In 2019 I had a major accident. I was on a motorcycle expedition in Ladakh (in the Himalayas) when my brakes malfunctioned. The bike skidded, went off the road and down the hillside. I landed on a bed of rocks and a 200kg motorcycle flew in the air and landed on top of me.
When I awoke from my black out, I found the entire motorcycle covering my entire body, with the front wheel spinning inches from my face. When I was lifted up, we learned that both the bones between my left knee and ankle had snapped into two pieces. We were a six hour drive away from the closest place where our mobile phones could get any reception.
I was taken to the closest village, where some cardboard was put under my leg and it was taped up. I was then driven to Leh, airlifted to Delhi the next morning and operated on the next afternoon. A metal rod was put in my left leg. Two weeks later, we learned that my right wrist, which was in cast, had also broken, and so I underwent another surgery to put a metal plate and six screws in my right hand.
The recovery of the leg was the most painful thing I have ever been through. I’d have hours of excruciating pain every night which no painkiller could fix. I had to just cover my entire leg with ice for hours on end while involuntarily screaming in agony. A feather touch on my left foot felt like acid was being poured on it. I was unable to button my shirt, unable to go to the washroom myself and unable to even hold a spoon.
I had to learn how to walk again. I went from wheelchair to two crutches, to one crutch, and then slowly started walking again. I will not regain full functionality in both wrist and leg, because as my surgeon rightfully pointed out, ‘Man cannot give you what God gave you’.
I am incredibly grateful.
I’m grateful that my bone didn’t cut through my skin during my accident in the remote Himalayas, because if it had, I would have bled to death.
I’m grateful that I was wearing safety gear from head to toe because my entire body had been sandwiched between rocks and metal. The leg broke due to a spiral fracture (when it gets twisted) and the wrist broke because of the gap between the safety jacket and the gloves.
