accident – Strokes of My Pen

Kiddie Tales

THE LIFE CHANGER (part 2)

By Lubnah Abdulhalim April 28, 2017

By: Naima Baghozi

Photo Courtesy: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com

#4
In the meantime Sahira’s parents were seated in front of the doctor’s table facing him with worried looks on their faces. The doctor looked back at them with solemn look on his face which made the parents worry even more.

Sahira’s father was the first one to ask:
“Doctor, what is wrong with our daughter? Why are you looking like that? You have really got us worried even more now.”
The doctor looked at them silently at first and then started to explain slowly to them, “Well, I wish I had good news to give you but unfortunately it’s not so as per the results of the x-rays…”he paused a bit and Sahira’s mother pleaded,
“Please doctor, don’t keep us hanging anymore – I, for one can’t stand this suspense anymore.”

So the doctor took out the x-rays and placed them on the lighted board and started demonstrating to them while explaining,
“You see, this is Sahira’s spinal cord and right here at the bottom you can see the damage that was caused by the accident – can you see?”
The parents could but only nod their heads upon seeing this as they were too emotional to say anything.
“So because of this damage, Sahira is not going to be able to walk…”
At this point the mother would have literally fallen down, had it not been for her husband’s support. The doctor rushed to help her back to the seat and placed a glass of water in her hand for she had turned quite pale. Sahira’s dad said to her,
“Drink the water in small sips and try to calm down so we can come to terms with this situation,” and then he turned to face the doctor once again and asked him,
“So doctor, do you mean to tell us that our daughter is not going to walk again? She is ever going to be crippled?”
The doctor replied,
“It is not a complete hopeless case, we first need to treat all her cuts, bruises and not forgetting the broken ribs. With her condition, we need to take one step at a time. After we have cured all this then we can start with the situation of her legs and the treatment of her spinal cord. She will also definitely need physiotherapy which luckily we can provide right here at our hospital.”
The parents almost spoke simultaneously with great excitement,
“You mean our daughter will be able to walk again doctor?”
“Well, we have to be optimistic and a lot depends on Sahira herself,” the doctor said.
“What do you mean?” asked the mother.

“First and foremost, while we are curing the wounds, I will have a specialist analyze her for she does not seem to remember a thing about the accident. The fastest she comes to terms with the situation, the better it will be for her. For the clearer her mind is , the better for her for she will have the will to move again.”
The doctor kept quiet for a moment and continued,
“With the physiotherapy and exercises, we will be able to anticipate on the major operation which we will have to do in order for her to walk again God willing.”
The parents looked at each other with hope in their eyes but then…
“An operation?” in a chorus they asked – like they just realized what the doctor had said, for all their ears could hear was that their daughter could walk again.
The doctor said, “Yes, in her case it is very necessary to have an operation if she is to walk again.”
“But is that operation guaranteed for Sahira to walk again?” the father asked.
“There are never hundred percent guarantees in any operations even if it is a minor operation. However, we do what we know is the best way and the rest we leave it to God.”
“Doctor, what do we need to do?” sounding quite desperate.
“Don’t worry too much, Sahira doesn’t need to see either one of you or even her brother looking desperate or worried or even with long faces. You have to try your best to cheer her up,” the doctor calmed him down.

The parents nodded again in acceptance.
“You have to make sure she is as comfortable as you can and she should also eat well. Positivity is a very important aspect around her and she shouldn’t be sad, okay?” the doctor continued to say.
“Okay doctor. We will make sure we follow your instructions as best as we can.”
“Very good then, don’t forget all this is going to be quite a change to her and you all too – even if for a little while.”
“We understand doctor,” the father said.
“Okay, now here is the most important question, who will give her the news? Me or you?” the doctor asked.
The parents were lost for words for a moment then…
“It’s better if we are the ones to tell her,” replied the father.
“Very well, but if you will need any assistance, I will be right here in my office. Ah! Before I forget, she also has to remain here for at least one week to ten days for treatment and observation,” the doctor said.
“We understand doctor and thank you for your advice,” the mother said.

#5
Back in Sahira’s hospital room, she still looked very sad and in deep thoughts….
Dasi called out to her, “Sahira, Sahira…” she seemed to come from quite afar, “Yes, what is it Dasi?” he asked her “What is it? What are you thinking about?”

She replied, “ My mind is still on the poor driver- I am thinking of his family too. What must they be going through now? I just can’t help but think I am the cause of his death for if I hadn’t been stupid enough to stand right in the middle of the road then all this would have been avoidable…”

Dasi looked at his sister with such a disbelief look on his face and then admonished his sister.
“Sahira, will you stop all this nonsense…whether you like it or not, you just have to stop this belief that you are responsible for this man’s death,” he paused a bit then continued, “you mean to tell me that with the kind of speed that man had he wouldn’t have hit another person or something else and end up dying anyway? So, stop kidding yourself here and thinking you are the culprit of this accident…” he ended up with a sigh.

Sahira just decided to look at his brother in complete silence. Thus, when their parents entered the room, they found their two children in tensed silence. Dasi stood up immediately and started shooting questions at his parents.

“Dad, mum, what did the doctor have to say about Sahira’s situation? Will she be alright? Will she be able to walk again? …”
His dad cut him short, “Whoa Dasi, will you calm down a bit and give us a chance of explaining to your sister and you of course of what’s going to happen from now onwards? …”

For the first time since her parents entered the room, Sahira opened her mouth and spoke, “What is going to happen, dad?”

Both the parents came nearer to their daughter and with such compassion on their faces; they calmly related to her what the doctor told them from the beginning to the end. All this time, Sahira’s face was showing different expressions, from horror to dismay, agitation and even from hope to hopelessness. Finally, tears were quietly rolling down her cheeks and she said to her parents in such a flat tone which tore her parent’s hearts.

“I did not realise this nightmare would actually turn into a real life changer for me…” she then slowly closed her eyes and remained silent.
Dasi stood in silence but in quite a shock and wondered what he could do best to help his beloved sister. He knew he had to do something worthwhile in order to help her get through these very difficult days ahead…not only for Sahira but for the entire family.

Really, in a matter of speaking, these difficult days ahead of them will affect each and every one of them one way or another. Their lives will certainly change, their lifestyle from now onward will revolve around Sahira- for the betterment of her well being.

Sahira had no choice but to accept the situation as calmly as possible for she knew right at the bottom of her heart that this is the only solution to her recovery and to her mobility again. So she slowly opened her eyes again and looked at her parents and brother and told them, “I know this is very difficult for you all and probably more to you than to me for you cannot bear seeing me like this…but I accept my situation and I am ready to undergo all treatments just so I can see those beautiful smiles return to your faces. I have faith in God and I feel with his grace everything will be fine.”

#6
The treatment started with immediate effect and the psychiatrist was brought in too so he could establish the blockage of the accident scene in Sahira’s memory.
Day in, day out, visitors were pouring in the hospital to visit Sahira, from family to friends, to neighbours. On top of that were the many flowers she was getting, one would think it was a princess’s room. At least, this cheered her u and made her take her treatment positively and thus, making her recover even faster. The physiotherapist was happy with her progress and the best came when in the middle of the week, the psychiatrist and she had a breakthrough. Sahira held on to her head and screamed while tears were rolling down her cheeks.

“Doctor, doctor, I can remember…I can remember everything…from beginning to the moment I was hit.” She ended with real heavy sobs and the doctor calmed her down. He let her take it all out for he knew it was for the best. The doctor then sent one of the nurses to call her doctor, who came running.
“Is it true what I heard from the nurse? Sahira has finally recalled what happened to her?” he asked his fellow doctor with real excitement. His colleague was all smiles as he replied,
“Yes doctor, she has finally recalled all that happened but she has a bad headache. I think we should give her some painkillers and let her rest for a while before we continue with anything else, don’t you agree?”
“Yes of course. I completely agree with you.” The nurse was then instructed to do just that. The doctor then left for his office to call and talk to her parents of the latest development. This news made the parents and Dasi overjoyed and thanked God for this wonderful progress.

In the mean time Sahira’s dad and Dasi were busy building a rump for Sahira next to their little staircase so when she comes home from hospital, there won’t be any discomfiture for her in her wheel chair. This way she could wheel herself in and out without difficulty. Her mother was busy arranging her bedroom to make it as comfortable as possible for her. They did not want their daughter to feel useless in anyway and of course they were hoping it will be a temporary situation for them. The accident had really become a life changer, not only to Sahira but to them all as a family and however temporary it may be they have to adapt to it.

Therefore for the time being, they had to clear a number of their furniture and make everything accessible for her when she gets home. Getting home had seemed a far off thing at first but with the full memory recovery of Sahira, the doctor decided it would be best to allow her to go home for he figured with familiar surroundings she would have an even better chance for a quicker recovery.

The following morning, when the family came to visit, the doctor called the parents to his office whilst Dasi went to his sister’s room.
“Please sit down I need to speak with you…”
“Is everything okay doctor?” Dasi’s father asked.
“Ah, yes. Don’t worry. As I told you on the phone yesterday about the return of your daughter’s memory, I am very pleased with the situation and have decided it best to allow her to go home and be in familiar surroundings and faces. With this, she may have a chance of a better and a much quicker recovery.”
“Really doctor? When can we take her home, today?”
“Calm down, calm down…I can only allow her to go tomorrow morning. We have to prepare her properly and counsel her knowing that now her life is a bit changed. Going home in a wheel chair is not the same as on her two legs, am I right?” the doctor said, laughing.
“Of course doctor,” both parents replied.
“So I will give you some medicines for her and you will have to bring her twice a week for her physiotherapy until when we can determine as to the right time to perform the operation.”
“Very well doctor, we understand. Can we now go and see her?”
“Yes of course,” the doctor replied with a smile…

Await for the last piece of Sahira’s story soon…how will be the end of her story?? Stay tuned 😉

Kiddie Tales

THE LIFE CHANGER (part 1)

By Lubnah Abdulhalim April 27, 2017

By: Naima Baghozi

Photo Courtesy:https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com

Sahira stood transfixed on the spot like her feet were glued on the road; unable to move a step. The look on her face was a horrified one for her eyes were opened wide and wider with fright. Her mouth formed an O shape and her heartbeats must have sounded even so loud to herself like a drum beat far into the night.
From afar, she seemed to hear her little brother’s voice calling out her name with such fright in his voice.

“Sahira, Sahira get away from the road…” but she just stood transfixed like a frozen statue. The road was a two way path so cars were driving up and down but she was focused on the oncoming car that was driving at such speed that she was unable to move away from the road.

Her poor little brother Dasi was yelling at the top of his voice for her to get out of the way of the fast coming car but she just couldn’t move even an inch. Then without any other single second passing; the car being at a very high speed, neither was the driver able to slow down nor to step on the brakes before ‘Bang!’ She was its target.

The next thing, Sahira came to her senses with so many bright lights around and with such worried faces of her parents and Dasi looking down at her where she was lying down. She looked at them with wonder as to why they were looking at her in that way or where exactly was she? The only thing she was feeling was pain all over her body like she was on needles. Her head…yes, her head…it felt so heavy that she couldn’t lift it. So she decided to ask her mum where she was and why was she feeling so much pain.

Her mum was literally in tears,
“My dear Sahira, don’t you remember anything? Just remain calm. You had an accident yesterday morning and you have been unconscious since then. You even had an emergency operation. Oh! We have been so worried about you dear!”
“But how did the accident happen?” She asked, puzzled.
“Sahira, it would be better if you ask your brother since he was there and saw it.”
So she turned her face towards Dasi and right away asked him,
“Dasi please tell me, what happened as I can’t remember anything.” And strangely enough, she couldn’t remember anything at all. As much as she tried to remember her head kept hurting her even more. She continued,
“Please tell me Dasi,” with tears in her eyes and slowly streaming down her face as she felt helpless and she felt she couldn’t move at all!

#2
Dasi looked at her with such hurtful eyes that it tugged at her heart and then slowly, he started narrating to her what really had happened.
“My dear sister…”he started as he held her hand tightly, “Yesterday, you and I were going to the shops…upon reaching the main road, you decided to just cross without checking the movements of cars. When you were in the middle of the road, you suddenly saw a fast coming car coming towards you and I don’t know what happened to you for you stood still and didn’t move at all. I kept calling at you so that you may move aside but you seemed not to hear me at all…don’t you remember any of this?”

Sahira looked strangely at her brother and just shook her head from side to side. She felt useless even to herself and she tried to sit up when…
“My legs, I can’t feel my legs…” she cried out breathlessly, “Mum, dad, I can’t feel my legs. Where are my legs?” she kept crying on and on and she was feeling agitated. Her parents tried to calm her down and Dasi ran out to call the nurses and doctors. In a little while, in came the doctor followed by a couple of nurses and seeing how the situation was, the doctor immediately took charge. He gave instructions to the nurses to immediately give her a sedative so that she may calm down and sleep for a while.

The nurses did just that and it wasn’t long before she gave herself up to the strength of the sedative and she was in deep sleep. In the mean time, Dasi and their parents were so concerned and worried about their situation and started firing questions at the doctor almost simultaneously on why she couldn’t feel her legs nor move them. The doctor answered them,
“Please, calm down and let me do some further tests and take x-rays to see what is causing this.”

Dasi felt so sad for his sister as they were very close since they were only two siblings and he always looked up to her and loved her very much. He just hoped and prayed to God that she will be alright and up and about very soon.
First thing early next morning, the doctor instructed the nurses to do the necessary tests plus the x-rays. All this was done with quite an emergency so that the results can come out with immediate effect and the doctor could determine as to the cause of Sahira not being able to move her legs.

#3
Apart from the immobility of her legs, Sahira also got cuts and bruises literally all over her body-thus she also had stitches here and there including a couple of broken ribs and that is why she had all these pains all over her body. She was groaning from every movement she tried to make. Looking at her one could just see bandages all over her…

She continued so much to try recalling exactly what really happened to her or how but to no avail. It was so frustrating to her and it kept on hurting her head even more than ever. She was so determined to know it all, that she decided to ask her brother once again in private.

Since her case was an emergency, all the tests and x-rays were speed-fasted so that by mid morning the results were ready for the doctor’s viewing. The doctor came into Sahira’s room and requested her parents to follow him into his office. The parents stood up in silence and followed the doctor.

At this point, Dasi decided that he too, would follow his parents so he could know exactly what’s happening to his sister. However, Sahira stopped him on his tracks as she had her own ideas and that was to ask her brother of all the details of the accident.

“Dasi, please wait, don’t go and leave me alone. Please stay with me,” she said. Dasi then returned to his seat next to his sister’s bed. He looked again at his sister with such sympathy in his eyes and started to explain as she had requested.
“Basically, it is as I had told you before. There is nothing more to add other than that the driver of the car tried very hard to swerve away from you but it was too late.”
“So then, what happened to the driver?” she asked him.
“Well…”and he stopped.
“Why are you not saying anything Dasi? What happened? Please do tell me. I really need to know,” she pleaded with her brother. Dasi decided it’s best to tell her the truth or she would keep on asking until it would irritate him. After all, he knew his sister. She normally doesn’t stop until she gets what she wants. So he cleared his throat and continued with the explanation.

“You see, as I told you the driver tried very hard to swerve so he wouldn’t hit you and even hooted a lot but you were just like a stone; completely out of it. You were like a deaf person not hearing anything at that time. However, when he couldn’t stop, he just knocked you and you went up like a flying saucer and came down with a real bang. You started rolling down the road, as you know, if you can remember the road was not flat leveled. The poor driver with his swerve went and hit a side tree and then his car kept on rolling and when it came to a stop…it just burst into flames and nothing of it was left including the poor driver. That was the end of him and nothing could be done at that point to save him…”

It is only imaginable that at this point, Sahira was sobbing hysterically and she felt more miserable for she felt she was responsible for this poor man’s death. Dasi tried to calm her down.
“But how can I calm down Dasi, when you know very well I am the cause of this man’s death?” she said.
“That’s not true; you know that it is not true…” Dasi replied.
“It is true, it is my fault and you know it,” she kept insisting.
“Stop blaming yourself for this, if he was not driving at that speed none of this could have happened. This is his own fault,” Dasi kept on convincing her. He then continued,
“Okay, I do sympathize with what happened to him but you can’t blame yourself for what happened to him. Now look at your condition, whom are you going to blame for it? Were it not for his careless fast driving, you would not be in the hospital right now.”
“Dasi stop blaming the poor man, he is dead you know-may his soul rest in peace. The fault is mine that I am in hospital right now, so stop justifying the situation and claiming I am not at fault here,” she intervened. Dasi kept quiet at this point deep in thoughts of his own and she, deep in her own…

How does Sahira accept her new situation? Will she get her memory back?And will she be able to move once again? That, in the next piece coming soon in shaa Allah 🙂

Creative Non-Fiction

SUCH IS LIFE

By Lubnah Abdulhalim May 5, 2016

Photo Courtesy: Dennis Onsarigo

The thought of death creeps me and the sight of death is what makes me have a sheer cold, goosebumps and shudder in my place. It takes me right to the scene; to the broken pieces of metal and glass on the floor, each tiny piece carrying a memory of the last laughter, the last talk, the last joke. It takes me right to the father’s seat, the husband who maybe had so many plans for his family, to the mother’s seat; the wife who took her last breath hearing the voices of agony at the back seat. It takes me right where the daughters were seated, as they get smashed into one end. I can almost feel the cracking sound of bones, the screams, the painful silence and the blood; blood everywhere. I am almost re-living the story; the tragic end of what could have been a beautiful life yet a new start of healing; and healing, is one of the most important stages of life. You just never know how it is ever going to be after but there is still hope because God is always awake and listening to our silent cries and prayers. And hope too, can be brought about by me and you; by humanity, by helping the people who need us.

I read the below post by Dennis Onsarigo and I just felt it important to share this message. Let’s join hands and help this family. Help with the little much you can, every cent counts so let’s do this please.

Such is life…..By Dennis Onsarigo

I promised myself that I wouldn’t post the grisly pictures of a road accident I came across on Kiambu road on Saturday. I went ahead and told myself I would not even tell my friends or family about it. But today, is a testimony that kids are God’s and maybe, just maybe we must start living before we eventually exit the stage.

It has been a few days since I pulled out-with the help of other good Samaritans- three youngsters trapped in their father’s black motor vehicle. The youngsters, hardly ten years old were shaken, some were badly off.

Let me walk you through the first five minutes of the accident: A canter going downhill, a private motor vehicle speeding uphill; one must have lost control, drove into the path of the other….the rest I was told, was a loud bang, silence and then screams.

When I arrived there, the scene was chaotic, the mother, clad in her hijab.…was trapped in the passenger seat. I couldn’t see her face but I could feel her pain, her slow but painful bouts of wailing struck me so hard. Right behind her seat was her daughter, she was the oldest among her children, she was screaming for her mother, we were struggling to keep her calm, at times our shouting for a metal bar to free her from the car, drowned her screams. She was scared and terrified.

Her legs had disappeared under the mangled wreckage of her family car. Ironically, it appears the mother had taken most of the impact aimed her way. I looked and realized if she could feel her legs, if she could scream for the mother, a few more minutes wouldn’t kill her.

Just next to her was her other younger sister, she had blood on her face, she was screaming for the mother as well; I pictured the mother, hearing her daughters’ screams and wailing but there is nothing much she could do, she was stuck, her life flashing right in front of her eyes. I took her in my arms. A woman, whom I later learnt was a relative, came rushing my way, I handed her the young girl, we flagged down a vehicle, and off they went.

Then one man pulled out another young girl, she must have been three years old. She was badly wounded; her “baby” hairstyle neatly in place had been replaced with a gushing wound at the back of her head. The man, who took her out of the vehicle now holding her by the hands, appeared to give up on her.

Her neck had given in to the weight of her head, her eyes turning into a shade of white, he body turning blue and her soul giving up on her. The man placed her on the cold ground, it had rained that day; there she was, lying on her stomach, her eyes were not moving. For a minute I thought she was gone.

Next to her was her father, a touching distance between the father and daughter. She was breathing her last, my heart racing, trying to call an ambulance, I was struck; the youngster was going to die if nothing was done urgently.

I called AAR, I described the place and nature of the accident, the man at the end of the call asked me “ what kind of a vehicle has been involved in the accident?”, I paused, mad at first, resigned second, then I told him “ it is a private vehicle”, he promised to send the first ambulance available. I called the Nairobi traffic police boss Moses Katana, he promised to send a team of police officers, and they arrived minutes later. I saw the “mother” in one of the traffic police officers, she was distraught, but composed self and she was back to the rescue mission.

I walked back to the young gal. I imagined her hearing the faint voices of strangers shouting and trying to get the mother out of the mangled motor vehicle. Then I touched her small back, she had a pulse, her heart was racing so fast, I did not know her name, I did not know what she liked.

It was ten minutes after the fatal accident. I picked her up, blood on the back of her head, she was getting cold, her small fighting spirit maybe giving up on her soul. Then I started talking to her, I suspected she was slipping between death and life. She could move her eyes, breathe and then go quiet. It was terrifying.

In the confusion we managed to flag down yet another private motor vehicle. One girl in the back seat; the one I believed was badly injured in the safe hands of a relative, a red small vehicle sped off in high speed. The youngsters left behind their mother and father.
Two hours later I walked into Gertrude’s children’s’ hospital in Muthaiga and after inquiring about the four little angels, I was directed to the emergency room. I met the oldest girl in pain but all bandaged up and a busy nurse attending to her told me she was fine. Across the room, I could barely recognize the three-year-something-old little angel that I had seen at the accident scene. She was on oxygen, but in safe hands. A nurse attending to her said she had pulled through.
As I walked back to my car, three times now since the four angels were admitted to the hospital, it dawned on me and still does that life can be useless at times, but again, it can be all that we want it is all that we crave for.

The little girl- name withheld- was moved from the Intensive Care Unit to the general ward; I was with her today afternoon, she is amazing, she had fed and she was asleep. Her oldest sister, was playing with her mobile phone, she did not even look at me despite her aunt telling her I was not a doctor and I had no plans of giving her a jab.
They are fine. But they need your help, first they need to get well soon, then we must tell them the story of their mother and father. Then tell their father who is in a coma the story of his wife and his daughters. It is a tough place to be in as a father and husband.

But of immediate importance is their growing medical bill. If you’ve been touched, don’t hesitate to go visit them, or support them.

A brother to the mother of the youngsters gave me this account number:

SABRA KHAN,

DTB BANK

5109532001

Nation Centre Branch

You can as well call Shaheen’s sister (the mother to the young girls) – Sabra Khan-0722472166. And the kids would love to have you visit them.

Such is life.

I also read this piece elsewhere too, ‘Should Ahmed open his eyes he will understand that beside losing his wife, he also has a medical bill of approximately 4 million to the 4th of May 2016 to pay. That still continues to increase as they are all still in hospital. You might all ask about the insurance. It will only cater for approximately 1.5 million and the rest are for me and you. Mpesa no: 0722472166 Sabra Khan (Shaheen’s sister). Admission no Aga Khan AK1784560, Getrudes: 491242/43/46.

Please let us remember them in our prayers and help whenever we can. May God give the family patience through this difficult time. Keep sharing this message. You just never know when you will need such help too so never ignore. Such is life; it has lots of surprises, and sometimes, they are not so pleasing.

God bless you all.