11:00am Thursday: Phone rings, a number I don't know. "Hi, is this Marisa? My name is Pat, I'm a social worker from Brackenridge Hospital. Your dad is here. He's been in an accident. Someone hit him while he was out riding his bicycle in San Marcos."
11:01am Thursday: Heart stops
11:01:01am Thursday: Heart starts again, I spring into action and grab keys, phone, and sunglasses.
11:08am Thursday: Arrive at Brackenridge after some very dangerous driving.
Some suburban soccer mom wasn't paying attention and backed out of her driveway into oncoming traffic. My dad was oncoming traffic. He hit her, flew off his bike and landed on his back on the side of the road. He was wearing a helmet. Thank God for that. Then he realized he couldn't feel his legs. The lady called 911 and they put him on a backboard and in a neck brace and brought him by ambulance to Brackenridge Hospital in Austin. Nothing is broken but his spinal cord is bruised and he can't really move his right leg. Yesterday he had surgery on his neck vertebrae. He is still in a neck brace. He'll have to wear it for at least three months. He is very uncomfortable. With luck, and a lot of physical therapy, he will be able to walk again. Everything is so fucked up. Up until yesterday I was the only other family member in the state, my mom was in England until about 7am yesterday. She arrived in Austin at 9:30pm last night. I have never been so glad to see her in my entire life. I have never felt so alone or lonely. I hope I never feel that way again. I hope my dad didn't feel lonely with me being the only one there. We have spent more time in hospitals this summer than anyone should ever have to. We don't know what's going to happen with my dad. We don't know how extensive the injury was. We haven't been able to talk to the neurosurgeon yet since the surgery. We do know that up until he accident he was extremely active and healthy. He rode his bike 200 miles a week. He did ballet, and yoga, and lifted weights. He is 65 but looks and acts about 45. All of those things are working in his favor. If you would send all your wishes and prayers and any good thoughts our way, it would be greatly appreciated.
