A funny thing happened on the way to the meetup July 15, 2016 8:41 AM   Subscribe

OK, maybe not so funny.

The plan was simple- IndigoRain and I were going to meet at the Dune Park train station and take the train into Chicago to meet up with the crazies there and Jessamyn & crew.

Of course, the best laid plans, etc.

I was nailed head on by an idiot driving a pickup who was passing on a blind hill in a no-passing zone. After the EMT and Jasper County volunteer firemen cut me out of the car, I located my cell and called IndigoRain to let her know I wasn't going to make the party. So, I'm going to call her out for going way above and beyond any website loyalty- all she said was "I'll be right there", and she came to the ER (driving 40 minutes!) and stayed with me so I wouldn't be alone while my family drove up from downstate- giving up entirely on her (much-desired) attendance, and meeting Jessamyn. So a public thanks to her for everything she did, from fetching nurses to communicating for me in an awful time, while I was strapped to a backboard and in a neck brace.
posted by pjern to MetaFilter-Related at 8:41 AM (43 comments total) 29 users marked this as a favorite

You are having a hell of a year, dude. Glad you're okay, a big big props to IndigoRain for going above and beyond.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:42 AM on July 15, 2016 [25 favorites]


Holy shit, man. I hope you're ok.

Mefites is good people.
posted by bondcliff at 8:43 AM on July 15, 2016 [5 favorites]


I was wondering what had happened, I saw in the thread that you and Indigo weren't there but I've been out of the mefi loop for several days. Yikes.
posted by phunniemee at 8:48 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Jeez. Glad you're okay enough to post. Are you okay?

IndigoRain is a wonderful person. So happy she was there for you.
posted by zarq at 8:51 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Holy shit, those photos.
posted by zarq at 8:52 AM on July 15, 2016 [3 favorites]


Wow. Glad you’re OK pjern.

Those photos are a testament to modern car design though! Look at the way the engine compartment is absolutely crushed whilst the passenger compartment is mostly intact.
posted by pharm at 8:56 AM on July 15, 2016 [8 favorites]


Good god I'm glad you're ok.
posted by bibliogrrl at 9:01 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Oh my god. I'm glad you're (sufficiently) okay!
posted by rmd1023 at 9:03 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Not funny AT ALL. So glad that the outcome was not worse! IndigoRain, that was a stand-up thing you did.
posted by MonkeyToes at 9:06 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Good lord. Glad you're safe.
posted by griphus at 9:10 AM on July 15, 2016 [2 favorites]


Jesus. I'm so glad you're okay! And many cheers for IndigoRain!
posted by rtha at 9:13 AM on July 15, 2016 [2 favorites]


Jeeeeeeeesus, glad you're okay.

Other people passing wrong on rural roads is one of my nightmare fears so I am like still shuddering over here. GAAAAH, that other driver! I hope he loses his license.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 9:26 AM on July 15, 2016 [9 favorites]


a full-on frontal chest impact 4 months after open-heart surgery

damn. ow. hope it's ok.
posted by andrewcooke at 9:29 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Dude. Seriously. Bloody hell.
posted by h00py at 9:41 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Oh wow. I'm so sorry about the accident. (And the tomato allergy. That's just cruel.)
posted by taff at 9:43 AM on July 15, 2016 [2 favorites]


So glad for the followup. We missed you (both) at the meetup, and hope your recovery goes smoothly!
posted by crush-onastick at 9:48 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


This god damn world. Give good people a break, why don't you!
posted by maxsparber at 10:08 AM on July 15, 2016 [4 favorites]


OMG!! I am so, so sorry about your year. Get well soon.

And bravo IndigoRain.
posted by Amy NM at 10:36 AM on July 15, 2016 [2 favorites]


So glad to see you up and typing here - and major kudos to IndigoRain for stepping up.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 10:45 AM on July 15, 2016 [2 favorites]


Fucking hell. So glad you lived to tell the tale. Tons of internet love to you and IndigoRain.
posted by billiebee at 10:46 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Holy cow! That is awful. So glad you had IndigoRain there to support you while waiting for family. Take care and I hope you have an easy and uneventful recovery.
posted by agatha_magatha at 10:52 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Ug, so sorry that happened, I'm glad you're doing ok. And big thanks to IndigoRain for being there!
posted by Secretariat at 10:56 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Shit, dude! Be well. Big thanks to IndigoRain.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:00 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


What everybody else said! Be well. and hurray for IndigoRain, it's people like that who make this more than Just Another Website.
posted by languagehat at 11:37 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Glad you're safe and well enough to type!
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:52 AM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


This is some fucking bullshit. Glad you're okay.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 11:56 AM on July 15, 2016 [7 favorites]


Wowza! What a wreck! I'm glad you are OK. Take good care of yourself! And, IndigoRain, thanks for being such a good person and rushing to pjern's side in the ER!
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 12:02 PM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


My goodness. Sending you both some internet hugs.
posted by samthemander at 1:41 PM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Really glad to hear you are okay dude.
posted by smoke at 4:29 PM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Gracious! Best wishes for a more peaceful continuation of your year. Be well.

(Heck of a way to spend quality time with another mefite...)
posted by mightshould at 4:54 PM on July 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Wow, thanks pjern! I don't know what to say.

His wife kept thanking me for coming too, and all I could think was, where else would I be? I knew I was much closer to the hospital than she was and he was alone there. And I've known Phil a long time from Mefi, and consider him a good friend, so of course I went straight to the hospital.

He called me just after 11:30am, while I was getting ready for the meetup, and when he said "I'm not going to make it," I expected him to tell me he wasn't feeling well and had decided to stay home. I was definitely NOT expecting his next words to be "I was in a head-on collision!" He told me he was in an ambulance and which hospital they were taking him to, and I finished getting ready as fast as I could (basically getting dressed and grabbing some water and a protein bar for the road since I hadn't eaten) and flew out the door.

I'd never been to that hospital before but thanks to that modern wonder, GPS, I had no problems finding it. It's a very tiny and old hospital, and there weren't any call buttons in the ER rooms! I was definitely more glad that I went when I saw that, because I could get him anything he needed. I've been incapacitated a hospital and lost my call button, and having to shout for help is very embarrassing. I was able to take care of making some calls and texts for him and helping keep him as comfortable as possible while we waited on test results and his wife's arrival. It was my first time meeting her too and that was great! I stayed a while after she and Phil's brother arrived and visited with them a bit after Phil was made silly and knocked out with morphine, hahaha! (It's okay, he told me tell you that.) :) Then I was able to make sure they had food before I went home. That cafeteria was tiny but the prices were really good. I got a whole meal for under $3!

Of course I wanted to meet Jessamyn, but she'll be around again, and being at my injured friend's side was more important. I am so incredibly glad he's not hurt more than he was, especially that his sternum didn't break after that surgery in March. If you've been around here for a long time, you know he's been through a lot over the years, including that bypass surgery and the infamous spider bite, among other things.

So hopefully I'll be able to make another Chicago meetup soon, and bring Phil along. ;) And someday, Jessamyn!
posted by IndigoRain at 6:12 PM on July 15, 2016 [43 favorites]


I don't know what kind of prizes there are for doing what you did, but in my estimation you win ALL OF THEM. I will never be able to unsee the photo of that spider bite.
posted by rtha at 6:24 PM on July 15, 2016 [4 favorites]


What a kind and supportive thing to do! Wow! Pjern, I'm so sorry that happened to you and I'm glad you have a friend like IndigoRain to help you out in a tough situation. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and IndigoRain, thank you so much for being such an amazing friend and MeFite.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 6:25 PM on July 15, 2016 [4 favorites]


IndigoRain, you're a mensch!
posted by brujita at 7:11 PM on July 15, 2016 [4 favorites]


So hopefully I'll be able to make another Chicago meetup soon, and bring Phil along. ;)

I wish I had a car because then I could be serious in my offer of of "maybe we should come to you."

But seriously, I'm so glad you're okay pjern, and so glad IndigoRain was able to be there. All awesome.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:20 PM on July 15, 2016 [2 favorites]


You and IndigoRain are both wonderful and I send big love to you both, as you have sent to me. Please let us know if you ever need anything, we'll be there.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 9:22 PM on July 15, 2016 [3 favorites]


Yikes, how scary. I'm really happy to hear you're doing okay, pjern -- I hope you recover quickly! And wow, IndigoRain, that was very thoughtful and generous of you. Warm wishes to you both!
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 10:30 PM on July 15, 2016 [2 favorites]


When I grow up I wanna be like IndigoRain.

And take care of yourself, pjern; I hope this doesn't have any permanent bad effects.
posted by easily confused at 6:10 AM on July 16, 2016 [2 favorites]


Aw pjern, my man, you need a vacation come back to MV and visit! Nice work IndigoRain!
posted by vrakatar at 4:15 PM on July 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


*sniff*. good wins. glad you are ok.
posted by soakimbo at 6:28 PM on July 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


Glad to hear you're ok, pjern! Hope you heal quickly. And wonderful of you to do what any of us would wish someone would do for our loved ones if we couldn't be there, IndigoRain!
posted by TwoStride at 8:39 PM on July 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


Holy shit. Glad to see you are in typing shape, thanks to Indigo Rain!
posted by maryr at 1:02 PM on July 18, 2016 [1 favorite]


get better soon!
posted by zutalors! at 9:02 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]


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