PSA never leave your car running

24 year old Polish male here who mostly does construction, recently have been working as an electricians helper trying to get into the trade. Had a pretty rough year with my mental health and finally pulled it together after finding the most loving girl and finding a will to live again and trying to find a good job that would make me not feel like a drain on her.

Anyway cut to April 15th, since I had no work, due to the virus slowing down buisness, I decided that I would go drive Postmates at least for some of the day so that I could have some gas and food money since my funds where starting to get low in my bank acc. I did two deliveries around Midway that went fine nothing out of the ordinary. I ended up getting one downtown by River North to pick up a hamburger. It was 2pm in broad daylight and usually with the prepaid orders they are ready to be picked up the minute you walk in. I left my car running right across the street from the restaurant for 2 mins at the longest as I waited for the server to give me my food outside.

At this point I just hear someone yelling down the street that someone is getting into my car. A 97 Honda Civic that's been in my family for almost as long as I have been alive with 220k miles is being stolen. I had two seconds of reaction time and I decided to try to jump on the hood of the car thinking possibly that it would stop the person and make them run away. In my head I couldn't justify letting that car go since I had no money for a new one and didn't know how I would be able to get to work, not to mention my wallet with my ID, phone, pictures, and my construction belt with a few simple hand tools and whatnot would be stolen and I would be left with nothing. I never had much money and figured that I would be completely out of luck.

As I jump on the hood, I instantly regret my choice, the car hijacker ends up speeding faster and faster trying to toss me off the hood of the car, at this point I am pretty much making peace with myself that I won't ever see my love again and that even after all the fighting I did earlier this year to not be suicidal and seek help with my OCD I am going to end up getting killed by a highjacker over a car that's not worth anything. I yelled at passerbys trying to scream help and call the police but I figured that he would eventually either throw me off and drive over me or I would lose my grip at the wrong time and end up dying. Eventually I noticed the car slow down a little bit at around 40-50mph and I decided that this might be my only chance to jump off and hope for the best.

I ended up walking at Northwestern Memorial Hospital downtown, I have no idea who found me or who called an ambulance, nor do I remember the drive to the hospital, I wake up surrounded by nurses and doctors, instantly I start throwing up blood all over the bed, I had the absolute worst head pain in my life, was put into a neck brace and arm brace to make sure nothing would be damaged in case I broke it. I kept throwing up over the night and had to have almost 4 IVs in me.

I woke up the next day feeling a little better but I still had the worst pain imaginable. I had a ruptured blood vessel, and I broke something in my ear as well. I had to take an ultrasound, MRI, xrays and magnitude of other tests. Luckily I did not break any bones nor did I permanently damage anything (that I know of for now), however I had some of the most absolutely horrible looking road rash all over my shoulders, back, both arms, forehead, back of head (10 stitches), and other areas. They released me on the third day after performing mental and physical evaluations. My brain felt cloudy and was still coughing up blood every so often. Was put on levicitram (anti seizure) and then told to take aspirin after that was done.

The recovery has been horrible, I still get dizzy whenever I lay down on the right side, it has been completely horrible at work for me due to going up a ladder and feeling super dizzy halfway up. I am genuinely scared I might have to stop my dream of becoming an electrician if it continues. The road rash still pains me even though it has been healing well. Hopefully at my nueroglogy appointment at Northshore next week they might tell me if they can do anything for me.

Although the physical has been recovering somewhat okay, it's just generally my mental that has suffered since this. My OCD stress and anxiety have been much worse, and lately have been depressed on the future again. I felt so bad that I had to put my girlfriend ( who is trying her hardest to help me even though she works from home M-F). I keep thinking that life is genuinely telling me that I should give up, everytime I think it's going somewhat okay and better it always comes crashing down around me. Now I'm left with no tools to do any construction work, no car until I find a really cheap used one (luckily my girlfriend lets me use hers for the time being), using an old license to drive and barely just getting my cellphone back through insurance. Even though it was my fault for trying to save my car and stuff I feel like that I'm the only one I know of that has horrible shit happen to on a regular basis.

Sorry again for posting this here, just needed to rant and let go of some of my frustration. Also a big thank you to whomever found me that day and the wonderful nurses and doctors at NU who did the best at keeping me alive and treating me super nice.

And to the guy who stole my car, I really hope it was worth stealing my car that was worth 600$ with maybe 150$ worth of tools, my cash empty wallet with my ID and debit card, my cellphone which got locked right after, the bumper stickers that I put on it from all the places me and my girlfriend visited on our driving trip through the USA. Thank you for ruining the one car I inherited from my parents, after two weeks of being at the impound when my brother went to pick it up it died twice on the highway and the engine won't stop knocking anymore due to not having oil being put in, and thank you for not having a soul when you saw me jump on the car and at least stopping for me to get off, instead you decided to speed up and swerve the car to get me off. I really hope that it was worth it.

TL;DR: I got carjacked, ended up at the hospital, my life went back to being the same shit hole it's always been.

 

Sorry to hear. There is much information available to help you, luckily.
Traumas don’t last unless you allow them to. To achieve happiness, set yourself the ultimate goal to become an electrician, work hard for it and watch yourself achieve the very thing you want most. There is nothing more rewarding than doing so. Good luck and I wish you a smooth recovery!

 

Hey, my condolences for what happened, it's really unfortunate. Some advice for your mental health.. I know you're still suffering now but you have the choice to stop dwindling in some really negative thoughts. No you're not the only one whose been carjacked and no you aren't the only person having bad stuff pop up. Wishing you a speedy recovery!