My name is Sharon "Charity" Smith. I live in Palm Beach county Florida. I was riding my motorcycle with my husband and some other friends of ours on Easter Sunday in 1999. 4/4/99 to be exact. From what they tell me, because I have no memory of the accident, I was bringing my bike to a stop and locked up the back wheel. I had not brought the bike to a complete stop when I let up on the brake. A bubble had formed on the tire while the brake was locked and when it came around it bucked me off like a bronco. To hear my husband tell it, I was airborne without a parachute. There was more damage done to me than the cycle. I was in the hospital for almost six weeks. I only recall the last day and then very little of it. From what I have been told, I was a mess. I landed on the left side of my face and tried to use my hands to cushion my fall, but I broke my right thumb and fractured my left elbow and dislocated my left wrist. They weren't "fixed" until I'd been released from the hospital for a month. I also had some "foreign" matter removed from my right hand at that time. It was also very hot that day so my left arm, which was under me at the time, started to melt on the pavement.This past year has been interesting to say the least. Started back to my chiropractor ,who knew me before the accident. His treatments have really helped me. At his insistence I had another MRI and EEG done by a neurologist who recommended that I be checked out by a neuropsycologist. Paying games with my insurance company has been a struggle. At my chiropractor's suggestion I found a book by Dr.Diane Stoler, "Coping with Traumatic Brain Injuries". It has been a Godsend! Without the knowledge this book gave me, I wouldn't have been able to stand up for my rights. With this knowledge I have been able to get an appointment with the neuropsycologist without jumping through all the hoops my insurance company wanted me to.
I know I'll never be the same person I was before, but that is life. I'll just have to pick up the pieces and go on from here. I just thank the good Lord up above that I have a loving husband, family, and friends who care about how I recover.
Email Sharon
