Hell and Luck

Today's Nightmare started at 5 to 8 this morning...

I was cycling to work on my mountain bike on a straight road, close to the verge and in the daylight. Then a horrible crashing noise as I'm in the air somersaulting and I?m lying on the edge of the road in pain.

I saw the woman and her kid get out of her car and I was shouting and swearing and she came over and said that she didn?t see me, her mobile was distracting her.

I tried to get up but thought better of it. She started flapping and asked me what to do, I told her to call an ambulance and she said her mobile broke when she hit me! And could she use mine? Her kid then said he?d run to a nearby house?

There were remnants of her wing mirror all over the road and my bike was about 15-20 feet behind me half in the ditch with a very pringled back wheel. Her car was about 30 metres further up the road, so I?m guessing she was doing about 40 mph?.

Lots of other people turned up and a couple of ladies took charge and called an ambulance and Jude. I was told not to try moving, so lay on my back on the grass verge. Jude was driven down by her work mate Heidi who took my bike in her car and got some details.

The Ambulance turned up after about 10 minutes, the paramedic Ian was fantastic, didn't know how to thank him. They put a neck brace on and then put me on the spinal board and in the back of the van, then the police turned up and got all the details as well.

They showed me my helmet which has some good dings and scrapes on the lower back side, the ambulance guy said if I wasn?t wearing it I?d have a serious head injury?

Driven to hospital with the blues and siren going, got me through morning traffic so much quicker. Due to the spinal board and the straps all I could do was look at the ceiling. Then in the hospital, wheeled down corridors watching ceiling tiles go past.

They checked my spine, then did a neck x-ray and all was ok so after about 3 hours I could finally move my neck.

Then I had more x-rays on my shoulder and right pelvis - the areas of most pain.

Nothing broken!

I am very very very lucky but my left arm has limited movement and I?m walking like John Wayne.

So we got a taxi home from the hospital at about 1pm.

Hopefully the damage to my shoulder is just bruising and I haven't got any ligament problems. I have an appointment next week to check up.

I've had better days.

I feel really bad for MrsEG, she said she knew it was only a matter of time before she received that phone call.

Please please switch off your mobiles before driving.