Anyway, a co-worker of my dad and sister, wrote a blog about Laura that I just felt had to be shared. He cares for her a lot and they have always had a special bond. Probably all started when Laura, in second grade, told him to quit smoking. And he did.
His words touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes.
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Written by Rich
Where to begin.........
A week ago, I witnessed one of those life changing experiences, which happened in a big way, to a very dear friend of mine.
I work at a fairly small sign and graphics company, we are a tight knit group, and most of us have worked together for years.
In my case, I have been working off and on with Martin (the owner) for the last 23 years, which is incredible.
The company is definitely a family affair.
Martin is the president and owner of the company, his wife works part time doing books and office work, and his daughter Laura has been working there for the last few years in the graphics department.
She runs a couple of the vinyl and large format print machines, and whenever I go out on an install, I take her along, she is an exceptional installer!
I have known Laura "for ever", and since she was just a little babe, she has always been glued to me. Though there are many years between us, we are the best of friends, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Plus, we make a good team. I have the years of experience, and she has that wide eyed youthful exuberance which I find to be a wonderful change, especially since the rest of us are old and jaded.
Ok, I am wandering.
On Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend, Laura was involved in an accident which could easily have ended her life. She was on the back of a ridiculously souped up 4 wheeler, riding with her boyfriend, when he got sloppy at the controls and flipped the ATV.
Laura was wearing a helmet, and was thrown from the vehicle landing some distance away where she sustained damage to her pelvis in at least 2 areas.
She crushed the left Anterior Inferior Iliac Spine (that large part of the pelvis/hip just under the skin that looks like an ear made of bone on a skeleton), and also suffered a break at the Sacroiliac Joint.
It could have been far worse. Her boyfriend, an ex Marine and a few others who were involved in the accident panicked and actually moved her instead of leaving her with a person and getting help.
One of them left, found someone with a small car up the road, loaded her into the back seat, and drove her to a hospital in Shelton Wa., on the Olympic peninsula.
Unbelievable.
Who moves a person after they have been in a serious accident???
After she arrived at the hospital in Shelton, it was determined that they needed to medevac her to Harborview hospital in Seattle.
The surgeons drilled into both sides of her pelvis, inserted metal rods which are now screwed and bolted to an external rod which runs across her lower belly to keep both halves of the pelvis aligned so they heal correctly. She was in a great deal of pain, and very dizzy when I took this shot.
So it goes without saying, when Laura gets injured, we not only lose Laura, we lose Martin and his wife, all three of them, which has been the case for a week now. A nightmare situation for the rest of us, but all I really care about is getting my friend healed, and well again.
The doctors state it will be 6-8 weeks before the rods are removed, then there will be extended physical therapy for another month or two.
Hard to be mindful and patient, I want her well NOW!
