An important phone call....apparently...

During my trip to Florida I got a phone call from my mother telling me that that my Grandmother, Grandfather, and my 10 year old niece (visiting from Ohio) were in a near fatal car accident in Texas.

A 2o something year old woman was pulling out of a shopping center and was either texting or dialing a number on her cell, she was looking down at her phone either way. She didn't see my Grandparents car till the last second and tried to speed up to get around them and ended up plowing into the passenger side (grandma's side) of the car. The car spun around and struck the other car again.
My niece was in the back seat behind my grandmother and her seat belt malfunctioned and she slammed into grandma's seat. Her face was bloody and bruised, but she was fine otherwise. She went home a few days later. She now has a terrible fear of cars and vomits whenever she is in one.
My Grandfather went to the hospital but didn't complain of anything so they didn't do any invasive tests. Later they found out that the has broken ribs and a bruised kidney. He is also having neurological issues from the impact. They also found something on his spine that they are not sure what it is, or if it is even from the car accident.

My Grandmother was injured the worst. If the car had hit 12 inches back, she would have died. She was paralyzed coming out of the accident. They found that she has broken the C-6 and C-7 vertebrae in her neck and they had to do surgery otherwise she would have been paralyzed for life. She is now fused from C-3 to T-3 now which is right below your skull to almost your shoulder blades.
Before Surgery

After Surgery in the ICU

She will have trouble for the rest of her life doing anything with her right side, and will never regain full mobility. Right now she has to have help doing everything. She has always been so strong, and stubborn and wanted to always do things for herself. It is killing her to have to have someone else brush her teeth, her hair, feed her, help her walk, even go to the bathroom.

She said that she doesn't understand what phone call was so important that she couldn't have waited till she was home? I have to admit I have, in the past, used my cell phone while driving. But no longer! I have seen what it can do, and just have been to naive to realize it.

So please, before you think about using your cell phone while driving, think about the other people on the road. I almost lost 3 members of my family. I am very thankful that they are all alive, and hopeful that the woman who did this is punished.