This is my fourth semester attending Skyline after the horrible tragic car accident, I’ve met a lot of imperative people and treat them as my angels that God sent to help and entertain me.
A number of people have been asking me how I turned out to be disabled, what my disability is and why I am under DSPS (Disable Student Programs and Services). Having a brain injury is very difficult, and although I am not loosing hope, I will continue to fight to graduate and move on to a four-year University. I strongly believe that all students should study very hard because what we learn everyday is very important in our daily lives.
The accident happened on October 11, 1999. I do not quite know what happened with my best friend Adiel other then what’s described in the police report. It stated that our front left tire blew that caused Adiel to lose control of the stirring wheel. The car went in circles on the road, causing us to swerve. We fell off a little cliff where a big tree hit Adiel’s side. The accident was fatal to Adiel, as for me I was at the mercy of paramedics at the scene as I began what was to be the fight for my life.
I was immediately rushed to Stanford Hospital, known only as “Jane Doe”. My mother (Dorothy Ann D. Ramirez) was crying when they opened the ICU room; my feet were dangling and were identified by my mother. “There, that’s my daughter,” she said as she continued crying. The doctor informed her that I had severe brain injury. I was in a coma from the first week of October to the second week of December 1999. My mom and my boyfriend, Ani, took turns being at my bedside throughout this critical period. The doctors didn’t really know if I could ever recover from the severe trauma that my brain suffered. I underwent multiple surgeries to repair the broken bones in my left arm, and was entrusted to the able hands of Dr. Laurence. But the prognosis for my brain injury was not good. The neurologists told my mom to expect the worst. I could be a living, breathing vegetable if I were to ever wake up from my coma. But mom, Ani, my family and friends would not give up. Everyday they prayed for a miracle and argued with the doctors when the so-called “specialists” were giving up on me.
Christmas 1999 was a special one for me. I was transferred to Seton, and a week before Christmas, my mom got her Christmas wish as I slowly awoke from my deep slumber. My school friends, professors, and previous school counselors visited the hospital to celebrate my awakening, including some of my family and the church choir (Anima-Christi young adult choir from St. Andrews Catholic Church in Daly City)…all except for my close friend Adiel. I asked my mom in sign language where Adiel is, and it wasn’t until I transferred to St. Mary’s Rehabilitation Hospital when I was told of the accident.
After long and hard therapy, I learned how to eat, drink, write, and all the basics that we all to often take for granted. I had Occupational Therapy [OT], Speech Therapy [ST] and Physical Therapy [PT]. I still do not have any clue of our accident or the reason of me being in the hospital. Finally the moment of truth has come. Mom waited for Ani to come so he can calm me down if ever something terrible were to happen to me and together they can explain what happened. I still had no clue about the unpleasant incident at this point. Mom asked me if I was ready to hear the whole true story. I nodded yes. “You and Adiel got into a car accident,” my mom explained. Then she reviewed the what, when and how. Adiel was driving and during the accident her side got severely crushed. “She died,” mom said. I was shocked and had no comment on the story. I didn’t know what or how I would feel and react. My body was numb, my eyes wanted to cry but all I felt was a big headache, my life had turned to a different circle of life.
Before the accident, I turned to song in time of sadness. As a result, I felt singing personally and to God to satisfy and calm myself, but the voice just wasn’t there. I was listening to my previous voice tapes I brought it with me in the hospital, and used them as inspiration to talk and sing once again. I met Dr. Morrissey to check up my throat and the reason I could not speak. Soon after, they performed surgery in my throat so I can talk and sing again. The surgery ended and I was happy. Aside from going to Skyline College for my education, I am also studying how to sing again.
I waited four semesters attending Skyline before I can write this story because it is very painful to recollect what happened to me almost 7 years ago. As time passes by, I learned how to convince myself that this accident was no one’s fault and that accidents can happen anytime whether we like it or not. I hope that my story reminds all of us to believe in ourselves and not to be embarrassed to show and share our capabilities to everyone and everything because what we think, say, do or offer can be done only if we do it ourselves…we ought to remember that always.
