November 8, 2009

After the bus hit me I only remember bits and pieces. I ran to the side of the road and called Winnie, though I had some difficulty with my phone and started to panic. I ran back to get my bike, but a woman on the bus brought it over for me. I felt my head and realized I was bleeding a lot.
Someone called an ambulance and finally they arrived, took my vitals, and brought me to a hospital that was very close. I don't remember the ride or anything else really. Once at the hospital, they took x-rays, cat scans, and MRIs, and stitched up my wounds. I stayed in the hospital for 5 nights and had surgery on my broken finger, the right ring one, the morning after I was hit.
I learned some hospital vocab in Chinese and realized how many friends I have here! People from the American Institute of Taiwan, my schools, all of the Fulbrights, and other random friends came to see me. Even the bus driver who hit me came and brought me fruit. Mayor Chen of Kaohsiung also sent me a giant bouquet of flowers! Thanks to her and the director of the Bureau of Education, Dr. Tsai, I also had a private room with a TV and my own bathroom. I couldn't believe it.
The nurses were wonderful and my friends Katherine and Fonda stayed with me all day and night. I was rarely alone and received lots of gifts, mostly fruit and chocolate. For my surgery, hospital time, and medicine, I paid the equivalent of US$500. My pain was excruciating after the surgery, mostly because none of the painkillers worked, only the local anesthesia. I had three long pins stuck in my finger (picture soon to be uploaded).
I returned home the following Sunday and rested for one week. Before I left the hospital, I spoke with a police officer about the accident. We are still waiting for the report to be published, which surprises me, and I'm looking into a lawyer to advise me about negotiations with the bus company. Because the bus driver was at fault, his company will cover my medical expenses, but I want to make sure that I don't ask for too much or too little with regards to other compensation.
This week was my first back at work; I was ready to get back to my kids and felt frustrated because I've already missed work due to pneumonia. One thing that really surprised me was the emotional impact of my accident. For a few days I was terrified of traffic and actually screamed out loud if a bus got too close to me! I found myself crying as a result of loud noises or for no reason at all.
Luckily, that has all subsided. I can shower and do daily activities with negligibly more effort. I'm still exhausted, but I think everyone is. Last week I had one of the pins and all of my stitches removed; in two weeks the other two pins may come out.
One other fact I forgot to mention: in order to close up a gash on my forehead, the hospital staff shaved and clipped part of my hair! So, I cut my hair short again, though not nearly as short as when I was in Hong Kong. I may still grow it out long during the rest of the year.
In my next post I will write about our Halloween festivities, my first week back at school, and all of the kind things my friends did to bring me better luck. There are many cultural practices and beliefs related to luck here. Also, this coming week, one of my classes is being observed by Fulbright and Bureau of Education officials. And I'm trying to nail down some winter break plans. My parents bought their flight here, so that has me looking forward to February!
A final note: since I've changed my website, please be cautious about clicking on "Next Blog" in the top left corner of the page. This will take you to another person's random blog and the content is unpredictable.