Last week, specifically last Saturday, July 14, 2012, there was a vehicular accident that happened around 6:40 in the morning at an intersection just beside our office. Nabangga ng isang fish carrier truck, and elf/canter type ng truck, ang likod na part ng tricycle. There were a lot of people who heard the impact of the collision, to them, it sounded daw like a very strong and loud "bang!". The victim, me.
It was raining hard that morning and nagdadalawang isip na ako kung uuwi pa sa bahay or sa office na lang muna matulog para magpatila ng ulan. But I thought that maybe a lot of people would be staying sa sleeping lounge because of the rain and since I'm preggy, I won't be able to climb sa double deck na bed. That's why I decided that Ace and I should go home and stay there until it's okay to travel to Dipolog. So Ace and I hailed a pedicab/tricycle para makauwi ako na hindi nababasa ng ulan and sya, magmomotor na lang pauwi.
I was so sleepy that morning 'cause we've stayed longer in the office because of the rain. Inside the tricycle, may mga isda pa nga sa plastic so I figured the driver bought them, so iniwasan ko,m I stayed at the center para hindi rin ako mabasa. Good thing may trapal yung right side ng trike that prevented rain from coming in, somehow. I stretched my legs and just when I was about to take a deep breath, I noticed na parang nagturn yung trike, I thought mag papa-gas kami since may malapit na gas station but it was weird kasi the whole tricycle was already shaking then yun na, bigla na lang I felt na nauntog ako then napapikit ako but I was conscious. I felt na natumba ang tricycle and ang sakit na ng ulo ko at katawan ko. It happened really fast but then, totoo pala ang sabi nila, kapag ikaw na pala ang na-aksidente, may moment na parang slow mo lahat and you can't hear any sound sa paligid mo then as soon as that quick moment stops, you're now pulled back to the reality and you now feel the pain. I recalled hearing myself cry, no, I wailed in pain. I saw the driver stood up and he was so quick I knew it was adrenalin rush on his part kasi nakabangon sya in less than a second kahit nadaganan sya ng motor and the whole weight of the tricycle was on him!
I was crying out loud naisip ko agad ang baby ko in my womb. I was so scared not for myself but for the baby. The tricycle shouted, "tabangi mi," (help us) and I could hear people rushing in to help me get out of the pedicab but they don't know how -- kung ibabalik ba nila muna sa pagkakaayos ang pwesto ng tricycle or aalsahin ako which is kind of hard kasi nasa baba na ako banda ng tricycle and the pedicabs here in Dumaguete are big, not like in Manila na midget sized lang. I was already panicky and I don't know what to do I couldn't utter a word because of shock, pain, and pure fright. In my mind all I could say was "Lord" over and over. I was still crying hard when I heard mu husband called out for me, "Gah!" His voice was trembling, and that's when I shouted the loudest I could, "Gah... gah!" "Si baby, gah!" Then he lifted me, hindi ko na mafigure out kung paano but all the more na naramdaman ko na ang sakit ng likod ko and my head. Mahapdi na rin sa left ear at sa ulo ko so I knew may dugo na. (Dati kasi napag-usapan namin yung sa UFC na kapag pala may tumulo na na blood from the head dripping to like sa eyes or sa ears, mahapdi na yun).
Napapapikit ako sa sakit but I was conscious all the time. I couldn't believe this ever happened...to me! When Ace was able to draw me out of the tricycle, umiiyak pa rin ako ng malakas and I just hugged him so tight. They tried to check kung makakatayo pa ako but my body was trembling and was weak. Pinasuot pa sa akin yun shoes ko kahit hindi mahanap agad yung ka-partner while Ace was asking help na pasakayin kami sa isa pang tricycle to rush me to the nearest hospital. Hindi ko na nga maalala paano pa ako nakaupo ulit sa tricycle, then I shouted again, "yung baso! Yung baso natin gah!" (Pertaining to the Starbucks thermo na nilagyan ko pa ng pictures naming pamilya). I made sure na hindi yun maiiwan. I was carrying it kasi huhugasan ko pa sana pag-uwi namin. So huminto pa ang trike para maibigay sa amin yung baso.
I was crying still and was holding onto Ace so tight but I said to myself I needed to calm myself down for the baby, kasi baka lalo syang ma-stress. Sa E.R. they immediately checked for the baby's heartbeat but before that I was checking myself na if I feel the baby's movement and if may blood ba. May blood but coming from my head not sa tummy or sa likod, and I felt the baby moving so that's a relief. When we heard the baby's heartbeat na normal naman, somehow I was glad. But I know dapat i-observe pa rin nila. The whole time my body was shaking intensely and all I could do was to take deep breaths. Still I couldn't believe that all this has happened. I told myself again, just be strong, now is not the time for me to be weak. I have to be strong for my husband and my two girls. I gave a smile to my husband even if I wanted to cry. I held his hand tightly while saying, "don't worry, hindi tayo papabayaan ng Diyos." Pati pag-iyak pinigilan ko na kasi ayaw kong mastress ang baby at makitang malungkot at nag-aalala ang asawa ko. I started talking more and I was telling jokes to my husband. It was my way of calming us both and for me to also test myself kung okay ba ang senses ko, kung may problem ba of hearing and memory since alam ko na heavily injured ang left ear ko. and my head. I also did not want to close my eyes nor sleep for fear of not waking up or any seizures.
In the end, aside from puro pasa at bugbog ang chest, ribs, at ulo, I had 3 stitches on the upper right corner of my eye, temporal area, and 10 stitches to connect the skin under my left ear. Haha, sabi ni Ace, muntik na daw ma-sisig ang tenga ko, dapat nga raw maghahanap na siya ng replacement na tenga sa palengke! hahahaha!
Despite of everything, I am not angry at anyone or even kay God. Nor am I sad. This is for me, one of THE biggest miracles of miracles that ever happened to me! First, my baby is so strong hindi sya naapektuhan. Grabe ang pagbabantay ng guardian angel ng baby ko sa kanya. Second, grabe ang tatag ng asawa ko, I'm so proud of him for his matured ways and how he dealt with everything. Third, because of this, it revealed itself to me that God has answered a prayer I've long been waiting for, and I'm so thankful for that. Now I could give a sigh of relief. One more important and undeniably the most evident of all - that my strength comes not from me but from God who keeps me and is in me. Hindi ako hinimatay o nahilo, I was conscious and well aware of what was happening the whole time. The will, the presence of mind, and even the physical strength all came from God!
I was praying when I was inside the ER and was constantly talking to Him, entrusting everything to him and sang my song for Him. I wanna share this song to you too...
Through It All (Hillsong)
You are forever in my life, you see me through the seasons
Cover me with your hands, and lead me in your righteousness
And I look to you, and I wait on you
I sing to You Lord a hymn of love for your faithfulness to me
I'm carried in everlasting arms, You'll never let me go
Through it all.
(http://www.buffetofwisdom.com/2009/06/through-it-all-lyrics-and-chords-darlene-zschech-hillsong-australia/)
Praise God for the gift of life. Praise God for the gift of family and loved ones, thank you so much for attending to me immediately, for the care and prayers and for being the source of joy and comfort.
Praise God for the gift of friends and office-mates who went to the rescue and gave their super extra mile -- Thank you to Sir Martin who was like a Boy Scout or even greater, during the whole time. Thank you so much also to Jane and Floe who took charge sa accident scene hanggang sa police station, making sure na everything's covered; sorry at na-awardan kayong tatlo as a result of helping us out during the incident. To Joel, who even in his short words of comfort, made me feel assured. Thank you for being there sa ER and for holding my hand. To Beau, na nagulat naman ako at nandoon ka rin sa ER; thank you for assisting us at sa pagkuha ng motor ni Ace. Sa mga dumalaw sa akin sa ospital at sa Training Team -- time and time again, kahit na iba-iba ang takbo ng utak natin minsan, you've been a real family to me, Thank you with all my heart. To all who prayed for me, Ace, and for our baby Yzabelle, thank you, to infinity and beyond. :D
Thank you God for this nth life you've given me, for blessing my doctors and the medical staff who attended to me. For sure malaki ang expectations mo sa akin. Help me not to let you down.
Thank you Sto. Niño kasi just before we left the office, I prayed pa sa inyo sa chapel and I know you heard me, kaya andito pa kami ni Yzabelle.
To my guardian angel, St. Michael the Archangel, to Yzabelle's guardian angel, and to St. Gerard Majella, patron of mothers and expectant moms, thank you so much and please continue to guard and guide us.
I've written this to remind me to pay it forward too.
Gosh, no words can ever define the feeling I have for this miracle and no words could ever come close to how grateful I am. I'm a survivor, but I didn't do it alone. I was with all who I love and who loves me back. :)
Super Grateful. :D
