| Glad you survived your accident, Doctor Heller. Thanks for sharing your story with us! |
 |
 |
 |
 |
"It Happened To Me" Dr. Diane Heller (excerpted from her book, "Crash Course," reviewed on preceeding page) "My own auto accident gave me a very personal interest in trauma therapy and methods for recovery. September 14th, 1988 was a day I will never forget. I was involved in a very serious high-velocity, head-on collision. And it occurred only two weeks before my greatly anticipated wedding day. Suffering a mild brain injury, (although at the time, I didn't know what that was), I was left somewhat disoriented during, before, and after the big event. I was in a very confused state and as I was scurrying to doctor's appointments in the midst of last minute floral and catering preparations. Still scared to death of driving, I was running around in an unfamiliar rental car because mine had been totaled. Not only did I have to buy a wedding dress, I had to negotiate on a new car when I couldn't even think straight. I couldn't remember how many people would be at the rehearsal dinner and gave the restaurant incorrect reservations because I couldn't add up the numbers. Everything that had been so organized began to crumble into chaos. The smallest decision became overwhelming and there were far too many decisions. Thankfully, Larry and I married on October 1st despite the difficult circumstances. How did this head-on collision happen? Driving down a four lane undivided highway, determined to finish up the final wedding details, I had my wedding organizer notebook on the seat beside me, along with a special porcelain ornament to decorate the top of our wedding cake. It was a beautiful porcelain bride and groom that had tremendous sentimental value. As an important symbol of my new family's tradition, this ornament had been used previously by my mother-in-law on her own wedding cake. She had given it to me as a gesture of generosity and as a warm welcome into the family. What happened next was any future daughter-in-law's nightmare. As I was driving at 55 miles per hour, the wedding cake ornament began to slide on the slippery notebook cover. In a panic, I reached for the bride and groom, releasing my seat belt in order to catch the fragile piece before it smashed on the floor of the car. As the ornament slipped further and further toward the floor, I leaned over further and further. I got it! Yes! I had saved the bride and groom! I wasn't doomed as a first time daughter-in-law after all! Tradition was intact! I looked up triumphantly only to see a Mercedes headed my way, filling my view and soon my windshield. I an instant I realized I'd twisted the steering wheel too far left, veering into oncoming traffic! It was too late. I was driving at a speed of 55 mph and so was the driver of the Mercedes. The combined impact was 110 miles per hour, and I DID NOT HAVE MY SEAT BELT ON! First I flew full force into the steering wheel, hitting my jaw above my front teeth. I cut the inside of my mouth and upper jaw. I also broke the windshield as the top of my head slammed into it. I can recall at the same time, as if in slow motion, seeing the Mercedes I hit flipping in the air over my car, landing on the road upside down. I was certain the other driver must have been seriously injured or killed (thankfully, he wasn't). I was so concerned about him, of course, that I hardly noticed the miracle-that, although bloodied and banged up-I had survived. The other driver not only survived, thanks to the substantial structure of his Mercedes, but he was uninjured and came to help me out of my crumpled car. He was an oral surgeon as well as a Good Samaritan. He immediately was able to help with my facial injuries by giving useful instructions to the paramedics. From what I now know about trauma, I still wonder if he had symptoms that arose later. I have attempted to reach him since the accident, but have not been able to find him to thank him or to find out how he is doing so many years later. As a result of the accident and subsequent symptoms, I learned a great deal about what mild brain injury and high-impact accidents can do to people. I learned that when you are in high-impact shock it is a different dimension of injury. The experience may feel so fragmenting that you feel crazy and out of control inside. Your body gets deregulated, normal functions become "out of sync," and previous traumas can be reactivated. For me it was like opening a Pandora's box. Previous unresolved emotional issues resurfaced from the shock of the accident. My delayed symptoms from the accident included strange temperature shifts from hot to cold and I experienced night sweats. I also awoke in the middle of the night with intense fear and intrusive flashbacks of the crash. I seemed destined to relive the event over and over again-as if once was not enough! It seemed I couldn't stop eating and I gained 30 pounds. I couldn't sleep past 3:00 a.m. I'd wake up feeling anxious. My whole body seemed out of whack." Dr. Heller goes on to describe additional trauma symptoms and various attempts at treatment saying, “Because traditional medical and psychotherapy treatments weren’t working well enough for me, my search for recovery possibilities took me nearly four years. I flew all over the country to a variety of trauma professionals seeking help before finding Peter Levine’s Somatic Experience techniques. I subsequently used this technique as a basis for my own understanding. Thousands of people worldwide have been treated successfully using the Somatic Experience approach. I want to share this knowledge with you because I have found it so helpful for myself and many, many others.” Above exerpt from Dr. Diane Hellers book, "Crash Course: A Self-Healing Guide to Auto Accident Trauma and Recovery" |
| Diane Heller's "Crash Course" and Peter Levine's "Waking the Tiger" are available at Amazon.com |
 |
|
| Dr. Diane Heller's account of her high-impact automobile accident, subsequent injuries, symptoms of trauma and labored recovery is worthwhile reading for several reasons. Most notably it shows how she suffered and recovered; sharing lessons for all of us and for those family members we wish to help. But it also shows something you may have already come across in safermom's "Driving for Two," i.e., just how easy it is to go from "normal, everyday rush, rush from place to place…" to serious tragedy ---all in the mere blink of an eye. Please take that lesson from Dr. Heller to be as important to you as is her help with trauma and recovery. Take your eyes off the road for only a split second to reach for a phone, drink, snack, or as in Dr. Heller's case, a figurine, and ……well, you know what comes after that, Mom. |
| Read the rest of Dr. Heller’s book, available at Amazon.com, and next time you visit Amazon.com you can review and purchase Peter Levine’s best selling book on the subject of healing trauma, "Waking the Tiger. The Innate capacity to transform overwhelming experiences." |
 |