My Car Crash Experience

On my way home from work on 13th June 2016, I was involved in a car accident on the A47 in Norwich. I was not at fault and was extremely pissed off because I was due to fly the following Monday to the States.

So what happened, well I was driving home from work in the fast lane, the weather conditions were wet. I had started to slow down as the cars ahead had started to stop, and use as I became stationary I heard a bang and all of a sudden saw this black car swerve into the centre of the road and got hit. 

No I have no idea how it happened but the car behind me didn't get hit, seriously that guy is a lucky bugger. It actually transpired that a combo van hit the black car which then swerved and hit me. This is one of the reasons why people on the road seriously need to consider stopping distance, this increases when the roads are wet and slippery. 

I cannot believe that this had actually happened to me, I mean seriously a week before I go away! 

Now I seemed to be ok at the time and the people in the black car seemed to be really hurt, which was a given considering they got hit from behind and then hit me, so I called the police and arranged for medical care to assess us too. 

I am fairly lucky because my Step-dad, is a paramedic and my Mum is an ambulance dispatcher so when the ambulance team arrived and had seen to the other people I was bit cheeky and asked if any one knew them, and a few of them did. I am not saying that they treated me better than they would have if I wasn't known but they certainly made it more personal and after all was done and I was home the main paramedic, lets call him Bill, did call my Step-dad to ask how I was and speak to me. He said that it did become personal for him because it is like family, when one of your close friends family members is involved in an incident.

Anyway on scene I had to exchange details with everyone there and had to issue a statement to the Police about what had happened. I also had to do a breathalyser test, which was bit of a novelty considering I had just left work and don't usually drink anyway.

Once I had done all the paperwork with the Police, Bill made me go sit down in one of their cars and get reassessed. I was very alert at the time and thought that was silly because I felt fine and all I really needed was to wee, well let me tell you I am so happy he did. When I finally sat down and relaxed the pain kicked in and as a precautionary measure because the pain was down my spine they made me wear a neck brace and wanted to immobilse me.

I will say the police were pretty good, although I was surprised how quickly they left the scene. I would have thought they would have hung around until all the people on scene had been taken away or had found a way home. 

By this point I was busting and they didn't want me moving about too much so they had to cover around the vehicle and get some female paramedics to undress me and help me wee, I still couldn't go which was probably due to being squared on the A47 in front of about 7 people. They added me up so that if I did wee I wouldn't wet myself, because they had to get me on a board and into an Ambulance to be taken to Hospital. Bill kindly got all the things I wanted out of my car and looked after my items for me, whilst also calling my Step-dad to keep him updated on where to meet us and how I was.

By this time I was really starting to feel the pain and along with that needing a wee so bad and not being able to release it as much as I tried, and believe me I was trying, caused me to have extra pain because of that. Now bear in mind that by this point I had already held it for about an hour. 

I was able to deal with the pain until we finally got to the hospital where my Mum and Set-dad were waiting, they were allowed on the ambulance and thats when the pain really set in. I was crying hysterically and apologising for causing such a fuss, they gave me gas and air which worked a treat and eased the pain off enough that I was feeling ok just very dolaly. 

My Step-dad had to put a cannula, because the paramedics on scene weren't certified to do it. The hospital didn't need to use it in the end, but I guess its better to be safe than sorry.  

Ohh and still no wee!

When I was finally taken into A&E the doctor that saw me also knew my Step-dad so he was allowed to help with moving me etc. The doctor assessed me with the usual methods, testing I could push back with my toes and arms etc. He also had to out pressure on my back to see where the pain was and whether it was a spinal injury or anything else. When he touched my lower back I went into floods of tears again screaming in pain, I was given gas and air again to help ease the pain off. 

They slowing removed the items that immobilised me and then I was allowed to slowly start to sit up. 

When I was given the all clear from the doctor, the nurse brought a potable loo thing into my cubicle in order for me to final go, after about 2 hours of holding it in! I literally had to push to release and that was possibly the best wee I had ever had. 

I had to spend the night round my Mums and was missing Harley terribly, who was round my Best friends Suzanne's. Her and her husband, Kyle, were brilliant and took such great care of her for me. 

The worst part of all of this is the fact that I cannot walk Harley, and that is beyond frustrating. She was getting so frustrated with bing locked in and not being allowed to jump and be rough with me as she usually does. Thankfully my Mum did walk her daily for me. 

The second worst thing was the fact that I was unable to do all that I was going to do in the States, we had planned to go on rollercoaster rides and hiking, but that had gone out the window! That is impossibly annoying and made me so angry to have put a damper on my holiday because of someone else's stupid mistake!

My car insurance company (LV) was really good and sorted out a courtesy car for me straight away and sorted the solicitors too, so I can't fault them in anyway. 

Overall I am fine, in the respect that I hadn't broken anything. Although I have got sever back pain and if that in itself isn't bad enough the tension had caused my migraines/ headaches to kick in and be there all the time.

I am waiting for the insurance claims to all go through and hope I get a good pay out for all the pain and hassle I have been put through.

I want to say a massive thank you to all those that have helped me and have been there for me and I hope you enjoyed the read.