The before and after of my rose garden grass adventure. Doesn't look like it would take 6 hours but the roots were really in there and under the weed barrier and layer of cardboard I have under the mulch! Ill have to find a better solution.

Oh it's so hard to stop when you're in the middle of a project! I hope you're able to relax and get some relief.

As far as your accident -- that happened to us in the past. My son was hit by a woman who like you, told a different story and her insurance was a major PITA. I turned it over to my insurance and THEY handled all of it. We were reimbursed and got a settlement to boot!!

Feel better!!

Make sure you save all your unreimbursed medical bills. If you are going to sue to get covered by her insurance, it should include those costs as well.

It looks great Amy, but what a lesson to learn the hard way. Its only first week of March. Not Spring yet. OK, so I'm sounding more motherly than 'friend' -ly but the trick is to stop while you still feel good - make yourself quit for the day.

I get it on the weeds. Grassy weeds aren't so much my problem. Do you have shotweed? I'd eradicated it at my former house, I'm not doing as well with it here.

I cheated. I mixed a little Round up in a hand pump spray and went out, giving one short spritz to each individual weed. My neighbor Jeff is out of town and I was taking advantage of that because he really scolds me for its occasional use.

Probably a waste of time. Heavy shower 20 minutes later but the sun had been out when I stepped outside and it had felt good. For a few minutes.

I hope you feel better soon. I haven't had whiplash. Do you still have the meds, does laying down with heat or ice help?

Yes I still have the meds. Trouble is, I cannot take them when I am working because I will be asleep under my desk if I took them. The hot water bottle helps if it is directly on it but about 30 minutes after I remove it the pain comes back. I am taking Advil while I am at work, which really does not seem to be doing much at all.

Oh Amy I hate that you are in such pain. I hope for you that the insurance is straightened out, your car repaired, and that your ill advised garden ministrations result in beautiful blooms for you.

I'm sorry, what a hassle. Hope you get some pain relief soon.

Yikes -- that's a lot to deal with. Any one of those issues is a lot to deal with -- wreck, insurance hassle, pain/recovery/renewed pain.... And grass! to add insult to injury why does grass always grow best where it's not wanted! lol.

Have you tried Voltaren gel BioFreeze topically?

Heal quickly.

Amy, I think you live in Canada so you might not have the two products that get me through the worst of my gardening pains, Aspercreme and the small size SalonPas patches. For me while they do not bring immediate relief in about 15-20 minutes most of the pain is gone. I primarily use the patches on the small of my back. Although the package will show where to place them I only use one either on top of where it hurts the worst or an area that clothing will not rub it off.

Back to your accident. Here most insurance company's prefer to handle any actions between the companies without the parties involved in the accident stepping in. They will authorize fixing your car and either cover it for that amount or bill the other parties insurance company for it. They do not want the legal problems of their clients being involved. If the client becomes involved they step back and you are on your own. All I have had to pay was the deductible which is cheaper and less time consuming than doing things myself.

Maifleur03, I live in Alabama.

My insurance (allstate) did say essentially that they would cover it and go after her insurance to recover their costs if I wanted. But its the principle. I am not going to pay my deductible and shouldn't have to. It was HER fault. Even if my insurance was able to recover and return the deductible, no. YOUR customer caused the accident, my car was damaged. Pay up and shut up. And I was only asking for my car to be repaired. I was not going to ask for the medical bills because I have health insurance or rental car because I have another car I can drive, nothing. I only asked them to pay for my repairs. But since they do not want to do that, they can pay for all of it PLUS a PITA fee. A hefty one I hope. My attorney took one look at the crash report and was shocked that they (Geico) made the decision not to fully and quickly cover the damages. I assume they just took her word for it and did not even request a copy of it. I just wish things were moving more quickly than they are.

the roots were really in there and under the weed barrier

Exactly why you should NEVER use weed barrier. Just mulch with an organic material.

Amy - I think that's the way Geico operates and I felt the same way you did when I was rear-ended in the fall. It was the other driver's fault - why should my company absorb any of the cost of handling the claim. Even if they recovered all of it from Geico it would still cost them time and money to process everything.

The driver behind me failed to stop in time and bumped the rear of my car. Thankfully the woman was braking at the time so it wasn't severe. She apologized and said she was late for work and distracted. While on the phone with 911 she looks at my car and says the damage wasn't bad and offered me $100. I told her that the police were on their way and then snapped a photo of the 2 cars and her license plate.

Then she suggests moving the cars to a side street and promises that she was honest and wouldn't drive away. The police arrive, she admits responsibility and they take our information. Her company - Geico - called about an hour later BUT wanted me to go though my insurance. I insisted that they handle it. They gave me all kids of excuses - it would be faster to use my insurance, I would get a loaner car immediately, my company would cover all damage even if it was greater than the insured's coverage. My insurance broker was amazed how Geico tried to hand the claim and paperwork off to them.

The whole thing was a royal PIA - I had to call multiple times and push Geico to take responsibility. They made me wait 2 weeks for their adjuster to look at the car, they gave me conflicting information, they wanted me to use their repair shop, they wouldn't authorize a rental car until they were sure the claim was under $5000. which was the state mandated minimum insurance a NJ driver must carry. My car was only 2 years old and I wanted to use a body shop that was an authorized repair for my brand.

Luckily I could drive my car during all of this but it still took 10 weeks from start to finish. The biggest fear was availability of parts. The body damage was fairly straightforward but the biggest fear was availability of parts - the wiring harnesses for my back-up cameras and proximity sensors were manufactured in the Ukraine. In the end everything was restored but I'd never recommend Geico to anyone.

I hope you feel better soon.

Amy, I’m so sorry about your accident. And anout your pain. With the weather we had this past weekend, it would be hard not to take advantage of it and work your butt off. I agree with letting your insurance agent handle it. We’re in AL too (have Alfa - they have been a dream to deal with) and recently had a deer hit DH’s truck. Everything was handled. i don’t know what happens in the case like yours but would assume some haggling goes on with looking at police reports rather than word of mouth, he said/she said, etc. You could be called to reiterate your version, however.

I hope this set-back in your neck is temporary, but my DD had similar from an accident and it would recur periodically. Do you know a good accupuncturist?

It's hard to quit when you see things that you want to do in the garden. I hope you feel better.

Whoah! Sounds like Geico su%ks! I'm soooooooooooo sorry you had to experience this. I hope the lawyer gets you a nice "vacation" settlement....maybe one of those 6 week vacations....right! Your before and after photos are AMAZING! I know how hard it is to weed by hand. I'm dealing with this with my rental houses. I weed this gravel front yard & parking area twice a year. Takes me 3 hours.

I hope it's only a temporary exacerbation and that soon you're making good progress.

It's hard to accept that sometimes pushing through is not the wisest choice. The older I get, the more my body reminds me that ignoring the reality of an injured part generally doesn't end well...

I played sports in my younger days and pushing through the pain didn't usually result in the amount of agony it does to me now! I can't over-use things - but under-use can be just as bad.

It seems like there is a fine line anymore that I often can't find until I go too far in one direction or the other.

I'm also very glad you have an attorney representing your interests with insurance. Since you weren't at fault and you have sustained some significant damages, you need someone protecting your interests. It won't necessarily be a quick process, but hopefully the outcome is fair.

Just another recommendation for pain patches. I use two kinds of Salonpas: The small ones with camphor, menthol, and methyl salicilate; and the large ones with 4% lidocaine. Whiplash is a sort of sprain, and sprains take a long time to heal.

I failed to pay attention to good advice. I dug and delved in the garden. As a result of proving I could (over)do, my hands are ugly and crippled today. Be kind to your future self.

Maire-cate, I KNEW there was going to be a problem with Geico because they never called me. I found that odd because when I had been in wrecks before where the other person was at fault, their insurance was calling me within a day to get it taken care of. They did not call at ALL., I had to wait to get a copy of the accident report to get her name and insurance information. As soon as I called them, they told me they already had a claim for that incident, that they deemed it a zero fault incident and that they were 0% liable for anything. I asked them how they came to that conclusion given the accident report. She sighed heavily, and told me if I wanted them to reevaluate, they would send me a link to send in any evidence I had that would warrant such an imposition. Then she asked me if I noticed that the other driver was 88 years old. WHAT does that have to do with anything? I sent in the accident report and estimate for my car at 7:30 am. When I did not hear anything for 6 hours, I called an attorney. I am not going to fight with them to do what they are supposed to do. Even if she lied to them about what happened I gave them solid proof and I did not hear from them again until 2 weeks later, after I had gotten an attorney involved. They wanted to deal with me directly then. Its too late now. Now I am in petty mode.

I mean really, what if I DIDN'T have an extra car I could drive to work? I would have been paying big bucks out of pocket for a rental. I was already HIGHLY irritated that this incident made me an hour late for work that night, and what she did to cause the accident was so STUPID. I was driving one way, she was driving the other way, and she turned left in front of me. There was NOTHING I could do to not hit her, save swerve into oncoming traffic and STILL get hit. There were no cars behind me. She could have waited literally 5 seconds to turn onto the road she wanted to get to. And she was no feeble wilting old lady. She was alert, apologetic, refused medical service, commented on how tall and handsome my SO (who had come to bring me my other car and take my precious corolla home) was, and got right back in her car with her 2 passengers and went on her way after the State trooper dismissed her. While she told the truth to the trooper, she had the presence of mind to lie to her insurance company, knowing that it would be at least a week before I got her info from the report.

I might be a little more touchy about this than I should be because my car that was damaged was my very first car. I bought it brand new when I was 18 with the money I had saved up from working since I was 15. It has been in several wrecks, but not for many years, and I know that it will probably be totaled out. The estimate to fix it is at least 3 times the worth of the car now. Even though I think I could have gotten 10 more years out of it. My SO keeps it very well maintained and running great. It will be a terrible loss.

And it does not help that certain family members tell me to "just buy a new one." And that delves into them assuming that I do not have the money to buy a new car, and then that turns into invasive interrogation about what I spend my money on and how I "should" have enough money to just go buy a new car. It is very irritating and the plague of being the youngest sibling, in which all the older ones feel entitled to know all my business and lecture me on their assumptions on my situation. I never said I could not afford a new car. I certainly can. I said that I should not HAVE to buy a new car. There was nothing wrong with THAT one, until that person caused an accident. Its PRINCIPLE. They immediately dismiss that as me trying to deflect from the fact that I am apparently an irresponsible degenerate who spends all her money on stupid or illicit things. Never mind the fact that I am a homeowner, land owner, pet owner, hobby haver. I guess since I want the insurance company to do what they are supposed to do that makes me broke and financially destitute. 🙄

I took some of my muscle relaxers and anti inflammatories this morning before I went to bed. It helped me sleep but really did not help the pain. I called my doctor who told me to continue taking them as my work schedule allowed and to come see him when they were gone if I was still having problems. He called me in a prescription for some muscle relaxers that he said will not make me sleepy or loopy, so we will see. My hot water bottle is my best friend here lately. SO was kind enough to point out to me that I have a huge knot where my neck meets my shoulder, as if I could not feel it, while I was attempting to blow dry my hair before work today. He is such a prince. 😐 I picked up some salon pas patches and will try them when I get home before I go to bed in the morning. Thanks to those who suggested them. Fingers crossed that they help.

Amy, I'm sorry you aren't feeling well, wish you didn't have the recurring pain. Being upset about the insurance cannot be helping you relax. You've given it to your atty, now put it out of your mind and just concentrate on your day to day things and feeling better.

It's funny how we get attached to something inanimate like a car, but we do. DH and his brothers are just about the worst offenders there. DH's brother who is my age spent a fortune on a car same model as the first he'd ever bought and owned. He even paid to have it painted, reupholstered in the same colors. I didn't have the heart to tell him driving it would not make him a kid again ;)

Not that I'm suggesting you are doing that, only that you be practical and focus on what you can control - steps toward your health. Your rose garden will be calling you (for shorter periods) before long and you'll want to be in it. (((hugs)))

I'd be fuming if I were you. Not fair at all to you, the innocent party. Try one of those microwavable things that are filled with a rice-like mixture. They feel good when wrapped around your neck.

Amy....Your holding your ground...and hopefully will get 10 X more now you have a lawyer. The opposing party did not do the right thing. You deserve better. I hope your pain subsides....and I admire you as a gardner.

One other thing i forgot…your insurance will pay directly to the repair shop, so choose whoever you want to do your repairs. You do not have to take the low cost option, and if you want to get the OEM repair facility (e.g., Toyota, Chevy, etc etc)to do the work, Allstate shouldnt argue with you.

And if Geico tries to contact you, just refer them to your Allstate agent or your attorney. You should not talk with them. Your attorney likely told you this already.

Best of luck! And hope your neck starts to feel better soon! Gardening can hurt!

Amy, I am sorry to hear about the accident and the trouble that has followed. I've had whiplash once. I can't imagine having to deal with pain for long. I discovered Nature's Willow Willow Balm (purchased from the big A, but Tractor Supply also sells, if one is close to you). It may give you some temporary relief. A friend with Epstein-Barr said it has helped her. I use for neck pain and headaches.

I am surprised your medical insurance is not going after Geico for coverage, as anytime a family member went for treatment (also in AL) the paperwork asks if the issue was caused by an accident, then more questions on when, etc.

Do not know if you are open to CBD products, but DH uses nightly in order to sleep If you'd like, I will tell you want he uses. He also has a lotion I've tried, but the Willow Balm works better for me.

I have a friend who had the same experience with Geico - the other driver actually crossed the center line, and hit her - which the police report confirmed. Still, Geico refused to pay stating that they couldn't know for sure who was at fault.

I am still dealing with a whiplash injury (from a patient assault) that happened in 2006! Apparently it destabilized the C5-C6 vertebral connection (the way those 2 bones fit together) so that one now has a tendency to slide out of position. I know now that I have to be very careful with my head/neck positioning when I am doing things like weeding. Anything that causes me to tilt my head up or back relative to my shoulders will aggravate. Looking up while reaching up will always cause issues unless I am careful to tuck my chin in. If I am lying on my back, I can't use a pillow. I had to get rid of my road bike with the dropped handlebars.

Ask your MD to refer you to a physical therapist. That was the thing that finally got me on the road to managing the injury. They applied gentle traction and massage, and taught me exercises to strengthen and maintain the proper/protective posture -so flareups are now rare.

Since I can tell when the bones have slipped out of alignment (neck pain and headache, and even numbness down my arm if it's bad) I also got a home cervical traction unit that I use - only a few minutes in it, & I can feel everything straighten out and get almost instant relief. You will have to consult your MD or the PT if you get to one, to see if that will help your particular injury.

I am so sorry that this happened to you and I do hope that your injury recovers fully!

Thanks all. I did ask my doctor about physical therapy. He looked at the imaging that was taken after the original injury and said he did not think I need it, that I just sort of aggravated it by doing too much too soon. He told me to NOT do that anymore until I am completely healed, which he thinks is possible if I just sit down and stop trying to do stuff, take my medications and apply heat from time to time. So that is what I will do. I walk a lot for exercise, and I usually wear a 12 lb weight vest while doing so. I haven't had the vest on since the injury and it feels sort of pointless walking without it, but the doc encouraged me to keep walking, with no added weight because it will aid healing somehow. Luckily, since my gardening faux pas, there is nothing really to be done as far as outside manual work right now. It does feel a little better today. It is not spasming as much anymore, and I was able to get a full days rest. It still hurts big time, but even the small relief that I have is encouraging right now.

Sorry you have all this added aggravation from your accident. I had a great experience when a Geico insured driver hit me. A rental car was waiting for me the next morning. The body shop they used was excellent as well. I think a chiropractor would do wonders for you. They have lots of accident victims as patients.

Granted, we've had little cause to evaluate insurance companies, but when DH was T-boned by a teen driver at an intersection in our town, her father's insurace company was *excellent*. His insurance was with Chubb.

Glad you're starting to feel better, amylou.

Walking without the vest will help with the healing. Walking will help keep your hips and the small of your back moving and not seizing up. Moving your arms will help keep your shoulders and the shoulder blades (if you keep your shoulders down and back) loose. Keep your eyes forward.

Walking without the vest is going to keep the pressure and extra weight off your neck and back and this will help the muscles to begin to heal. Walk half or a quarter of what you regularly do and then build it up. When you're back to regular amt of walking add a lighter vest if you have one. This kind of healing as to be done in stages.

I did post earlier and deleted it as I felt like a B* but going out and doing all that gardening and then going in to get the rest of your steps was a bad move on your part. You will not heal doing those kinds of things. Stretched muscles will take a long time to heal. Listen to your doctor.

Amy how are you feeling today?