I'm baaaaaaaack!!...and very sore.

[comfortablycurt]

Hey everyone,

Some of you have already heard about this, but the last month or so has been an extremely rough one for me. About 5 weeks or so ago I was riding back from Rockford in one of my friends cars, and we had a very bad accident.

I don't even remember the accident now, but from what I've been told, a group of deer ran out in front of us as there was a car coming from the other direction. The options pretty much came down to hitting the other car, creaming all of the deer...or swerving and putting the car in the ditch. In hindsight now, I think we would have been best suited to hit the deer, but he swerved to avoid the deer and put the car in the ditch. We were going about 70 mph or so when we went into the ditch and we ended up flying over the embankment on the other side and into a cornfield...and rolled the car 6-7 times. Needless to say, the car was completely totaled. I saw it for the first time earlier today...and it doesn't look so much like a car anymore as a twisted mangled hunk of metal.

I ended up sustaining a terrible head injury that left me in a coma for nearly 3 weeks. Had I not been wearing a seat belt...I wouldn't be sitting here today. I came out of the coma finally around 2 weeks ago, but they kept me in the hospital up until yesterday morning. In addition to the head injury, I also broke 2 ribs and my lower right leg...as well as having a variety of other cuts and bruises. Needless to say, I'm still feeling a bit sore...but I'm healing and the doctors are expecting me to make a full recovery.

Coming out of a coma was an incredibly strange experience. I had relatively none of my memory when I initially woke up. My Mom and my girlfriend were there shortly after I woke up, and at first I didn't even know who they were. Last night though...my girlfriend reminded me of exactly who she is and why I like her so much.;) I fully remember her now...lol

My memories started flooding back over the next few days as people were coming to visit me. The doctors had advised all of my visitors to bring up old stories and memories that we'd shared in hopes of getting my brain moving along a bit more efficiently...which I'm glad to say helped a lot. As people would tell me things, tons of other memories would come flooding back. The Dr.'s have estimated that I've already gotten back about 90% of my brain functions and memories, and that the other 10% should return over the next few weeks.

One of the worst parts, which I just discovered a couple hours ago...is that I can barely remember how to play guitar. I can't remember many of my scales or chords that I used to know like the back of my hand...and it's not even so much that I don't remember the patterns...it's just that I can't remember how to make my hands do the things that they used to do. As I work at it though, I'm sure it'll all start flooding back faster and faster...or it damn well better anyway. Before I left the hospital, the Doctor told me that my guitar playing would be an excellent way to help speed my recovery along. It uses a lot of your brain power and memory ability...as well as requiring a lot of hand/eye coordination. I guess playing a musical instrument is one of the best therapies for someone that's recovering from something like this, because of how much thought it requires.

So, I guess I'm gonna have to get crackin' and remember how to play guitar.:)

Anyway, it's good to be back and I'm feeling great, despite being pretty sore. I'm confident that I'm going to make a complete recovery...since I'm already 90% of the way there.

Thanks for the kind words and well wishes that some of you have left me already, it's greatly appreciated.

This whole experience has given me a renewed appreciation for life...which is saying something because I've always been the kind of person that simply revels in the idea of simply being alive. Life's a beautiful thing people and you should never take it for granted. Make the most out of every single day, because you never know if it's going to be the last. I'm alive and I'm overjoyed with that fact. I feel like a very lucky person to be sitting here right now. Make sure you tell all of your loved ones that you care...especially if you haven't in a while. You never know when it could be the last day for any one of them, or for yourself...and simply telling someone that you care can mean the world to them.

I love all you guys and gals here at Club Polk. Many of you have become my friends over the last few years, some of you I've met in person and had some good times. Most of you I've never met, but would love to someday(time for le Keiko to host that all expense paid trip for Club Polk to Hawaii!!:D:p). You guys have been like a family of sorts to me...and I'll say once again that this is the greatest place on the interweb!!

So, in closing...wear your seat belt...and if it comes down to throwing your car into a ditch and rolling it 7 times or hitting a few deer...you're probably better off with the deer. Don't forget to bring a towel, and always have your cats and dogs spayed or neutered(or risk incurring the wrath of Bob Barker...[anyone who's seen Happy Gilmore will want to avoid that]...which isn't a pretty thing.)



Curt

[Joe08867]

Welcome BAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!

Glad you are ok now Hope the guitar comes back to you quickly.

We like you too, I guess?

[treitz3]

Welcome back CC. I actually owe you an apology. There was a thread were we were informed by somebody that you were in an accident . I made a post that said "Hehe". What happened is I got your moniker confused with someone else's and when we were informed that you had been in a coma for the past week, I thought the informant was pulling some legs since the other person had just posted that day. Hours before, actually.

Anyhoo, please accept my apologies and I'm glad to hear that you are doing OK [relatively speaking].

[Fireman32]

Welcome back man. Glad to hear that your ok. The guitar will come back to you i'm sure.

[BlueFox]

Wow! Welcome back. That is quite a story, and I am glad it is turning out okay. Your post is cogent and articulate, so it appears the brain is coming along fine.

Test: Do you remember where you got your posting name?

Very good point about seat belts. It always amazes me when I hear excuses as to why not wear seatbelts.

[michaeljhsda2]

Welcome back!
I noticed you haven't posted in a while but I had no idea this happened to you. Glad to hear you are doing OK and Godspeed your way to a full recovery!!!

[sda2mike]

glad you're back! my step-son had a traumatic brain injury along with a coma abt 3 yrs ago...he's about 80% of where he was..desparately wants to work...stay busy while you recover! as far as guitar: find out who pat martino is..you will be impressed

[dkg999]

Welcome back Curt!

[vc69]

Wow dude. Had no idea. So glad to hear all is going well. Life is a precious thing, not taking it for granted is an awakening. Thanks for your post. Reminds me to be grateful for every moment.

[PSOVLSK]

Glad you're doing better. What a terrible experience.

I need to work to get my attitude like yours. You seem to have taken a very bad experience and put the most positive spin possible on the situation. I appreciate your paragraph about having a renewed sense of life. I think I may copy it and carry it my wallet as a reminder of how fragile life can be.

Best wishes for continued healing!!

Paul

[heiney9]

Welcome back to reality and for a 2nd chance at life. Sounds like a terrible accident.

H9

[ben62670]

Good to hear from you! I am so glad you made it bro. I imagine you still have a lot of recovery ahead of you.
Ben

[F1nut]

Welcome back.

To help your recover that last 10% I'll remind you that you owe me $250,000.

[thsmith]

Wow Curt, had not hear but glad you made it out alive.

Your timing on seat belts is perfect, there is a healthy discussion going on here somewhere.

[Willow]

I'm still waiting for the SDAs! I was wondering why it was taking you so much time to ship them....I forgive you now!

Glad to hear you are recovering well best of luck on the rest of it. You might be surprised as to the damage deer can do to the car and people inside, the ditch might have been your best bet anyway. Welcome back...

As for your GF showing you how much she missed you....PICS or it didn't happen!!!

[polrbehr]

Welcome back.

To help your recover that last 10% I'll remind you that you owe me $250,000.

Man, you kill me.

Welcome back, Curt. Glad things are looking up for you (well, except for that nasty payback thing ^^ )

[EndersShadow]

Sorry to hear about what happened to you. My uncle was also in a serious car accident (head on collision over a hill w/ a drunk driver @ 7am in the morning). Glad to see your doing well.

The guitar skills will come back. A friend of mine was driving a humvee that got hit with an IED in Iraq and had a brain injury as well. Its taken some time, but the skills all came back to him. Drove him nuts till they did (and as a result the rest of us).

And as another person recently in the hospital, wishing you a fast and speedy recovery.

[mudwrx]

Best of luck.

[steveinaz]

Fantastic! Glad on you are on your way to recovery Curt. God Bless and MERRY CHRISTMAS.

[Zeros]

I'm glad to hear that you are ok. Good luck on the recovery.

[greyford1979]

Wow! Sorry to hear what happened, but happy to see you are recovering well. Best wishes for a full recovery!

[inspiredsports]

Wow! Welcome back. I'm glad you are recovering.

Two of my kids had snow related off-road experiences this past week and this hits too close to home.

Out of all of the details you wrote, I like this one the best . . . Classic signature material!

...my girlfriend reminded me of exactly who she is and why I like her so much.;) I fully remember her now...lol

[ryanjoachim]

Good riddance imo...

To the coma of course!

I've been in a couple good accidents, so it's great to see you were able to pull through.

[bobman1235]

Hell of a story. I love your attitude, thanks for sharing it with everyone.

[Conradicles]

Wow I had no idea Curt! Get well soon and I like what you said about life here on earth.

[jinjuku]

Sounds like we need a fast food chain: Deer-fil-A.

When I lived in Garfield Heights (just south of Cleveland) there where deer all over the place.

My dad a brothers would complain about not bagging one out hunting, all they had to do is come over and wait by the patio door.

Glad to hear you are on the mend.

[AudioGenics]

WELCOME BACK !

Glad to hear you are feeling better.

Happy Holidays

[tonyb]

Welcome back...just glad your ok.

[Toolfan66]

WOW Curt!!!!!

I'm glad your getting better, and hope everyone else is OK as well.

PeAcE bRo!!!

[coolsax]

Sorry that all that happened, man, good to see that you are on the mend!