The notice of my death was greatly exaggerated!

 

Here is the story to the best of my drugged induced memory.  After the NAR

AE Seminar I, Diane Ruggiero , Jim Guy , Claire Shahzad and Henry DiGiacomo fly

to Jackson Hole , WY for a short vacation (March 26, 2002).  We arrived Tuesday night.

Wednesday everyone but Jim and I went skiing – I thought it was too

dangerous! Thursday the snow mobile people picked us up at the hotel and

drove us close to Yellowstone .

 

 

The tour guide found an area for all of us to play around.  You can see I

was having a good time.

If you look closely you can see that I was smiling! [ Diane Ruggiero ] That's the last you'll see of those front teeth!) Anyway, it was time to go to a lodge for lunch.  I was looking forward to going to the bathroom.  I tried to slip behind some trees but when I got off the “bike I sunk to my hips which would have made the bathroom process impossible.

So, we are following the tour guide who was going too fast for my likes and I was third from the end of the line.  The snow kicked up and before I knew it I was sailing over a 50-foot cliff.  I did get in a few “Oh, shit”s before I landed.

 

 

 

The smashed windshield is where my mouth landed and the stirring column is

where my chest landed.  I landed and all I could say is “I can’t breath, I

can’t breath…” Jim Guy was there immediately calming me down.  If it hadn’t

been for him …..

 

The tour director who is probably younger than my underwear told me if I

needed to be flown out it would take more than 6 hours for them to arrive.

I immediately decided I could get up and he slowly drove me by snow mobile

to the lodge. {Jim}as we were 10 miles from the nearest road when the accident, I think it took around an hour to get there but it felt like

days.  Sitting on the back of the machine I tried to assess my injuries.  My

mouth and nose were bleeding, the front tooth was missing, portions of other

teeth missing and I had a big gash on my upper lip.[ Diane Ruggiero ]  (I will attest that it was pretty gross!) The bleeding continued

through the trip.  I was sure each rib was broken and sticking out of my

lungs.

 

Finally, we arrive at the lodge but there is no ambulance waiting.  All my

friends helped me into the lodge and to the bathroom so I could wash away

the blood.  Now, that was the scariest part – looking at myself.  I cleaned

up as best as possible but I was very woozy and in a lot of pain.  Everyone

decided I needed to sit down so they take me into the lunchroom – I still

feel sorry those people trying to eat lunch.

 

I’m pretty fuzzy about the next section but it took another hour or so

before the ambulance arrived.  It must have been at least three hours from

the crash landing until a doctor saw me. [ Diane Ruggiero ] Actually, it was about 4 hours before you saw doctors or a hospital) OBTW, the medical staff at Jackson Hole is VERY impressive!

 

I have destroyed a third of one kidney so you will have to take me off your

list of kidney donor list.  I look like I’m from West Virginia with the

teeth missing.  The worst part was that I tore [Jim] the inner lining of my aorta.  At first they

wanted to do full surgery, which would mean placing me on a heart/lung

bypass machine.  Luckily I had a very knowledgeable heart surgeon who felt

we could take a chance and see if it could heal itself.  I was not looking

forward to major surgery so far from home.  I am being passed on to a heart

surgeon in Chicago .    I am wearing mask (is it Hannibal Lector’s mask))  when I’m in the public ))  because I don ’t want to scare small children (or me!).

 

Ok, back to the trip.  Jackson Hole people now need to get me to Salt Lake

City.  It took a plane as well as a helicopter  [Jim] provided by Life Flight.  I’m mostly out of it at this point but Diane was with me the whole time. [ Diane Ruggiero ] Terry was in excel len t hands on the Life Flight, but they were working real hard to keep her blood pressure steady. Three cardiac nurses worked for an hour on her during the Life Flight. I can tell you that Vice President Cheany’s air force 2 plane was held up until I flew out!  Mom has already written Cheany to thank him!

 

During all this Henry has gone back to the hotel and packed all of us.

Henry goes back to Boston on his regular flight which was supposed to be mine

on Friday, Diane rides with me, and Claire and Jim drive 6 hours to Salt

Lake .[Jim} , but with Claire’s superb navigation skills, they made the trip in only 4 ½ hours! (Claire & Jim arrive at 2:30 AM to the hospital. I’m sound asleep in Terry ’s room waiting for the surgeon to give us some news. This is when we find out that Terry can have the surgery or hold off on it.) Can you believe all this?  I knew they were wonderful friends but this was beyond all imagination!  They were with me the entire time.  My

sister Kathy flew in Friday night.

 

Now I’m at Salt Lake City ICU with all my friends.  I cannot find the words to express my gratitude to Claire, Diane, Jim, Henry for being there for me and taking such good care of me.  Kathy has been wonderful.  They all gave me the time to lay in pain and be taken care of.

 

I left the Salt Lake Hospital on April 2 and am in a hotel until Saturday

morning when I fly out at 8 AM and land in Chicago around noon .  I have no idea when I will return to work but I guess it will coincide with when I get teeth!

 

Love to all of you,   Terry

812 Gladstone

Vernon HIlls, IL   60061