of the trees and was blinded by the morning sun low on the
horizon. Unfortunately, I did not see the yellow locomotive parked across the
road ahead. By the time I was able to see ahead, it was too late to stop and I hit
the side of the parked freight train engine traveling about 45-60 mph at the moment of impact according to the accident investigators.
I was driving a 1986 Volvo Turbo 760 without airbags (They were an option
that year). Airbags might have changed the outcome of the accident even
though I was wearing my seat belt. Pictures of the car taken a couple of
months later are shown here.
The impact of my car against the side of the train engine caused me to be
thrown forward and to the right toward the rearview mirror. My seatbelt
restrained my chest but broke all but two of my ribs in the process.
Apparently, my glasses hit the rearview mirror, broke, and punctured my right
eye causing me to loose sight in the eye. I also lacerated my liver and
had several deep cuts requiring stitches. Aside from the loss of my right
eye, the most lasting injury was a crushed and lacerated heel and ankle on my
right foot. Despite heroic attempts by the surgeons, after almost two and one-half years, I lost the foot. Amputation below the knee took place on Feb 19, 2002.
That event has certainly shaped my life since. Recovery from the accident was
a slow process with several set-backs along the way. However, I am
fairly well recovered. During the recovery period I sent semi-regular emails to my family and friends. While in the hospital, my pastor brought me a laptop computer that I used to send emails and communicate with outside world. The hospital stay was over four months, the first seven weeks of which I as comatose.
This page is somewhat a chronicle for me (and anyone else who's interested)
of the journey toward recovery I've experienced. Below are some of the e-mail
updates I've sent to friends and family since the accident.
First published April 3, 2001 on http://www.johnghormley.com