Trauma

I have read news of disaster centres setting up counselling units or trauma centres to deal with horde of survivors after a major natural disasters and even fatal airplane crashes or railway accidents. However, as a reader of such news and not a direct affected party, I can only try to feel and empathize. But my perspective about trauma changed forever since the morning of 9 January 2019.

I and my wife were doing our usual morning cycling at UMS on 8 January. By 6.50am, we were on our way down the fairly steep tarmac road leading towards the jetty. There are two road bumps we have to ride over before reaching the coast. These bumps are installed to prevent car speeding. A short distance beyond the second bump, there is a fairly sharp bend turning to the right before the bikers reach the coastline. I was the first to reach the jetty. Usually, my wife would follow behind at most with five to ten seconds gap. That morning, it was unusually long and I quickly made a dash back to see what happened. 

Immediately after the bend, I could see a motionless body lying in the middle of the road just beyond the second bump and a bicycle thrown not far from the body. Instantly, I knew what had happened. She has hit the bump and lost control. The sight sent a shock wave through my body and immediately, my legs lost the rhythm to cycle. I was in fact trying to run while still on the bicycle. Instantly, I collapsed and my left knee hit the pavement but I felt no pain. Dropping my bicycle, I ran towards the body which was contorted. I couldn't see her face because it was resting on the road pavement. Streak of blood emanating from the head has already started flowing down the slope. I yelled at the top of my voice and she remained motionless. That instance, endless questions crossed my mind: "Is she alive?", "Is her skull cracked?", "Is her neck broken?", "Why is there so much blood?"...................... I caught a glimpse of one of the the university guards holding his phone apparently talking to someone else. Instinctively, I yelled at the top of my voice: "Ambulance, ambulance...".

I dared not turn her body or shake her too vigorously fearing such movement might aggravate any broken bone or neck. I just nudged her body mildly hoping she would respond to this gesture. Seconds passed like years and she remained motionless. Finally, after may be a minute or two, incomprehensible groan came out from her month. She started to move and then opened her eyes. They looked dazed and lost. It was enough to prove she's alive! Another minutes or so, I held her up and moved her to sit at the road side kerb to wait for the arrival of the ambulance.

Streak of blood stain left on road surface. This was taken 
after I went back to pick up the bicycles.

The ambulance finally arrived after about twenty minutes. With the help of the two paramedics, she was helped to lie on the stretcher inside the ambulance. One paramedic started with questioning while the other checked her blood pressure and her eyes. Inside the speeding ambulance which was my very first experience, I was caught in another round of tense moment when she started to vomit from the stretcher. Soon after she stopped vomiting, we arrived at Hospital QE2 Emergency. She was immediately wheeled in for examination, X-ray and MRI. I was told to go back and I would be notified if my presence was needed.

I was finally called at 2.30pm to pick her up. We went straight to the Eye Clinic at Hospital QE1 for examination by the eye doctors and specialist. Immediately after that, we returned to QE2 to pick up the prescribed drugs and medicine. We were finally back home at almost 6.30pm.

What a traumatic day of my life! It was a day I wish I never have to go through! 

I did a bit of survey of the accident site when I went back to collect the bicycles. She landed 40 feet beyond the road bump. As a result of the fall, she suffered fairly serious laceration to her left eye, broke three teeth, endured a punctured lip and many bruises over her body. By God's intervention, she suffered no broken bone and no serious internal injury.

Miracle still happens!