17 June 2010

It was another normal day, but the only difference was I woke up at 3:30 in the morning to start off with some pending office work and the regular morning activities. A strong coffee kept me going through the early morning hours. It was around 7:30 AM when I decided to start my regular journey of travelling from Zeist,Netherlands to Amersfoort,Netherlands by my bicycle. Zeist is where I live in an first floor appartment and Amersfoort is where I work.The distance is around 12 kilometers approx. I was ready with my bicycle shorts and T-shirt. I have travelled the stretch for more than 2 months only with the exception that I have been starting early to office that particular week.

In Netherlands, there is a specific red coloured cycle path where big motor vehicles are not allowed and it is exclusive for cyclists and very light motor vehicles. At times when there is a intersection/crossing needed between heavy motor vehicles and cyclists etc, there is a 'haaitand' literally translated as shark tooth ( a triangular white coloured sign) which suggests which sided vehicle has 'voorrang'(preference/priority). Normally the cyclists, who are vulnerable have preference and almost all the motoroists wait for the cyclist to cross before the cyclist sometimes shows a thumbs up sign or a wave as a friendly attitiude for giving voorrang. I am not used to this voorrang system in india, so whenever I saw big vehicles, irrespective of any voorrang I used to stop intially when I was getting used to the NL system, but then the big vehicles always stopped and asked me to pass through first. As time went by I also got used to the voorrang system.

It was around 8:15 AM and I was at the Van Lodenstein college, 3 km from Amersfoort. I see that there is also another entrance to it ( if I am not wrong ) next to a Hotel called Tulip Inn. Its a very small path to the college. I was climbing a steep slope and so there was some some extra energy needed to pedal the steep slope upwards. I saw a bus standing parallel to the cycle path ahead of me, carrying school students and it was waiting to turn right to get across to the college. It was waiting and was giving voorrang as well. There were 2 cyclists at the same time coming in the opposite direction and I was also about to cross. As soon as the 2 cyclists crossed, the driver immediately turned to the right with a bit of pace , and did not see on the right side where I was there in front . Seeing the driver turn, in a shock and to avoid a head on, I turned as well to the right . My cycle was caught in the front wheel and I was run over and thrown to the back.

The front wheel probably ran over my right thigh, my hips, surrouding areas and caused bleeding in my stomach according to the surgeons. I was fully concious and in great pain. Sometimes in great pain there are very few precious words that come out, for me it was "Jesus, I cannot bear this".

The bus came to a halt and I was under the bus and dragged myself out to find fresh air to breathe. My eyes where closed and there was a lady(may be a teacher/parent/a passer by) who put my head in her lap and made me breathe and be calm. The ambulance was called and in not more than 5 minutes I was in the first ambulance being transported to a UMC ( Universitair Medisch Centrum) Utrecht,Netherlands. The first ambulance had a flat tire and in some time I was transferred to another ambulance. I was told that in the hospital I would encounter lots of people and hence I should be prepared and not shocked. True to that, when my stretcher was brought in there were close to 30 people around me examining each part of my body and what I had broken. In some time, I was in the operation theater and introduced to the surgeon and I heard that I spoke with 2 minutes to the surgeon and fell unconcisous on my own. The first couple of days I was operated on stopping my internal bleeding in my stomach and to set my hip bones.After couple of days, was operated again to stitch my thigh muscles back , a term the surgeon called deglovement. The surgeons said they were zeer tevreden ( very satisfied) in how the operations were carried out.

Its been a month after the accident and I am recovering in de Revalidatiecentrum in Hoogstraat. I am able to be mobile in a wheelchair. I am advised not to stress my legs or stand till August 4th and after that I can begin to stand and learn walking again. My bladder and its parts are damaged as well.

I can be greatful to God in a lot of things after this accident. The stories I hear from the people who saw me first and the surgeons tell me in how much critical state I was in after the accident. I hope to recover fast and have enough patience during the time my body gets healed.

I am thankful to all the people who helped me during the accidet. The women who helped me stay calm and breathe at first, the ambulance personnel, the surgeons who operated, the doctors, the verpleegsters(nurses).

The prayers, support and the encouragement recieved during the time from the church(es) Bethel gemeente and xrds, colleagues from ASR and Infy, friends from India and Netherlands. My parents have come over and its really great. I still need to recover and its quite a long way but I am working a step everyday to be at my feet again. Life has changed completely and continue praying for me.