Nine years ago today, I fell o...

[Flumptious]

Nine years ago today, I fell off my bike, in France. I spent several weeks in a coma (some of which was because of sedation, but not all). I was on a ventilator for a while, and I still have the tracheotomy scar on my windpipe. I was flown home in a Lear Jet (thank you, Churchill Travel Insurance!). I went into an Intensive Care Unit in Chertsey (at the same hospital where, for the last couple of years, I have been seeing the physio about my hip injury). Then I went to a rehab hospital, at Woking hospital.

This afternoon, my husband will drop me and the two girls off, at the Bradley Rehabilitation Unit. We just walked down to the supermarket, and bought a cake. We will hand round slices, to all the staff, and the patients, and say 'Thank you!' to the staff, and "Don't give up! Recovery takes a long time, but don't give up!", to the patients. Unfortunately, not many of them will be able to recover as well as I have done (as I have been very lucky), but they mustn't give up!

I so often think about how lucky I am, to have survived that, and to have recovered as well as I have. OK, I am still officially blind (although I'd say 'partially sighted', but the eye doctor says I'm 'blind', and hey, it saves me quite a bit of money!), I have grotty handwriting, and the physio says I still walk babdly, and the brain injury is the cause of all the pain in my hip, which has affected my running for 2 and a half years now. But:

* I am still happily married

* I adore my 9 year old daughter, even though I never knew who she was, when my husband brought her into hospital. She was lovely, but who was her mum? "Oh honestly, I told you this yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that - she's ours!"

* Thankfully, my day-to-day memory is fine, now.

* I don't just love QTKT, I love her big sister (who is 12, now) loads, too. But, when she came into hospital to see me, I knew who she was.

* I was able to go back to my job, as a university lecturer, after 18 months off.

I am so lucky!

What is more, tonight, I am going to the O2 dome, to see monty Python, live. What a day, eh?

[Hidden]

YOU HAVE MADE A COURAGEOUS RECOVERY TO OVERCOME SO MUCH. WELL DONE.

STRANGE HOW WE ALWAYS REMEMBER THE EXACT TIME OF OUR BI. MINE WAS 14/11/1997 @ 2PM.

[Negeen]

Flumptious, I thought you only had one child?

[Flumptious in reply to Negeen]

No, I have two girls. Lizzie-wiz was born 3 years before my accident, and I remembered her, fine. But QTKT was 8 months old when I had my fall. I had no idea why Mr Flump kept bringing her in to see me (although I thought she was cute). I still have no memory of that pregnancy, or her as a dinky baby. We moved house, a year and a bit before the accident, so we would have space for her. I was confused, the first time the occupational therapist brought me here. "No, we live in that flat, in Surbiton!". I also breastfed her (which I hadn't done for number one, because of a major kidney problem, meaning I had to take loads of steroids!). It's a shame, I don't really remember doing that.

Fortunately, I love her to pieces now, though!

[Negeen]

Congratulations Flumptious, we're all rejoicing with you.

[cat3]

Hi Flumpy and happy survival anniversary ! I found it surreal going back to ICU to give thanks. I didn't recognise a single nurse and yet they treated me like a celebrity, saying it was wonderful for them to see patients walking and functioning (& with hair and make up done) when the LAST time they saw them was only at the most basic stage of recovery, going off to the ward.

And for me, to be able to put faces to all the names of nurses who'd cared for me for weeks was a very emotional reunion and they admitted that working in ICU is massively rewarding so long as you don't mind being invisible.

I still feel pangs of emotion/gratitude when I think of them, and the lovely, gentle, smiley man who repaired my brain.

You wear your gratitude well Flumpy and I'm happy to hear how you've got your life back together........really...... well done.

But on the subject of Monty Python at the O2, I am absolutely wild with jealousy.............now that's taking 'lucky' to a whole new level !! x

[iforget]

Happy for you.... and I love the thoughtfulness behind the visit. I am sure you will give hope to others who maybe still feel they are fighting a losing battle

Enjoy the Pythons... will admit to being ever so slightly envious

[BaronC]

What a beautiful, uplifting and thought provoking post. Very, very well done to you and your family. Keep up the wonderful work!

[Dorsetcharlie]

Hurrah! Happy Survivor Day