Big thanks to everyone who has helped me in the last month after I was struck by a driver while riding my bicycle on Friday, April 21 in Marion, Illinois. Marion is located east of the southern Illinois college town of Carbondale, where I had traveled via Amtrak on the previous evening, with the goal of cycling to Gardens of the Gods in Shawnee National Park.
The crash, which happened around noon, put me in a coma for a week. I stayed at SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale until Friday, May 12, and then moved to Ascension Alexian Brothers Rehabilitation Center in northwest suburban Chicago’s Elk Grove Village. I’m very grateful to the talented and thoughtful staffers at those facilities who helped me partially recover from my injuries. I was able to return home to my apartment in Uptown, Chicago on Thursday, May 18, where I am continuing to work on healing.
I’m also very thankful to my family members, partner, and friends who visited and stayed with me during my hospitalization. My partner has also been a huge help in assisting me with getting on top of daily tasks at home.
In addition I’m grateful to Streetsblog Chicago cofounder Steven Vance for stepping up to keep the site going and informing readers about my crash, despite being out of the country at the time. Thanks also to Cameron Bolton, Sharon Hoyer, A.J. La Trace, and Ruth Rosas for contributing to the site in my absence.
I’m also very thankful to those who have donated to Streetsblog Chicago in the past month. That is a big help as the site has worked to stay afloat.
I still have some symptoms from the crash to recover from, but I am very happy to be alive. As I mentioned in Today’s Headlines this morning, I hope to resume posting to Streetsblog Chicago on a low-key basis starting today, including the daily headline stack, and publishing occasional original articles by me and the Streetsblog Chicago team members.
So thanks again to everyone who has helped to make this possible. Please wish us luck as we proceed with the current situation. And thank you for continuing to read Streetsblog Chicago!
