At about 8:30 on the morning of September 19th, my husband and I decided that we were going to top off an Oak tree next to our house. With all of the rain that we had this year, this tree has been leaning more and more and the roots were coming out of the ground. We have 6 acres and my husband has almost cleared all of it himself. Anyway he is very careful and experienced cutting down trees - it just shows that it can happen to anyone.
My husband got the ladder and the chainsaw out and I held the bottom of the ladder steady, while he was 20 feet up cutting away. The tree hinged down very slowly and then in the blink of an eye, it split and came down really fast - the top first hit the ground - all of the limbs acted like a spring and the part of the tree that my husband had just cut came straight at me at the bottom of the ladder.
It happened so fast and I don't remember everything - my husband said it hit me on my left shoulder and I went from standing up to hitting the ground real hard and fast. I could barely breathe - the tree had me pinned to the ground on top of my left leg and my husband had to get it off of me. I thought I was dying, my husband called 911 and the ambulance got here fast and took me to the nearest hospital.
I spent 9 days in the hospital and the last 6 days in HealthSouth Rehab hospital. I broke my left clavicle, 7 broken ribs all on my left side front and back. I have a hairline fracture of my scapula - the doctor's said that this shoulder bone is probably the hardest bone in the body to break. My right ankle was displaced - broken on both sides and I had surgery on it - they put 7 screws and a plate in it. My left thigh, where the tree landed, is bruised and really swollen, but amazingly enough nothing was broke. So I have a good left leg and right arm and I can't use crutches because of ribs and shoulder- which means I'll be in a wheel chair for a couple of months.
My husband has been incredible throughout this whole ordeal, he has not left my side since the moment this freak accident happened. I never thought at 35 years old, I would need help wiping my own bottom and he did not hesitate to help me. My parents have been keeping my boys (16 and 11) and taking care of the chickens and other pets. They have been very helpful and supportive. Everyone has, my friends and family have been wonderful.
Reality sat in this morning, I looked out my bedroom window where the tree is still on the ground - I was about 4 inches away from dying. I'm so thankful that I'm alive and have been counting my blessings and thanking God for everything.
It hurts whenever I laugh and it hurts to cry, but I know that this pain will stop with time and I will never take another moment for granted that I'm alive.
My husband got the ladder and the chainsaw out and I held the bottom of the ladder steady, while he was 20 feet up cutting away. The tree hinged down very slowly and then in the blink of an eye, it split and came down really fast - the top first hit the ground - all of the limbs acted like a spring and the part of the tree that my husband had just cut came straight at me at the bottom of the ladder.
It happened so fast and I don't remember everything - my husband said it hit me on my left shoulder and I went from standing up to hitting the ground real hard and fast. I could barely breathe - the tree had me pinned to the ground on top of my left leg and my husband had to get it off of me. I thought I was dying, my husband called 911 and the ambulance got here fast and took me to the nearest hospital.
I spent 9 days in the hospital and the last 6 days in HealthSouth Rehab hospital. I broke my left clavicle, 7 broken ribs all on my left side front and back. I have a hairline fracture of my scapula - the doctor's said that this shoulder bone is probably the hardest bone in the body to break. My right ankle was displaced - broken on both sides and I had surgery on it - they put 7 screws and a plate in it. My left thigh, where the tree landed, is bruised and really swollen, but amazingly enough nothing was broke. So I have a good left leg and right arm and I can't use crutches because of ribs and shoulder- which means I'll be in a wheel chair for a couple of months.
My husband has been incredible throughout this whole ordeal, he has not left my side since the moment this freak accident happened. I never thought at 35 years old, I would need help wiping my own bottom and he did not hesitate to help me. My parents have been keeping my boys (16 and 11) and taking care of the chickens and other pets. They have been very helpful and supportive. Everyone has, my friends and family have been wonderful.
Reality sat in this morning, I looked out my bedroom window where the tree is still on the ground - I was about 4 inches away from dying. I'm so thankful that I'm alive and have been counting my blessings and thanking God for everything.
It hurts whenever I laugh and it hurts to cry, but I know that this pain will stop with time and I will never take another moment for granted that I'm alive.
