HeadphoneAddict seriously injured in car accident

[Blutarsky]

Just wanted to let everyone know that Larry and his daughter were in a terrible car accident this week. Another driver approaching Larry from the opposite direction lost control of his vehicle when both were approaching a previous crash site. The oncoming driver crossed the highway in front of Larry's car and they collided at high speed.Both Larry and his daughter survived but sustained several major injuries. Luckily for them, the EMS folks were literally mins away at the previous crash site and were treating their injuries almost immediately.

Larry sustained fractures in both legs, a broken ankle and a number of fractured ribs. He's already had two surgeries since the accident this week and is in a great deal of pain.

.

Anyone who knows Larry, understands he will be undetered and soon will be back to his old form. In the meantime I know he and his family will appreciate your prayers and support! Feel free to reach out to him, he is groggy and under significant pain management but I know he'd enjoying reading your well wishes.

Please pray for Larry, his daughter and his family that their recovery is swift.

[The Monkey]

Horrible news, but thank you for letting us know.  Do you have an update about Larry's daughter?

[shellylh]

So sorry to hear about Larry and his daughter.  

[boomana]

Sending healing thoughts to both Larry and his daughter.

[jp11801]

dang sorry to hear this, hoping they both make speedy and complete recoveries 

[postjack]

Damn that sounds awful! Here's hoping for a speedy recovery and a reduction in the pain Larry is going through.

[Pars]

^ this. Best wishes to Larry and his daughter.

[agile_one]

Very sad ... good thoughts for full and speedy recovery for Larry and his daughter.  

[Blutarsky]

Sorry, didn't mean to leave that out - she also has lower leg fractures as well but otherwise looks to recover fine. They've both had couple stabilization/ fixation surgeries possibly more down the road but considering the situation they are both doing well. I spoke with Larry about 30 mins after his surgery last night and he was in a tremendous amount of discomfort. That doc is gonna get an earful about pain management pharmacology when Larry starts to feel better.

[robm321]

Praying for them. Sad to hear. 

[manaox2]

I hadn't gotten on head-case this week yet and and am stunned at the horrible events that passed. I wish Larry and his daughter as quick and painless recovery as possible and beg that everyone has as much comfort and protection as possible. Please take care and if possible, get together with those who can be with you this holiday season. Anything I can do to help, I will!

[Aimless1]

Glad to hear Larry and his daughter both survived and are on the road to recovery.

[grawk]

I'm certainly praying for them

[n3rdling]

Wow terrible news...well wishes, Larry and fam.

[Dusty Chalk]

Thanks for keeping us filled in, Blutarsky.  Continued hopes and well wishes for the best possible outcome.  Maybe he can do a Subaru commercial after all of this.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Thanks for all the well wishes.

So, McKenna went to the OR early Thursday AM to stabilize her bilateral lower extremity fractures, and the pins and rods will be changed to internal plates and screws in 10 days.

That same time I had a rod placed in my left femur, and then yesterday I had internal plates and screws installed in my left ankle, and had my right patella reconstructed. My broken ribs really make mobility even harder, since moving takes my breath away.

They're looking to send us to a rehab hospital in Colorado Springs next week, maybe in time for Xmas.

We're in for a lengthy recovery process, and the impact on McKenna's college career and her future is significant. So I think I'll have to look for a personal injury lawyer. She's likely to have lifelong sequellae from her injuries, and we need to make sure her medical expenses are covered (as well as pain and suffering). We're both having nightmares and reliving the crash. It's horrible.

Fortunately we get a refund on school fees for the spring, but we have to give back the financial aid that was used to pay for the non-refundable deposit (that will carry over to fall).

She's had to defer her human rights semester abroad till the fall, but she was going to be away for the spring when all of her other friends were also going to be at semester abroad. If she goes to school at Duke this spring, she'll be wheelchair bound with no friends around to help her.

Duke is offering to help her find last minute housing and transportation, but suggests that a personal leave of absence might be better. This will delay her graduation by 6 months and we're afraid it will delay law school for a year (if they don't accept new students for law school in the spring).

Life (not "like") just got much more complicated, but we're both just happy to be alive!

Edited December 21, 2014 by HeadphoneAddict

[Dreadhead]

Good luck with it all Larry. Sorry that this happened.

[Aimless1]

but we're both just happy to be alive!

 

All that is important at the moment is you are alive.  Nothing is more important right now.  Heal well.  Heal quickly.

[roadtonowhere08]

Wow, Larry, still hard to believe.  I wish you and your daughter the best of luck.  Recovery will suck, but the fact that neither of you sustained any major head or neck injuries is a damn miracle.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Just met with the orthopedic surgeon. He strongly recommends against McKenna trying to physically attend school this spring.

He says she's got at least a one year recovery ahead of her, with a lot of rehab, and at 21 years old she might end up with the ankles of a 60 year old. The damage to her ankles was "extensive". Grrrrr...

[crappyjones123]

I say this with the best of intentions. Law schools arent going anywhere. Neither is Duke. Both have been around for a while and will likely continue to do so. I needed surgery in the past and had treatments to undergo for a malignant cancer and I continued going to school because at 22 I thought that was the most important think in my life. Looking back, had I taken the year off like the doctors suggested and then gone back, nothing would be different. Life would continue to go on.

My suggestion would be to listen to the surgeon. Do exactly as the doctors say. Don't think about getting delayed a year or two. I'm in medical school right now and if my loans allowed it I would take the year off to get the surgery I need for my knee. Still trying to get a research spot so I can get my knee repaired. In the grand scheme of things, she needs to understand her health comes first. School isn't going anywhere. She has a lifetime ahead of her to make it to whatever academic designation she wishes to end at. She needs to concentrate on getting back to herself first. The same goes for you.

Wish you both a speedy recovery.

[Wmcmanus]

Larry, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your daughter.  Thank God, above all else, that you both survived and will have more time together and with the rest of your family in this life.  

 

Nothing could be more precious than life itself, but now the focus for everyone in your family will have to be to shift into the "new normal" (whatever that might entail) and allow your recovery process to proceed at its own pace.  In that sense, I agree totally with the Crap Meister... he offers such sage advice.  

 

I'm sure it will be quite difficult for both you and your daughter to do so, Larry, but do try as best you can to "turn off your brains" concerning all of the immediate implications for her education and such.  Try to focus as best you can on the health and recovery related issues.  That's your job now, and her's as well.  Please don't risk anything concerning her long term recovery process in favor of any short term impulses she may have to attempt to brave the storm by carrying on as usual.  Neither of you has to be a hero.

 

I do understand that it's hard for smart and ambitious young people to not be actively pursuing their dreams, but for now she may have to put some of her plans on hold.  I'm actually amazed that you're already made so much progress in terms of so many logistical matters, but I sincerely hope that you'll make as many of those tough decisions as soon as possible to relieve your minds of those added stresses.

[MoonShine]

Larry, best wishes for a speedy recovery for you and your daughter. 

Edited December 21, 2014 by MoonShine

[Looser101]

I wish both of you a quick recovery. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[nopants]

my best wishes to you and your daughter, I hope she's not deterred by this setback during these formative college years