EPTAfter having a nice lunch with our family and visiting relatives, my mom decided to take a walk with me in the neighborhood area. We walked across the street and along the white sidewalk to look at a neighbor’s front yard and its abundant flowers. My mom liked the kinds of flowers that this neighbor had and was too busy looking at them. I stared at the flowers, and they were quite impressive. Then, I saw a van/SUV coming on the street just one house far away from this neighbor’s house. I was still looking at the van/SUV and thought the van/SUV would stay on the street, but it suddenly swerved onto the white sidewalk and was coming toward us. I heard “Vroom!” from the van/SUV and had no time to react whatsoever. I didn’t have time to check where my mom was. I only remember the time of the van/SUV getting very close to me, but I can’t remember the exact point of time when I got actually hit by it because the accident happened so fast.
I must have had a blackout, and when I was able to get up and see, I instinctively screamed very loudly, “AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!! Mom! Where are you, Mom!” I was in the fight or flight mode. When I looked down at myself, fingers were all bloody, and blood was dripping from my broken nose. Also, my right elbow had two burnt scratches probably from scratching it on the sidewalk. A couple of seconds later, four or five neighbors gradually came out, and some were saying, “Oh my god.” I kept screaming where my mom was and I thought she was killed by the van/SUV where it crashed into one of neighbor’s mailbox which got heavily destroyed. The van/SUV itself was crumpled very badly, but the driver looked fine, and she looked like an old Indian American. One neighbor soon called 911, and other neighbors asked me if I was all right and other questions like what day/year/date today was and where I lived. I asked if they have any towels so I can wipe off blood on my nose and fingers. A neighbor’s wife quickly ran into her home and gave me a couple kitchen towels, and I thanked her. One neighbor quickly went to my home to let my dad and uncle know what happened. Another neighbor found my mom lying inside thick, tall shrubs and I was very relieved that she was alive and was able to faintly respond to the neighbors’ questions.
Soon, fire trucks and ambulance trucks arrived at the accident scene, and they asked me some easy questions to make sure I was conscious and alive. One paramedic cut my shorts open to see if I suffered any upper-body injuries. Remarkably, I didn't break any bones. The paramedics transported my mom first and then me to a hospital. The emergency stretcher felt very uncomfortable, especially the back of my head because the head immobilization device was pushing the back of my head pretty hard. I was too busy answering the paramedic’s questions, and I tried to stay focused. The paramedic cut my jeans to see if I suffered any lower-body injuries. Fortunately, I didn’t break any leg or spine bones. But my mom broke a thigh bone.
About 20 or 30 minutes later, I was in a hospital, and an emergency doctor arrived to check for any external or internal injuries. I answered lots of questions again, and I had to get a CT scan to check if I had any broken bones. This was the first time ever in my life to go and look inside the CT scan, and it looked amazing. But I was too busy thinking about the back of my head feeling very uncomfortable because of the head immobilization device. Then, the doctor moved me close to another room where my mom was in there. I could hear her moan from her broken thigh bone, and the doctor said that she will undergo a surgery soon. A police officer approached me and asked what happened, and I answered him as best as I could. Then, the doctor released the immobilization devices and straps from me, and my body was freed, but I was told to stay on the emergency stretcher for a while. My dad and uncle were standing beside me, and they were very quiet.
Then after a while, we were put into a family support room because the surgeon was working on another patient until he could work on my mom. We waited for hours, and I was still thinking about the accident. I kept rewinding and playing the accident in my head and couldn’t believe why it happened to us. I was speechless for hours. I didn’t even want to talk, and I was busy crumpling a paper cup of water for a long time.
Then, a medical staff came to us to let us know that the surgeon was fixing my mom’s broken thigh bone. I didn’t actually go inside the surgery room because I didn’t want to see the surgery, so I stayed outside the room while my dad and uncle went in. I didn’t know if the surgery was done, but we left the hospital and decided to go home. It was very dark outside, and it was about 8:10 p.m. We bought McDonald’s Big Mac hamburgers, ate at home, and talked with my aunt and elder cousin about the accident. We were very unhappy about the accident. My dad, uncle, and aunt went to the hospital at around 11:00 p.m. to check if my mom was all right. I was very anxious and just lied on my bed for like an hour, and later I talked with my elder cousin about life. At around midnight, my dad, uncle, and aunt came back home and said that the surgery was successful. I was relieved, but I had a hard time sleeping since my mom and I almost got killed by a van/SUV today.
September 8, 2010
My dad and I went to the hospital at around 11:00 a.m. to check again how my mom was doing. I looked at my mom, and she looked very tired and had very dry lips. She spoke very quietly and said only a few words. When she looked at me, my eyes kept welling up with tears, but I forced them back and tried to look strong. Even though I was very sad about my mom breaking a thigh bone from the accident, I was so glad that she was alive. Soon, the surgeon doctor came in and explained how she was doing. The surgeon said that he connected her broken thigh bone together with titanium, and she would begin the physical therapy in a day or two. Also, he said that my mom suffered a fractured rib, scarred head, and liver laceration. But, the doctor said that the injuries were not fatal and may heal over time. He also said that he’s monitoring how her liver is doing, and he’s positive that her liver will heal on its own. After the surgeon doctor left, my dad and I stayed and talked with my mom for a while and went home. My dad visited my mom again later in the afternoon.
Now, I feel extremely fortunate that my mom and I weren’t killed by the van/SUV. I just hope that this kind of accident never happens in my life again. My final words are: Please be careful even if you think what’s happening around you looks obviously safe. Don’t assume that you are safe living in this world.
Thanks for sharing with us, it's always quite cathartic to read these kinds of stories.
