How to Get Run Over by a Truck

by Katie McKenna

People often say, “I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck.” Katie actually was.

On a sunny morning bike ride in Brooklyn, twenty-four-year-old Katie McKenna was forever changed when she was run over by an eighteen-wheeler. Being crushed under a massive semi wasn’t something Katie should have survived. After ten hours of emergency surgery, she woke to find herself in a body and a life that would never be the same.

In this brutally honest and surprisingly funny memoir, Katie recalls the pivotal event and the long, confusing road to recovery that followed. Between the unprepared nudity in front of her parents post-surgery, hospital happy hours, and the persistent fear that she would never walk again, Katie details the struggles she’s faced navigating her new reality. This inspiring memoir follows Katie’s remarkable journey to let go of her old life and fall in love with her new one.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography Memoir, Biography, Medical, Health

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 4, 2016

Reviews

[Lindsay Nixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The memoir itself is brave, honest, entertaining at times, and fills you with gratitude for your body.

I read this hoping it could help me better understand the situation of a loved one who had a medical emergency, is in chronic pain, and has a long road back to recovery. It has given me that.

My complaint is how privileged McKenna was and did not recognize it. AT ALL. You don't have to be ashamed of privilege, but it's critical to own it, note it, and give gratitude to it, especially if your whole book is about gratitude!

For example, she presumably had incredible financial resources most of us do not have. At the very least, she had insurance. Give up gratitude for that please... She detailed her long hospital stays, the specialists, the surgeries, the outpatient treatment, getting special medical supplies for at home, and both psych and physical therapy... no mention once about the costs...

Amazing, her job was still waiting for her almost a year later, and she had her lovely apartment to move back into, even after months in a hospital and not working. WHAT?! I'm happy for her, but being hit by a bus would be financially ruined for most people, even those with insurance. She did thank her parents and siblings for taking time to be there for her and help care for her, and that's great, but obviously they had the luxury to be able to be there 24hours a day.

There was a lot of rich white girl privilege in this book and it would have been nice to have her recognize that.

Finally, if you find yourself connecting a little too deeply to the authors self-discovery (about being a people pleaser) an al-anon meeting would be great for you. The author seemed to have followed the 12-steps to a spiritual awakening throughout the book.

She learns to care for herself and find gratitude (and forgiveness) which is beautiful.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really tough to review. I listened to the audiobook, and Katie was an awesome narrator -- I'd love to listen to another book read by her. Her story is nothing less than incredible. It's impossible for me to fully comprehend what she must have experienced, but the first third of this book probably came as close as is possible to putting me right there in the scene with her. Between her vivid descriptions, choice language, and exquisite voice work, Katie related this horrific accident in a way that pulled me in and made me care.

Unfortunately, as charming as Katie is a narrator, and as good as I think her story could have been, this book was in desperate need of more editing. There were grammatical errors, some confusing sentences, and the timeline jumped around so much it was difficult to follow what was happening when. There was also at least one actual error when talking about time that made that last issue even worse.

It seemed like she was using various situations to explore different themes, so she would bring them up as they suited the theme instead of in a real chronological order. It was almost like certain chapters were actually originally written as separate pieces intended to be published independently. This led to a lot of repetition of some facts (yet not enough explanation of others), but also seemingly contradictory ideas. In several chapters she'd explain that she was always overly agreeable because it's how she got people to like her, only to say in other chapters that before the accident she would have stood up for herself more.

I was also left feeling like some important aspects never really got wrapped up properly. I wanted to know more about the truck driver -- what were the repercussions for him? How did this affect his life? It seems crazy that such a people person didn't move the earth to find Gisele (to thank her, to ask about the damn priest, to ask her if she ever recovered from seeing this accident). Did she pursue anything with the first hospital she was in? It felt like the story was being set up to expose how horribly patients can be treated, but there never seemed to be any closure for that part of the story. I would have far preferred to have had a couple of chapters devoted to wrapping those stories up than listen to what felt like tmi about her romantic relationship.

Finally, I cringed every time she talked about being a 'real girl'. This felt like an inside joke that should have stayed inside.

I'm really glad I listened to this. Katie's story is fascinating. But be warned: if you are a grammar nerd or care about timelines being accurate, this story will drive you nuts.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like a meanie giving this book three stars! However, it really needed an editor. The book was way too long and it jumped around in the timeline (for example, we'd read about Katie being discharged from the first hospital, then we'd read horror stories about that hospital again). I also would have loved an interview with Giselle, the truck driver, and the pastor.

That said, Katie's recovery was incredible and my three stars does not reflect on her or her challenges.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book as an ARC in a GoodReads giveaway. (Thank you!) One of the the other reviewers mentioned feeling an impatience with Katie as the book progressed. I didn't feel this way with Katie per-say, but rather with the prose which could at times feel "draggy." Overall, it was an inspiring read that really causes one to look at what they have, how lucky they are, and acknowledge that the future is not promised. We have this moment, this hour, and this very minute. Everything and anything can change in an instant. Katie writes, "I stopped fearing death, but more importantly, I stopped fearing life" (McKenna, p. 286). Isn't that what we should all do? Stop worrying about the end, or about the future, or even the now. Live and love in the present moment because we don't know how long that moment will last, and once it's gone we might never be able to get it back.

[Sue Hartman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amazing story and great narration by the author on the audio book. Alas, it needs a great deal more editing. The book got redundant and went in circles.

The best part about the book is the intimate account of Katie's will to live and heal! She is a ten in the inspiration department and I'd recommend this book to anyone health professionals caring for people debilitated by accidents and disease.

From a literary stand point, it needs editing!!!!!!!!! I can't keep the book...there is not way I will listen to it again, nor recommend it to friends. Too bad Katie didn't get better editors!

[Leeann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3.5 stars. There were times when I loved this book and found it so interesting and enlightening. There were times that I thought Katie was incredibly strong and brave. As the book wore on, though, I found my patience wearing a little more thin, which is probably somewhat unfair and exactly the reason why I could not be a nurse or something.. a part of me, after a while, does move into "suck it up, buttercup!" mode.

What Katie went through was awful and it is quite amazing how well she recovered from such a horrible accident and injury, She is so lucky to have had so much family support.

I received this book free via Netgalley in exchange for my honest and unpaid review. All thoughts and words here are solely my own.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a powerful read. Amazing story. I found myself surprised at how much psychology was involved. I guess imagining someone who's gone through physical trauma I mentally picture the visible result, and bypass what is obviously at least, if not even the bigger, hidden psychological trauma that isn't going to heal with time. Hope I never have to prove I'm as tough as Katie.

I wish there had been just a picture or two of the apparatus that played such an integral role in her healing. I had an advance copy of the book won in an Inkshares raffle; maybe the final copy includes some pictures. The only other oddity for me was her reluctance to use the anatomical name for her "hoo-ha". Plenty of profanity throughout, but I guess we each have our hangups :-)

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book I read that I received at BEA.  It was handed to me when I was on my way off the floor one day so it didn't get packed up with the rest of the books I was shipping home.  (I started it that night in a Jamaican restaurant that served me the most amazing avocado and plantain sandwich.)

 

Started reading a #bea16 book and it is wonderful #howtogetrunoverbyatruck #katiemckenna #bookstagram

A photo posted by @dvmheather on May 12, 2016 at 4:53pm PDT

Katie was riding in Brooklyn in the early morning. She pulled up next to a semi that did not signal that he was turning. When the light turned, the truck pulled into her lane, knocking her over and running over her abdomen with 8 wheels before stopping.

What I find amazing about this is that she never lost consciousness. It probably would have been better. She was able to tell witnesses her name and had them call her parents before the ambulance got there. Because she was talking, her parents didn't realize the severity of her injuries until they got to the hospital.

In an instant she went from a healthy woman with no major issues in her life to a person completely dependent on other people for her every need. She was taken to a hospital well equipped to deal with major trauma. However, this hospital's main purpose was treating prisoners so when she is recovered enough to get out of ICU, her quality of care falls dramatically. This is where this book is difficult to deal with at times. As a young white woman who is not in custody, with parents who are able to advocate for her, she is able to get out of this situation. She also causes problems for several doctors who give her straight answers to her questions without coddling her. She seems to only want to hear happy answers about her prognosis and anyone who doesn't go along with this suddenly is getting the brunt of her family calling their supervisors and demanding that they never get to speak with her again. Several times while reading this I paused to be grateful once again that I don't work in human medicine.

I would recommend this book for anyone who ever wondered what to say to someone dealing with a life changing diagnosis or injury.



ARCs are meant to roam so if anyone would like to read this, leave a comment and I'll send it to you. If you would like to send a few dollars to help cover shipping that would be appreciated.This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie McKenna's writing is witty, funny and just makes you feel good. She makes light of an intense life-threatening experience and looks damn good doing it. She brought me to tears in laughter more times than I can count. I was impressed with her intelligence that went along with her humor.

[J.-F. Dubeau]

I can't rate this book.

I can't because there's too much going on between is and me that I can make a decision about how I feel about it. I can tell you what I thought and how it impacted me, but my perspective is different. That's why it took me so long to get through. Because that book told two stories, so it made sense it would take over twice as long and that my opinion would be split.

McKenna tells a very personal story of the recovery process she endured after being run over by a truck. The title kind of makes that clear. However, if you expect this to be a blow-by-blow account of that process, detailing the moments and milestones of a healing person, you'll be left disappointed. The book is very much about the personal journey, about how each detail affected McKenna and how each milestone impacted her as a person both in the moment and in the long run.

On one hand, it makes for a sometimes disjointed story. Chronology holds no sway over the narrative and is often barely given a cursory nod. The book suffers in that as a reader, we often don't know when things are taking place or what intervals of time we're dealing with. Some moments are given incredible care in their retelling, yet others that feel like cornerstones of someone's recovery are barely acknowledged.

On the other hand, that makes it a powerful memoire. It taps into the very essence of what recovering from a tragic accident feels like. The constant struggle against body, healthcare system, challenges and the snare that our own minds and feelings can become.

Or maybe this is all from my perspective. Having had my own close encounter with a motor vehicle, being hit by a car nearly 20 years ago, I've gone through a lot of what McKenna had to endure. The Jetta that ran me over traded the weight of a truck for the speed of someone who didn't expect to run into 200+ lbs of human. The damage was different, but the experience similar. So whenever McKenna writes about the joys of having her hair washed or the frustration of getting no assurances from doctors as to whether her body will function properly once healed, I'm right there with her, reliving my own carbon-copy story.

And that's why I don't think I enjoyed it as it was meant to be enjoyed. This is a book that's supposed to be funny and uplifting. I could see the structure of the humour and the outline of the punchlines, but I couldn't laugh. Instead I was incredibly emotional and introspective throughout the book.

If you've ever wanted to get into the head of someone who's experienced a grave accident, one that had no sense or meaning but instead carried great consequences, and see from the perspective of the victim how they and their loved ones handled some of the big and small issues that come with it, I highly recommend this How to Get Run Over by a Truck.

If you're looking for an emotional journey of someone who's endured the kind of hardship that is probably more common than we know but doesn't often get the spotlight, then again; read this book.

What I walk away with is a question of whether I've processed my own accident completely, even two decades after the events, and an overwhelming desire to get drunk with Katie while trading war stories.

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The good: You don't get the first person perspective of someone who has been run over by an 18 wheeler very often. I was glad for so much detail in her recovery, the effects on her family and friends, the experiences with the medical staff. The best part was her descriptions of otherness, about how her place in the world and what she was had dramatically changed and she had to learn to live in a completely different way.

The bad: Holy privilege. Who amongst us can be severely injured, and have family who can drop everything and rush to our side and not end up homeless? No one I know! Who still has their job and apartment waiting for them after months of not being there? This girl. And the Trump family. And she doesn't seem to get that, at all.

The ugly: Making fun of cripples and old people because you don't want to be like them. Well, some people have endured even more than being run over by a truck, and have a lot less to show for it.

Overall, I appreciate her perspective. Even privileged perspectives are important, even if they're difficult to listen to sometimes.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Highs: Inspiring overcoming the incredible injuries she sustained. Insightful perspective on the trials and helplessness of being a patient in the U.S. medical care system. Nice reading tone and cadence.

Lows: Author is a person of much privilege that wasn't acknowledged -- she had incredible healthcare, employer, and family support -- incredible! Unacknowledged! Also incredible. And the book needed some editing. A bit redundant and tiresome at times.

[Niniane · Rating 2 out of 5]

She kept talking about how the world was supposed to be her oyster and nothing bad had befallen her ever and she is supposed have a perfect life! It was so entitled. 

Her dad called the head of the hospital that saved her, and used his lawyer to threaten the hospital. What an asshole. 

Later, a doctor told Katie some negative prognosis. Katie's dad tried to get the doctor fired, have him suspended without pay, and other absurd entitled behavior. Katie's dad is a huge jerk. I hope her dad is fired.

One hospital roommate was a battered woman whose boyfriend broke her jaw. That woman protected herself by stabbing the boyfriend and was sent to prison. The author kept calling her a felon and criminal and making jokes about her. The author also showed off how she had so many visitors and the abused woman had few. It was gross. 

If she calls someone pretty, you can be sure they will turn out to be white. e.g. "alabaster skin", etc.

She called her roommates "freaks and weirdos". E.g. Latin American Woman and the Chinese roommate. Apparently if you are not white, the author thinks you are either a freak or a weirdo. She was happy to see one white doctor but then discovered the doctor is Russian and became terrified that she is a KGB member.

She had apparently always been coddled. Being treated the way that others are treated was a horrible shock. She fought hard and used her family's wealth and connections to leave the "hellhole" (the hospital that others go to) and go to a fancier hospital.

It was super annoying. I went from having sympathy for her accident to wishing she would shut up and stop with her extreme privilege. So annoying.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspirational and at times hilarious but somewhat flawed as to writing. I read this quite slowly and I remember thinking it was a shame the author didn’t have better editing. And .... I don’t know how to say this but despite the awful thing that happened to her, and she is a plucky survivor, no doubt, but I felt she was awfully privileged and may not have fully appreciated the financial and personal resources so easily available to her.

One of my favorite bits it’s when Katie is wrestling with herself about how she wants to act and feel about an upcoming event. Happy or sad? She lists out the pros and cons and considers that happy takes more work than it used to while she has made an art form out of self pity, certainly making sad the easier route. In the end she decides to give happy a shot for 24 hours and keep being a sulking cry baby as a back up plan. We must all make this choice at various times in our life about something and I loved her acknowledgment that if she couldn’t pull off the fight for happy she could still slump back into misery and regroup.

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's a part of me that appreciated Katie's story, her resilience, and her strength. A larger part of me, however, lost patience in what felt like a self-important, redundant, and long-winded narration in desperate need of editing. When the book finally felt like it was building toward a few much-needed external storylines - the truck driver, the mistreatment of patients at her first hospital, etc – it, unfortunately, circled back to Katie without any resolution or explanation. There were also glaring omissions about the financial implications of a trauma of Katie's kind. If she had insurance to cover it, she's incredibly lucky! But that should be acknowledged, or there should have been some conversation around it. As it stands, it altogether reeks of spoiled rich girl privilege.

[jeni b · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy New Year!! I was lucky enough to WIN an advanced copy of Katie McKenna’s memoir HOW TO GET RUN OVER BY A TRUCK from GOODREADS! Thank you!

Katie shares her nightmarish reality with astonishing vulnerability that exposes her heart and soul. She is beautifully bold and brave for sharing her journey and proves just how strong the mind, body, and spirit can be! ~jenib~

“I am grateful for the heartache, the joy, the ugliness, and the beauty.” ~Katie McKenna

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate this perspective on a horrific accident. It’s helpful both as a (minor) accident survivor with PTSD too and as someone who may be visiting an ill loved one. This memoir is full of faith and family.

However, the writer may want to recognize their privilege through the hospital experience some more. Katie was lucky to get the improved care she did as her family advocated for her. Also, being young and white helped. Other than a little shortcoming here, a great book.

[Paula Fahey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't decide how to rate this book. I am glad I read it, and I recommend it, but also was disappointed. There was great detail about so many things, but I was hoping for more closure about the truck driver and all the horrible treatment at the first hospital. It's a very easy read with a nice message.

[Joan Smith Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing true story of Katie McKenna who was run over by a truck and has not only survived, but has reinvented herself. I was lucky enough to have the author attend our book club. In person, she's amazing!

[Jerica Durfee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book with Audible. Katie McKenna reads her story beautifully, it feels like she’s giving you an in-person, on-the-fly account of the goings on. You can hear the emotion in her voice at some of the more heart wrenching sections. I found the first half of the book to be profound, moving and written with a gruesome honesty that’s hard to come by. The last half however, felt a little more “poor popular white girl”. If I had to hear one more time about how many friends she had, and how liked she was I was going to throw up. We get it. People like you and naming every single person who has ever liked you doesn’t drive that point home, it just makes you sound weird. I also had trouble with how often and vehemently McKenna described how much of a “good person” she is. I think once, maybe twice would have been enough for me as a reader but going on and on about how much she did for people before the accident, and all her “nice girl” deeds really started to annoy me. When she does touch back down to reality and describes some of her darker days, it felt ingenuine, like her editor was like “Okay, yeah we get that you’re nice but surely sometimes you weren’t? Put some of that in.” We also were left hanging on some of the details surrounding people coming in and out of her world. Overall, if you want a book about a regular, flawed person (even if the author doesn’t acknowledge that) overcoming something completely horrible, this is a good choice.

[Lena Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story, very well narrated. Love how honest, raw, and touching this is. Others mentioned lack of editing, but it felt so much more powerful in this exact format. Almost like she was reading out from her own diary. Reliving it even once could be so crushing, thank you for sharing with us. Very well done and such a courageous experience. Bravo!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was selected as an early reviewer via NetGalley.com

Author Katie McKenna got run over by a truck -- and not a little truck either. McKenna gets crushed by most of a semitruck while riding her bike on beautiful day. Somehow, she lived tell the tale in an amazingly refreshing and funny memoir.

McKenna presents her situation with a wonderful combination of gravity and levity that you can't help but want to be her friend. McKenna recounts her accident and recovery in all its grisly detail -- from the feeling of the truck crushing her abdomen, to learning how to walk, to becoming a real girl again -- she is strikingly honest. She whines, she curses, she sobs, and ultimately she thrives in her new body and life.

I have, thankfully, never been run over by a truck. Despite this major difference between Katie McKenna and I, I was still able to relate to her and her experience. I have an auto-immune disease that often causes me to be in extreme pain. I have stared down the tunnel with no light at the end and prayed to anyone because the pain is so bad that I can't possibly be strong enough much longer. While it obviously cannot compare to McKenna's life-or-death accident, it is always refreshing to know that it is possible to survive anything with enough faith, will-power, and help from friends and family.

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie McKenna's life is forever changed when she is run over by a semi-truck. This memoir chronicles that fateful day and her long road to recovery. After many surgeries and weeks in the hospital, Katie has to learn how to accept that things will never be the same.

First of all it is amazing that the author was able to survive literally being run over by a truck. It's pretty remarkable considering even the doctors that treated her didn't think she would make it. After reading this book, I think Katie's spirit is what allowed her to survive and work towards living as normal of a life as possible. She is refreshingly honest in her thoughts and feelings about the hospital staff, her family and friends, and the physical problems that might follow her for the rest of her life. Her sense of humor helps move the book along so it doesn't feel so emotionally grueling to read.

I received a free copy of this book and that is my fair and honest review.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this should be required reading for anyone in, or thinking of getting into, a helping profession (doctor, nurse, tech, PT, etc.). She gives great insights into the life of a critical care patient and how even the smallest gesture can have a huge impact (good or bad) on a patient and their family. I went higher on this score so for me it is a 3.75. I wish she had an editor who helped her be a bit more succinct in some areas of the book (not all). Otherwise this is a harrowing tale. Her honesty is so refreshing. She had amazing strength in so many ways. I think this book can also serve those well who need some inspiration, too. We all have mountains to climb, she just found her's under the tires of a truck with her bike imbedded in her.

[Kelly Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarity, wit, well-timed f bombs and more than simple silver linings. Katie McKenna manages to take a situation that would have made the vast majority of us say, "F this, I'm out" and transform it into countless invaluable pieces of wisdom that even those of us who have not endured the bitchslap of an 18 wheeler can relate to and need to recognize in ourselves. She gives us very real example of what it means to be human, and comes out smiling and charging ahead. Resilient isn't a strong enough word to describe this woman and her unbelievable journey.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a powerfully raw and honest memoir. I cried and I belly-laughed while reading Katie's brave account of surviving getting run over by an 18-wheeler. She so beautifully shared the entirety of her emotions of healing - both physically & mentally. Do your favor and read this book, you'll be glad you did and wish you could sit down with Katie, glass of wine in hand, and try to have a bit of her light shine your way.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good! The author wrote in such a way that I felt I was right there with her, experiencing everything she did. Without the pain meds. She told us so much and in so much detail, and yet there were still questions I had; there were things I wanted to know. But I suppose some things need to be kept private. This was a wonderful love letter to her parents and brothers and sister. Glad I read it.

[Diann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am finding it hard to write this review. What the author went through was horrific. However she glossed over the parts that make this a more interesting story. How did you deal with insurance? Why did your new job hold it for a whole year? What were your deficits upon return to “normal life”?

And…as a registered nurse, I can tell you with much certainty: No one in the ED noticed if she was wearing underwear or not. (This just kept coming up in the book)

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just started this book. OMG! That poor girl! I can't imagine, and pray it never happens to me or anyone I hold near and dear! But Ms. McKenna is a very strong spirit to be able to write about her experience. I haven't had too much time to read, but I am making my way through the book this week and will post an update when I finish it.

[Patrick Conlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book detailing a traumatic experience, and dealt with the sometimes heavy topics with humor which made me want to keep turning the pages. While I've never experienced something like this, I found the book extremely relatable and find if driving me forward in every day challenges. Definitely recommend this book to everyone!