Bus accident

[skirtingtoday]

Hi all,
I have not posted for a while because I was involved in a bus accident on 7th October and have been in hospital via A&E.

I was on my way home from work, (7th October), and had stood up to get off at the next stop when a car pulled out in front of it. The car stopped, as did the bus, but I didn't. I was upstairs at the time and was thrown forward and completely knocked out when I hit the front window of the bus. I came round shortly thereafter but I was not aware if anything happening round me.

In fact, I don't recall actually standing up and there is a blank period of about 40minutes when the next thing I became fully aware of was, I was in the back of the ambulance. A young woman on the bus, and who saw me being flung forward, searched my bag and located my phone. She called her on the "home" phone number so she was there fairly quickly.

I was taken to A&E and checked over and as I seemed to be fully aware of my surroundings, was sent home that night. However the following day, there was a change in that my speaking was severely impaired and I could not get any words out. I was taken back to A&E and given a CT scan which found a couple of "subtle bleeds" in my brain. (I later found out that the bleeding was from a couple of minor veins just outside the brain but which caused pressure on the brain itself) I then had a second CT scan where some "dye" was injected to highlight any further bleeding - which didn't show up anything further.

There was some discussion between the A&E staff and a specialist Neurological unit and a day or two later, I was taken there for further observations and had an angiogram (this is normally used to check the heart but in my case, a small tube was inserted near the groin and up to the neck and a series of detailed brain scans were taken). This showed the damaged blood vessels and bruising, but didn't find anything new.

I also saw a speech therapist who ran through a checklist of possible causes for the speech problems, and confirmed that my understanding of words was unimpaired, as was the section of brain used for composing sentences and that it was down to the coordination of the brain controlling the muscles of the mouth, lips and tongue to get the words out. She confirmed that she would contact me about a week later.

So on the 13th October, I was sent home again (and got a "line" from the doctor to sign me off work for 4 weeks) but because of increasing headaches, I returned to A&E again for a third CT scan as they were concerned that there might me an aneurism. Happily that wasn’t the case and was sent home once again – just instructed to take plenty of fluids and Paracetamol as required (within the max daily dose of course)

I also had quite a few bruises on both upper arms, nose and temple as well as whiplash injuries in my neck. Across my chest was also painful when sitting up and very uncomfortable when sleeping especially in the hospital when you are woken every 4 hours to check BP, temperature, any changes to my eyes and responses to basic questions such as name, date of birth and what day is it etc.

Following the third CT scan, my headaches started to recede and speech control was returning slowly though I still had some problems. The speech therapist called back as expected and, possibly as I may have wished to create a good impression, started stumbling over words again. She suggested calling my GP who replied that I should go back to A&E once again as it was always possible that some bleeding may have started again.

So I had a fourth CT scan and the news from that was that the affected areas were healing up “better than expected” but the doctor there suggested a meeting with a neurologist which I attended on Friday 31st October. He said that all indications were that things were healing up normally but it could take a couple of months to get back full control of speaking back. He also confirmed that with “I was very lucky” and that the damage could have been a lot worse.

So at the moment I am still at home - this is my final week of being signed off work) so I will have to go to my GP to see about a possible phased return to work, which might be initially some half-days to see how things go. The thing is that I have to be patient and not start up too much too quickly.

The Police at the incident are charging the car driver with “careless driving” so for Scotland, their report has to be sent to the Procurator Fiscal. I have also been advised to put in a claim for compensation against the car driver so that is ongoing at this time – not sure how long it takes but I would expect quite a few months yet.

[partlyscot]

Glad it wasn't worse, hope it all continues to improve for you. One of my co-workers had a heavy table (it was stood on end for storage) fall on him, and he is in a similar situation, very close to being catastrophic and permanent damage. All his symptoms were indicating major damage, but general consensus now is that he dodged the bullet. They are being very careful with his return to work as they are in your case, continual monitoring is on the cards for a few more weeks.

Can I say how pleased I am that the jerk in the car didn't just get to drive off, oblivious of the harm he caused? I so often see people put others at risk, and off they go, completely unaware that they have even done something wrong.

[Sinned]

I do hope that you make a full recovery as the brain is the one organ where specialists are still struggling to diagnose and heal completely. it is lucky that the driver was caught but sad that it is the insurance company that will pay the price and, no matter how much you receive, he will still have got away "scot free" ( pardon the expression ). He will get a few points on his licence and a fine. You on the other hand could have been killed or consigned to a wheelchair if your neck had been broken. I'm sure that you are grateful that the damage hasn't been worse.

Dennis

[Couya]

A horrifying story, but I am glad you shared it with us. From the eloquence of your account, I would diagnose no loss of language ability or logical thinking. My best wishes to you for a complete and rapid recovery. Take it easy, though!
Martin

[Caultron]

Hi all,
I have not posted for a while because I was involved in a bus accident on 7th October and have been in hospital via A&E....

I'm glad you're recovering.

Just this Saturday I spoke with a man who'd been hit by a train on two separate occasions while driving. The first time had been in Germany, diving a VW beetle, and the second in the US, driving a larger car. Both were head-on collisions that tossed the car aside and left it spinning upside down. The first time he pretty much walked away from it but after the second he spent several months in the hospital rehabbing. He still has scars from the incident and eventually needed to get his knee replaced. But even that seems pretty lucky after two head-on collisions with locomotives.

So take heart; anything is possible.

[Kirbstone]

While pleased your friend survived to tell both tales, I can't help putting the question: how does one drive a car into a train TWICE?
I well remember in August 1966 in Northern Greece, somewhere between Alexandropolis and Edirne coming across a narrow metal bridge over a dried river bed which was well over a quarter of a mile long and had a surface made of wooden beams with railway tracks down the middle, so the vehicular traffic had to share that bridge with the local trains!.

We took a very good look at it and had a good listen, too, before venturing onto it. I expect that in the intervening 48 years that infrastructure has been updated somewhat.

Tom

[Caultron]

Both were at grade crossings. In Germany he was rushing back to his military base early in the morning after a date and didn't expect the tracks to be so close to the road. In the US the car in front of his stalled and he suddenly found himself facing the train's giant headlamp.

In the second incident his passenger got out ok after loosening the seatbelt and getting right-side-up. But the engine was pushed back far enough that it pinned my friend in the car until rescue workers could cut him out, and that's how he got the scars and knee injury.

Not that anyone should trifle at grade crossings...

[crfriend]

Hi all,
I have not posted for a while because I was involved in a bus accident on 7th October and have been in hospital via A&E.

Well, it's good to hear from you, and also good to know that you're on the mend. I'm sorry, though, to hear about the calamity.

Brain injuries can be very bad things indeed, and the general advice is that if you've lost consciousness -- for even a moment -- to get the matter looked at straight away, which fortunately happened in your case.

From the sounds of it, you should have a good outcome, but expect there to be some frustration and really hard work to get that function back to where it was pre-accident. "Going inertial" in any vehicle is a recipe for trouble and actually represents the injury mechanism at play in most instances: it's not stuff hitting you, it's you hitting stuff.

Get better!

[skirtingtoday]

Thank you all for your kind wishes and thoughts. I appreciate them all.

I do expect to have frustrations especially when I do get back to work. Occasionally at the moment, when I wish to join in on a conversation at home or with friends, I have to try and say the words in a different order to get my reply out. At least that is improving slowly but I am aware of the possibility it may never fully recover.

It's also amazing the number of tales from friends/relatives and their friends of similar occurances. One fellow lost his sense of smell for instance which the doctor's thought would improve but after 7 years that is unlikely now.

Many others comment that they have been similarly jolted on buses but had managed to grab something in time and suffered no problems.

On the work front, I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow to see about when she thinks I could possibly start a phased return tothe workplace. As I worked 3 days in Glasgow and two in Edinburgh, if I started with a few half-days, it would be better for me in the (nearer) Edinburgh office. I might even suggest that I could try and sign in to the office from home to at least clear up e-mails.

As the Neurologist said, I have been very lucky to have only a slight (hopefully temporary) impairment. Just after the first scan was completed, the doctor at A&E came to us and said, "I have some bad news for you." My heart sank down to the floor but he then described the bleeding they had detected as subtle as the "good news" which gave me some hope back.

I do not know it the car actually hit the bus but I assume it must have - otherwise, he would just have driven off none the wiser. Nor would he have waited for the Police to arrive. On the "careless driving" charge, the fellow could receive a max £2500 fine, a mandatory 3 to 9 penalty points on his licence and a discretionary disqaulification. If the charge was more severe, "dangerous driving", the fine is unlimited with a prison term of 2 years max (which rises to max 14 years if a death is involved) and an obligatory driving ban for at least a year.

Ross

[Sinned]

Yes, Rss, but the maximum sentences are just mirages. How many times do you see maximum sentences applied? He'll likely get off with about a £200 fine and 3 points since his trial will probably be done and completed before it is determined whether the effects on you are temporary or permanent ( hopefully the former ). Sentences are supposed to be a deterrent as well as a punishment but seldom are the former.

[Uncle Al]

Ross,

Best Wishes for a FULL recovery

Uncle Al

[skirtingtoday]

Yes, Rss, but the maximum sentences are just mirages. How many times do you see maximum sentences applied? He'll likely get off with about a £200 fine and 3 points since his trial will probably be done and completed before it is determined whether the effects on you are temporary or permanent ( hopefully the former ). Sentences are supposed to be a deterrent as well as a punishment but seldom are the former.

Indeed! The sentencing criteria in the UK (Scottish and English Law) is bizarre. If I kill someone with the car, I would get 2 years in prison but with a knife, I could expect 15-20 years or longer

[Kirbstone]

Ross,
Good to see you're back on form. That was a ghastly happening on board the bus and I'm so pleased you're on the mend. On a MUCH lighter note....Were you skirted at the time? I ask that as in the past you have mentioned travelling by public transport while wearing minis!
I suppose the disparity between killing with a knife and a car would be one of intent, hence the sentencing. Me, I'd use Napalm. Kills a lot more people faster, that stuff.

Caultron,
I remember totally absent separation of some rail tracks from adjacent roads in Germany, prevalent in dockside areas, e.g. Bremerhaven. By 'grade' crossing I suppose you mean 'level' crossing, which are 100% guarded here by drop gates and flashing lights, so encounters between road traffic and trains tends to be zero.

Tom K.

[crfriend]

Caultron,
I remember totally absent separation of some rail tracks from adjacent roads in Germany, prevalent in dockside areas, e.g. Bremerhaven. By 'grade' crossing I suppose you mean 'level' crossing, which are 100% guarded here by drop gates and flashing lights, so encounters between road traffic and trains tends to be zero.

In this context, at least in the US, "grade" means "at grade" or, in your parlance, "on the level"; they're precisely the same thing.

Now, Ireland is a nice little place compared to the rather vast countryside here in the US, and a very large portion of our railroad crossings happen on the flat, and a surprising number of those with nothing more than a crossbuck stating "RAILROAD CROSSING" by the side of the road. This is also why trains are required to carry very loud horns and to sound them as they approach each of these crossings.

Most grade crossings in New England, mind, have gates, flashing lights, and very distinctive-sounding gongs that sound when a train is approaching -- but, without the gate there's always the temptation for drivers to try and "beat the train". As the saying here goes, "If it's a tie, you die."

To illustrate this, I'll tell a tale from today as I was returning from a very good, if solo, meal of sashimi in the adjoining town. I greatly enjoy the back roads in preference to the main thoroughfares, and today was no exception as I wove my way back to work. Two things caught my eye, within seconds of each other; one was a control structure for the old Sudbury Aquedeuct that draws water from a reservoir not too far from where I work and carries it to Boston, and the other was a train slowly plodding along at a 10 miles-to-the-hour pace to a crossing I knew I was going to be at soon. I tried for a sync at the crossing so I could watch the train go by (I like trains). Slowing my driving pace, I managed to reach the crossing about a minute too soon, but as I could see the light from the locomotive headlamp reflecting off a curve in the rail I knew I was close, so I turned 'round and put myself into a parking-lot adjacent to the crossing. About 30 seconds later, the flashing lights came on and the gong also announced the coming train. Cars mostly stopped, but one clown in a pickup-truck and another one in a minivan decided to jump the crossing in front of the oncoming train (still moving at the aforementioned ten-miles-to-the-hour, which is a remarkably common clip on many third-tier lines thanks to 75 or 100 years of "deferred maintenance"). Getting pranged by a train weighing several thousand tons -- even if it's only doing 10 MPH is a really good way to get yourself rather dead -- but idiots still try. I waved at the train crew through the rain, watched about 50 cars slide by, and then continued on my way back to work, rather happily distracted.

[Kirbstone]

I'm a real sucker for trains too. The longest I have ever had to wait at a 'level' crossing was upwards of 50 minutes in Bremerhaven while an apparently endless train carrying desert sand-coloured military vehicles trundled in from S. Germany on their way to the Gulf in 1991.

On our canoe trip down the /Shannon in September we saw two of these Bord-na-Mona narrow gauge trains cross the river making a helluva lot of clanking noise. 'Proper' trains nowadays whistle almost noiselessly by at three figures speed on their laser-levelled welded rails. Any 'accident' with one of those is a suicide, for sure.

Tom