The End -

of a significant chapter of my life, but thankfully not the end of my life story.

This past Wednesday, 449 days after two of my associates and I were hit by a car while attempting to walk across the street in front of our company's headquarters, the driver received his plea sentence in Wisconsin's Outagamie County courthouse. I'm told the judge's decree included:

1. Alcohol and other drug testing - He is required to complete testing and any necessary follow up treatment as ordered by his probation agent.
2. Absolute sobriety - for the length of his sentence, He is not to have any drugs or alcohol. Additionally, he's not to be in any establishment where there is a provision for alcohol. He cannot have alcohol or drugs in his residence (even if belong to others).
3. $200/month for the entire sentence in restitution. (not to me, but to reimburse the company's Workman's Comp expenses)
4. 500 hours of community service to be provided at either of the two hospitals in the city; at a minimum, 2 hours per week for 5 years.
5. 2 full days per year for 5 years, he has to give talks to students about the impact drug use has had on his life and the lives of others.
6. A letter of apology to me.
7. As an alternative to a year in the county jail, he will serve 16 days in jail (on the weekends for the next 8 weeks). If he fails a random drug test during the next five years, he will immediately be taken to jail to serve a 12 month sentence.
8. He is required to maintain full time employment for the duration of his sentence.

My immediate thought, given the state of the economy and my own employment situation, is that the last condition may be the most difficult to accomplish! But the bottom line is that I'm positive we both wish we did not have to face any of the consequences from a brief unfortunate moment on that cold late afternoon winter day.

My BBL is most happy I've decided to signal the end of this event with the decision to shave off my beard. I had started it after the second crainiotomy when I felt that growing it was one of the few things I could do all by myself! But I'm truly relieved that this event has come to a conclusion -- and without having to relive it in detail via a court trial that was scheduled for next month.