Why am I still here?

[TagliatelliMonster]

On July 8th, 2019, I was in a bad motorcycle accident and was run over by an 18 wheeler. I wasn’t wearing a helmet, and broke 26 bones. Obviously, I’m alive. But is that considered to be “divine intervention”? Or was I lucky?

To this day, I don’t remember anything from the accident, or even anything from that whole morning prior to. Well, actually, i do remember a very brief moment where I’m holding my arms out in front of me just before hitting the ground, and seeing how fast the concrete was “moving” underneath me, and then grunting just before blacking out. Next thing you know, I’m barely opening my eyes and seeing/hearing my mom crying. Next to her was the CFO of the law firm I work at, my supervisor from the IT department, and a couple of nurses working around me. At that point, I just knew I was having a WEIRD dream, plus my eyes felt so heavy, that I decided to go back to sleep. I wake up again with heavy eyes, and what felt like was only 5 seconds later to a doctor and a team of nurses asking me if I know my name, and if I knew where I was. I remember feeling so tired and out of it, but I told them my name, and said “I’m at a hospital?” The doc said “uh-huh, and do you know why you’re at the hospital?” I said no. She then told me I was in a motorcycle accident. It honestly did not feel right hearing that, so I told her there’s no way. She said “yes, you were, and you were also run over by an 18 wheeler”. I remember giving a very small and painful chuckle, and decided to just go back to sleep so that I could wake up from this “dream”.

I broke several ribs, my pelvis, both hands, my left arm had a chunk of meat and bone missing, both legs and feet, my right leg had bone sticking out, a fractured skull, a bruise at the front of my brain, both lungs punctured, and a ruptured bladder. Both arms and both legs were wrapped with like a partial cast, and I never really felt like I was in pain (possibly from pain meds) but even to this day I have no pain even from my remaining injuries. I surprised everybody later on the next day after my accident by still showing my sense of humor and still being “me”. My family and friends all visited for the next few days, and they all said that I was a miracle, and mentioned divine intervention, and that God is not done with me and that I have a testimony. And I can’t help but think “why me?” Why did all of this happen? Am I alive because I’m lucky? Because I’m one tough hombre? Or did God really keep me alive for a reason?

I am still unable to walk, but I can stand and take small baby steps, my left arm is still healing, and I can use some of my fingers now on my right hand, but I’m making progress and will start physical therapy soon.

Sorry for the “book” but I haven’t really talked about this with anybody, and I figured I’d get opinions from strangers. I definitely was no saint before the accident, but I do have an appreciation for life and all the small things in it now.

Thank you for reading this, and I hope you all have a good day/night.

Jesus Christ dude! (no pun intended, lol)

Your X-ray's look like they are from Wolverine or something!
Amazing that you left that accident "unharmed". And by "unharmed", I mean mental harm. Assuming you wrote this OP, it's quite clear that your head is just fine. Very well written, very well tought out and fine on punctuation and everything.

Yes, you are one lucky, and tough, hombre.

I know of people that didn't survive "crashing" with their car going barely 30km/h (although in that case, he also had lots of bad luck) who got paralysed from the waste down by falling from a skateboard or who got killed by tripping in the street and knocking their head in an unfortunate angle on a mailbox.

I'm very sorry you had this happen to you and find it amazing that you handle yourself so well. Inspirational even... It kinda makes me feel ashamed worrying about the stupid puny "problems" I have in my life, which is nothing compared to something like this.


I wish you all the best in your recovery. I hope that it goes as amazingly as the fact that you survived it at all!

Why did this happen you ask? As cliché as it may sound.... why do you think there is a "why" here?
Why did you survive this while someone else gets killed after tripping in the street and hitting a mailbox?

I don't think there is a "why". You were just lucky that no vital parts of your body were injured.

Lucky you. Grab this chance to give a loved one an extra hug every day.


Thank you for posting and sharing.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

How do you know if you slept last night if you were asleep?

Ha!

I like that.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Consistent with impacts, there is usually massive tissue trauma

"usually", meaning "not always"?

The OP, btw, also mentions portions of "meat" missing from the left arm.

In any case, I'm sure the driver of the 18 wheeler stopped and was interrogated while in shock.
Likely also, the paramedics had to pull him from under the truck.
And then obviously indeed the witnesses.

Kind of strange question to ask how he knows he was run over by an 18-wheeler imo...

 

[Darkforbid]

"usually", meaning "not always"?

The OP, btw, also mentions portions of "meat" missing from the left arm.

In any case, I'm sure the driver of the 18 wheeler stopped and was interrogated while in shock.
Likely also, the paramedics had to pull him from under the truck.
And then obviously indeed the witnesses.

Kind of strange question to ask how he knows he was run over by an 18-wheeler imo...

It a perfect question, why do you feel it's not?

 

[QuestioningMind]

Why would the fact that God spared this man's life while allowing others to die, indicate that God considers this man to be more important? All people are important to God. Important people die every day and important people survive every day. We can't measure God's love for us based on how long he leaves us on earth. Those who die today and go home to God find purpose in their new life. Those who are spared and stick around here for a while also find purpose. For God there is no life and death. There is only life, life here or there, but it is all life.

Sorry, but if god has the ability to intervene in our lives and he steps in to ensure that a careless motorcycle rider's life is spared while standing idly by while millions suffer extermination in death camps, then this can't be considered a loving god. If that's an example of 'god's love' then I don't want to have anything to do with it and I have to wonder why anyone would.

 

[The Hammer]

On July 8th, 2019, I was in a bad motorcycle accident and was run over by an 18 wheeler. I wasn’t wearing a helmet, and broke 26 bones. Obviously, I’m alive. But is that considered to be “divine intervention”? Or was I lucky?

To this day, I don’t remember anything from the accident, or even anything from that whole morning prior to. Well, actually, i do remember a very brief moment where I’m holding my arms out in front of me just before hitting the ground, and seeing how fast the concrete was “moving” underneath me, and then grunting just before blacking out. Next thing you know, I’m barely opening my eyes and seeing/hearing my mom crying. Next to her was the CFO of the law firm I work at, my supervisor from the IT department, and a couple of nurses working around me. At that point, I just knew I was having a WEIRD dream, plus my eyes felt so heavy, that I decided to go back to sleep. I wake up again with heavy eyes, and what felt like was only 5 seconds later to a doctor and a team of nurses asking me if I know my name, and if I knew where I was. I remember feeling so tired and out of it, but I told them my name, and said “I’m at a hospital?” The doc said “uh-huh, and do you know why you’re at the hospital?” I said no. She then told me I was in a motorcycle accident. It honestly did not feel right hearing that, so I told her there’s no way. She said “yes, you were, and you were also run over by an 18 wheeler”. I remember giving a very small and painful chuckle, and decided to just go back to sleep so that I could wake up from this “dream”.

I broke several ribs, my pelvis, both hands, my left arm had a chunk of meat and bone missing, both legs and feet, my right leg had bone sticking out, a fractured skull, a bruise at the front of my brain, both lungs punctured, and a ruptured bladder. Both arms and both legs were wrapped with like a partial cast, and I never really felt like I was in pain (possibly from pain meds) but even to this day I have no pain even from my remaining injuries. I surprised everybody later on the next day after my accident by still showing my sense of humor and still being “me”. My family and friends all visited for the next few days, and they all said that I was a miracle, and mentioned divine intervention, and that God is not done with me and that I have a testimony. And I can’t help but think “why me?” Why did all of this happen? Am I alive because I’m lucky? Because I’m one tough hombre? Or did God really keep me alive for a reason?

I am still unable to walk, but I can stand and take small baby steps, my left arm is still healing, and I can use some of my fingers now on my right hand, but I’m making progress and will start physical therapy soon.

Sorry for the “book” but I haven’t really talked about this with anybody, and I figured I’d get opinions from strangers. I definitely was no saint before the accident, but I do have an appreciation for life and all the small things in it now.

Thank you for reading this, and I hope you all have a good day/night.

It very well may be that the Gods have more for you to do here, but only you know what that is. Luck/Fate, it doesn't matter, they were all on your side that day.

This reminds me of my own car accident that I was told I should not have survived (let alone walked away from).

 

[Scott C.]

Sorry, but if god has the ability to intervene in our lives and he steps in to ensure that a careless motorcycle rider's life is spared while standing idly by while millions suffer extermination in death camps, then this can't be considered a loving god. If that's an example of 'god's love' then I don't want to have anything to do with it and I have to wonder why anyone would.

This is basic Christianity. God allows evil to happen. In the end, after all is said and done, goodness, righteusness, and happiness prevail for the innocent for eternity. God's love is manifest both in the spiritual support he gives us through our pain and in the end game of eternity where there is no sorrow.

I realize you don't agree. Your argument is made frequently. I can understand why one does not believe as I do, but I have a hard time understanding why some can't even conceive of a God who both loves and allows suffering, when considered against the backdrop of an eternal plan where goodness prevails and where the challenges of mortal life become but the blink of an eye.

 

[QuestioningMind]

This is basic Christianity. God allows evil to happen. In the end, after all is said and done, goodness, righteusness, and happiness prevail for the innocent for eternity. God's love is manifest both in the spiritual support he gives us through our pain and in the end game of eternity where there is no sorrow.

I realize you don't agree. Your argument is made frequently. I can understand why one does not believe as I do, but I have a hard time understanding why some can't even conceive of a God who both loves and allows suffering, when considered against the backdrop of an eternal plan where goodness prevails and where the challenges of mortal life become but the blink of an eye.

What I have trouble conceiving of is a god that both loves and REQUIRES the magnitude of suffering that god apparently requires. If this god has the ability to step in and intervene to stop the suffering of some at any time, but he has concocted a plan is which it is required that he sit idly by as other people suffer in unimaginable ways, then it's impossible for me to see this god as a truly loving and moral being.

 

[Scott C.]

What I have trouble conceiving of is a god that both loves and REQUIRES the magnitude of suffering that god apparently requires. If this god has the ability to step in and intervene to stop the suffering of some at any time, but he has concocted a plan is which it is required that he sit idly by as other people suffer in unimaginable ways, then it's impossible for me to see this god as a truly loving and moral being.

I can't explain why some believe and some don't. Among those who suffer the most as well as among those who have lives of relative ease (although nobody makes it through life without serious challenges) there are those who sense God in their lives, who feel his love and support, who find beauty in life, and who are grateful for life in spite of their trials. On the other hand, there are those who find life way too difficult (for them or for others) and see the earth as too ugly and too mean (to them or to others) to accept that a loving God has anything to do with this. I don't blame or judge people who don't believe.

 

[Twilight Hue]

On July 8th, 2019, I was in a bad motorcycle accident and was run over by an 18 wheeler. I wasn’t wearing a helmet, and broke 26 bones. Obviously, I’m alive. But is that considered to be “divine intervention”? Or was I lucky?

To this day, I don’t remember anything from the accident, or even anything from that whole morning prior to. Well, actually, i do remember a very brief moment where I’m holding my arms out in front of me just before hitting the ground, and seeing how fast the concrete was “moving” underneath me, and then grunting just before blacking out. Next thing you know, I’m barely opening my eyes and seeing/hearing my mom crying. Next to her was the CFO of the law firm I work at, my supervisor from the IT department, and a couple of nurses working around me. At that point, I just knew I was having a WEIRD dream, plus my eyes felt so heavy, that I decided to go back to sleep. I wake up again with heavy eyes, and what felt like was only 5 seconds later to a doctor and a team of nurses asking me if I know my name, and if I knew where I was. I remember feeling so tired and out of it, but I told them my name, and said “I’m at a hospital?” The doc said “uh-huh, and do you know why you’re at the hospital?” I said no. She then told me I was in a motorcycle accident. It honestly did not feel right hearing that, so I told her there’s no way. She said “yes, you were, and you were also run over by an 18 wheeler”. I remember giving a very small and painful chuckle, and decided to just go back to sleep so that I could wake up from this “dream”.

I broke several ribs, my pelvis, both hands, my left arm had a chunk of meat and bone missing, both legs and feet, my right leg had bone sticking out, a fractured skull, a bruise at the front of my brain, both lungs punctured, and a ruptured bladder. Both arms and both legs were wrapped with like a partial cast, and I never really felt like I was in pain (possibly from pain meds) but even to this day I have no pain even from my remaining injuries. I surprised everybody later on the next day after my accident by still showing my sense of humor and still being “me”. My family and friends all visited for the next few days, and they all said that I was a miracle, and mentioned divine intervention, and that God is not done with me and that I have a testimony. And I can’t help but think “why me?” Why did all of this happen? Am I alive because I’m lucky? Because I’m one tough hombre? Or did God really keep me alive for a reason?

I am still unable to walk, but I can stand and take small baby steps, my left arm is still healing, and I can use some of my fingers now on my right hand, but I’m making progress and will start physical therapy soon.

Sorry for the “book” but I haven’t really talked about this with anybody, and I figured I’d get opinions from strangers. I definitely was no saint before the accident, but I do have an appreciation for life and all the small things in it now.

Thank you for reading this, and I hope you all have a good day/night.

Well it certainly wasn't divine , but one could still say, "By the grace of God go I".
Aside from being banged up , it's good you pulled through the ordeal.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

It a perfect question, why do you feel it's not?

I already told you in the post you are replying to.

 

[Mock Turtle]

I can't explain why some believe and some don't. Among those who suffer the most as well as among those who have lives of relative ease (although nobody makes it through life without serious challenges) there are those who sense God in their lives, who feel his love and support, who find beauty in life, and who are grateful for life in spite of their trials. On the other hand, there are those who find life way too difficult (for them or for others) and see the earth as too ugly and too mean (to them or to others) to accept that a loving God has anything to do with this. I don't blame or judge people who don't believe.

I'm sure there are many like myself where suffering has no relevance to any beliefs or non-belief in God or gods, and mostly it is that the religious arguments don't make any sense. As someone has commented, one can't be made to believe that which doesn't make any sense - unless one wants to be a deceiver of oneself.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

Real glad to hear that you lived through that!

Although I believe in God -- actually the God of the Bible, Jehovah -- I think it's unlikely that He would step in. I've been through harrowing, life-threatening experiences (plural) myself, but now I don't attribute my living through them, to God's saving "hand," as some might say. It was as the Bible says, 'time and unexpected events overtake us all.' (Ecclesiastes 9:11.) I did, at first.

But, going through something like that, can give a person a different and better perspective, in that we can appreciate just how precious, the gift of life is.

Don't worry about your recovery, if it seems to you to be going slower than you'd like...take this time to meditate on your life. And try to become a better inner you, the spiritual side... like developing qualities mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. I know one you'll develop... patience!

You know what I did? I read the Bible, and contemplated each sentence!

No it wasn't a waste of time, not for me...I actually felt myself drawing close to Jehovah God, as Jesus said would happen.

Take care, my cousin.

 

[QuestioningMind]

I can't explain why some believe and some don't. Among those who suffer the most as well as among those who have lives of relative ease (although nobody makes it through life without serious challenges) there are those who sense God in their lives, who feel his love and support, who find beauty in life, and who are grateful for life in spite of their trials. On the other hand, there are those who find life way too difficult (for them or for others) and see the earth as too ugly and too mean (to them or to others) to accept that a loving God has anything to do with this. I don't blame or judge people who don't believe.

Having a so called 'god' in your life is not a requirement for finding love and support or finding beauty in life and to truly appreciate life, despite the hardships. All I'm saying is that IF a god being has the ability to intervene and stop human suffering, but he only does so for a small handful and allows multitudes of other to endure unforgivable suffering, then I am very hesitant to define such a being as a 'loving god'. And I have difficultly understanding how other people do.

 

[Scott C.]

Having a so called 'god' in your life is not a requirement for finding love and support or finding beauty in life and to truly appreciate life, despite the hardships. All I'm saying is that IF a god being has the ability to intervene and stop human suffering, but he only does so for a small handful and allows multitudes of other to endure unforgivable suffering, then I am very hesitant to define such a being as a 'loving god'. And I have difficultly understanding how other people do.

I know and I'm having trouble explaining it I think. If we ignore the hardships of others for a moment, and look at our own lives, and we can find beauty and support despite our hardships, then why can't we conclude that if there is a God, that he did good by us to put us here? If our life here is a net positive, with far greater joy expected in the next life, and if the harships endured in this life help us grow, then I can see God as loving. But mostly, I see God as loving because I sense and feel his love in my life. When things have gotten really tough for me (which they have), I have seen God get me through it. I have felt his love in the process. I could conclude that he doesn't exist or doesn't love me because of the simple fact that he allowed these tough times, but that's not how I perceive life, experience, or God. Also, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe we lived with a Heavenly Father and Mother before we ever came to earth. We did not have earthly hardships there. We anxiously and excitedly signed up to come to earth, knowing it would be a lot different, with trails, troubles, and joys mixed in. God explained the purpose and meaning and we came of our own free will. (I'm to trying to argue, which may make me weird for this forum. I feel victorious not when someone changes their mind, but when someone simply says "Ahh now I get what you mean and see why you feel that way, even though I disagree". And let me say to you "Ahh I get what you mean and see why you feel that way even though I disagree." Cheers