On August 9, 2008 a woman decided to take it upon herself to disrupt my life.
I am a full time student at Owens Community College, a part time bartender/prep cook at a local bar, and a mother of four wonderful children. I take 14 credit hours a semester which averages to be approximately 5-6 classes. I work 20 hours a week for less than minimum wage. Between doing homework, working and spending time with my kids it leaves little time for anything else. My life is very stressful with all the homework deadlines, studying and work that I really did not mentally believe I could handle any more stress in my life. I decided to go to the local bar/restaurant to watch a friend, visiting home from Japan, play in his old band. That was a decision that would unknowingly effect my for the rest of my life.
At the conclusion of my evening I exited the bar and was saying my goodbyes to my friends. The next thing I know a man was starting a fight with one of my friends. I tried to tell them to stop. Another man, got in my face and started calling me names. He acted as if he was going to hit me. I stood there in shock of his behavior and asked him if he was going to hit me. Suddenly from nowhere a woman, from behind, slammed me down onto the concrete my body hitting the sidewalk with great force. The impact sent pain into my already injured neck and spine.
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| my body hitting the sidewalk with great force |
I somehow got my body turned in attempt to identify my attacker. All I saw on top of me was blonde hair. I struggled to stop her. In the process she punched me on the right side of my face. I was not sure what to do considering I had never been in a fight before. I got my legs around hers and grabbed her hand in an attempt to keep her from hitting me again.
She then somehow leaned down towards my right leg and proceeded to bite the front of my thigh. I used my hand to try to pull her mouth from my leg. She then let go only to bite into my left hand. The more I tried to get her off of my hand the harder she bit. Someone yelled that the cops were coming so she finally let go and ran away. As she and her friends scattered I lay on the ground in disbelief of what just had occurred.
I could feel my eye starting to swell up. I started to notice shooting pain coming from my neck, back, face, hand, and leg. I looked at my hand only to see blood and my flesh hanging from my hand. I looked to my right and saw that my friend was laying in the middle of the street unconscious.
What I remember next is the officer arriving to the scene. Soon after the ambulance arrived. they told me that I had to go to the hospital to get my injuries taken care of. They informed me as to how serious a human bite can be, and I had two.
As they were preparing me for the gurney I was questioning the paramedics, police officer, and on-lookers if they new who she was hoping someone could identify her. I spent the next five hours in the hospital getting C.A.T. scans and bandaged up. I was so upset upon returning I could not sleep. I was mentally disrupted.
For the next three weeks I was dressing my wounds, trying to take it easy on my neck and back and tried to understand why she did this to me.
I now have scars from the bites that will be reminders for the rest of my life of this senseless and brutal attack on not only my physical self but also an attack on my sense of safety. I no longer feel safe going on walks through my home town. I don't know her or the group she was with. Will she do it again?
I found out that she is the assistant manager at my bank. I should not feel uncomfortable going to do my banking. I could not believe that someone that is a professional would do that to someone let alone a customer where she is employed.
Since this event occurred I have been dealing with scars, constant chronic neck and back pain, doctor visits, doctor bills, collection calls, meetings with attorneys and victims of crime advocates. I experience different emotions when I have to deal with this unfortunate event. I get angry, sad, confused, and wonder why this had to happen. It was like dropping a bomb on my already stressful existence.
The wondering, what did she do to my neck and back, did I get a disease from her biting me? Waiting to get the report back from the blood work, hoping she did not transmit something to me. Nervous, worried, scared. Now what? I'm left with added stress, a lost sense of safety, scars on my hand and leg, physical therapy to ease the pain, phone calls to doctors, and medical billing personnel. Not exactly what I had in mind for my much needed and deserved evening out.
It lead me to wonder why. I am not a violent person. I mind my own business and try to focus on my children and obtaining my degree. I just wanted to know why. I found out later that she is good friends with my ex-husband and his new wife. Was this planned? Did I unknowingly walk into an issue that may have been provoked by the lack of respect I receive from my ex-husband? It just doesn't seem to make sense.
Who actually controls what happens to us during our lifetime? We are taught during our childhood to be a certain way or to act a certain way. It is easy to blame others for how we are and what we do, but in fact we control our own destinies. We can create our own paths by being proactive and taking the the initiative to make good choices and to be productive individuals. This woman created her own path in her decision she made to attack me that night. Upon doing so she made a mountain in my path that will take time for me to get past.
The victims of crime advocate read this letter to the judge during court. The woman received one year probation, five days in jail, and a restraining order for two years for her actions that night.
Presently I am concentrating on forgiving Ken and Laura. They are trying to make my life miserable. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13. They are making it hard because of their actions but the Lord and I will prevail! Yeah God!
