Two weeks back when travelling to the Pune office, I met with an car accident.
I had started early in the morning at five so as to reach on time for presentation to a client at 9.30am at the Pune office. One moment, I remember dozing off and it seemed that the next moment I opened my eyes and looked at my hands- there was tissue and blood on my hands and the driver had opened the door and was pleading with me to open my eyes. For a moment, I remember wondering whether all this was real or was I seeing a dream. But it was real.. I felt a sense of pain.
By then the driver had stopped the car behind and the people in the car behind were pleading with me to get up and sit in their car. With great difficulty I got up and went and sat in the car behind. I asked the driver to take my laptop bag, my purse and cell. I lay down on the seat behind and asked them to keep something below my head. The driver called up the office and the admin guy insisted on speaking to me. So I spoke to him and asked him to message that I wouldn't be able to reach for the presentation.
The driver knew Pavana hospital and I was immediately taken over there. Since there seemed to be a big gash on the head, I was immediately taken in for a CT Scan. Internal injury was ruled out and the attending Doctors decided to put stitches. I was given 5-6 anesthetic injections on the forehead and was given 15 stitches. By then somebody from Office had reached and I was moved to Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital - because it was an head injury and the hospital had very good medical facilities.
I called up my husband ; by then he already had come to know and was on the way to Pune. I told him I was now safe and that he must not drive fast. In the new hospital, again all tests were conducted and internal damage was ruled out. Colleagues from Pune office who came to know quickly rushed and there were calls from my Mumbai team to inquire. My mother and brother called up from Bangalore and were relieved to hear my voice.
Finally, I had to stay for 8 days in the hospital. I had to go through a surgery by a cosmetic surgeon for 2-3 hrs to reduce the impact of the wound. For the first week, I had a spinning sensation everytime I tried to sit. My brother flew down immediately from Bangalore to be with me for the first two three days and then my mother in law insisted on coming and looking after me. My husband went back to be with the kids. I am back home now, able to stand on my feet - though there are few moments of the spinning sensation. The scar has healed well and the cosmetic surgery really helped to reduce the impact.
Some of what I realized during these two weeks :
(1) For a month before the accident, I had been continuously feeling a sense of fatigue and wanting to slow down and rest. I wondered in my mind on why I always wanted to do everything perfectly - on time with great quality on both professional and personal front. I was realizing that it was impacting my health. I badly needed rest.But I kept putting off an holiday thinking I would utilize my leave later in more pressing situations. Was the universe listening to my thoughts and conspired to make it happen? I needed to detach and see things from a different angle and this accident helped me to do that.
(2) I realize that though the accident was major, there were many positives - the driver was not hurt and so could fetch help, the car behind stopped on time and knew that Pavana hospital was nearby, they were willing to carry me there. Medical help was provided promptly. While the gash on the head was severe, luckily there were no internal injuries and the brain, eyes, teeth, spine were safe. Though one has to face difficult situations, God was there to protect me and ensure that the impact was minimized. Since the accident happened just 10 days before Ganesh Chaturthi I was worried on how we would be able to manage. Just three days before Ganesh Chaturthi I was able to stand and walk only with help. But, by the time Ganesh Chaturthi came, I was up on my feet and able to do everything exactly like years before. God made sure of that !!
(3) Family, friends, colleagues and relatives all really came through. They came to see me, sent messages and cared. My brother for the first 2-3 days did not leave my side. My mother prayed continuously for hours till I was out of danger. My mother-in-law insisted on being with me - she told me once how important it was that I was there for my children - till they grew up and had their own families to love and protect them. I realized how important I was for my husband and children.
I was married young at twenty-two and my husband then was twenty-six. We have nearly grown a lifetime in the last twenty-one years of marriage. We may have had our moments of trouble, but, somehow, I felt the marriage had become rock solid -that we both knew we needed each other. That without the partnership -our life would perhaps not be the same...
