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Tyler Waldman: It's Good to be Back

Essex-Middle RIver Patch editor Tyler Waldman is back at his laptop today.

 

Sorry, I just stepped out for a bit. Did I miss anything?

Jokes aside, it's good to be officially back in the game today, just over a month after a pretty bad car accident in Towson the Monday after Thanksgiving.

I know Patch readers in the Baltimore area have read the details of what happened in the last month, and many have shared their concern here and on Facebook and Twitter.

It was a rough crash. I don't remember a bit of it myself—all comes from what I've been told and what I've read—but that much I know. That's why I was taken to Shock Trauma, and that's why I spent nearly three weeks in hospitals.

Many friends, family members and even a few sources old and new dropped by my room at University of Maryland Medical Center or Sinai Hospital. A week and a half since I've been out, I still have more baked goods in the corner of my kitchen counter than I could turn down in a year, and some of them have already been pawned off to family members.

I even got some creative gifts—homemade brownies and gloves from one friend, flowers from another, balloons and a little stuffed tiger from Towson University's athletics department. Towson football coach Rob Ambrose said on Twitter the team sent a football. I'm afraid it may have been batted down or intercepted.

My first memory after Sunday, Nov. 25, was in my room at Shock Trauma late on Friday, Nov. 30. That's right: nearly five days lost, including the day of the crash. Not that I particularly wish I remembered them.

As the better medications wore off that Friday, I realized I was in a hospital bed, with my wrists tied to the sides and hands in those white boxing gloves. I asked a nurse where I was and what I was doing there.

Apparently, I did so so convincingly that after the nurse told me, he got on the phone to my mother and said something to the effect of, "He's back."

It's been a long journey from Nov. 26 to here, a month and a day later. I know early on there were some, including doctors, who thought I might still be in the hospital right now. But despite the numerous bumps, breaks and bruises, I made a relatively swift recovery.

I owe plenty to the doctors at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center and the rest of the doctors and nurses and therapists who helped me at University of Maryland Medical Center and in rehabilitation at Sinai Hospital. Also, I owe the first responders, from the Medevac pilot to the firefighters, including the Lutherville Volunteer Fire Company.

Thanks, also, to my awesome coworkers for keeping an eye on things while I've been gone.

I'm going to spend these first few days getting back up to speed on the news in the east side. As always, you're welcome to reach me with story ideas here on my cell at 410-725-4828 or by email at tyler@patch.com.

Thanks for all your support as I continue my recovery and thanks for reading.

Related Topics: Editor's Notebook, Essex-Middle River Patch, and Tyler Waldman

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Sophia Fregosi

1:38 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

It's great to have you back Tyler!!!

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Sonia Dasgupta

1:39 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Tyler, welcome back!! We've missed you! Glad to hear you're doing well!

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Marge Neal

1:43 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Best news I've heard all day! Welcome back, and let me know if there's anything I can do to help from neighboring Dundalk!

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Tim

1:50 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Those Doctors saved my life back in 2004 as well. Dr. Scalea specifically.

Good to see you recover so quickly. I was unconscious for about 36 hours, and that was a big enough head trip. Five days, man, that had to be stressful on your family and friends.

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Tim Windsor

2:05 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Hah. I just had the strangest moment, trying to figure out why I had a Darth Vader avatar....

Tim Windsor

2:03 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

You should have milked Patch for more paid time off! :-)

Seriously, though, it's great to have you back. You're an inspiration.

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Tyler Waldman

2:23 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Tim (the Darth Vader one): I believe I was told Dr. Scalea worked on me in those first couple of days. Clearly it turned out pretty well.

Tim W.: :-)

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Shawn Drury

2:43 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

It is GREAT to see you back Tyler!

David Clark

2:26 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Welcome back, Tyler. Wonderful to see a "quick" recovery.

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Mystery Tramp

2:53 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Tim Windsor's right ... Call up Jon Brod or Tim Armstrong and demand more time off. Or at least another hoodie.

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Penny Riordan

2:53 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

So glad to see the accident didn't take away your humor. Great stuff, as always. Glad to have you back!

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Olivia Hubert-Allen

3:19 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Glad you're back, Tyler! Hope to see you soon at Media Mavens!

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Tyler Waldman

5:45 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Most definitely. I should be ready to go for next time! And I appreciated the toast last time, though all I could do was raise my Diet Pepsi in bed at Sinai.

Melody McSweeney

3:36 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

You are one very lucky young man Tyler Waldman! I expect to be hearing great things about you in the future because, obviously, God isn't done with you yet! Good to "read" you again -

Mel McSweeney

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Tim

3:56 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Wow, the Tim's are fairly well repped here. Nice.

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Tom

5:35 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Glad you're back. Let's do another Tigers basketball game.

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Tyler Waldman

5:44 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Yeah! I know it'll be a while since they have their next game on the 29th at Oregon State. I covered the Oregon State game here because Bill Murray and the president were there separately. You had the most powerful man in the world in the stands, then you had Barack Obama sitting courtside. :-)

Right now I'm 2 for 2 on their home games (though you could make an argument that their games at other Baltimore area schools nearly count as home games), but probably won't keep up that pace all season.

Florence Falatko

5:39 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Welcome back, Tyler! We have all been praying for a speedy recovery for you!

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Pauline Harris

7:19 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

So glad to hear you are back, Tyler! Safe and recovering! Our next GTC town hall meeting is set for January 29th. Hope to see you there. Details to follow.

Warmest,
Pauline Harris
Executive Director
Greater Towson Committee

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Kathleen Garber

9:13 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

Hooray! Welcome Back Tyler... I have missed your witty puns!

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Buck Harmon

9:25 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

Good deal ! welcome back !...now double time!!...it's therapeutic..

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Lauren Burgoon

11:18 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

Tyler, Welcome back, good to see you back on the job.

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Eleanor

1:06 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Hi Tyler! I met you once at the Bel Air Barbecue Bash when you were working for the Towson Patch. I so sorry to hear about your accident. Get well and stay well.

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Raven

4:26 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Welcome back!! So glad you are OK. You were missed!

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