Update on Itzl

[ebonypearl]

He had his X-ray and MRI and there's no internal injuries or brain bleeding, so it's the concussion and ear drum.

They've got the bleeding stopped in his ear and will be taking a look at it later this morning to see how bad that damage is.

They'll probably let me take him home this afternoon.

I am so glad he had health insurance, even if it was the other driver's fault and the driver's insurance should pay for Itzl's vet bills.

I haven't spoken to anyone yet about the car, but I fear it is totaled - not undrivable, mind. The damage looks awful, and there may be some engine damage, but it was still running and sounded reasonably well until I turned it off. It's totaled because the insurance company won't pay for the damages on such an old car, they'll "buy out" the car at its Blue Book value, which is less than $1,000 since it has more than 200,000 miles on it and is more than 10 years old. I'm not concerned about the body work other than to replace the headlight assembly and pull the fender forward enough to be able to open and close the driver's side door where he hit (the front hood stayed latched and looked as if it would open and close even if the driver's side was a bit crumpled), but I am a bit concerned about the engine work it might need.

I will hate giving up that car if I can't get it fixed because it gets 26-30 mpg in the city and nearly 50 mpg on the highway and there's no car on the market that can do what this car does and has the space it does. I know the Prius comes close, but it lacks room to haul 8 foot convention tables and all the boxes and chairs and such I haul around from time to time.

I'd rather fix my car than get another one right now anyway because I'm hoping the Di Pietro motor in Australia makes it into auto form. I want a car like that would be, and I'm willing to wait.

Gotta get back to the vet's now.

Comments

[bat-cheva.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad he's going to be mostly okay. I hope your knee is going to be okay. You will both be in my thoughts today. *hugs*

[unrooly.livejournal.com]

So glad to hear he's doing well. Hope he feels better and happy soon.

Also glad to hear you're ok. Even little accidents can cause amazing damage. And hope you can get your car fixed - I can see why you wouldn't want a new one now.

[zoethe.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that Itzl is okay, but concerned about you - have you been checked out by a doctor?

Don't just settle for the blue book. Find ads for your car in the area and see what they are actually going for. We got a couple thousand more on the last car we totalled because we were able to show replacement value. It might not work, but it's worth a try.

Sorry you're going through so much. Good luck.

[feri-hearted.livejournal.com]

glad to hear about Itzl and as others have asked have you been checked out yet?

[foxesdaughter.livejournal.com]

Thank goodness!

[wilhelmina-d.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the update. I hope that things work out ok with the car. I'm glad that Itzl's doing relatively well. *hugs*

[taqaisenu.livejournal.com]

How terrible about the accident! Thank heavens Itzl's okay. I hope you're doing well...

Last August my car was struck in a parking lot (I was inside the hotel at the time). It was rendered undriveable, and at 10 years/150k miles, it was totaled by the insurance company. It was such a nightmare arguing with the insurance company trying to get the best and 'fairest' settlement (although IMO, the only 'fair' settlement would have been if the other driver had bought me a brand new car to replace the one he destroyed). Broke my heart having to leave that car in Chicago.

I will be crossing my fingers that everything gets worked out for the best, that you get the prettiest penny possible for your car, and that Itzl promptly bounces back 110%.

[e-scapism101.livejournal.com]

Whew. Sorry about the car, but I'm really glad you and Itzl are okay.

[phoenix-singing.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad he's okay - I know how important he is to you. Here's hoping you both bounce back quickly!

I hope the car can be repaired as well. That car rocks.

*sends good vibes and well wishes*

[st-jb.livejournal.com]

I take it the other driver has insurance? That's actually an issue here. Texas is dealing with a high number of uninsured drivers, and I'm scared to death of getting hit by someone with no insurance.

Please don't forget to take care of yourself, too!

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

>>because it gets 26-30 mpg in the city and nearly 50 mpg on the highway<<

Erm, what kind of car do you own? :D

(Although I have to say that my wife's car, a 2000 Toyota Corolla, got nearly 50 mpg this past June when I took it up on the Skyline Drive, even though I made 40 or 50 stops over the course of the day for picture-taking, and it has about 220K on it. On the other hand part of the reason for this was that it doesn't inject as much gas as it should, but I certainly had no complaints at the time.)

[reudaly.livejournal.com]

Great news on Itzl. Hope you're doing okay and the car thing works out.

[bonniers.livejournal.com]

Hugs and I hope you're both completely better soon. I'd hope for the car to be healed, too, but that's not really the sort of miracle that happens very often...

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

Thank you. He's on IV antibiotics until this evening, then I can take him home.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

Thank you. He should be discharged this afternoon. I hope I can get the car fixed, too. I don't care about the body damage as long as it runs.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

I just got bruised up - a knee, elbow, shoulder - nothing major like poor Itzl, who should get to come home this evening after a course of IV antibiotics. He'll be sent home with more antibiotics and a special ear wash to heal his ear drum. His hearing's fine and there doesn't appear to be any nerve damage.

This is the first real accident I've been in since I started driving. The other one was a small rear-ender.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

Thank you. No, I haven't gone to a doctor, it's just bruises.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

You're welcome, and I'm glad he's doing much better, too.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Itzl's doing much better. My car seemed to be driveable, at least it was running OK when I shut it off, but there's a lot of body damage to it. I don't care about the body damage, so long as it runs.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

I haven't even asked about the other driver's insurance. He seemed OK and his car - some oldsmobile/cadillac style car - didn't look badly damaged.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

It's a Hyundai, a '96 Elantra with 217,000 miles on it.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

Thank you. He's doing much better.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Cars don't heal like critters and people do, but I bet the doctor bills would be just as high as the mechanic's bills are, so no break there, eh?

[thesecondcircle.livejournal.com]

First I'm glad that you both seem to be OK and my prayers and good energy that that remains the case. As to your car, if they total it (but you still find it drivable) you could still keep it. My impression is that you can't get anything more than liability insurance at that point. I don't know the details, but I do know that you don't just have to let them pay you some pittance for your car leaving you needing a new ride that will cost you much more.

[laughterdance.livejournal.com]

:-( **hugs** I hope there's no lasting damage on the pup.

when my car got totaled, my Dad was able to somehow weasel out of the insurance company more than the car was worth... in the neighborhood of 3500$ for a 9 year old Chevy sedan with 180,000 miles on it. So you never know. That and a few hundred from the bank bought me my current car. The car that was totaled had no AC and was held together with gaff tape and superglue.

But then, Dad is one of those invaluable large, loud, "sell ice to Eskimos" type of guys.

But you never know. They may reimburse you in like manner.

:o

[chipmunk-planet.livejournal.com]

How awful! I'm glad you're both okay.

Please let me know if there's anything you need help with.

[sunfell.livejournal.com]

There might be a big of back-handed good luck in all of this- right now the car industry really wants business, and Hyundai is guaranteeing a buy-back of any new car purchased if you lose your income in the first year you have it.

I hope you can get your old car repaired and running right, but at least there are other possibilities if need be.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

Well, I have the car back and it doesn't look so bad. The windshield and new headlight assembly will be the biggest expenses, it looks like and if Beaners can wield his car part mojo and find a windshield for cheap, even that mightn't be too bad.

Re: :o

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It looks like everything's under control. As I did all the necessary things, it was MUCH less expensive than I thought it all would be, and Itzl's home and the car's in the drive waiting for the mechanic to have room for it to check it out, so everything looks to be under control.

Will you be at this month's OKCNaNoWriters meet-up? I know it hasn't been scheduled yet, but that should change soon.

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I heard about that. I'm not willing to buy a new car just yet, but we'll see. I really want a Di Pietro engine car and I'm hoping I can wait it out for one.

If not, I do have options.

[sunfell.livejournal.com]

I just wonder how long it'll take for them to cough one up? It also looks like several other companies are working on similar engines. They look promising.

I would like an engine that runs on compressed natural gas. The buses in Denver and other cities do- and they're quiet, efficient, and non-polluting.

[laughterdance.livejournal.com]

I once got a tail light from a salvage yard for supa cheap, and a friend installed it because apparently installing lights is easy. Maybe you can find used parts too...

[ebonypearl.livejournal.com]

I've set Beaners to searching for them, and he's good at that sort of thing.