Wednesday, February 22, 2006

How was my Tuesday morning?

This is how my morning was:

I was rear ended on my way to work, only two blocks from my house.
I paid off my car just a month ago, and got hit this morning.
This is the THIRD time I've been rear ended in less than 5 years, and the SECOND time at this same intersection in this same lane and in the same position in traffic - first car in the right hand turn lane, preparing to turn.
What have I done to offend the auto gods?
What can I do to get back in their good graces?
I'm okay. A little sore, and I figure that if I'm hurting already it's going to be hell tomorrow (Wednesday).
I was stopped, prepared to make a right hand turn and leaning a litte forward, turned to my left to watch for an opening in traffic when I was hit. Sitting like this caused me to whip back against my seat in a very awkward way and now theres this weird clicky like noise in my neck when I turn my head to the left.
My neck, shoulders and back started hurting within about 20 minutes, then about an hour later tingling, in the same area started shortly followed by lightheadedness, dizziness and nausea. I saw my primary care physician this afternoon who took some xrays and confirmed that my neck is out of alignment and gave me prescription for vicodin. Vicodin doesn't knock me out like normal people, it just takes the edge off the pain and makes me a little foggy. I apologize for any and all typos.
I've filed the claim with my insurance, have an appointment with my chiropractor tomorrow afternoon, and will be making arrangements to have my car repaired tomorrow as well. I don't think it will be able to be done while I'm in Oregon so I'm going to have to get a rental car as well. Its at least going to need to have the bumper replaced - overall, it did hold up pretty well. But, it should. The things a freaking TANK!
All said, I know things could have been worse.
The woman who hit me had her son in the car - safely in a car seat in the back. he seemed okay at the time, and I certainly hope that he is. The woman who hit me was very nice as well, apologetic, easy to work with, readily exchanged insurance information. The last person who rear ended me tried talking me out of exchanging ANY information at all, then said they would take care of the repairs without going through insurance and when I told them how much the appraisal for auto body repairs was they said it was too expensive and tried talking me out of getting my car fixed, then when I reported it to insurance since they were trying to screw me over they called and left nasty messages on my voicemail.
So, in the past couple of years I have become slightly familiar with dealing with insurance companies, auto claims and medical claims and am covering my butt to make sure that I don't get screwed over again becaise I want to be a nice and agreeable person. Screw being nice. I've started a file folder and am keeping ALL receipts - from the ibuprofen I bought this morning to my office visit and prescription co-pays to copies of my time sheets showing the time I'm taking off from work to deal with this (1/2 an hour late this morning, left at lunch for a Dr's appt today and will be leaving 2 hours early tomorrow for another Dr's appt).
Anything I haven't covered?
Does anyone have any suggestions on working with insurance companies & injuries?
Now, I can't sleep. After my doctors appointment earlier today I called my insurance and filed the claim, then took a nap. Not too long of a nap - only an hour.
But, now I can not get to sleep.
Am I using this time to prepare for my trip to Oregon this week? No.
Am I catching up on the pile of laundry that is taking over my bedroom? No.
Am I doing anything that is the slightest bit productive? No.
So, I'm knitting and watching the replay of the Ladies Short Program Figure Skating from the Olympics.
The 2010 Winter Olympics are set for Vancouver British Columbia. I've never visited Vancouver, and attending an Olympic Games is on my list of things to do before I die, so I'm thinking of taking a road trip in 4 years. This could be the vicodin talking, it could be my love of road trips and figure skating talking. Who knows.
I leave for Portland at the butt crack of dawn Friday morning and am really looking forward to it. I want to visit my grandparents, uncles and cousins. Play with my grandmas kitties, relax, cook some good meals for my grandparents (grandpa can't cook worth a crap and grandma doesnt have the energy to cook from all of the chemo treatments so they eat a lot of frozen meals and take out), maybe do a little yarn shopping, pay a visit to Powells Books, hang out with my cousins - theyre 15 & 18 so it will most likely be at the mall. I have to be at the airport at 6 am friday morning. It's now going on 3 am Wednesday morning and I have not done any laundry, any packing, or anything at all. I won't get it done tonight either - I have to drive down to San Francisco after work to pick up my iPod I left at my cousins last weekend and then drive back the same night. I HAVE to have my iPod for the plane ride and while waiting around at the airport.
I was wanting to be in better condition than this for my trip to Portland, not zoned out on vicodin the whole time, so hopefully I'll be feeling better by this weekend.
My grandma has a chemotherapy treatment the day I get there so I wont see her until she gets home that afternoon. My uncles going to pick me up at the airport and let me take his car and he's going to drive his old clunker of a truck so that I'll have a car while I'm there and can go out and do stuff on my own. I'm thinking I'll go to my grandparents house after my flight gets in and fix a nice dinner to be ready for them when they get home from the chemotherapy. Any meal suggestions?
I leave you with this:

I don't have any photoshop programs on my computer to blur out my license plate number so please, don't stalk me. Thank you.

5 comments:

Tanya Kristine said...

Hi Vanessa! i have to go to work but i'll read your blog when i get tehre...( i know; very bad)

i WILL give you some suggestions for Ireland like we got on the plane and, nmy God, you'll never want to come back eitehr!

some suggestions we couldn't do soi'll pass those on to you...

thanks for coming by!

Tanya Kristine said...

sorry about your accident.that really does suck.

i have an explorer too! yay!

too bad you don't know my friend tabitha from portland. she'd be lovely to hook up with...i love portland. how long are you gone? a weekend?

Shananigans said...

That's so crappy, but at least the lady who hit you this time was more agreeable. Good for you, keeping receipts and everything. I hope you get every penny that's coming to you since this was obviously in no way your fault. Hopefully you'll be in better shape by the time you need to leave on your trip.

As for meal suggestions I don’t really know your taste in food, but if you like corn chowder I’ve made this recipe a couple times and it’s great! It’s a little time consuming and has a lot of steps, but it’s not hard, none of the ingredients are expensive, and it’s so yummy. I used frozen corn instead of fresh and substituted sweet potatoes for the russets.

carrie said...

i was re-ended doing the same thing a few years back. it's like people think you can just turn right on red without looking and slam!

it's nice of you to plan that dinner! i hope things look up soon.

kimananda said...

Poor you--take care of yourself, yes?

And I promise I won't stalk you, but I also promise I will be jealous of you for your upcoming visit to Powell's! ;-)