What Happened: Stanford ICU
We both woke up on October 11, 1999 at 8:30 am and began to get ready for College of San Mateo (C. S. M.) Prior to 9 am Marie Estudillo from Fisher Investment called Adiel’s place. She left a message to where the interview will happened. Mrs. Friedman (Adiel’s mom) told Adiel about the message then left for work. Consequently, Adiel and I left for our Accounting 120 class at 9:10 a. m. taught by Ms. Rosemary Nurre. Since it was our first class with our close friend, Dino Martin we’ve decided to go to the interview previous days ago. Dino will just inform us what happened in the class (we were bad). We were both excited as we left CSM. I was first interviewed with my ex fiancé a few days ago. Christina Gazzano had a brief interview with Adiel discussing her dreams, what both of us wanted in the future. Of course we were both happy during the interview. For us the office is unique because the office is at owner’s house on top of Woodside’s mountains California as well.
By around 4pm we were both driving around. Until Adiel told me there’s no break, she looked at her foot and she’s stomping the pedal, I didn’t know what to do. For all I remembered was what I said is that God wants it to happen so I’ll see you in heaven, I love you. Suddenly, at around 4:03pm a sales lady at some retail store called “911”. Officer Curtis was the assigned officer for that day. The lady reported that there was a solo vehicle that it tipped over and the paramedics responded immediately. The scene of the collision was east/west aligned state route within the city limits of San Mateo, CA. The roadway consists of two lanes in each direction. Jersey wall separates eastbound and west slopping dirt embankment. Composed of primarily asphalt where the roadway is straight, with a slight downgrade, the weather was dry and clear at the time. Adiel was located and seated in the tipped over driver’s seat of Light Blue Toyota. She was not known at the scene until they looked at her driver’s liscense. According to the police report, there was an off duty un-named pediatric ICU nurse had stopped to provide medical attention to help us especially Adiel who was still breathing in a very slow motion.
Both of us were breathing and Adiel’s pulse was checked. When Officer Curtis arrived with a air-bag-valve mask to give Adiel breaths two to three minutes passed and efforts were discontinued when Adiel had her full cardic arrest and blood were dripping on the ground as the front shield broke into tiny pieces that some went in my right knee and my left arm was badly crushed from Adiel’s car seat. My right head hit the stirring wheel. It was the reason why all my left side is affected.
At approximately 4:07 Adiel stopped breathing. They then quickly assisted me who was gasping and posturing and used the air-bag-valve inside Adiel’s car and it took four and a half hours before taking me to ride to Stanford’s helicopter and brought to Stanford Intensive Care Unit (ICU). I was at the mercy of paramedics at the scene as I began breathing what was called to be the fight of my life. I was immediately rushed to Stanford Hospital, known only as Jane Doe.
My ex-fiance, Aniceto P. Acosta was anxious he did not receive any phone calls from me while he was working at Westlake Walgreens. He called his house to check if I arrived with his brother Arnold who was supposed to pick me up from Adiel’s place. My mother Dorothy Ann D. Ramirez was still asleep from her long hours of work from Fresh Choice in Colma. She then received a phone call from Martha Davis saying that we got into an accident and that Adiel passed away.
My mother was shocked then she threw away the phone and did not want to believe that something bad happened to us. Michael Dema Feliz our former room mate that lived on the room heard the phone hit the wall. He picked it up and spoke to Martha.
My ex-fiance, Anicito came with his brother, Arnold and his and sister, Pearl Chang to let my mother know what happened to us and they were shocked to see my mother crying.
My mother’s heart was aching from the horrible accident. When they opened the ICU room, my feet were showing, dangling and she quickly identified me.
“There, that’s my daughter” as she continued crying.
Time passed by and I learned to convince myself that this accident was no one’s fault. Accidents can happen anytime whether we like it or not This is why no matter how careful we are depending on the decision we took or choices we made, if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be and accidents can happen. This is the reason why I think it is always better to pray in the morning before we start our day.
The doctor at Stanford hospital spoke to my mother informing her that I had a severe brain injury and was in a deep coma. My mother and Anicito took turns being at my bed side throughout this critical period. The doctors did not really know if I would ever recover from the severe trauma that my brain suffered. I only had three percent chances of living and it would be a miracle if that happened.
I had a left forearm structure, with numerous crushed bones, a two inches stitched at my right knee and an orthopedic surgery was performed on the left elbow with number of screws, a plate and a rod have been placed in my fractured forearm.
During my stay at Stanford, I underwent multiple surgeries to repair the crushed bones in my left arm. I was entrusted to the able hands of Doctor Lawrence M. Shuer.
According to the documents from Stanford, radiologist found 2.2 Cyst was present within my left ovary. My Glasgow Coma was three percent to four. I unexpectedly move my right upper side and occationally my right lower side. I started with round the clock Tylenol for fever. The number of Glasgow Coma went up to 5.5 percent and all throughout my neurologic status remained unchanged, a week passed and the percentage went down to three percent again.
I do not know where and how mom found her strength to watch her only child in this life and death situation. I know she found refuge in the company of family and friends who came to visit and comfort her. She informed me that I was the only patient at the Stanford ICU who had many visitors. Since only family members was allowed in the ICU, number of friends who came from school and St. Andrew Catholic Church were always identified as a family member because during this difficult times they were truly a family to me.
However the prognosis for my brain injury was not good the neurologist told my mom…
“Expect the worst, she could be a living breathing vegetable in bed if she ever wakes up from the coma.“
However, mom, Ani, family, extended family and friends would not give up. While reading my medical report at Stanford, it was entertaining me when it stated that my stomach was filled with an unexpected sound comes out greeting the doctors and nurses “Hello”
Then one day, it just happened, I started to wake up but only half of ¼ awake or 1/8th awake. I don’t know what you call that but I was ready to transfer out of ICU Mom was choosing between Seton, Daly City or St. Mary’s SF. She chose Seton Med so I can be close to home, my friends and some of my family. I was transferred out of Stanford to Seton’s Sub acute care facility and will still require a trachea care with compressed air.
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