Tennessee | shift

Feb 19 2013

background, college, personal, perspective

the last piece (or, i lied)

Source: miss-yves-saint-laurent.tumblr.com via Candi on Pinterest

…

There are things you learn to live with. Things that never cross your mind—until “that time.”

That time when you’re ordering at Starbucks and the barista says: “What was that?” “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” “Are you sick?”

That time when you’re chatting with a friend, and your voice cuts out and cracks, then dies.

That time when you’re calling across a street, and no one hears.

That time when you’re in a noisy restaurant, and you might as well just look into each other’s eyes. Continue reading →

Tagged accident, chattanooga, Erlanger Health System, Erlanger Hospital, Human voice, Information minister, media, Recreation, Starbucks, Tennessee, Tracheal tube, Venezuela

Feb 11 2013

33 Comments

college, life at home, personal, perspective

how to not die: the road to recovery

Ten years ago (on January 25, 2003), I fell 80 feet (24 meters) while rock climbing at T-Wall, a popular climbing site in Tennessee. The doctors said I might not live; when I did, they said I’d never be the same again. Today, not only am I “normal,” most people don’t even know this incident ever happened. This is the last part of my story. (To start at the beginning, click here.)

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

8 a.m. Wednesday, March 12

*”Rise and shine, it’s butt-whoopin’ time!”

I opened one eye and squinted at my brother in the light. A goofy grin engulfed his face. With my good arm, I threw a pillow at him. “Where’s my lucky egg?”

He ran from the room, laughing.

Moments later, my mom appeared. “Awake?”

I nodded. Cradling my right arm with my left, I slipped out from under the covers and walked towards the bathroom. In front of the mirror, my eyes welled up with tears. I’d cut my hair yesterday. I looked like a boy. Continue reading →

Tagged Cool Runnings, e-stim, English Literature, Gumby, L.A. Lakers, physical therapy, Sacramento Kings, Shaquille O'Neal, Southern Adventist University, Tennessee, water ski

Feb 05 2013

21 Comments

college, life at home, personal, religion

how to not die: the missing piece

Ten years ago today (January 25, 2003), I fell 80 feet (24 meters) while rock climbing at T-Wall, a popular climbing site in Tennessee. The doctors said I might not live; when I did, they said I’d never be the same again. Today, not only am I “normal,” most people don’t even know this incident ever happened. This is part four of my story. (To read parts one, two, or three, click here, here, or here.)

THE MISSING PIECE

There is a piece of my story that is missing,
the piece that is all about you.
It is the piece I perhaps have most struggled with, the piece so many assume true.
I recovered from my accident eventually. My rehab is on the next page.
But what of my soul, of “God‘s purpose”?
What is it I now owe—to you?

…

Something that has been hard to explain is the disconnect I feel from what happened to me during those weeks in the hospital. When I woke up in the ICU three and a half weeks after I fell, I was a little girl. A sick little girl. And that was all. Continue reading →

Tagged Climbing, God, hong kong, ICU, Intensive care unit, Rock climbing, taiwan, Tennessee

Feb 02 2013

45 Comments

college, life at home, personal, religion

how to not die: the i.c.u.

Ten years ago today (January 25, 2003), I fell 80 feet (24 meters) while rock climbing at T-Wall, a popular climbing site in Tennessee. The doctors said I might not live; when I did, they said I’d never be the same again. Today, not only am I “normal,” most people don’t even know this incident ever happened. This is part three of my story. (To read parts one and two, click here and here.)

THE I.C.U.

4 a.m.

A scream. More of a growl, actually. Arrrr! Arrrr! Arrrrrrrr! The pirate a few rooms down was hallucinating again.

Footsteps echoed off the laminate floor.

Then, silence.

I could hear machines humming. My machines. Whirrrr. Whirrrr. Their green lights glowed in the dark. I pretended they were aliens. Continue reading →

Tagged 12-hour clock, aide, back brace, Cannula, death, health, Hol, Hospital gown, ICU, life, Nursing, Sunday, Tennessee, tracheostomy, ventilator

Jan 28 2013

45 Comments

background, college, personal

how to not die: the rescue

Ten years ago today (January 25, 2003), I fell 80 feet (24 meters) while rock climbing at T-Wall, a popular climbing site in Tennessee. The doctors said I might not live; when I did, they said I’d never be the same again. Today, not only am I “normal,” most people don’t even know this incident ever happened. This is Part Two of my story. (To read part one, click here.)

THE RESCUE

There were voices. They echoed off the hills and were magnified by the silence. Flashes of light bobbed in the distance. Leaves cracked and branches snapped.

My rescuers were coming.

My rescuers–I’m hidden behind (image: chattanoogan.com)

My friend stood up. “Over here, we’re over here!” He ran in the direction of the voices.

Moments later, helmets with lights bounded onto the scene. The helmets were attached to people wearing jeans and jackets and thick gloves. Apparently, they had work to do.

A helmet with a mustache knelt beside me. “Hi, there. What’s your name?”

I grimaced. “Jessica.”

“We’d better call Cliff-Cave,” said a red helmet. “This is farther up than I thought.” Continue reading →

Tagged ARDS, California, emergency room, Erlanger, Head injury, hypothermia, ICU, January 25 2003, Life Flight, Lung, orthopedic, rescue, scapula, shoulder injury, T-Wall, Tennessee

Jan 26 2013

74 Comments

background, college, life at home, personal

how to not die: the fall

Ten years ago today (January 25, 2003), I fell 80 feet (24 meters) while rock climbing at T-Wall, a popular climbing site in Tennessee. The doctors said I might not live; when I did, they said I’d never be the same again. Today, not only am I “normal,” most people don’t even know this incident ever happened. This is my story.

T-Wall (image: flickr.com)

THE FALL

The sun was falling from the sky. Once it dropped below the hills, all light and warmth would disappear. The clouds were chameleons: orange and pink and purple. Somewhere a bird twittered.

An icy wind blew. It crept into my jacket. I shivered. Beyond the edge of the mountain, my friend was standing far below. “Just remember what I said,” he called.

Just remember what he said.

I took a deep breath and leaned back. My harness cut into my jeans. My fingers were numb. I ignored them.

Grab the rope. Loosen the rope. Hop, hop; braaake.

I looked at the complicated system of ropes and carabiners before me, then at the small tree the ropes were attached to up above. Here we go. All I wanted was to go to bed. Continue reading →

Tagged accident, Carabiner, Climbing, Erlanger, ICU, Indoor, madman, Prusik, Recreation, Rock climbing, Rope, snow, Tennessee, The South

shift

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Tag Archives: Tennessee

the last piece (or, i lied)

how to not die: the road to recovery

how to not die: the missing piece

how to not die: the i.c.u.

how to not die: the rescue

how to not die: the fall

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Tag Archives: Tennessee

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