The Story of My Accident

The day was September 20, 2010. The night before, I was listening to the recording files for DeDe's new album at the OTM studio in Lilburn, GA - there with our Producer Oats (Todd Olsen) and our engineer JD Cooper. That morning of the 20th, I had to leave early from DeDe's grandmother's house to go to school (UWG) over in Carrollton. I was driving on I-20 West toward our town of Lithia Springs and then to Carrolton. I don't remember all of the details (obviously) but best I have been told from various accounts and witnesses, the accident happened near the Six Flags area around a big hill. My Chevy S-10 Ext. Cab 6 cyl. truck got into a fight with a big "Hero"/"State Farm" truck that usually helps motorists on the side of interstates in the ATL area. Obviously I lost and the "Hero" won! What was weird about that Hero truck, was that it was actually sitting in the fast lane - parked. Odd(?). Somehow I didn't see it. The rest is history. It was bad and I don't remember any of it (thankfully). Later on (2 months later) I got to see a small video of my truck crashed on I-20 on the local news. Hopefully no one else was involved and the Hero truck and driver were just fine. I was life-lighted (helicopter) to Atlanta Medical. They had to clean out my left leg good (including foot, tibia, and femur) and then surgeries with metal, through the well-known Dr. Ziran (he has said I was in good shape). I also had a small depressed skull fracture, frontal lobe trauma due to brain hitting the inside of skull after the sudden stop (no surgery needed). Overall they had to give me 13 pints of blood within a few days. Heavy! Day of accident at Atlanta Medical, my dad was called thru a business card in my wallet and then he told my wife, DeDe. Later, DeDe and my son Nathan came, and the Chaplains were very helpful. Then my parents came from western NC, other family, saints, and friends over a few days. I ended up being in a comma for ten days and pretty much out of it for the better part of three weeks. After the second week, I was then moved to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.

During the third week, at Shepherd, I was still out of it. I was there for recovery and therapy for my left leg (walking) and for Aphasia (speech and writing, etc.). Even during that third week, I couldn't even say my wife's or my parent's names. But my wife shared that she saw me sing (and use hands) every song to the Lord,through a favorite Clint Brown spontaneous, piano CD that we used to listen to during Maren's labor in 2004 in Gainesville, FL. That was powerful! With a sick soul, the spirit was still active and willing. In the beginning there, I had a roommate in my room and I was in a wheelchair. There were very kind nurses that helped me bathe, change my clothes, take my medicine, and show my where to eat. I also saw the doctors. After I was fully "awake" and thinking more clearly, I began to venture out and started my therapies. Gradually, I got more independent in taking care of myself and more fully in-gauged in the classes and exercises. Also, at this time, DeDe needed to make a decision about our rental house in the Lithia Springs neighborhood with the church. I was not working or in school, so she made the call (prayerfully) to move us to her grandmother's house in Lilburn temporarily. After staying at Shepherd for two months, it was time to move on to the next phase. It was great to see the kids and DeDe periodically but I was ready to go. Shepherd did a great job overall. They have a good program. The doctors, nurses, and therapists were outstanding. It was good to see them at the party and on visits.

After DeDe and my parents helped me leave Shepherd that day, it was on to DeDe's grandmother's house for me to stay. Still in the wheelchair, a new and more independent season started. DeDe and some of her family helped to make things more accessible and a little more at home. The kids were excited and it helped greatly to make the transition easier. There were a lot of changes and emotions involved but the Lord was everpresent to help us all.

Within my new life at "home" I began my outpatient therapies at Pathways (a part of Shepherd Center) in Decatur. I continued my work on my leg, Aphasia, and in counseling. They too were also very helpful. Soon I was able to move out of the wheelchair and into a walker. Huge! Then I worked on my speech and writing. It was weak but improving. I also had visits to Dr. Ziran for new x-rays and updates. He was pleased with the progress and the therapies, and I was able to see the photos of the metal in my leg. The kids loved that!

So toward the end of my outpatient therapy, it was mid-March 2011, I had finally walked on my own (after some swimming, etc.), and had written a small essay about soccer (after barely doing a paragraph of difficulty). This was after being a soccer player and coach, a minister and public speaker, and a writer (website & a new book release May 31, 2011). On the last day at Pathways, they gave me a little graduation party and said goodbye to everyone there. Again, very good friends.

After therapy, I began to work on things like walking, reading, writing, relationship, parenting, finances - at home. Also, at that time, I went to the Shepherd Center for my driving test-and passed! My dad took me to spring training baseball to Florida. I still wasn't working yet. Later, we went to see friends in FL, to the beach at Hilton Head for vacation, and then started to meet with the church again, while I went back to school for a month long Summer term (to challenge myself). At the end of August, with school starting again, we were all ready as a family to move into our own new house. I also ran for the first time - a big goal! It was weak but very good. At almost mid-September, we did just that - moved finally to the west side of town. We moved to Douglasville, nearby to Lithia Springs, near the church neighborhood. Currently, we are still adjusting to our new life, house, and working, etc. but it's a process for all of us.

Through it all, the Lord has been very good and kind. HE is my sufficiency! Some have called it a season, a transition, or an interruption but for us as a family, we just want the best that the Lord has to offer for our new future together. We are full of expectation!

(Please know that this story is very difficult on me to share about my accident or to share mainly about myself so much. I prefer to share more about the Lord and about others. But this blog or article is available for a limited time, for the benefit of those who weren't close to me in location or when I shared it with DeDe at the Koinonia school this week, through our website at www.amcrex.com. Thank you for your support.)

- Jon K. Slusser