While I was recovering from my back injury, I could not drive. Therefore, I got a lot of rides from numerous co-workers and friends (thank you to them), and my car was in the garage idle. My car, a 2002 white RSX named Gohan, was not driven for 5 weeks.
After I was given the ok from my doctor to drive, I decided it was time to revive my car. I got into it, and turned the key. It turned, and nothing happened. I tried again, slamming the clutch as hard as I could into the floor of the car. Nothing. So then I decided that the battery was dead. Apparently it is not a good thing to leave your car idle for 5 weeks. So I decided to call AAA. They said the jumper dude would be there in an hour.
I decided that it would be much easier for the AAA guy to jump my car if it were out of the garage. So I decided to push the car out of the garage just enough to at least get the hood of the car outside. With back brace and all, I put all my weight into the car, and it didn't budge. Hmm...it's not supposed to be like this. I got into the drivers seat, and with the strength of one leg, tried to ease the car out of the garage. Still nothing. Ok, fine. So I decided to get back to the front of the car and give it one more shot. I heaved again, and it moved, about 2 inches. Great. So I gave it one more heave. It moved again 2 inches. I tried getting into the drivers seat and pushing again with my foot. Nope, nothing. So I decided to give it one more heave. It moved!!!
Unfortunately, it moved very quickly. It rolled down the driveway. It was going to roll into the street!!!!!
But no...
My drivers side door got jammed into the space between the garage door and the garage wall. Phew...
I got around to the back side of my car and tried to push it forward back into the garage. With all my crippled strength, I pushed as hard as I could to try to roll the car back into the garage. Nothing. Crap...
So I sat there for the next 30 minutes waiting for the AAA to rescue me from the dead battery and the car wedged into the garage. The AAA guy came, and he pushed my car back into the garage (quite easily, in fact). My the paint on the side of my door was a little scratched, but otherwise, it looked ok for having been jammed between the garage door and the building. He kindly jump started my car, and told me that if I ran it for 20 minutes, it would be fine. So I decided to drive it to work, and thanked the AAA guy. I was back in my car! Woo hoo!!!
Or so I thought...
On my way to work I realized that there was a lot of road noise. I thought a window was open somewhere, but I soon discovered that the garage door had bent the corner of my drivers side door back enough so that it would create drag and let in a lot of road noise. Sigh...
So I took it to the body shop, and they told me that not only was door corner bent back, but the entire door was bent the other way. I couldn't tell the difference, so I told them to just fix the corner. That turned out to be about $50. I got a new battery installed for about $60. All in all, my back injury and my stupidity cost me $110. So the lesson learned is don't break your back, and don't try to push your car out of the garage with a broken back =)
26 December, 2006
24 December, 2006
Friendship: The greatest gift of all!
During Thanksgiving weekend, 2006, 25 November 2006, I went out to lunch with my friends John, Alice, Steve, and Cecilia. I showed off my awesome back brace, and told them the story of my surgery and such. They then presented me with a present that 30 of my friends put together for me. It was a check from the Amy G fund.
http://www.johnchou.com/amyg/
I had no idea that this was going on behind my back (haha, pun!), but it was happening. It was all my friend's Conor's idea, and he and John were able to spread the word. And within a few weeks, my fund was huge! When I was presented the check, I was speechless. I actually thought that they were going to give me a palm, because the last time my friends got a gift for me, it was a palm, and since my palm had recently broke, I thought that it was a palm. But I was not exactly disappointed. I was blown away. First, I didn't realize that I even had 30 friends. =) Second, I couldn't imagine anyone putting together something like this, and doing something like this for me. I never ever expect anything in return for my friendship, and knowing that so many people cared about me was amazing. I couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it. I feel very loved, and very grateful. I am grateful everyday that I can walk and that I am recovering smoothly from my surgery. I feel grateful that I have so many people looking out for me. It's amazing!!
The money has helped me pay for my medical expenses, which were quite amazing. I am worth a lot right now according to the insurance company. =) It also went towards buying a smartphone, which is kind of like a Palm =) So yeah, it is amazing. I still can't thank my friends enough for their generosity.
So one of things that I decided to do was to visit each and every one of my friends, especially the 30 friends that contributed to the fund, as much as I can this year. The plan is to travel to as many destinations as possible, and to spend some quality time with all my friends. The plan is to write about each of those places, and the experience that I am able to have with my friends. So this blog will actually be updated more than once a year =).
Once again, to everyone who contributed to the Amy G fund, and to all my friends out there rooting for me, thanks so much for everything. I love you very much, and I will see you very very soon!
With Love,
Amy =)
http://www.johnchou.com/amyg/
I had no idea that this was going on behind my back (haha, pun!), but it was happening. It was all my friend's Conor's idea, and he and John were able to spread the word. And within a few weeks, my fund was huge! When I was presented the check, I was speechless. I actually thought that they were going to give me a palm, because the last time my friends got a gift for me, it was a palm, and since my palm had recently broke, I thought that it was a palm. But I was not exactly disappointed. I was blown away. First, I didn't realize that I even had 30 friends. =) Second, I couldn't imagine anyone putting together something like this, and doing something like this for me. I never ever expect anything in return for my friendship, and knowing that so many people cared about me was amazing. I couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it. I feel very loved, and very grateful. I am grateful everyday that I can walk and that I am recovering smoothly from my surgery. I feel grateful that I have so many people looking out for me. It's amazing!!
The money has helped me pay for my medical expenses, which were quite amazing. I am worth a lot right now according to the insurance company. =) It also went towards buying a smartphone, which is kind of like a Palm =) So yeah, it is amazing. I still can't thank my friends enough for their generosity.
So one of things that I decided to do was to visit each and every one of my friends, especially the 30 friends that contributed to the fund, as much as I can this year. The plan is to travel to as many destinations as possible, and to spend some quality time with all my friends. The plan is to write about each of those places, and the experience that I am able to have with my friends. So this blog will actually be updated more than once a year =).
Once again, to everyone who contributed to the Amy G fund, and to all my friends out there rooting for me, thanks so much for everything. I love you very much, and I will see you very very soon!
With Love,
Amy =)
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