Lights, Camera…
By Vinny Distefano
First, I would like to apologize for being so late this month. We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to pull the documentary together in between a busy work season.
This month we’ll continue shooting the documentary on Angie and Traumatic Brain Injury. We’ve interviewed Dr. Tracy Rhodes and Dr. Scott Wittmer of the Complete Wellness Center Winter Park , FL California Florida
Where We Stand
Trying to Make Sense of It All
When I began writing the script for the documentary, naturally, I spoke with Angie’s parents. They wanted everyone to know that this was an accident and that she didn’t do this to herself. I told them I wanted go back to the cross-streets, to show where it took place and to contact Larry’s parents to get a photo of the Harley, before and after. I thought I was prepared to go to the actual scene. After all, I was just going to film an intersection. We would explain what happened there and then move on to Angie’s recovery process. I began getting more and more nervous as I got closer. Trying to separate all of my feelings, i.e., feelings for my friend and her family, trying to compose myself to do a job, and wanting to tell a story and not hurt anyone in the process. Images of what it must have looked like were now flooding my head. And from an eyewitness, we were told then, what had occurred and how she tried to help Larry and Angie. We were also told certain facts that were never documented and so cannot be discussed, adding to our frustration. But errors in the police report will be examined and questioned. All of this will not take much time to tell, but it is important to set the stage.
Going Back
Are We Really in Charge?
Actually being there was quite surreal, like a dream or in this case a nightmare. All of the lingering questions were coming back, too. Why did this have to happen? Could I have done anything to stop it? I’ve tried to be as objective as I can, under the circumstances. So may tiny events had to add up. Imagine the precise timing in order to place the motorcycle and the car at that exact point in time for this accident to happen. There were so many chances that day to change the timing. Just a couple of seconds would have made the difference. But can we really change our fate? Are there simply too many of us on this planet and little space for errors? Or are we not unlike a record groove that follows one chosen path? No one can answer that question for another person.
Where To Go From Here?
She Knows…
During this busy time of the year for me, I can’t get to see Angie as often as I would like too or need to. I get to visit once or twice a week, either going to see her at her parent’s home, or going with the family to HBOT treatments. She is clearly more relaxed at home than at the nursing home, where daily frustrations still go on to our amazement. We’re convinced she knows when she is home. That’s why I ‘m continuing research into getting a foundation started to help her and others like her. I want to staff a facility that would be able to care for young people recovering from serious injuries. After a person is able to respond, there are rehab opportunities available to them. But the medical community has dropped the ball on Angie and others like her. She will not be given care to prevent muscle spasms, twisting joints, pinched nerves, or any other measures to stop the painful pulling on her tendons and ligaments. Their only answer is to drug her to make her tolerate the pain. In their word, there is “no benefit” to helping her. She knows what they’re not doing and I’m convinced she is counting on us to get her the help she really needs to return to us. We all know Angie from two years ago won’t return. I know we can teach her again who she is and just to be able to talk with her again and hear her laugh would be a miracle.
We’ll catch up in May with all of the anticipate “action”. Till then, be safe…
Pass it on and tell a friend to stop by. Thanx
