The Shoulder
The Shoulder
68
Car accidentsmellow-stoat-871

3 years post-crash and I just got cleared by my last doctor. Had to tell someone.

I don't really have anywhere else to put this where people would actually get it, so here I am.

Three years ago a delivery truck ran a red light and hit the car I was riding in. I was in the back seat. Ended up with a fractured collarbone, a serious concussion, and soft tissue damage all the way down my left side that took forever to stop being a daily problem. For about a year I couldn't sleep on my left side, couldn't lift anything heavier than a grocery bag, and had headaches that made me feel like I was losing my mind.

I just got out of what my doctor called my "final baseline appointment." She basically said I've plateaued in the best possible way — the plateau where you're just... normal again. She used the word "discharged" and I had to sit in my car for ten minutes before I could drive.

The mental stuff took longer than the physical, honestly. I still tense up when I hear tires screech anywhere near me. But even that has gotten so much quieter than it used to be.

I know a lot of people on here are in the thick of it — the insurance calls, the PT appointments, the "are you sure it still hurts" looks from people who weren't there. I just wanted to pop in and say: it genuinely does get better. Not always 100%, not always in a straight line, but better.

Thank you to everyone on this forum who answered my panicked questions back when I first joined. You have no idea.

💙

13replies

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13 replies

  • 22
    steady-vole-169

    As someone who works in rehab medicine, I just want to say — please don't minimize what you just accomplished. Soft tissue injuries combined with a concussion are notoriously slow to heal and a lot of patients get discouraged and stop advocating for themselves. You stuck with it. That's not a small thing. The hypersensitivity to sounds (like tire screeches) is super common after traumatic accidents and the fact that it's fading is a really good sign. Your nervous system is finally feeling safe again.

    • 5
      gentle-vole-409

      Real talk — make sure you keep copies of all your medical records from this whole journey in one place even now that you're cleared. Doesn't matter if your case is settled or whatever, just good to have. Congrats though, seriously.

  • 19
    kind-beaver-599

    The fact that it took THREE YEARS for you to fully recover is exactly why you should never, ever accept a quick settlement right after an accident. Insurers love to get you to sign away your rights before you even know what your recovery is going to look like. So glad you made it to the other side. Your story is a reminder of why people need to slow down and not let adjusters pressure them early on.

    • 4
      hopeful-wanderer744

      Thanks for sharing. Hope things are getting a little easier for you.

  • 18
    bold-stoat-249

    Genuinely happy for you. Can I ask — did the lingering stuff (the headaches, the left side issues) ever factor into any insurance claim or settlement, or did you have to fight to get those recognized? Asking because I'm dealing with something similar and adjusters keep acting like soft tissue stuff just... disappears in 6 weeks.

    • 1
      hopeful-commuter271

      Thanks for sharing. Hope things are getting a little easier for you.

  • 9
    clear-mole-754

    This genuinely made me tear up a little. I'm about 18 months out from my accident and still in the thick of PT, so posts like yours are something I screenshot and save for hard days. Congrats, seriously. You earned this.

  • 9
    sharp-newt-015

    "Discharged in the best possible way" is going in my vocabulary immediately. So happy for you. Celebrate tonight, you deserve it.

  • 6
    swift-raven-491

    This is the kind of update I love seeing. Not legal advice at all, just a genuine congrats — and echoing the comment above, keeping a personal file of your discharge paperwork and final evaluations is smart housekeeping regardless of where you are legally. But more importantly: go celebrate. You did the hard part.

    • 6
      honest-passenger471

      This is exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you.

  • 6
    warm-beaver-559

    I used to work claims and I'll be honest — cases like yours, with multiple injury types and a long recovery, were ones where we hoped people would settle fast. The longer you document, the more the true picture comes out. I'm glad the system worked for you even if it was slow. And genuinely, congrats on getting your life back.

  • 3
    spry-otter-913

    I don't even know you and I'm so proud of you?? Three years is a long road. Go do something nice for yourself today.

    • 8
      weathered-overpass601

      Adding this: keep copies of every email. It mattered for me.