Email 8/2/01Hadley Auto
Accident I took off work the afternoon of July 5th to lend my best friend a hand when another bud of ours gave him a last second cancellation. I (the extra hand) was a passenger in his pick up (vehicle of choice for okies and texans) and we went south of the Big D to pick up his other pickup which had broken down and in order to tow it home. We had just started back after loading the tow when he asked me to check it (tow) out as he thought it was giving him a handling problem. I unhooked my seatbelt to see what was what and next thing I know he says he had lost control and we were gonna wreck. I spun around and saw ...damn he was right. I tried to hook back in (belt never got out of my right hand) while trien to "duck" to avoid what I could. Don't remember anthing until I was in his arms afterwards when he was saying how sorry he was, loved me and didn't mean to kill me. Well hell, that woke me up from the bloody mess and then fell back out of it and I was back in "la la" land. I do have some bits of memory of someone saying they saw brain matter (wasn't brain just yeuchy scrambled bits of me) and the sounds of a chopper trying to airlift me off to the nearest hospital. Well, a broken neck (C-2), broken nose (nearly off), boken sinus bones and right eye orbit and just in general a pretty busted up face along with enough other bumps, bruises and other contusions is my fair reward....as it tw'ere. I left a chunk of my forehead somewhere out there -- if anybody finds it, bury it, its probably big enough. Oh well and heck, "pretty" was never part of any description of moi and its sure not gonna be. To keep my head on (so to speak) doctors installed a halo. So, how many attorneys (or coasties for that matter) do you know who deserve to wear one?? I have to wear a halo for about 3 months (about 2 months more) and that need is sorta like deservin', right? There is nothing but nothin' pleasant about these contraptions. I have not been much anywhere away from home since the accident and don't expect to be back in any courtroom for at least a few more months. My youngest (Brian) who just passed his second birhtday (yea you read right) I do not think really knows me now and rather looks at me as a visitor. My oldest now 25 in the Air Force is represented by our own Mike Calabro. As I understand it, the "force" gave her immunization shots for her to fly overseas to which she has had an allergic reaction and resulting skin condition which has disqualified her from flyin. She hopes to get out and give her ole man a hand (if you will). My wife has had her hands full with me, the three youngest and other chores on this "mini ranch". I can not do much to pitch in. Hope all is well with you and yours in the great (??) northwest. PLease add my name to your e-mail list at either tjhadley@yahoo.com or tjhadley73@hotmail.com I'm hangin' in there -- hope to be at our CGA 30th. Tom H.
----- Original Message -----
There!! Now you've got no excuse at all! --- Thanks, Bill Barker **** |