The Short Story:

11 Oct 2014 - THE CAR ACCIDENT at midday.

I was found by two cyclists, who were actually Both Doctors. They called the Police and Air Ambulance. I do not have their names but THANK YOU BOTH SO VERY MUCH.

I was smashed up pretty badly. The Police Report States: " Death is Imminent. "

However I was taken by the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance to Southampton General Hospital. The Crew that day were Pilot Max Hoskins, Steve Freeman and Michelle Walker. I GIVE THEM ALL MY HEART FELT THANKS

At Southampton Hospital Mr Bob Jennings and his Team, called my Family in to The Hospital to say Goodbye to me, as they said the injuries were too severe and I would NOT SURVIVE.  My Family arrived but had to wait several hours not knowing if I was going to make it or not. However, Mr Jennings Fortunately did save me.  Then operated on me 3 times over the next week or so to put me back together. I have no recollection of any of this except for odd moments here and there. Mr Jennings Team were amazing, however they then told my Family to be prepared for the fact that I WOULD NEVER WALK AGAIN. Mr Jennings kept my Twin Sister Den, up to date at all times, Den was also caring for my son Zach who at the time was only 21 and had basically been left home alone.

MY INJURIES:

1.   L1, L2, L3,  tranverse process fractures.   2.   Left Rib Fracture.   3.   Bilater pelvic bone fractures  a) left multiple fractures and acetabular fracture.   b) Right posterior femeral head dislocation.   c)  posterior pelvic bone fractures with sacroiliac joint disruption.   4.   Righr Femeral fracture.   5.   Right knee extensor surface degloving injury with exposure of patellar tendon. PCL laxity but capsule intact.   6.   Medial perivascular haematoma.   7... Right Isal Pole patellar fracture.   8.   Bilateral above knee occlusive DVT.   9.   Left Sciatic nerve injury with foot drop.

Basically a complete mess. Mr Jennings told my Sister Den that he had never worked on a pelvis so badly damaged and crushed as normally that person would be already be dead. 

28 Oct 2014 - I was taken by Ambulance to Salisbury Hospital on a stretcher for Plastic Surgery on my right leg below the knee.

29 Oct 2014 - Miss Crick worked for about 6 Hours taking some of my tummy away to fill the large whole where my leg had been degloved ( no flesh left ) . There were a lot of blood vessels to reconnect. Miss Crick  came to my bedside every day to check my leg, and she always redressed it herself. She has Magic hands you know.  I spent 7 weeks on Laverstock ward where I received excellent care. The Nurses had to come and turn me a different way every 4 hours in order to avoid getting bed sores. They also washed me and occasionally helped to feed me. The first 3 weeks after the accident I was tube fed. In Salisbury they tried to take me off of it but I had some reflex problems and couldn't swallow. Someone was called into see me and worked with me. Eventually after another few days they took the tube out and I tried to eat a drink. It was difficult at first,  I couldn't eat much, but gradually I got better and in the end I could feed myself albeit very slowly. I was always being told to eat more. I needed the Protein and Calcium to fix all the broken bones.

I made Friends with some very Lovely People whilst on the ward and have kept in touch with a few. Pauline was next to me for 6 weeks and we helped each other through some very difficult times - you didn't always want to share things with your Family as they were going through enough as it was. Pauline and I used to send hugs across between our beds. I was unable to move at all for a while. Sara, Penny and Julie are also very lovely Ladies and we all keep in touch with each other as well.

After a number of weeks I started receiving some very gentle physio, by firstly being helped to sit up " whooooo dizzy ".  Then onto the edge of the bed - very scary  and with my head spinning from having been in bed for so long. Then by trying to place my feet on the floor, even more scary, and painful, I mean extreme pain. This all took several weeks to achieve. I was measured for a wheelchair. When it arrived I did not have the best of feeling towards it. One day I was taken through on my bed to the gym, where there was a large bench and a wheelchair. I practiced here to move from my bed to the bench, and then from the bench into the wheelchair. My god this was difficult, and so tiring. We tried this a few times over a number of days before I could actually do it.

16 Dec 2014 - I was transferred to Poole Hospital,  again on a stretcher. But the wheelchair came with me. As I was still unable to compently move from one bed to another I was moved across with what is called Pat Slide, it is place between the beds and I am slid across by the Ambulance crew and Nurses, with assistance of the sheet allowing me to slide.

I had a room to myself and I spent my birthday there, but my Twin Sister Den and Son Zach decorated the room for me, and even brought in a small fake Christmas tree, and of course Presents.

I received one session of physio in my room but I wont talk about it as it was too horrendous, my Sister in Law Heather and my good friend Sue were both witness to this. They were most upset by what they could see and hear, I was in agony. Enough said on this matter.

23 Dec 20-14  I wasTransferred  to Alderney Hospital for Rehabilitation. I was taken on a stretcher, but I did take the wheelchair with me, which had been fitted and ordered for me whilst in Salisbury Hospital ( I didn't have the best of feelings when I saw the wheelchair). So I worked really hard with the physio's. I DID NOT WANT A FUTURE IN A WHEELCHAIR. 

Eventually after a lot of  hours, sweat, much pain and many tears, I was able to actually stand up for the first time with the use of a piece of equipment that had straps to go around me and then mechanically lift me into an upright position. I was really scared, and it took several attempts, they had to stop the machine several times. When I was eventually on my feet it felt good - painful, but good to be upright, although a tad dizzy as I had been laid in bed for the best part of 3 months till now. A few sessions later, but still with the use of the apparatus, I was up and took my first step - oh my god did I cry.  I worked really hard and managed six steps. Wow !!!!!

I continued with the physio's who then introduced me to a Pulpit Frame. You lean on it from your chest up so there isn't too much weight on your legs as I was meant to be Non Weight Bearing  in order for my injuries to heal.This was to help to get the legs moving more. After a lot more hours, sweat,  tears and pain, I had gotten to about 190 steps. I would go up and down the ward and then up to the dinning area and back. I had to be with someone at all times. but eventually I was allowed to do it alone...yippee...Freedom.

31st MARCH 2015

A package of care was put in place for me, and I finally returned home after 6 months in Hospital - scared or what !!!!

BEING HOME.

31 Mar 2015  - I Eventually went home In a wheelchair, but took the pulpit frame with me. A Hospital bed had been placed in my conservatory for me as I could not use the stairs. Also a commode - we won't go there as it was always the hight of humiliation for me in hospital, let alone at home and in my conservatory ( My bathroom and toilet are upstairs).

After a month or so settling in, I started physio, physio and more physio at Home weekly with Victoria Wainwright who is Amazing. Then also at Poole Hospital in the Gym with Julie, Oz and then Stephen. I was taken in my wheelchair every time by Hospital Transport provided by a company called E-Zec. I got to know some of these lovely people who always took good care of me and tried to have some conversation with me. Sometimes I was having a total of 3 or 4 sessions of physio a week, this was extremely hard, painful and very very tiring. but these Guys and Ladies would always chat and try to keep my spirits up.

A lot of tears were shed, but some were in happiness, as I started to progress more, and see a life maybe without a wheelchair.

At home Victoria worked tirelessly with me, and progressed me to a Zimmerframe. This was extremely difficult but much less bulky. With a lot more work we started to practice with crutches and then the bottom step of my stairs - this all took several months.

During this time I was advised by The GIT in the SUIT, I wont reveal his real name, but due to his actions and words to myself and my sister this is what we quite aptly named him. He advised us that my carers would now only visit twice daily to empty the commode  - SERIOUSLY.  In the heat of the summer, and in my Conservatory where I was also sleeping. My sister was not at all happy about this nor was I. In fact I stopped eating and drinking properly because of it so I didn't have to use it. I became really Low. But then my sister Dawns Partner Steve, put a Saniflow toilet and washbasin in along the walled side of my conservatory. Oh what a relief. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH STEVE. I could eat and drink again and use the toilet in private, as he put a pole up with a shower curtain across. I cant tell you how much better this all made me feel. I could also now have a proper wash.

As I progressed I had weekly hydrotherapy as well as the physio for a couple of months, this was all helping immensely, and I was beginning to think YES I will be out of this wheelchair in the next year.

However, around the end of Sept 2015 everything was brought to a standstill. The top 4 screws out of 8 (that were holding the metal plate in place on my right femur) sheared off - painful I hear you say, but you'd be wrong, as this allowed the metal plate to bend and come away from my still broken femur - so it wasn't painful, it was utterly utterly excruciating.  I called my Doctor a few days later as I couldn't cope with the pain any longer as at this stage I didn't actually know what had happened.  I just knew that I was in extreme pain when trying to stand or moving from my chair to my bed ect.  If I stayed still and in one place I could just about cope. ( Why did I wait so long....I had already planned my Biggest Coffee Morning for McMillan and refused to cancel it. ) When the Doctor came she immediately called an Ambulance and I was back in Hospital. I spent the afternoon and most of the evening on a stretcher somewhere in A & E until eventually a bed was found on a ward for me, everyone in A&E were lovely and very apologetic for the long wait, it was ok, it wasn't their fault.. I ended up being there in Poole from 16th October until 16th November on complete bed rest. Which meant the horrid  bedpan and commode again.

They were all Fabulous in Poole including the 3 Consultants that were involved, they spent quite alot of time talking to me and reassuring me. They had several options of how to fix this, but as I had already had 4 major operation's and I was actually a Patient of Southampton, for Medical Courtesy reasons between the Hospital's, and Consultants, Southampton was contacted for their opinion of the action that was to be taken.

Southampton would not allow Poole to operate on me as I was THEIR PATIENT, they said I had to be discharged until they were able to take me. The Poole Surgeons were Gutted and So very Apologetic to me as it meant I would be left in this terrible pain. As my Package of care had already been cancelled by The GIT in the SUIT,  I was not allowed home until it was in place again. After a month, and still no home care in place, I was eventually discharged from Hospital to an intermediary place before home, in order to free up the bed in Hospital. I was sent to a Care Home in Boscombe supposedly for a week until I was to go to Southampton. This was Organised by The GIT in the SUIT.

Now Don't get me wrong the Care Home in Boscombe was lovely, but was for the Elderly. Upon arrival at 6pm the Owner met me and said that the ground floor room reserved for me earlier in the day, had just been cancelled by, yes...... THE GIT IN THE SUIT. So no room at the Inn for me. By this time I was tired hungry and now irate.  It wasn't this Ladies Fault and the Hospital could not take me back.  The Git in the Suit had gone home and the offices were closed. WELL....... I cannot put into words the conversation that ensued. 

This Lady only had one other room available. It was waiting to be decorated. And it was upstairs but that's  OK  there is a stair lift and I didn't mind it not being decorated. However my wheelchair was too wide for some parts of their corridor so I had to try and walk with zimmerframe.... oouuccchhhh...     I sat on the stair lift and it would not work, by this time I couldn't help it and was in tears with the utter pain and frustration of it all. She finally got it to work and we went up a huge thick wood dark stained staircase. - beautiful.  But hang on.... It stops at a turn. The plan was for me to stand up and move to another stair lift - but it was out of order and there were 3 massive steps to get up to the next level and then a few yards to the room. SO I HAD TO GET UP THE STEPS BY HANGING ONTO THE BANNISTER AND PULLING MYSELF UP WITH NO HELP. .....OH MY GOD......I collapsed into my wheelchair and was taken to the room. But before I could give a sigh of relief, I noticed NO Hospital Bed No Handrails Anywhere. The bed was a small low metal one the sort you would have in a small box room or for a child..no support at all for me. So they went to look around and found another matress which they put on top to make it  higher and found an arm lever to assist me in getting up again.

The en-suite....... was up a STEP and also too narrow for the wheelchair. and again no hand rails. I didn't sleep all night even though I was shattered as I felt very unsafe on the now very wobbly matress. I got back into my wheelchair at breakfast and called the Hospital Transport and told them I was due to go home so could they send transport - I always booked my own transport and they knew me well. They came and got me at lunchtime. I told the Owner I was much safer home alone than there, even without my care package in place. My home is equipt with all I need - Hospital bed. Toilet Frame, Zimmerframe, all that I needed. She understood. BUT I had to go downstairs on my bum as the stair lifts were now both broken down. I had to again walk through the corridors with a zimmerframe and out to the vehicle. ALL WITH NOT ONLY A BROKEN METAL PLATE AND SCREWS BUT STILL A BADLY BROKEN FEMUR.  The poor Driver...I sobbed all the way home. This Guy had transported me a few times before and was extremely helpful. When I got home he made sure I got in and was safe.   OMG never ever again. The next day I called and talked with the Boss of The GIT in the Suit. Needless to say he will never ever enter my life again in any way whatsoever. He had badly let me, himself, and the NHS down.

FINALLY a few weeks later I was taken in to Southampton Hospital to be fixed. I was there for 5 hours and was just being prept for surgery when the Consultant came in and told me he was  cancelling the operation. His reason being that my blood had been compromised during the previous operations as I had received several Blood Transfusions and they did not have enough of the blood that was now compatible to mine. These were delicate and tricky operations, to take out the plate and locate all the broken bits and then put a Nail up through from my knee in my Femur to the hip and be screwed in place. At least 6 units of blood was required as it was likely I would bleed out and so quickly that I would most certainly Die.  

So I was Sent home GUTTED IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT .

I was taken back a week later on 1st December scared to death, due to the previous conversations , where I was again told it was quite possible I would not pull through. Anyway all DID GO WELL, I had a few extra hours in recovery for a number of reasons but in the end I was OK. Julie, that I had met in Salisbury Hospital lived in Southampton and often came to visit me which was really lovely. After 23 days of again pain etc I finally went home on 23rd December 2015.

My younger Sister Dawn, went all out Christmas Day for Me and our Family to Celebrate my coming home.

I still have a way to go yet but things are looking up.

I have some really good friends that have kept in touch through all of this by visiting me in Hospital and then also at home. I am often taken out for coffee or for lunch. Dawn, Tanya and Lissy, Sue, Linda, Eve, Lyn and Katie, Collette, Jane to mention but a few. I am so grateful to all of these lovely friends.

My Family bought me a second hand mobility scooter which is fantastic. I had been home a few months when they delivered it to me, by then I was able to get to it. Steve also put ramps at home for me and a place for my scooter too.

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So I have decided to fund raise for that amazing Air Ambulance and Crew. If it hadn't been for them I would most certainly not be here today.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my Just Giving page raising funds for the "DORSET and SOMERSET AIR AMBULANCE". Which is run entirely on donations and fund raising. Every penny raised helps and if Gift Aided earns an extra 25p in every £ as the Tax can be claimed back by the Charity. So please ensure you tick the GIFT AID BOX.

Each call out costs in excess of £2500.00.  So that is why I have set my Target that high. I will continue to Fund Raise until I hit that Mark.

Donating through Just Giving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with Just Giving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.