Thanks Everyone - A Serious & Genuine Blog Post
Just wanted to post a quick thanks to everyone who texted, emailed, IM’ed or PM’ed me from all over the industry to wish me well, see how I was doing or if I needed anything. I really appreciate the kind words. I know I can come off as a pretentious asshole every now and then, but when it comes to things like this, it really means a lot to me. I don’t like pity, and hate asking people for things, nor do I usually enjoy attention (in spite of what many of my fans and/or critics think). I’m just taking it day by day now.
To those who have no idea what I am talking about, here’s a quick mention of it, and I’d really appreciate if it wasn’t brought up again, because I’m slowly getting over it and accepting it. Also, it makes me feel kind of weak or out of place, if that makes much sense. Oh look, sidetracked already, guess I still have my ADD intact! 
As I was saying…
On Saturday night, the 23rd of Feb 2008, my lights went out. Literally. I was in a car with my driver and we got into an accident while driving to the airport for my flight to Affiliate Summit West 2008 in Las Vegas. I’m seriously okay. But I did suffer a pretty rough concussion. Rough in the fact that I cannot remember ANYTHING from Saturday or Sunday. All I do remember is getting ready for my Vegas trip on Friday night, and watching some movies before going to bed. Aside from that, my next memory is waking up in my bed (I was only kept in the hospital for observation and tests for under 24 hours) on Monday at around 3am EST. When I woke up I was trying to figure out why my neck was killing me, why I was so neauseas, and how I was going to fly like that to the show. Well, it was explained to me by one of my siblings what had happened. Let me tell you, that there are few stranger feelings in life than being unable to recall an entire 48 hour timespan. Now I know what early stage Alzheimer patients go through, and why they are so afraid. It’s a scary thought. But it’s the only memory I have of the whole thing.
I was not driving. My car service driver was. He’s doing okay too, although he was in much worse shape than me with a few broken bones and facial lacerations. No one died or was more severely injured than him, so thank goodness for that. I don’t remember what he looks like now, or even getting into the car, so as I’m writing about this, I feel like more of a news reporter than a survivor of the accident.
A lot of people have been asking me how did it happen? Well, if I could remember I’d tell ya, but I don’t. I was told however that the car I was in was totaled. There were two other cars involved. Apparently because of the crappy “wintry mix” weather we had over the weekend in New York City, people were going slower and driving more cautiously than usual. The car in front of us claimed to have slid on “black ice” (the claim made by the bus driver when Cliff Burton from Metallica was killed many years ago) so they stopped short, we plowed straight into them at a pretty significant “rushing to the airport” speed, and was then side-swiped by an SUV, sending our car into the rail. Ouch! I am pretty glad not to remember any of it either. The doctors told my folks that it was “a near miracle” that all I got out of it was a concussion.
The part I really don’t get is that normally when you get a concussion you generally spend quite a while in the hospital, I guess depending on the severity of it. This is my second concussion, and also the second time being released from the hospital so quickly. The first time, I was back in grade school and was hit by a car (ironically, a car service), and the only thing that saved my life then was the fact that my backpack was so heavy with textbooks and notebooks, that it broke my fall as my head hit the ground. In this case, I was sitting the in the back seat, not seatbelted (although I ALWAYS wear it in the front, no matter what), and apparently trying to find something in my carry-on backpack, and that’s what gave me a “softer landing” as my head hit the front seat on the initial impact. I did however hit my head twice more, once in the back and once on the right side. But, as I went to the mirror to check out my “battle scars”, and also because I thought my brother was playing a prank on me and fucking with my already not so great short term memory, I didn’t see anything! No major bruising, no cuts, nothing but a regular looking black and blue mark.
Anyway.. I’m not supposed to be doing any work for the next two weeks or so, and just taking it easy, one day at a time (isn’t that NA’s & AA’s motto?).
So now I am being told that I’m recovering VERY well. I am however having some difficulties sleeping, due to the neck stiffness, back soreness, and random headaches. But aside for those things, and my lapse in memory of the day of and after the accident, everything seems pretty normal. I still plan on attending Search Engine Strategies NY next month. Although I am having mixed feelings in regards to LeadsCon. I know I promised my good buddy Jay Weintraub I’d speak there, since it’s his first major conference in Vegas in early April, but taking a flight to Vegas just isn’t something I am up for anytime soon, but hey, if I feel better and don’t freak out on the way to the airport, then I guess I can make it afterall, heh!
But yeah, not being able to do any real work is really the toughest part about the whole deal for me.
I’d appreciate it if people did not blog about this or bring it up again really. I am posting it here purposely so that I can get it out of the way and don’t have to keep trying to explain what happened, especially since I don’t feel like I was even there. So please don’t overwhelm me for at least this week. Today is the first day that I’m “back” to being in front of the computer. If it’s not an emergency, then don’t IM me or expect anything radical from me until around March 7th (a week and a half). Also, the last thing I want is pity, seriously, and I can pick up on it pretty quickly, so don’t treat me differently by not cracking jokes or just bullshitting with me like we usually would in conversation.
Again, thanks to everyone from the industry, from my various friends, and from my pals at WickedFire. Especially major thanks to Stanley for visiting me in the hospital and reporting back on WickedFire about the status of the accident and my health and not making it sound any worse (like this blog post? haha!).
High five everyone. I’ll DEFINITELY see you fuckers in Boston and NYC at the next two Affiliate Summit meets.
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