peter's prang

day 9: wednesday 5th january - off to norfolk - the journey from hell

Much to-ing and fro-ing with the courtesy car company...they have a car, no they don't, they have an automatic people carrier, will it do? Yes, if that's the best they can find, yes, please! Peter is dubious but I've agreed.

Next, the Mersea tide situation to negotiate. The tide will be over, so they can't come until after high tide. They arrive mid-afternoon and I spend time producing all the correct documentation. I'm obviously still in shock as I keep taking out the wrong bits of paper. Then I have to remember what to ask...all the things one needs to know like where is the very fancy handbrake, lights, indicators, petrol (oh, it's diesel) and which side do you fill it, how do you unlock it, move the seats?

Once sorted, we load up, thank Janet profusely and set off. Driving a strange car is always challenging. And Peter doesn't want me to drive faster than 50. He's in considerable pain. And anxious. By the time we reach Ipswich it's getting dark, it's raining, the screen is greasy, it's rush hour...and as we set off up to Thetford I can barely see and everybody's rushing to get past. I'm timid, seeing every other car as a misile...because that's what they can be! And I have a rather aggrieved train of cars behind me - everyone knows the road and just wants to get home! Then Peter becomes very sick. I'm on a pitch black section of road and he is vomitting out of the car window. I pull into a farm driveway and find a bucket in the back, chucking all the bits and pieces out onto the floor and giving it to Peter. He'll travel onwards with it on his knee. Hard to pull out into the steady and speedy travic. By the time we reach Linda's Peter is in poor shape. But so relieved to be there.

Linda gives me her room so I can have all our belongings there. She has a folding mattress in her hobby room and Peter, the sofa or armchair in the living room.

day 8: tuesday 4th january - drying, not moving and then moving

I phone about the coertesy car. They still haven't located a 4WD automatic...4WD because Peter is sure it will be more comfortable and automatic because although quite calm and unflapped, I know that I must still be in shock because my thinking is even slower than usual and gears would be one step too many. Leter they tell me they've found a car but it's beyond Stanstead and they don't have anyone to collect and deliver it.

I make a big pot of lentil and pasta soup, which Peter enjoys.

No chance of the car today. We really need to move on. I've ascertained that Linda )peter's sister in Norfolk) will be delighted to have us but we can't get there. Janet comes over and asks Kathy, who's back from studying and aromatherapy, if it's OK for us to go to her's. It is. I finish packing, strip the beds and we go over with the first laod of our stuff to her bungalow, then back for the remainder and Peter.

We settle Peter and take Bobby, the lovely, bouncy and enthusiastic cockapoo, to Janet's son James', do some food shopping and collect the remainder of the washing from Mum's. Peter is very emotional...Sami the Maine Coon (who looks like a bigger, posher version of our lovely Tashi), cheers him up somewhat. We spend a peaceful eveing after supper.

day 7: washing, the art cafe

I do some washing at Kathy's and hang it in the room I'm in, whch is where the washing usually hangs. I take a load to Mum's, too, as it will dry quickly there. (Kathy drives me as she's on her way to Dougal's cottage at East Mersea so she can read). I take Mum across  to the Art Cafe for coffee and cheese scones - not the amount of time I intended spending with her as she was one of the main reasons we travelled south for Christmas in the first place. She's able to choose a wonderful calender of traditional boats for Peter and I buy calendars for Linda, Kathy and myself.

Back to her flat and I hang the washing...then walk back to Kathy's, which takes about 20 minutes. Make Peter a cheese omelette for lunch. We read during the afternoon.

In the evening I give Dougal and Kathy their presents. They repair upstairs so that they can watch TV up there, so Peter can sleep on the sofa again.

day 5: new year's day

Slept well, however Peter didn't. Dougal has gone to work and will bring Mum over at lunchtime. Janet invited by text.

Rachel, Mark, Iz and Lucy arrive, bearing pizzas and pre-baked pototoes for lunch.

I'm on the phone to Janet and Kathy's friend Baco, who wants the lowdown on the car/accident situation. Mum, Dougal and Janet arrive.

We have lunch and exchange some of the Christmas and birthday presents. By mid afternoon Mum has stayed too long for comfort so Janet takes her home. Peter has stayed up too long too, so goes back to bed in the study where he is able to rest and doze. Kathy, Rachel, Mark and Lucy go for a walk and I spend time talking to Iz.

Rachel et al have a quick supper and off they go. Peter has an early night although I later find that he won't sleep.

day 3, 30/12/10

Wake and phone Peter, then take a long shower. There's a bar of soap!This seems like a great treasure.

Breakfast of another sandwhich and two cups of coffee. Phone Kathy who is coming over late morning.

Spend the morning on the phone - fortunately there's an o2 mobile signal.

Spend over an hour talking to the insurance company as there are two forms to be filled in (as we were hit twice, there are two claims). But Peter will have to authorise me to act on his behalf as the policy is in his name. Like everybody I talk to (apart from last night's ward manager...and the consultant) there is so much kindness and concern at our predicament.

Contact the vehicle reclamation company. A description of our car plus time and place of accident are not enough for them to confirm which of their branches the car is at. Have to phone the police to find out the registration number of the car - it's the one Peter normally drives. I don't know the number. I have called Peter and he doesn't remember either. This is not surprising as he's in shock as well as pain and was hit on the head (Hair plaited to close the wound - the alternative would have been superglue!). Call reclamation people again. Yes the car is  in Braintree. No, I can't go to collect our belongings unless I can prove I am the legal owner of the car. I can't. The log book is in a filing cabinet in Newcastle. Hmmm....

Kathy arrives. I should have checked out of the room. Rebecca, the kindly receptionist, lets us back in and furnishes us with more coffee and milk.

We set off to the hospital and visit Peter. He's looking a little, just a little, improved. He's managed to wash himself. He's still pale and looking old but his colour is a bit better. Less green. He wants to eat banana and nothing else.

Kathy and I walk to the old part of the hospital to find a meal and come back to the ward with yoghurt, rice pudding, smoothies and other things to tempt Peter to eat.

He's more unright and blood is draining into the container by the bed from his chest drain. I have told the physio, who doesn't seem concerned. However the housemen are, when they come round, and ask the registrar to take a look.

Eventually it's time to leave and Kathy drives us through the country lanes to Mersea. I am slightly less worried about leaving Peter than I was the night before.

It feels like a haven to reach Kathy's in Mersea.

the journey begins...

Starting before the event: we travel safely and easily to Peter's sister, Linda, on Christmas Eve and then spend a lovely Christmas Day with her. Onwards to London on Boxing Day, taking a new route through London.

Tuesday 28th December....we are at Robin and Halina's, having had a happy day on the Monday with extended Brunning family. Time to leave, car packed to gunwhales, and we are delayed by a flat battery (I left the lights on after taking Simon home the evening before). Split second timing plays a part in all our lives, as does space. A moment here, a few inches there and all could be avoided...or so much worse.

We are travelling north, towards Colchester, on the A12. Light signs appear, warning us that there is an accident ahead, beyond the A130 junction. We see another sign, then a sign to tell us that we are approaching that junction. When the junction appears ahead of us we see tail lights of stationary vehicles and of others braking. We are in the right hand lane, others are driving in the left hand lane and many more, who presumably know the area, are peeling off to the A130. Peter brakes gently and comes to a stop, well behind the stationary cars ahead. He puts on the hazard warning lights.

 

........CRUNCH

 

An impact from behind. We are knocked forwards a few feet.