my father and i went into my parents back yard to clean out some of the dead trees. he was planting some native shrubs in the area. he showed me what dead wood needed to be cut up and put away. i took the chainsaw and started cutting. after the third cut i heard a gust of wind and then the sound of a falling tree. i stood up thinking "what the fuck" and then it seemed everything went into a dream like state. all i remember is my father holding me and crying. and i remember letting out this horrible yell and thinking "thats not like me to make such a noise." my father went to get my mom and i remember them panicking. as i laid there i hoped id feel better and realized i just wasnt. so i reached in my pocket to get my cell and yelled for my mom to call 911. as i laid there longer i could feel the blood dripping from my head and i just grabbed the earth in my hands and felt comfort. i knew i shouldn't move. it wasnt long and i heard the sirens going off and felt comfort in that. i remember them coming down the hill to get me and locking on the neck brace. after that i remember nothing for the next few days. i understand i was in surgery for three hours and that ten more minutes i would have been dead from the bleeding in my brain. im thankful for every ones quick response. so the tree cracked open my skull and they had to open my skull more to release the blood. but there were no bone fragments in my brain. from what i understand i puked a lot in icu and was kind of an asshole because i was so miserable. i couldn't sleep and was in so much pain. i asked for pain meds and when they gave them to me i nearly stopped breathing. so they panicked and had to counteract the narcotics. then they would only give me tylonol! and that didnt help how i felt. finally they let me go home. but ive been staying with my sister and her husband. im sleeping a lot and slowly recovering. i am very very weak and still in a lot of pain. but i am thankful for every ones help, support and visits.

to be honest with you im not sure why or how i survived. i was hit in the head with a tree while holding a running chainsaw. ive heard of several people who had lost their lives that day from the wind knocking down trees. i have no permanent brain damage, didnt break my neck, didnt even get cut from the chain saw. i only have a huge scar on my head from the incision. . . . what are the odds?

once again, thank you to everyone who has shown support.