Comments By Chris W.

I personally don't exercise in my truck (try not to stink it up) situps and pushups cycling motion on your back are easy to do in the truck without rocking or so I imagine but if you really want to jump around you may take extra precautions if you want like drop the landing gear as a extra precautions double check that you pulled the air and then turn your wheel towards the safest direction preferably a open area like grass or empty parking spots if they exist. Otherwise actually no having it rock I am not sure if it's possible.

It really is indeed surprising this job by no means is easy and stress free. Driving is relaxing but traffic is stressful and I personally need my 34hr reset and my 4hr breaks to just walk around and explore new places. Love those photos and let me see if I got any.

So yesterday spent the day driving I actually only once reflecting on the accident negatively. I have been improving so much and have gone the whole day driving have my usual snacks and coffee and energy drink perfectly fine. I parked about 20min away from the drop location and I only had 6 minutes of drive time left! My closet to running out, how close you guys ever got? Then today spent 4hrs at the location which was really long for what I am use too. I usually go get a dock quickly drop the trailer let them unload and reload and have the yard dogs move it to the pickup location which after I drop it I don't wait I just go to the pickup yard and get my load then leave after weighing it of course. So my questions for you all, what's the closest you have been to running out of drive time? How long have you waited at your current jobs locations and your longest wait in general? Thank you all for your support and sorry about if this comes out choppy trying to get my food and review the paperwork on this load while typing this.

So long story short my therapist has been working with me and she thinks I am ready to start back and just take more breaks then normal and write in my journey about how I am coping with being on the road again. I informed UPS and I start tomorrow evening heading to a pickup the day after tomorrow. But I have come to the realization that I forgot to clean the truck so got to do that, get new groceries which I will do those in the morning, but most important I going tonight to a local gas station that has a truck line and getting some diesel for the truck. Tomorrow may be tough but I have been getting around 5-7hrs of sleep on average and have had a few hours not thinking about everything that happened. Thank you guys so much for the support.

Update: after first therapy session I had to go into detail and my therapist wants me to take a small break couple days to a week. She said that I have been trucking a while and could probably truck for a lot longer so she wants me to try to relax and try again. I was able to get some sleep last night for the first time since the accident, and if I didn't start sleeping I was going to be on a short term sleeping medication because sleep is supposed to help with the brain relaxing and mental healing. Thanks for the support again

They did give me a number and they actually helped set me up with a therapist close to my house and approve me for a week of PTO and a week of rest period also payed. UPS did fortunately treat me like a human and understood that I wasn't taking this well and gave me more help. I still don't know if I am going to be able to sleep tonight but I will try.

I saw this post when you made it Chris but I have not been sure how to respond, everyone has been giving you good advice so there isn't much for me to add.

OD has a number for drivers to call if they are involved in a fatal accident so they can talk to someone does UPS have something similar??

On a side note I am kind of surprised they let you keep driving, most people would be in a compromised state of mind. OD has some process I've heard before they will let you drive again.

Thanks for the support guys. I have a 30min session on Friday virtual then on Tuesday a 1HR in person session. Couldn't sleep all night and have been having a hard time but some time today I am going to be hitting the road heading home and just it's going to be hard I don't know if I am ready to be in my truck again. Going to bobtail back and have already redeemed 2wk PTO. UPS said I can ether take my truck home or to a close terminal but I think I am going to just take it home.

thank you. I am going to set up a appointment with a therapist tomorrow going to get a hotel room for tonight because I just don't want to sleep in my truck tonight which means I will be taking it. Going to have a week or 2 off With PTO and take my truck home hopefully I can think about trucking again after this without getting nauseous and feeling so guilty and so much pain.

Talk to others- Therapy. Being alone right now is not the best. Options- 1. Tomorrow morning call to set up Therapy appt- Call your Dr- they can give you names. 2, Call 988- this is aFederal program started a few months ago to help with mental stuff. Call them RIGHT NOW, after you read this. 3. Are you involved with a church, etc- Call the leader/ pastor. Personally I hope you don’t quit trucking. But there’s nothing wrong with taking a break. 4. I believe in prayer. I still talk to Jesus about my sons death, and I do cry. 5. If you want to go to emergency room- DO IT.

sorry about your son. Just wish she wasn't speeding that much and not paying attention because I wasn't ready to have blood on the back of my trailer and have to wait hours to hear that both were dead in impact. I can only imagine how you felt that wasn't just a stranger so do you have any advice to make the overwhelming pain with every breath go away?

Chris W. I buried my 37 year old son this past summer. Died from meth-amphetamine. He was a Superintendent. He worked his way up from journeyman carpenter to Super. Besides the management of other carpenters, he was a working Super. At the funeral there were 20-30 carpenters. That was nice. So what, now? Therapy- yes- talk to others. Again- TALK it out. I have a small handful of men I have talked to. It’s good the trooper said- you were in the right. A friend said- You never get over it, but you learn to deal with it. He also said, what he was told after his wife died- You need to move on. I’m sure I’ll always ask myself- What more should I have done to help my son? I recently got my DOT physical. I talked to the Dr about drug use, my son’s death, etc, etc. She said- You’re angry. I said- No I’m way beyond angry, I’m furious. I’m thinking- what can I do to help others? I believe a person needs to be positive about life- and that’s my view. My life view is Jesus (God) is 100% in control and 100% sovereign. My email- Scott12sc@gmail.com. I can write more if you’re interested. BTW, got 2 year Med card- Yeaa!

I am getting help mentally and ain't making any decisions yet. Thanks for the love and support but please pray more for this family that I just destroyed. I will add your number Bruce and may message but not sure yet. I may check into a hospital or something. I just wish that my truck wouldn't have started or I would have trashed into a wall instead of this heck I wish I just didn't wake up that morning then 2 innocent young people would have been fine and me a trucker that no one cares about would been gone and that would have been the end of this tragedy.