Monday, May 26, 2008

Back home and Accident

I was out of town for two and half days last week. Had a really good time! The seminar and the visits to different work-related locations were very educational and I handled the social networking superbly. I didn't sneak out to go to the bathroom or make up errands during breaks so I wouldn't have to speak to people (I tend to do that). I didn't end up alone during any break. If I didn't approach someone on purpose, someone came to me. I was also asked to join a group of four for dinner one night and had a good time.

I made work-contacts that I'll be sure to use soon!

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I took some pictures of the beautiful town I was in and I'll post them later on, when I have the energy to upload them to Flickr.

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Biking to work one morning a couple of weeks ago, I saw an accident involving a car turning left and a passing motorcycle. It happened almost right next to me. The driver of the car and I got to the motorcyclist on the ground at about the same time. As he was examining the motorcyclist, I called an ambulance.

Luckily he didn't seem to be severly injured. He had the proper clothing and wore a helmet. He bled from a cut under his eye (I think the rim of his sunglasses made this cut as he hit his head in the ground) and complained of an aching head. However, he could move his arms and legs and didn't have any pain in his back or hips.

I ended up giving my statement to the police (as I had seen it all and was the one who called the ambulance) before I left the scene.

I've been thinking about this incident a lot since it happened. I hope the guy came out of the hospital alright. And that the driver is doing okey too. I've been wondering how I would have acted if the driver hadn't known exatly how to examine the guy. Would I had moved on an instinct? What would I have done if he wasn't breathing? Or I couldn't find a pulse? I don't know proper CPR.

I've also seen the accident happen a thousand times. It wasn't very dramatic with a lot of noise, parts flying around or a ton of blood spraying through the air, but it was creepy seeing a situation that I knew would go wrong even before it did. Luckily the motorcyclist saw it too, and managed to slow down so he could lay the bike down on his own. In the end, he never smashed right into the car but slid on the ground.

In my head, I sometimes see it differently though. I see body parts flying around. I see him dead on the ground. Or I see him dying while I try to keep him alive.

I didn't sleep well last night. I kept dreaming of people falling from a stair case in a large school building. They all hurt their heads. And I was the one who had to call an ambulance.

Guess my mind is still processing the whole situation.

4 comments:

Gudinnan said...

Usch, sådant är otäckt även när man är ett vittne! Jag har fått gå HLR-kurs (även första hjälpen) via jobbet och det känns riktigt bra. Eftersom jag vet att jag är handlingskraftig i svåra siuationer så känns det extra bra att veta att jag kanske kan vara kapabel att fatta Rätt beslut också. Kanske något du kan ta upp med din chef? Det är ju bara bra om man är några stycken på en arbetsplats som kan HLR och första hjälpen :-)

Geek Knitter said...

It can take a long time for your brain to find a safe place to put a traumatic memory. Hang in there, it fades eventually, I promise.

It sounds like your conference was a good one, I'm happy for you.

Anonymous said...

It's normal for the mind to re-play things like this...it's a way of reminding ourselves of how fragile life really is.

-Shell

Lia said...

I'm glad you had such a wonderful experience while out of town AND that you were able to meet so many people!

I am sorry about the accident, though. I agree with Shell and Anree that it's so hard to handle being involved something like that--it is so far out of the familiar that it haunts us for awhile. And it does make us aware of our place in the world and if we can do enough.

Maybe it would make you feel better if you contacted the driver and the motorcyclist? The police might give you that info since you gave a statement (and the accident was likely in the news somewhere). Talking to them might ease your mind.

:kram: