Well, it's been almost 2 years now since Hester was T-Boned from a careless State Farm driver. The accident has changed our lives in so many ways. For one, Hester's health is not what it used to be. When I first met my wife, she was vivacious and full of life. Not only was she beautiful on the outside, but she had the personality to match. Me being from Alaska, I wasn't sure how this Missouri girl would handle the high adventure of the last frontier. I was pleasantly reassured when I brought her back home for the first time and she jumped at every opportunity for new experiences and adventure. It was her willingness to try new things and not being afraid to get her hands dirty that really solidified in my mind that she was the one for me.
Sadly, ever since the accident she's been unable to participate in many of the old, and new experiences we once thought we would share together when we got married. She struggles throughout her day with the pain in her lower back from the herniated disc she suffered in the accident. Many days, the pain radiates down into her hips. Simple tasks like picking up a load of laundry, or giving her 1 year old niece a hug can aggravate her injury. Sure, if you look at our picasa web album, you'll see lots of pictures of her smiling for the camera. You might even see her laughing and engaged in various activities. Lets take halibut fishing as one example. 2 years ago, if she hooked a halibut, she reeled it to the surface herself. Now, when she hooks a halibut, she has to hand me the pole to reel it up for her. I don't know if she'll ever feel the satisfaction of hauling in her own catch again. So when you see photos of her smiling and enjoying herself, its not because she's 100% healed from the accident, it's because she hasn't lost her zest for life, and she chooses to make lemonade out of the lemons she's been dealt. You also wont see her sleepless nights, her shuffling laundry baskets across the floor with her feet because she can't bend over and pick it up, struggling with bags of groceries, having to sleep with a heat pad every night for the little relief it gives her. Of course I'm not going to take pictures of my wife when she's in pain, that's not who she is, she's still the same old Hester, she's just trapped inside of a body that wont let her live in the same capacity she once did. Pictures of her struggling are not what we want to remember, so that's not what you'll see. 
The accident has also changed my life. There's countless chores around the house that I have to help her with, or do alone. We recently bought a new home which has a BIG back yard with some really beautiful landscaping and even a fish pond. We both imagined the two of us in the back yard on the weekends, keeping up with the yard work together. Sadly I pretty much do everything on my own as all the bending up and down really takes its toll. Most recently, we found out that we're expecting our first child. Unfortunately not even 4 months into her pregnancy she's already really struggling with her back. We can only imagine what her back will be like by the end of 9 months. 
I used to hear about victims of accidents receiving what I thought at the time to be large settlements. I always wondered if such large settlements were necessary or was the victim being greedy? I never realized just how many difficulties and heart ache an accident can cause to an individual and their loved ones. I've watched my poor wife struggle with her pain, and paying for her treatments out of pocket has put a strain on our marriage financially and emotionally at times. It's hard as a newlyweds when you're getting used to your new life together and you're struggling to find a new car, pay bills, manage pain, miss work, go to doctors appointments, etc. etc. I really empathise with people going through an accident now that I have been through this experience with my wife.It's been almost 2 years now since her accident. We were unable to replace our alternative fueled vehicle after the accident with the money State Farm offered us. Her back has, and will continue to effect her earning potential for the rest of her life. We finally were able to buy an older Mercedes Diesel which is getting us by for the time being. Hester's pain is as bad as it's ever been, especially now that she's carrying our child. To top it all off, we have less money every month having to pay the extra medical bills that we've paid out of pocket. We're facing the reality that she may some day require surgery on her back, and even then it's not a guarantee. We're doing our best to plead our case to State Farm, the other parties insurer, and we're waiting to see the outcome. Let's hope State Farm will do us right so that we can take care of this problem which will plague Hester for the rest of her life.
The Police Report (page 4)
