Welcome to my World” and by that, I mean my experience of being in a coma. First of all, I will tell you why I was in a coma; I was in a horrific car accident and was seriously injured. I was in a coma for three months and had broken bones and a very serious head injury which made my brain do a somersault in its cradle. I have since found out more about the car accident, like at first, they couldn’t find me in the car. I thought I was protecting myself as I slid under the dash.
I remember when I woke after being in a coma for so long, my mum walking into the ward and me rolling over to face her, lifting my arm and gurgling “hi mum”. Luckily there was a friend with her to keep her upright. At this point in time I didn’t know why I was in hospital, as the last thing I remembered was going horse riding with a friend and the horse hanging me on a tree branch. I thought that was hilarious. I felt I looked like one of those cartoon characters in the wild west that came off the horse with my legs arched like the shape of being on the saddle. After my initial rehabilitation a doctor convinced me to go to his hospital, but looking back I feel that was the worst decision. It undid all the progress that had been made and sent me back – instead of going forwards I took ten steps back.
After a couple of months in this hospital, I was really not happy, especially because of this head honcho, I mean a matron. I have to tell you why, looking back at it, it’s hilarious. I was walking with a guy and holding his hand, (and are you ready?), she pulled me aside and said you are not allowed to do that. I mean what did she think, I was going to get pregnant? Come on really, I’m not that stupid, I do know how babies are made. To me that showed me how stupid they thought I was. I went straight back to my dorm and got on the phone, rang my mum, and said “Get me out of here, this place is making me stupid.” So, within a week, my mum had arranged for one of the school teachers whose daughter I was friendly with, to help by setting out some school work for me. Then my mum had me taken out of the rehab hospital, thanked them and said we can do her rehab at home. I got a six-week holiday at Christmas break, so I took a trip overseas to the U.K. I came home refreshed and ready to get back to my life, and as I say, be normal and learn how to live.
After a few months, the teacher told my parents she couldn’t help any more as she thought I could do the rest on my own. I knew what I needed to and now it was basically up to me, and that was all I needed to hear. Shortly after that I wanted to move out of my mother’s house. So, I met up with a couple of friends who were looking for a flatmate, and I asked them if it would be possible for me to move in. I told them to take a few days to think and to give me a call with the verdict. They rang me within a couple of days and said it was ok, so that was it. To me I was free, no more parents watching my every move, I could do what I wanted.
After about six months when my friends decided to move, I had gained the confidence to get a flat by myself. So, after looking for a place, I finally found one and decided to move. It wasn’t far from where I was living with my friends, just the next suburb over. I lived there for about ten months then went home for a while. I decided to buy a house in Floreat Park, a suburb of Perth in Western Australia. My parents and I also bought a deli which I worked at. I then decided to go to T.A.F.E. to do a secretarial course since I had always enjoyed typing and I wanted to be a legal secretary. That Christmas the deli was broken into. Soon after we sold up and bought a fish and chip shop. Meanwhile I was going to T.A.F.E. when I met my ex-husband. You wouldn’t read about it, a love story in the making. I’ll tell you all about it. I was at T.A.F.E one day and I saw this person I recognized. But do you think I could place him? No way. After about three or four hours spending time together and thinking about where I knew him from, it finally came to me. I had gone through hospital with him! I remember I used to see him walking towards me and I would deliberately turn my wheelchair around and go in the opposite direction. When I look back at it, I think it was hilarious. Anyway, back to what I was saying. I walked over to him and said “Wasn’t I in hospital with you?” I stared as I said “I’m sure I was”. He looked at me and casually said “could have been”. Anyway after a few hours of talking and getting reacquainted with each other he gave me a lift home and as they say the rest is history. We got engaged at Christmas, and ten months later we were married. Our first baby came along ten months later. It was really a total surprise, as they didn’t work out I was pregnant till I was five months along. I didn’t have the symptoms like other people. Like your period stopping or the dreaded morning sickness. I just thought my appetite had increased. Low and behold, out popped a baby, and I mean it was lucky there was a midwife at the end of the table, as she quite literally caught him. From then on, all my time was devoted to my son. We named him Jacob. The baby was like an alarm clock, six am wake up, feed time, bath time, play time and then back to sleep.
After four years I went through the whole process again. I went back to the doctor with the same symptoms and guess what I was pregnant again. But this time I was five months along. So the time went really quickly, especially as this baby was five weeks early but still perfect. His name is Travis.
Well, as the years went on, my husband and I grew apart so in the end we separated. We remain friends but nothing more. We do it for the children. They are both grown up in their twenties and very close. It feels to me like that is because John (the ex-husband) and I couldn’t fulfil our end, so our sons are showing us how it’s done. Ha-ha.
As the years have passed, I came to Melbourne to live with mum. It is now going to be a whole new adventure. I can’t wait to see what is i
