Sorry to hear about your friend Irene. I hope she has the strength to make it through all of this and not give up on living life to the fullest. Man that will be hard! There is a guy in town that has been riding for years with one arm. I've never asked just exactly how he does it, but missing an arm hasn't kept him from doing the things he loves like riding bikes and playing softball. We're all pulling for her!
A couple of years ago, I was returning home from Louisville, KY after a trip there to take mom to the dr. I was on the Sherman Minton bridge, from Louisville to New Albany, IN. I was in the far right lane so that I could exit into New Albany and get on highway 62, when some woman in a huge SUV decided she wanted my lane. Of course she was on her phone and driving distracted. I was lucky enough for her to realize that she was about to run me into the right side of the bridge. Scared the crap out of me. Cagers on the interstate scare me with their lack of attention. I ride the interstate very little for this reason, besides the fact that interstates are only good for making it from point a to point b quickly. If I do get on the interstate, I do my best to stay as far away from cars and trucks as possible. A speeding ticket may be in my future because of my method to avoid being around cars and trucks. Two lane roads are where it's at for me.
I really hope she recovers both mentally and physically!