I'm thankful for him and for the good Lord who watched over him, protected him and healed him.

Five years ago today I almost lost my husband in a near fatal cycling accident.  It's so hard to believe it's been FIVE YEARS already!  My God, I can remember it like it was yesterday...

THAT MORNING...

It was a Saturday afternoon.  I had just started new job working at Tao in the Venetian and was right in the middle of studying for UNLV mid terms.  Dominic had planned on doing a 100 mile bike ride that day with a handful of his friends.  He was training for the Iron man New Zealand which he would compete in the following March.  He was in the BEST shape of his life at that time...super fit.  If not for that factor, I could pretty much guarantee he wouldn't be here today.  Pajamas on, coffee in hand, sitting at my desk, nose buried school books, there I sat studying.  It was about 1pm when our good friend Steve knocked at the front door.  He walked in and without saying hello told me to go get dressed that there had been an accident.  Without panic or hesitation I asked if it was Dominic and I did just that...ran upstairs to throw clothes and a hat on.  It wasn't until after I ran back downstairs when Steve told me he gave both dogs "doggie downers" that I panicked.  I knew right then and there it was BAD.  Bad enough that I'd probably be gone all day and most likely all night.  We were already on the way to the hospital when I received the phone call from the ER trauma unit saying that he was there and seriously injured. 

THE ACCIDENT...

Out in the middle of nowhere in Valley of Fire near the entrance of Lake Mead, Dominic and his friends where quite a ways into their 100mile bike ride.  His buddy Scott and him were a ways off the front of the pack and rounding a curve as a group of motorcycles also rounded the same curve heading towards them.  An older gentleman on a fancy new BMW motorcycle lost control of his bike in the curve and headed straight for Dominic and Scott.  Dominic was out front so naturally he took the blow...head on at about 65mph.  His body was jolted approximately 25 feet in the air.  Thank the good Lord again Scott was with him.  Scott is an ER trauma nurse and knew EXACTLY what to do to further injury.  With his entire body, Scott laid on top of Dominic to keep him from standing up.  His body was in such a state of shock he actually was trying to stand up.  As the rest of their group of friends rolled up on the scene, I believe 2 of them rushed to Dom's side to aid Scott in holding him down and still.  Being they were out in the middle of no where, there was no cell coverage.  Finally, a couple of girls pulling a boat stopped.  They had barely enough bars on their cell to call 911.  Just enough time was allowed for 911 to get their location before service was lost...kind of crazy.  They then had just enough service to get a phone call in to Steve telling him to grab me and head for UMC Hospital before service was lost for a second time.  Flight for life picked Dominic up and an ambulance was sent for the motorcyclist.

TRAUMA ROOM...

Only one person allowed back at a time.  Although I fully understand and get that concept...there is nothing worse in my opinion.  Of course I wanted to get back there to see Dom but I also wanted/needed the support of Steve.  Unknowingly walking back there with no clue of what to expect was almost debilitating for me. How bad was it?  What was he going to look like?  Nothing chaotic was happening while I was back there.  I must have been too late and missed all that...Thank God!!  He just looked at me with tears in his eyes and said "I broke my back!"....UGH!!  Hearing that was like a knife ripping through my heart.  I asked him to wiggle his fingers...he did.  And then his toes...he did.  For me that didn't mean he was out of the woods but a good sign.  He asked me what would happen if he couldn't walk again?  "what if I end up paralyzed?"...there's that knife ripping through my heart again.  I nodded my head and didn't say much other than we would be okay, it would be okay and not to worry about that just yet.  It was very likely that could happen.  Shortly after, he followed that statement up with "I guess I'll just have to race wheelchairs!"  I smiled and said..."I guess you will."  Such determination my man has.

I didn't sit back there for long that first time.  So many things needed to be taken care of and for whatever reason everything seemed urgent.  Call off work...check, call off work for the entire next week...check, check.  Email my professors (well that came later in the weekend)...check.  Call my parents...check. Call friends...check.  The only people I couldn't bare to call were my in-laws who live on the East Coast.  Not right away anyways.  Another reason for me not being able to sit back there for long the first time around was because none other than you know who was in the hospital bed next to him.  Right on the other side of that measly, near see through curtain....THE MOTORCYCLISTS!!!  The man responsible for all this.  I know they are called accidents for a reason and for me that's a good thing.  There's a point at which all you see is red.  All you want is blood.  To see my husband laid out like that and the motorcyclist with only a broken hand....BULLSH**.  Pardon the french.  It's just not fair.  Late that night he was finally stable and admitted.  It was then that I called his parents.

THE HOSPITAL STAY...

I'll save you all the details.  Some gruesome, some funny...yeah drugs.  MANY frustrating and scary!!!  His mom came out for the week, what a blessing!!  I was happy to have her there with me.  He spent 7days at UMC and naturally so did I...living there, sleeping there, eating there.  I even showered there once or twice. 

THE DAMAGE...

Two broken vertebrae (one completely shattered and blown out TOWARD his spinal cord.  It's truly a MIRACLE he's not paralyzed.)  I believe it was his L1 and L3.  He also had broken hand, fractured knee, a massive concussion, obviously, and a contusion so large on the side of his body it also is a MIRACLE there was no internal bleeding.  I still haven't figured out how he escaped that one.  His spine is now fused from his T12 to L2 and a non permanent pin of sorts was put in his hand and finger to heal it properly...that was gross!  It didn't help that his other hand already had a plate and 8 screws in it.  OY!

THE HEALING and BEYOND....

After 2 surgeries and 7days...WE WE'RE FREE!!!  I was a nervous wreck driving him home from the hospital that day.  We were told that he'd be in a back brace for a minimum of 6months with extensive rehabilitative therapy.  We were also told it was likely he'd be in a wheelchair in 10 years.  How they predict that...who knows.  What I can say is this...because he was training for that Iron man New Zealand race and in the best shape of his life, he healed twice as fast as any of his doctors expected.  After a short 3 months he was brace-free and back on his bicycle.  To this day he still can not run.  It hurts too much.  He hasn't competed in another triathlon since the accident (because he can't run) but has taken on 24-hour mountain bike racing instead (the man is crazy!) and is part owner of Sunset Racing Events which puts on triathlons around the nation.  The motorcyclist who hit him also had hand surgery.  Him and his wife went out of their way to send us flowers and a card.  He was sincerely remorseful....poor guy.  We also received letters from some of the other witnesses who helped that day.  Beyond touching.  As of today, he's in a lot of pain everyday and handles it like a man...pun intended.  He has trouble sleeping which stinks big time and often times feels 10 times worse when he's not riding his bike.  Five years later he has also found a passion for riding his Harley.  Who would have though.  I don't see Dominic in a wheelchair in the next 5 years but if he is, we'll deal with it.  I guess he'll just have to take up wheelchair racing like he mentioned before.

THANK YOU...

We owe much thanks and gratitude to SO many people.  The boys on the ride that day, friends who came to visit, Dave for taking care of the house and our dogs, people who cooked for us, our jobs for understanding, my professors for letting me make up my mid-terms and EVERYONE who showed up, helped and donated at the benefit thrown for Dominic @ Surf City.  There's no way I could ever name them all....you know who you are though and to you I say.... THANKS!!


"But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds," declares the LORD. Jeremiah 30:17