Schuyler County -- Around & About

(Editor's Note: The following is one in a series of personal columns we publish from time to time by Bonnie Seeley of Odessa. To see her previous column, click here.)

By Bonnie Seeley

Happy February, Folks! January was a roller coaster of changing weather, some of which caught me off guard. ~ For Heaven’s Sake! I was certainly off guard! ~ I just went out to get my mail and newspaper, and it is 51° outside on the 1st of February! (Probably it will plummet to 0° by the weekend!)

I have been trying to write something every day, as I had mentioned in my January column on The Odessa File. (“One Resolution I made was to write something every day. I am also doing some journaling and Daily Devotions.”) As I also mentioned previously, I started the year with a nasty case of laryngitis and a wicked cough. These maladies had begun in early December, and finally cleared up in mid-January.

Despite my lack of voice, I had made it to Independent Fitness, to work out for 60 minutes per session, every day for the first three days of the New Year! Then, my attendance was sporadic up to the 19th, but I resolved to keep at it, anyway. I was having dinner out almost every night, because of my aversion to spending evenings home alone. (Sorry, Violet, but I am speaking here of my longing for HUMAN companionship.)

On Thursday, January 19th, I worked hard around the house all day…gathering up recyclable plastics, shredding unwanted/junk mail, sorting through/organizing piles of accumulated newspapers and “glossies,” filing various paperwork that has to be saved for tax purposes, etc., which I, literally, had NOT DONE at all in 2011. Needless to say, when dinnertime rolled around, I did not have the energy to fix even a microwaveable frozen meal. I had not even looked out the window at all that day.

I decided I needed to take a quick shower, put on a comfortable outfit and some make-up, and head to Friendly’s Restaurant in Horseheads to use some of the Gift Certificates my sister-in-law, Deb, had given me for Christmas. As I recounted on Facebook, “Well, now, Friends & Neighbors...Here's a fine kettle of fish! I decided to go to Friendly's in Horseheads for dinner tonight...Never made it!”

“It was snowing...I should have never left home!” In Winter, I tend to stay away from the secondary roads, and I travel on State Route 14 when heading in a southerly direction. For some inexplicable reason, I chose to drive down Ridge Road to Middle Road…NOT a wise decision!
I got just south of Millport Hill Road on Middle Road in the Town of Veteran in Chemung County, when I hit a slippery spot, lost control (I remembered not to brake!), and did a 180° spin, while crossing into the opposite lane, coming to rest in a ditch, facing NORTH! I decided that I was not going to die, because my life did not flash before my eyes as I slid to a sudden stop, against a steep embankment.

I was finally able to program 911 into my BlackBerry, and, of course, I got Chemung County Dispatch. Millport Fire & Rescue was first to arrive at the scene, then came a state trooper from the Horseheads Barracks, followed by an Erway Ambulance. At least they took me to Schuyler Hospital…but had to get a special dispensation from headquarters to do so.

I called my youngest son, Benjamin, after I had reached 911 and was awaiting my rescuers’ arrival. Benjamin is a Schwann man, and he was just approaching the Schwann depot in Horseheads to turn in his truck at the end of a long day. He said he would drop off the truck, complete his paperwork, and meet me at Schuyler Hospital, unless he was notified otherwise.

He mentioned that he was driving his wife Paula’s new car…It was her day off from work, and her car gets 40 miles to the gallon, considerably better than his car, Floyd’s old 1999 Taurus, which Benjamin inherited when his Dad passed away. I reminded him to be extra-specially careful, because we didn’t need another wrecked car in the family!

When Millport Fire & Rescue arrived, one Rescue Squad member climbed into the seat behind the driver’s seat and immobilized my head, because I was feeling pain in my neck and cervical spine. I also felt some tenderness on the left side of my face, and the seatbelt had bruised my left shoulder. Soon, the rescuers had me strapped securely onto a backboard, with my head immobilized, so I couldn't call AAA to request a wrecker. As I was being loaded into the ambulance, I suddenly realized that I was not wearing my glasses!

I asked the rescuers to please look in my car…The glasses must have flown off my face when the car was spinning around. They did a cursory search, using a flashlight to look on the floor around the driver’s seat, but could not locate them.

I also remembered that I had not called AAA to request a wrecker. I made a general request, to whomever was listening, that I would like Wolfe’s Garage in Odessa called to tow my vehicle. I really don’t know if anybody heard me or was even paying any attention to what I was saying. It was quite a confusing scene!

When I arrived at the Schuyler ER, a nurse named Pam came to meet the incoming stretcher. The way I was arranged on the stretcher, she did not recognize me. When she was standing closer, so that she could see my face, she exclaimed, “Oh, my! Miss Bonnie, what have you done to yourself?”

“Aw…Just one of your regulars, here for a visit!” I was trying to lighten my suddenly-crestfallen mood.

I was rolled into the corner room, and a lady next to me was suffering from extreme belly pain. She sounded much worse off than I was. I tried to be patient, but I was very uncomfortable! I had on a turtleneck top with a velour shirt over that, PLUS my coat had not been taken off from me, because they did not want to jostle my left shoulder around any more than was absolutely necessary. I felt like I was about to melt!

My sinuses were clogged so badly, that I had to breathe through my mouth. My mouth was as dry as the Sahara Desert. The nurse brought some ice chips, and Benjamin would spoon a few small chips at a time into my mouth to relieve the dryness.

I asked if I could have my boots removed, because I was beginning to overheat. Benjamin slipped off my boots, and my socks came off too! He slipped the socks back onto my feet and we shared a couple of laughs.

Dr. Singh was the doctor on call, and he ordered CAT-scans of my facial bones, my left shoulder, and my cervical spine. When the results were in, Dr. Singh told me I had no broken bones, just a lot of contusions. He also told the nurse to disengage my body from that unpleasant backboard, and he raised the head of the bed so that I was no longer flat on my back.

I began to worry then, because I did not know where my car had been towed to from the accident scene. I tried to use my cell phone, but reception in the ER was nowhere near ideal. We got permission to use the phone in the ER suite, so Benjamin held/dialed it for me, while I stretched the receiver cord halfway across the room to where I was sitting, on the edge of the stretcher.
Initially, I called Schuyler County Central Emergency, and Dispatcher Steve Lawton “patched me through” to the non-emergency number at Chemung County Dispatch. The fellow told me that Dave's Towing on Fox Street in Horseheads had towed my car. He then gave me their telephone number.

The guy at Dave's said, "We didn't pick up a red 2006 Ford Freestyle tonight. In fact, we didn’t pick up anything on Middle Road."

Then I called David Wolfe from Wolfe's Garage. "No, Bonnie, I don’t have your car. Sorry!"

On the way home from the ER, I renewed the phone search for my car. Finally, after after a couple of calls, a pleasant young dispatcher at the Chemung County non-emergency dispatch had the answer, although he had to backtrack through records to find it.“I believe I have found your car…at Rinwalski’s Towing in Elmira,” he said

He gave me Rinwalski’s number, but, when I dialed it, all I got was a recorded message. After the beep, I left a detailed voicemail and asked that they return my call as soon as possible. (It was 11 p.m. by now…What was I expecting, anyway?)

After Benjamin got me home and escorted into the house, he headed home to Corning. Again, I cautioned him to drive carefully. When he left, I sat down at the island in my kitchen and began making calls, including to Progressive, my insurance carrier. After receiving a call -- from Benjamin, saying he'd made it safely to Corning -- fatigue overwhelmed me. I could finally lie down and get some sleep. I was exhausted! In what seemed like mere minutes, my alarm was signaling me that it was 8 a.m., and I could begin where I left off.

I immediately dialed Rinwalski’s, and the young man who answered assured me that, yes, my car was at his facility! I could have jumped for joy. I soon received a call from Eugene, the Progressive adjuster, and we agreed on Manchester's Body Shop, across from Southside High School in Elmira, for repairs. (Mike at Manchester’s, who I knew from previous car repairs, told me later that when he heard 2006 red Ford Freestyle, he had said to himself, “That has to be Bonnie Seeley!”)

Well, the initial damage estimate was a bit over $2,800, and the car was due to be ready on Friday, January 27th. I called Mike on Friday morning for an estimated pick-up time, and he said that additional damage had been found, so it would not be ready for five more days, until Wednesday, February 1st -- which later became Friday, February 3rd. I ultimately -- rather than depend on transportation from friends -- rented a vehicle from Enterprise Rent-A-Car on the Miracle Mile.

I depended on one more ride to get to the Enterprise facility, and then was on my own.

******

I would like to pass along my most sincerely heartfelt condolences to several local families who lost loved ones in the month of January…
• Many loving family members were left to mourn the loss of Bob Burnside, 92, a long-time prominent member of the Schuyler County community. Sincere thoughts and prayers go out to Bob’s entire family.
• The family of Geraldine “Gerry” Harrison, 89, of Speedway in Odessa, lost a wonderful and caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, neighbor, and friend, when she passed away at the age of 89. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to all of them.
• Donald Christian, Sr., 74, was the father of three children I knew quite well. Son, Dru, was one of my 5th graders a number of years ago; daughter Joy is a familiar friendly face in the Bakery at Walmart; daughter Lois used to attend Odessa Baptist Church, prior to moving from this area. To Dru, Joy, and Lois…along with the rest of your large family…I express sincere condolences.
• Angelo Pangallo, 83, left many family members and friends to grieve his loss. Sincere condolences to his three daughters…Carmella Hoffman, Angela May, and Pam Pangallo … and their families. (It is unbelievably difficult to lose a beloved parent, I know.)
• Herbert “Bud” Fivie, 79, had a daughter and son-in-law, Lissa and Bill Seymour, who were both students of mine, very early in my teaching career. May God comfort those who are left behind, as “Bud” ascends to Heaven.
• Deborah Ann Fausel, 54, passed away this past Sunday, “after a courageous battle with cancer.” (I did not know Deborah, but was acquainted with her son, Kenny, who roomed with my youngest son, Benjamin, when the Hanlon Elementary chorus traveled to Chicago, in 1995, to participate in “America Sings.” Ken also sang in a quartet with my middle son, Peter, after the OMCS spring play, “Guys & Dolls,” in the spring of 1999.) Prayers go out to Kenny and the rest of his family at this extremely sad and emotion-filled time.

*******

I like to write about good news, notable events, and other things that folks would like to share. So…drop off or ”snail mail” news you’d like to share, at my home, 301 Church Street, Odessa, NY 14869; e-mail me at MAMASEELEY1@yahoo.com; or call me at home - 607-594-2588. Have news to me by the last day of the month, and I’ll be writing my column on the 1st of each month. (Why, you could even send me a message on Facebook!)

Who will be the victor in the Super Bowl on Sunday? Do you sacrifice/give up anything for the season known as Lent? Do you have a special Valentine, whom you love immensely? Are you doing anything exciting over Presidents’ Day weekend? Contact me and we’ll share some of your thoughts and feelings right here in my column.

That’s it for now. I’m in touch, so you be in touch.