Car Accident Injuries and Recovery

It has been two months since my car accident in the bay area (car accident photos here), and boy do I still hurt. It is amazing to me that it has been two months because of how much pain I am still in on a daily basis. Of course, some days are better than others; which I am grateful for. I intended to follow up with you all to let you know how I was doing post-accident, but between hurting and being busy, it just didn’t happen.

Some of you may have noticed that I have had some help writing some of my blog posts lately. My friend Leanne, my mom, and my husband have all written some posts for me since my accident. I have found that I can’t sit at a computer for nearly as long as I could before, and when I do, I usually regret it. Lately I have been pushing myself harder because I am tired of not going about my normal routines, but my body has paid for it. I am thankful I have had the help that I have had though!

So….what car accident injuries did I sustain, and how am I recovering? Let me give you a brief rundown.

Within a few days of the accident (after the shock and morphine wore off), here are the areas I hurt:

• Neck (obviously)
• upper back – as a result of the neck pain and having to hold my now misplaced neck and head up
• low back
• left ribs from slamming into the door
• left arm, elbow and wrist – also from slamming into the door
• right arm and wrist from jerking the steering wheel
• right hip – from slamming on the brakes really hard (didn’t even realize that could happen but my chiropractor – dad – pointed out that it is fairly common)
• right leg muscles from straining and slamming on the brakes
• left ankle – from rolling it as I swerved
• left side of my head from banging it against the window

I think that about covers it? Basically, I hurt just about everywhere! I wish I could say that two months out I am completely better and back to normal function but it’s just not true. Let me now give you a brief rundown of what life has been like since the accident.

Life after a car accident:

• Foggy brain, confusion and inability to concentrate and multitask – could be a post-concussion symptom that is slowly getting better
• 3 days a week at the chiropractor for an hour long visit, but I just recently graduated to just 2 days a week, due to the amazing treatments I have been receiving
• Messy house that is never completely clean at once because I tire easily and only manage to get one or two jobs done in a day. As soon as I finish the last area of the house, I have to start all over again.
• Headaches and emotions due to not feeling well
• Discomfort doing my normal activities and even the fun activities such as going to the movies and hanging out with friends. Let’s not even talk about the bedroom!
• No exercise! I tried Zumba for a week and a half and it straight up messed me up! Felt good for a few days, but then one of the videos was more than my body or muscles could take. Took a couple of weeks to recover from the extra damage done. I am allowed to walk at least.

With all of that being said, there are some areas that have improved. My arms and ribs don’t hurt like they did. I occasionally get tingling and numbness in my hands, due to my whiplash, but not pain. The headaches have lessened, but still occur. I have days where my neck pain is only at a 2 out of 10, while other days it’s a 6. Same games for my low back. My hip is mostly all better, and my ankle is completely better. I do still have very tight muscles in my right leg, which my chiropractor (dad) will be working on again on Monday.

I feel it will be a while still before I feel like myself again. I don’t like that I have to take a lot of breaks to sit or stand when working, going to church, movies, etc. I feel old and that’s not the case. I’m grateful for the great care my dad and hubby have given to me in the way of my misalignments, and I’m eager to not HAVE to get them so often.

Here is a peak at my neck x-rays which show a whiplash at C-4; if you’re curious. The neck is SUPPOSED to curve to make kind of a backwards C, which mine does not.  Here is a side-by-side comparison of a normal cervical spine, and mine!

(Normal neck picture taken from Neck Pain Support) I’ll update you all more later, and hopefully there will be more improvement!