- A VIS is about the victim, not the accused and should describe how the crime has affected the victim.
- Suggestions about the sentence should not be included in a VIS, because it is up to the judge to make sentencing decisions.
- A VIS must be legible.
- A VIS must be completed using the victim's own words.
- The victim should identify, in their VIS, their relationship to the offence and/or other victims.
- Vengeful comments should be avoided.
- A VIS may contain concerns about probation conditions. For example it may be important to state whether the victim does or does not want contact with the accused.
- Information regarding the facts of the offence should have been included in the Witness Statement, and should not be repeated in the VIS.
- A VIS should not contain complaints about the justice system or how the case was handled.
Saturday morning, December 5, 2009.
My husband, Troy, was driving me to work (Metro Pet). Firefighters used the jaws of life to get Troy and I out of the car. Car was destroyed. It was my favourite/dream car. A lot of memories of great times in that car. Honeymoon trip, canoe and hiking trips, concert trips, etc.
I wasn't breathing on my own, I had a respirator. I was wearing a jacket that I loved, bought on our New York trip, April 2009. I was also wearing boots that were a gift. Both items of clothing were destroyed.
I was taken to the General Hospital by ambulance. Medical staff thinks I may have choked a bit on my own vomit. I was put in a coma so my body could focus on healing.
My belly dance performance group's Christmas Party was that evening. One woman I dance with works at the General in the lab and saw right away that something bad happened. All of my fellow dancers were always at the hospital. Party never happened.
On December 9, medical staff put in a trach because I still wasn't breathing on my own. I woke on December 12th, didn't open my eyes till the 13th.
Troy and I missed Brandt's (Troy's work) Christmas party.
I couldn't speak because of the trach. Luckily, I know sign language. Unluckily, the medical staff does not know any, and too bad only my sister knows the alphabet.
I had to relearn the things we take for granted, like how to walk, talk, print, simple math skills like subtraction, sit up in a chair, tie my shoelaces, etc.
I have severe damage to my right frontal lobe, and occipital lobe. I had double vision till April 2010 sometime. Double vision made everything harder.
The trach was removed on December 18. The scar is still healing.
I went to Wascana Rehab on Demcember 21, 2009. My condition was stable enough to be transfered. I no longer needed a catheter, feeding tube and the trach. At Wascana, I continued my physiotherapy, speech language therapy, and occupational therapy. Relearning walking, talking, etc till I was officially considered an out-patient. So instead of therapy every day, it was twice a week as of February 2, 2010.
Also in February, we missed our try-to-make-it-annual snowboarding trip to Fernie with 6 close friends. We had booked it in the fall.
As a result of my severe brain damage (I almost died) I easily become overwhelmed when more than 5 people are present and I'm easily frustrated or angered. I type much slower (typing skills are required for Great-West Life job-was full time). I must write/print slowly so my words are legible. Luckily with much practice things have gotten 'easier'. I used to have to think about the physical mechanics (how to make certain sounds) of speech, while speaking, which is absolutely exhausting! Today is December 2, 2010, so it was maybe last month I still had to do that! I usually get 12 hours of sleep a night (when I'm not tossing and turning) plus a 2 hour nap during the day. Sometimes more if there are many people around that day.
Words (vocabulary) escapes me. Both my jobs require communication. I've lost a lot of strength and balance. I used to be able to walk both our dogs by myself. Troy has to be there in case I fall or lose them. As of May 2010, I can walk them one at a time by myself, takes twice as long. Losing control is still an issue.
I can't seem to always 'hold it' when I have 'to go'.
Struggling with my creativity. I'm in a belly dance performance group and when it's time to improvise, I just stand there. I majored in visual art and minored in dance in university, so this was never a problem before.
Everything takes at least, if not longer, twice as long as it once did (walking, eating, reading, etc). It takes me an hour to draw something that used to take me 60 seconds.
I am unable to drive without more testing. I've lost a lot of independence and freedom. Got my motorcycle learners license in the fall 2009 because I had every intention to get my motorcycle's license to ride to Sturgis (bike rally in August) with Troy and his parents. Now I don't even have the endurance to just ride behind Troy for that trip.
I have no memory from about mid-November to mid-January. February and March are pretty fuzzy & memories are jumbled approximately 6 months before the collision.
I have to write everything down to remember. I have many notes & lists. I had started a holistic pet nutrition course for my Metro Pet job in October 2009, I've completely restarted that course. I have no memory of what I studied. They give you a year to finish, they've extended my time, but it could be 2 years to finish. My right knee is sensitive but numb. It had a huge bruise that covered the front of my calf. Had to get nose piercing resized because it shrank. Was originally pierced 9 years ago.
Sometimes I am awake all night thinking about everything.
Currently going to counseling. I close my eyes at intersections, and now that it's winter again, I squeeze them closed.
Troy and I had just started taking our kitchen apart to do renovations before the collision. Kitchen renos at a standstill.
Time was stolen from Troy and I. I have zero memory from Christmas, we missed out on countless holiday celebrations & trips with friends, etc.
Oh yeah! Did I mention I had to relearn everything?
