This is the full letter that I sent to the Advertiser, for the story they printed on Friday. A Road Trauma Survivors Story and Thank you Letter As I have no recollection of the accident I was involved in I am relying on a diary my niece started, my family and people that where at the accident scene. My name is Greg Lucas, and I became a road trauma victim on Monday the 19th of August 2013 at approximately 16:30 on the corner of Boundary Rd and Watsons Rd East Geelong. I am not sure if victim is the right word because I survived this accident with the generous help from total strangers at the scene, and Ambulance, CFA, Police and Hospital staff at Geelong Hospital and then Royal Melbourne where I was transferred in a critical condition. And then Re-hab at Geelong Private. I hope to thank some of these people personally when my injuries allow me to do so, my life saver in this accident was a off duty paramedic who happened to be following me, I was trapped under the car for quite some time, awake at the scene but when I was removed from under the car I went into cardiac/respiritory arrest, resuscitated at the scene and moved to Geelong Hospital by ambulance stabilized and then Transferred by air ambulance to Royal Children’s helicopter pad then ambulance to Royal Melbourne Trauma/Emergency Unit. My family were notified they went to the emergency unit in Melbourne and were told that I may not survive, and as I was an organ donor. I had already made my wishes clear to my family many years ago in regard to organ donation, and as expected they respected my wishes, but I was fortunate enough to survive my injuries even though I would spend 4 days intubated in ICU, it would be a long recovery. Without going into detail my injuries consisted of broken clavicle, 16 broken or fractured ribs, collapsed lungs, fracture left femur, broken right ankle, break in tibia right lower leg, nerve damage left hand, chest and arm. The wearing of protective motor cycle gear kept my skin intact, a lesson for all riders. The staff in ICU at Royal Melbourne and they were many, some names from my diary Nurses Megan, Amanda, Neala, Nick and Libby, Dr’s Manny, Angus, There were many other Doctors, Nurses, Pain Management Staff, PSA Hayley and Duncan, and who could forget my Physio David who was quite chuffed to tell me he was born in Geelong at Baxter House. But all these people where there to assist in my recovery. I can appreciate that for a family waiting in ICU waiting Rooms it is a very stressful place, and people deal with it in very different ways as I found out from reading from my Diary, Day 1 ICU patient is intubated, my niece writes,” I slept on the couch in the waiting room and came and checked on you throughout the night, but you where being rude and wouldnt talk to me, rest of family gone home will return tomorrow”. On day 4 I was extubated a then my long recovery begins, the people I have mentioned begin to swarm, it is like everyone wants a piece of me but they are all there to help, surgeons, radiographers, pain management team, nurses, trauma doctors, and the list goes on, a good analogy comes from my grand nephew who asked his mother when are they going to put Humpty Dumpty Uncle Greg back together again how true. 9 days after entering ICU I am moved to a ward, To all the staff on Ward 7 South West thank you all in assisting in my road to recovery, the doctors rounds every morning was a highlight, in no particular order they would arrive in mass Trauma team, surgical group and plastics team, our medical services will grow stronger and better with the mentoring that is passed on by these senior doctors to the next generation of doctors and specialists coming through our hospitals. My first day out of a bed is day 12 having my last sponge or bed bath tomorrow with assistance, will be having my first shower in 13 days, it is very hard relying on someone doing basic things that we all take for granted, but the nurses make it easier and I was very appreciative of that. How short lived my freedom was, not a setback another operation on day 14, removal of external fixation that has been holding my bones in place, I will not be sorry to see it go, now the orthopaedic surgeons will pin and plate ankle and tibia, also a small skin graft on right ankle for plastic surgeons to fix, but will be back to bed for a week to allow graft the time to start healing, need this to work, if graft fails the only option is a 4 hour operation to attach a flap an operation that I don’t want but what happens depends on my graft healing properly On day 15 a visit from pain management team, I remember them in ICU after the breathing tubes where removed, they do such a great job my pain was kept to a minimal because of epidurals and other pain relief I had, but things must be improving as epidurals are being removed any pain management from now on will be tablets and needles, it helps a patient and family when things are moving forward even if it is small steps. During my stay in Melbourne I have had many procedures on my broken body to help repair the damage, cat scans, x-rays, nerve tests, MRI and operations to repair broken bones, after 22 days I am finally sent back to Geelong Private to the rehabilitation unit. My ambulance ride was a nice surprise with Debbie and David, my chaperones I worked with Deb at Barwon Health, I did hold them up for about 1 and half hours because I was having another x-ray, but all staff across the hospital systems have great patience when it comes to delays. Some of the staff at Geelong Private. Judy, James, Stephanie, Danika, just to name a few, I appreciate all the staff assistance I received during my stay, there was also a very nice cleaning lady who would give me the weather for the day, I looked forward to her chat each morning. The staff here also get you up and going but within your limitations, this is good because the sooner I can walk and do things we all take for granted like having a shower without assistance the sooner I will be home, as I was showering in Melbourne by myself this freed up staff in the morning as this is a real busy time for nursing staff, After a couple of days I worked out that if I got the evening or night staff to leave towels and a waterproof bag for my leg I was able to manage by myself, Helen from occupational therapy gave me great assistance with some very simple aids that helped me in the shower and in generally around my room, one was what I called a fly swatter, it had a cloth wrapped around the square end and you could wash between your toes in the shower without having to bend which was one of my big problems. The things we take for granted. Physiotherapy not knowing what I will be able to do, what will my body allow me to do, it is a scary place to be, 23 days ago all my limbs worked well but now I am putting all my trust in a physiotherapist to move me safely through routines that will ultimately get me back to where I was 23 days ago, I know there are no guarantees, but we adapt and humans are very good at adapting. It was a pleasure having Stacey as my physiotherapist, we worked well together, we pushed very hard in each session, but day one was where I would sink or swim just getting out of a chair and standing can be very challenging for someone with my injuries, and as hard as I tried my body was not allowing me to do a simple thing like standing, this I put down to fatigue as sleep was not good with 16 broken or fractured ribs but I knew that I had to get out of that chair and with Stacey supporting me I managed to stand, I have not looked back since then but it is a reminder of where I may be if I hadnt got up and out of the chair that day. To all the staff at rehab Geelong Private the nurses, doctors, cleaners, tea lady and orderlies, I thank you all for the assistance in my recovery. With the help of physiotherapy and occupational therapy I can walk with the aid of elbow crutches, for longer distances I have the electric chair, I am living back at home by myself I manage most things cooking, showers, moving from chair to lounge or in and out of bed, all be it a lot slower than before but I see improvement all the time, other things like cleaning and general tidying, my sister is a wizard at this, and family support is a big help when you go home from hospital, not having them staying but knowing that they are only a phone call away if required. The TAC has been a great help with aids requested by physiotherapy and occupational therapy, just a few things I required Electric wheel chair, elbow crutches, shower chair and ramps, I thank them for their assistance. People see accidents on the TV or hear about them from other media but don’t realize that after the accident a lot of hours of other peoples time goes into making me and other road trauma survivors whole again, it took me 38 days until I arrived home there are other trauma patients that spend a lot more time recovering. I still have ongoing appointments and Physiotherapy awaiting myself until I am anywhere near 100%, and there are no guarantees. There were other people at the scene of my accident that helped in my survival; the people who helped lift the car of me, the man who lives a few doors from the scene who parked his truck across Boundary Rd stopping traffic entering the scene, as always the Police who attend accidents, CFA and Ambulance. There is one young lass who I have talked to via a well wishes page that was set up to keep family and friends up to date on my progress, I thanked her and her father on this page and hope to thank them in person like the many others that helped out, her humble response was I didnt do anything at the accident scene, how wrong she is because of her observations I will be able to one day thank the people who assisted at the accident scene. Just in closing this letter I would also like to thank my family, friends and work colleagues who has been marvellous. Greg Lucas
Posted on: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 22:26:15 +0000