Adventures of a Chipmunk

Monday afternoon was dreary - typical of Toronto this time of year. Drizzle and shadow prevailed, with a few lonely lamps scattering fuzzy pockets of yellowed illumination through the rain. I was nearly home from work: two blocks away, all down hill, picking up speed on my bike. I was planning ahead since it's a left-turn onto Shuter St and rush hour traffic can be tricky to navigate. One shoulder-check behind me in preparation for switching lanes - road all clear behind - and as I looked forward again, it was just in time to see an on-coming vehicle fling left in front of me, cutting me off completely. One gut-wrenching scream, one valiant attempt at a quick-turn along side the grey van, and my entire left side ate metal panel - a big t-bone steak.

Rolling around on the ground, (I can use this word legitimately:) in 'agony' I didn't have to wait more than perhaps 20 seconds before people were all around.

"Ohmigod! Are you okay?"

"Hello, 911? I'm here on Sherbourn and Dundas with a cyclist who's just been hit..."

"Does anyone know first aid?"

"I know first aid." I groaned, kinda laughing, "But that's not gonna help me." I couldn't open my eyes for long, I was just too nauseous with pain, but I knew the efficient man on his cell phone was standing above me, and two or three others - women, I think, were knelling around me.

"Let's cover her up. Collect all her things. Is this what's left of her helmet?! Where's her bike?"

"My baby! My baby!" (That was me.) "Is she okay? Could someone please lock up my baby?"

A few chuckles, I smiled in relief, it must be okay if we're laughing, right?

"She's fine. She's okay. I'll lock her up. Where are the keys?"

"In my uh... left... uh, pocket." I couldn't remember which was left or right. I tried to move my hand towards my right pocket, but my shoulder said "no way!" with little stabbing jolts of pain.

"My right pocket, sorry"

I could feel people shuffled around me, gently reaching into pockets for keys and carefully removing my courier bag, which was strapped securely my chest. I wasn't making it easy for them, as the pain caused me to roll around an awful lot.

"Shhhh, stay still. Don't move, okay? Just stay still."

It wasn't more than six or eight minutes before the siren and lights of an ambulance arrived, and everything went very fast from there. I understood then that I really did need to stay still when the spine board and neck brace were applied. It was just a series of lifts and rolls and bumps and a few more lifts and rolls before I arrived at the hospital.

Everyone was so kind - I know I was babbling random things as the collision jumbled and tossed my thoughts as if a dresser caught in an earthquake. I like to think I was entertaining, as I told the paramedic that my wallet was in the 'grey lightweight silicon-impregnated waterproof draw-string sack' inside my courier bag, but it was mostly to force myself to keep remembering things. There was always someone around me who would talk with me, in very kind, gentle voices.

My phone rang while I was laying in Emerge, eyes closed and squirming , I knew it was Nicholas. He usually calls just before he heads home from work. I asked one of the kind voices around me if they could please get my phone from by bag, and holding it up to my neck-braced head, that's when I started crying. I could barely hear Nicholas through the brace, and tried not to be dramatic with the details, but I wanted him with me. Now!

He arrived at what seemed like Superman time and everything went very smoothly from there. I was either in x-rays, giving my statement, getting an EMG, holding Nicholas' hand or seeing a Doctor. I got gravol and percocet for the pain and laughs from my still-random conversation. I shared with the radiologist the story of a pin my mom gave me years ago: "Warning: wearing dirty underwear. If in accident, just let me die."

Nicholas was amazing - so patient and soothing, he kept me relaxed, and waited patiently through hours of testing. Jeremy stopped by too, and babysat my bike, which the kind policeman brought over from the scene. Thanks Jeremy!

So, story nearly done, what's left is a torn AC ligament in my left shoulder, some puffiness and bruises in my left jaw, coccyx, and knee, and general aches and pains all over. No spine injury but a heck of a lot of whiplash. The pain will away soon enough, I'm sure. What remains is an overwhelming sense of gratitude for those who helped me, and a wee bit of resentment for the bloody van that hit and ran.