By Ciro Chavez
As an EMT and a KDOT
employee, I’m usually the one providing care and assistance to others. I never
thought there would be a time that I would be calling 911.
 |
| Ciro Chavez |
As I traveled home in the
early hours on a foggy December morning, I was surprised by a Toyota Corolla
that crossed the center line and crashed head-on into my ‘97 Ford
pick-up.
After being transported to St. Catherine
Hospital in Garden City, I was air lifted to a Denver area hospital. I was in
an induced coma for 10 days. During this time, I had three facial surgeries and
one extensive leg surgery. After two and a half weeks, I moved to a rehab center
and was there until Feb. 8. Once I came home, I continued physical therapy
until May of this year.
After five months of
recovery, I was finally able to return to my job as an Equipment Operator at
KDOT, and it was good to be back. At
this time, I’m not able to return to my part-time position as an EMT due to my
leg injury.
I was lucky. I was wearing
my seat belt and it saved my life. When you get in the car, I want you and your
families to remember me and remember to buckle up. It’s what saved my life and
it can save yours.
And if it starts to get foggy,
pull over and wait it out. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Ciro
Chavez began with KDOT as an Equipment Operator Trainee at the Lakin Subarea in
southwest Kansas in October 2015.
