Trauma Tahiti is Sandra's patient name at the hospital. She's at Shands if you want to visit, ask for her by the hospital name because they won't have her listed under her real name. This naming procedure is for privacy reasons. Shands 352/265-0111.

Sandra left work early on 12/12/12, a very rare event, even more rare, her destination was the Oaks Mall...at Christmastime. She hates shopping, and crowds, and how commercial Christmas has become. All reasons not to be on I-75 Southbound on Wednesday afternoon.

She was struck almost head-on by a  pickup truck about 4.33pm. The vehicle left the Northbound lanes of I-75, crossed the median and all 3 lanes of SB I-75 and continued onto the grass on the West side of the interstate. The truck then re-entered I-75 but now heading North in the Southbound lanes, where it crashed into Sandra's Hyundai Santa Fe suv.

I will be eternally grateful she wasn't driving the car she had prior to the Hyundai, a Honda Civic. The SUV saved her life. The truck that hit her was a Chevy Silverado, 4x4, Crew Cab full-sized truck, weighing approximately 5600 lbs. The Hyundai weighs only 3600 lbs, one ton less, but it stopped the impact of the truck successfully, amazing when you look at the vehicles.

Sandra incredibly sustained only (only) broken bones and bruises, but no internal injuries and no spinal/neck injuries (that are detected to date, 12/15/12).  Thank you Hyundai safety engineers!

• Compound fracture of  left femur and left wrist
• broken left collarbone
• fractured/shattered right kneecap
• torn ligaments in left wrist (thumb retractor) as well as the right kneecap
• fractured bone in her right ankle
• six broken ribs - at last count, not confirmed

She underwent two separate surgeries to fix the compound fractures and torn ligaments, and came through both surgeries well. No surgery on collarbone, ribs or ankle.

Her right arm is in good shape. She can: use the phone, put on her glasses, lift a light cup of water, etc. but that is about it, restricted mobility. No motorcross or roller derby anytime soon ;)

She is in very good spirits, despite being flat on her back 24 hours a day. She's on painkillers (obviously) which make her tired, but can hold conversations, and was watching some tv the last 2 days. She is off her IV as of Saturday night, so she's progressing very well.

Prognosis is good, she's in the hospital for another few days, then transitioning to a rehab facility for a few weeks and then going home. Weight bearing and/or walking is hopeful in about 6-8 weeks.