How it all started

CANCER!   A word no one wants to hear, but on Monday, April 23, 2012 I heard these words for the first time about a family member.   My mama called to tell me that my PaPa's test results had come back and he had cancer and it was bad.  The doctors had told us he wouldn't live much longer.  The whole family decided to get together the next night and go to Church with PaPa and just spend family time together.   So I woke up early Tuesday,  April 24, 2012 just like any other morning went to work at the Verizon Wireless Call Center.  I signed off at 4pm that day and never realized that would be the last time I would do that.   I went and spent the night with my family and my PaPa.  It was an emotional night and everyone tried to get me to spend the night but I had a doctor's appointment the next morning so back to Leland I went.  Sadly I didn't make it.  4 miles down the road from my parent's house a deer ran out in front of my Jeep Grand Cherokee and I swirved to miss it and ended up rolling my jeep and hitting a tree.  I was conscience through out the entire ordeal.  I kicked my drivers door open and crawled out of the jeep.   I was having problems breathing so I laid down on the ground next to the road.  The next few hours flew by for me but seemed like forever to my family and friends.   I was airlifted from the scene of the accident to New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington NC.  I was rushed to the trauma center where from there I do not remember much.  The doctors came out and told my husband and parents that I ha broken my neck at the C-1 level (my skull actually became detached from my spine),  a broken jaw,  my left leg was broken in 4 places including a shattered knee, and broken ribs.  They also told them they had never seen an adult with that neck injury ever live.  It usually killed them instantly and things didn't look great but the next few days were crucial.