I like writing short stories in my spare time, and I am very fortunate to be able to do so as my life ended in 1999 when I was 13. I had snuck out of the house that night to hang out with friends and go to a party. I was on my way home and crossing the road below a rise when a car came over the top at high speed. I had no time to react and froze. The car gave me a hard glancing blow and sent me flying and I landed on the side of the road from what I was told. I don't remember anything of what happened afterwards and I was in a coma for 2 weeks. Luckily the driver stopped and called the Highway Patrol. I was airlifted to a trauma center and died on the way to the hospital but was revived, twice and another time at the hospital. My pelvis was fractured badly, my right femur broken in 3 places, a broken left shoulder, a broken arm, and a ruptured spleen, not to mention numerous bruises and contusions. My parents never knew I was gone until the police arrived at their door. They rushed to the hospital and practically stayed by my side for 6 weeks. I went through many surgeries to repair the damage. I have an artificial hip and knee joint and because of bone loss from my shattered femur my right leg is about 2 inches shorter than my left and I have to wear specially made shoes. I am held together by titanium rods and screws and have many scars from surgeries, but by the grace of God I survived and it changed my life. I had been a rebellious teen. I smoked, swore, talked back to my parents and was disobedient, hated authority figures, hated and fought with my sister all the time, and cut classes. I dressed like a dark mistress and barely came out of my room when I was home. But that all changed that night in 1999. My parents were there for me through 2 years of rehabilitation. The ones who I made fun of, and was embarrassed to be seen with. My sister wailed like a banshee when she thought I had died, God love her!
 Today I am a totally reborn person. Because of all the wonderful people that encouraged me through my lengthy rehabilitation, I decided to become a nurse and help others. With the help of tutors and hard work and perseverance I graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a degree in nursing. I love my family dearly and would do anything for them. Although I am slightly disabled I look at it as "alive and well". I got more metal in me than the grill of a '48 Buick and am worth a lot of money at the scrap yard when I die. The bum part is setting off metal detectors at the airport. Kind of delays things but hey, can life be any grander?  ~ Crystal