Debra, Thanks for keeping everyone updated. I have been a bit busy lately.
Here is the whole scoop. We made a mad dash to Iowa to see my mother in-law before she died. She has been battling cancer for several years. We got up there on Sunday 12/21 and visited with her, she die on 12/23 and we had the funeral on 12/27. May she rest in peace.
My wife (Kim) was going to stay there for a few days to help her dad out and was to fly home today. The kids (Nick, 15, Emily 14) started driving home on Monday 12/29. The roads were a bit icey and seemed to improve the further south we got. Just north of Denison, IA I went to pass another car and when engine downshifted the back tires broke loose and we went sideways in front of the the other car, both cars slid off the road and into a steep ditch, the van (aka, ice diver express) rolled over 1 1/2 times and landed upside down in the field.
Both kids were in the back seat, Emily was on the side where the initial roll took place and has the more substantial injuries. (neither had their seat belts on, they did when we started, but removed them somewhere along the way) Nick suffered a concussion and appears to be fine now. Emily has several fractures. (Collar bone, ribs, compressed spine, partially collapsed lung). I am just stiff and sore. (but some of that is from the snowmobiling the day before) We were taken to the hospital in Denison where they ran x-rays and CT scans, no brain or spinal cord injuries. They inserted a tube in Emily's chest to re-inflate the lung and she as airlifted to Creighton Medical Center in Omaha.
My wife and brother-in-law drove down and got there just before they loaded Emily in the helicopter. We then proceeded to my van to get the stuff out of it. It was good thing that my wife saw here family before she saw the van.
We arrived back home last night and everyone is feeling much relief. There are some more doctor's appointments this week and follow ups to go, but we are definitely on the downside of this one. It is amazing how your entire life can change in the blink of an eye.
I want to thank everyone for their prayers, concerns and support. I really goes a long way.
I have uploaded some photos of my van in my gallery.
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=3760
We feel very fortunate to have walked away from this one.
On another note. At this point in time my Ice Diving trip for Feb 6th-9th is still on. I don't have a large vehicle to get there with (yet), but have a few weeks to figure that out. So if you were thinking about going on this trip, I need to know and have commitment within the week, (aka, paid a deposit or the class) If I still have substantial interest, I will do the trip.
Regards,
Randy
TxIceDiver
