Okay, I have had some crazy post SCI adventures--bat in the house, cheap neighbors dumping their thrash into my can at night, falling out of a car, etc. Nothing tops the craziness of this past weekend.
I decided to stay up late Friday night on into Saturday morning watching TV. I finally decided to go to bed at 130am. I live in a house at the front of my subdivision which intersects the main road so I am always aware of what is happening on the street even if I can't here it. Well, while lying in bed, at 230am Saturday morning, I hear a screeching of tires, a loud crash, a crack, an explosion, I see a flash in my backyard then "HHHIIISSSSSSSSSSS!" This is all very load. I am like damn, my worst fear, I house might be on fire. Well, I hopped out of bed (record transfer) and rolled over to my patio doors, but couldn't see anything--the power is out. Okay, I call a friend of mine who lives about three miles down the road explaining what has just happened. I then hear sirens. I tell her I will call her back. Okay, here comes the police...then the fire department, ambulance, etc. I say okay situation under control. However, I was wondering why the fire trucks were all parked about a half block from where I thought the crash happened--right on the road adjacent to my house (the layout is house-->side yard-->ditch-->wooden fence-->street). Well, my curiosity was answered when I saw a flashlight at my door and heard a knock. I roll to the door and it's a fireman. He explains to me that there has been an accident--power lines are down, natural gas is leaking right next to my house and I have to evacuate immediately due to the possible explosion. Mind you, it's 3am AND raining! I say, uh okay where am I supposed to go. He says up the road about a half block should be safe enough--never mind it's on a hill AND it's raining! The fireman agress to push me. I am the only person that has to leave their house since I am in immediate danger. The other house next to me is for sale and vacant.
Now, as we go out--in the rain--I am only wearing shorts, a t-shirt and socks. The subdivision and road have been blocked off--no one in or out. My friend who I called earlier cannot come and get me. I am calling my other neighbors trying to reach someone--totally unaware that the phone lines have been taken out as well. AAARRGGHH! So here I am on the corner at 3am in the rain in a wheelchair, praying my house doesn't blow up, and praying I can get a hold of someone. The firemen were diverting traffic and I am on display for the world to see. Oh, I had no idea how many people keep their cell phones off at night as well
. Now, for those with SCIs, you know about those uncontrollable shivers--well the rain helped them. The fireman was like, do you need a blanket? Duh. I said, I need to get out of this rain! He said he would try and see if he could get someone to get me--while managing the traffic. After 45 MINUTES, I dialed the cell phone of a neighbor who just happened to turn on her phone to use as a light. I explained my situation and she came down the road and met me with a blanket. She told the fireman, she would take me by her place. THANK YOU! Of course, no one had any idea when this situation was going to be under control. The neighbor wheeled me into her house--up the steep hill and I eventually crashed on her coach, wet, tired, etc. While laying there it hit me--I have NO SUPPLIES. I was like Lord, please don't let me pee on this woman's sofa! I would just die! 
Well, four hours later (7am) the fireman knocks and says its safe to return home but there is no power or phone service. I didn't care, just let me cath myself in time. I sure as hell didn't want to pee on the street. My neighbor wheels me back down the steep road and I get to the house and I see more utility vehicles than I can count along with a huge hole in the fence beside my house and downed power lines. All this carnage was caused by one speeding car. I hated I couldn't even run and check on the guy driving--who probably got killed--and it was right next to my yard. Then again, with all the downed lines, I probably would have kept my distance anyway. The power was out until about 7pm Saturday night and the phones JUST came back on this morning. Saturday, I went into my house, cathed, and went to bed--exhausted and pissed at the drama. The long and short of it is, this SCI crap has made me helpless in certain situations and emergencies like this are one of them.
Hmmmm...maybe the excitement must have done something for the body because suddenly I can voluntarily contract glutes, quads, calves, hamstrings, ankles, etc.--basically the leg muscles--that started this weekend as well--10 months post. Not bad for a former T-4 Asia A. Guess that can be a happy ending....
I decided to stay up late Friday night on into Saturday morning watching TV. I finally decided to go to bed at 130am. I live in a house at the front of my subdivision which intersects the main road so I am always aware of what is happening on the street even if I can't here it. Well, while lying in bed, at 230am Saturday morning, I hear a screeching of tires, a loud crash, a crack, an explosion, I see a flash in my backyard then "HHHIIISSSSSSSSSSS!" This is all very load. I am like damn, my worst fear, I house might be on fire. Well, I hopped out of bed (record transfer) and rolled over to my patio doors, but couldn't see anything--the power is out. Okay, I call a friend of mine who lives about three miles down the road explaining what has just happened. I then hear sirens. I tell her I will call her back. Okay, here comes the police...then the fire department, ambulance, etc. I say okay situation under control. However, I was wondering why the fire trucks were all parked about a half block from where I thought the crash happened--right on the road adjacent to my house (the layout is house-->side yard-->ditch-->wooden fence-->street). Well, my curiosity was answered when I saw a flashlight at my door and heard a knock. I roll to the door and it's a fireman. He explains to me that there has been an accident--power lines are down, natural gas is leaking right next to my house and I have to evacuate immediately due to the possible explosion. Mind you, it's 3am AND raining! I say, uh okay where am I supposed to go. He says up the road about a half block should be safe enough--never mind it's on a hill AND it's raining! The fireman agress to push me. I am the only person that has to leave their house since I am in immediate danger. The other house next to me is for sale and vacant.
Now, as we go out--in the rain--I am only wearing shorts, a t-shirt and socks. The subdivision and road have been blocked off--no one in or out. My friend who I called earlier cannot come and get me. I am calling my other neighbors trying to reach someone--totally unaware that the phone lines have been taken out as well. AAARRGGHH! So here I am on the corner at 3am in the rain in a wheelchair, praying my house doesn't blow up, and praying I can get a hold of someone. The firemen were diverting traffic and I am on display for the world to see. Oh, I had no idea how many people keep their cell phones off at night as well
. Now, for those with SCIs, you know about those uncontrollable shivers--well the rain helped them. The fireman was like, do you need a blanket? Duh. I said, I need to get out of this rain! He said he would try and see if he could get someone to get me--while managing the traffic. After 45 MINUTES, I dialed the cell phone of a neighbor who just happened to turn on her phone to use as a light. I explained my situation and she came down the road and met me with a blanket. She told the fireman, she would take me by her place. THANK YOU! Of course, no one had any idea when this situation was going to be under control. The neighbor wheeled me into her house--up the steep hill and I eventually crashed on her coach, wet, tired, etc. While laying there it hit me--I have NO SUPPLIES. I was like Lord, please don't let me pee on this woman's sofa! I would just die! Well, four hours later (7am) the fireman knocks and says its safe to return home but there is no power or phone service. I didn't care, just let me cath myself in time. I sure as hell didn't want to pee on the street. My neighbor wheels me back down the steep road and I get to the house and I see more utility vehicles than I can count along with a huge hole in the fence beside my house and downed power lines. All this carnage was caused by one speeding car. I hated I couldn't even run and check on the guy driving--who probably got killed--and it was right next to my yard. Then again, with all the downed lines, I probably would have kept my distance anyway. The power was out until about 7pm Saturday night and the phones JUST came back on this morning. Saturday, I went into my house, cathed, and went to bed--exhausted and pissed at the drama. The long and short of it is, this SCI crap has made me helpless in certain situations and emergencies like this are one of them.
Hmmmm...maybe the excitement must have done something for the body because suddenly I can voluntarily contract glutes, quads, calves, hamstrings, ankles, etc.--basically the leg muscles--that started this weekend as well--10 months post. Not bad for a former T-4 Asia A. Guess that can be a happy ending....
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