The accident

My memories from the accident are scattered. I remember strange things that maybe didn't happen. I can't remember who went to hospital first but I know what happened after being told. Bel marito, upon seeing our son still and motionless called out to a friend and the tractor driver to rush him to the nearest hospital. There was no time to wait. He wasn't breathing.

These two men are our heroes. They literally saved bel bambino's life. While driving to the hospital which was about 15 minutes away blood started to form in bel bambino's little mouth. The tractor driver who normally faints at the sight of blood pulled out a hanky from his pocket and with care pulled globs of blood from his mouth, allowing him to breathe again.

They arrived at the hospital and jumped out of the car to be told that the emergency department was no longer operating and that they could do nothing to help the bel bambino. The tractor driver started yelling, telling them that he was going to die and they had to do something. They wouldn't. He called the emergency services who told him that they had sent a helicopter to Malito which had just landed and they would send it immediately to the hospital to collect bel bambino.

While this was happening I was lying on the road waiting for the ambulance to come. I didn't know bel bambino had been taken away. I remember, above all, the pain from my ribs. I was crying or screaming  and recall a man with glasses standing by me telling people not to touch me. This may be all in my imagination as I am sure this man was a doctor...but he wasn't from the village so perhaps he was just a passing driver trying to help or maybe he was never there and I imagined this doctor standing by me. I don't remember where bel marito was either although he was close by. The ambulance came and I went to the hospital all alone since here bel marito was not allowed into the ambulance. I learnt many days later that bel bambino had gone in the helicopter alone too since again no one is allowed to accompany the patient.

The ambulance was a rather quick, bumpy and painful journey. I remember they were trying to cut my bra and I got angry telling them just to take it off without cutting it which they easily did. The cut my dress but I didn't care. Bel marito was behind the ambulance with a friend and upon arriving learnt that the helicopter hadn't yet landed. Thankfully a good friend of mine had already made it to the hospital and she held my hand and came with me as I was raced up to the maternity emergency room. She knew the gynaecologist on duty so was granted permission to enter into the room with me. Thank god! The gynaecologist even spoke English and was asking me all sorts of questions but I couldn't answer. All I kept saying was that I felt an incredible pain in my ribs and side and all I wanted to do was sleep. Thankfully my friend knew everything about my current and previous pregnancy so she was able to promptly answer all the questions, while holding my hand and telling me not to fall asleep.

I was terribly confused when the doctor asked me to sign the paper work for an immediate C-section. I don't want to give birth now, I told him. I have a C-section booked for the 14th of September, I said. It had never occurred to me that I would give birth at that moment. I want to wait for the baby, I said. I want my husband, I cried. Bel marito shortly arrived since by this stage bel bambino had arrived and had been rushed into the intensive care unit. He kissed me, reassured me and told me that I had to have the C-section, that it would be ok. I signed the paperwork and the last memory I have is being alone with the doctors and nursing staff in the operating theatre and me asking for the doctor to please check my ribs and side which were painful. He was smiling kindly at me saying just to breathe and that soon I would be asleep.