I've Been Waiting for This Call.....

That was my friend Lindi's first response yesterday when she received the call from the ER. I had been hit by a car and was being assessed. "Are you OK? Ever since you started cycling, I was afraid that I would get this call. You couldn't have been on your bike. What happened?"

Yesterday, was a beautiful fall day. I had a physio appointment at the hospital where I had my surgery. I was standing at the southwest corner of Richmond and Cheapside. The lights at Cheapside were red. Traffic along Richmond was actually fairly light considering that it was just before 3pm on a Friday. I was thinking that if I wasn't on crutches I would have just crossed in my usual downtown jay walk style. But I had plenty of time and so I just pushed the crossing button again.
The light changed, no cars, so I started my trek across the street. I then remember this impact on my left thigh, I looked down to see what it was. I remember looking down seeing the front of a dark car. My head hit the hood, my feet where off the ground and I was air-bourne, landing hard on the pavement.
My first thought was. "oh my gawd-did my leg break? I just had the surgery. I had been very careful and all that work was loss" I was trying to get up, to assess my injuries. A crowd of people trying to hold me down, telling me not to move that an ambulance was on the way. I was hysterical, sobbing.
I was in shock and devastated. Lying there I prayed that Sea To Sea would still be an option. Cursing how unfair this was. Asking the attendants to call my ICE friends so that I didn't feel so alone.
Strapped to a stretcher with a neck brace, I was taken into the ER. Yes I could feel everything. Extreme pain in my thigh that took the impact, my head, my shoulders, my heart my soul. My friend Kristie, a nurse at the hospital was notified to come be with me. All the questions flying at you, where does it hurt(It's a shorter list if I tell you what's not hurting) Physical assessment by the Physician Dr. Richardson. She is kind but direct and I trust her. Every move, every procedure hurts, the staff apologizing with each cry of pain. The pain is actually a good sign and I tell them it's alright-Do what you need to do to make sure I'm OK. Into Xrays for over 1/2 an hour to check every bone and my spine. Kristie arrives and cleans up my make up.
The police come in. I ask if anyone else had been hurt? No. They want a statement, I tell them what I remember. They tell me the driver has been charged, all witnesses say that I was in the right of way and that I was in clear sight. I wonder what caused the accident? Cell phone? distraction? thoughtlessness? I wonder what is going on with the driver?
The doctor comes back. All clear. My body took the impact without breaking. I have an imprint of the grill on my thigh(it's still there this morning), several scrapes and bruises, my coat it torn my glasses are destroyed(actually it looks like they saved my face.)
I am released, Kristie takes me home. We start the phone calls. My friend Margaret comes to stay the night so that I can be in my own space, my own bed.
It's been a restless night. There is just no good position to sit or lie. I feel old.
But I was extremely blessed. I'm walking away traumatized, battered but alive.
My sister, Ivy, says it was our Mom, watching over us still, protecting her beloved children.
I am so blessed to be surrounded by people who love and care and will be here once again to walk with me through the healing. I pray for all those injured or in the hospital who don't have that, who are feeling broken and alone with no one to call and be there with them.
And I pray for the driver. That this was a wake up call on attention and caution, that she will be a better driver. That this all ends in peace.