First thoughts

On April 5th 1991, I was involved in an accident where my sports car was smashed into me by a speeding bread truck. How many can claim to have survived a speeding load of bread rolls? I survived - just - but my car did not!

I was in a coma for 4 months, whilst my smashed bones, healed and I came to terms with my injuries. I was then in hospital for a further 4 months whilst I learned the basics again - the most simple things like breathing or eating - and even more complex things like speech and movement. Even now - some 20 years later, I have times when out at restaurants, where I forget to swallow properly, and choke! Sometimes, I even choke on my own saliva.

I spent maybe a 2 month period where I could not get out of bed, then a period where I was up, but I was bound to a wheelchair. Then one day, a really scary nurse told me to walk, and I took the first few faltering steps. I used to hang onto the back of the wheelchair, for stability. Eventually I could walk with no visible assistance, although I can get around without holding onto anyone or anything! I still - 19 years later - have a fear of stairs, although this improved.

I found a few years back that the lump on my leg was causing me problems. It was a lump of hardened blood that had arisen from the bruise where my car had struck me! I felt that it was a problem for me as the lump was really affected by cold weather, and I could barely walk. I had the fear that my hip was collapseing and the surgeon who opened me up, found that he could drain the hardened blood out! All I now have to show for the huge bruise that I had, is an operation scar that stretches from my knee to my bum. I grew up to the age of around 31 with only a scar on my left leg where I had a bougainvillia thorn fester in my flesh. I was maybe 6 when I fell into a load of clippings, and this thorn that festered left a scar on my leg! About a decade ago, I had the scar left by the trachae in my throat, removed by plastic surgery! This was not so much a vanity thing as needed to improve my self confidence, and also my speech! I found that before, I often felt that people speaking to me, were staring at the scar from the trachae and not listening to me! Once it was gone, I feel that I am more confident at speaking and so speak better!