Individual Presentations

Rachel Roberts

I grew up thinking I was invincible - that nothing would ever happen to me, but then BANG. I was in a major car accident on Sunday 13th December 1998 around 1 o'clock, a few weeks before Christmas. My boyfriend was taking me out for lunch, to celebrate us being together for a while. He was doing 76kms in a 70km zone (Police report) he was on his P-plates and therefore inexperienced.

****** MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS CAUSED THE ACCIDENT.*****

We drove around the bend and we crashed. Most of the damage happened to me being the passenger. He was driven by ambulance to the closest hospital and I was airlifted by helicopter straight to the Alfred Hospital Trauma Centre, it took the ambulance men over an hour to remove me from the car and I have been told I nearly died a few times in the helicopter on the way to the hospital. At the time I had just finished my Arts Degree (in ceramics) at Monash university in Caulfield. I worked part-time at Ishka. I was happy and my life was going beautifully, I had just finished my arts degree, and had lots of friends and a boyfriend. My now brother-in-law took my sister away for the weekend and he proposed to her after 8 years of being together, when they returned I was unconcious at the Alfred Hospital.

So it was touch and go for a while - I was in a critical condition.

I lost my spleen, had 4 broken ribs, a fractured hip and traumatic brain injury. I had to have a tracheotomy, this where the Doctors split my wind pipe in and put a tube in, so I could breathe more easily.

The nurses asked my family - Mum, Dad and my Sister if they could sleep at the Hospital that night, because I wasn't looking too good and they thought that I may die. My family and friends were concerned for I was in the high dependency unit for several days. In fact I was in a coma for just over 6 weeks. After about 9 weeks of being in The Alfred I was moved to Glen Waverley Rehabilitation Hospital. I was an in-patient there for 4 months.

I was still in Post Traumatic Amnesia. I couldn't remember very much, I even introduced my Dad to my Sister, thinking they didn't know each other! I don't remember hardly anything about being an in-patient. I was shown photos of my life and I thought I was living in the Seventies.

I had to re-learn how to walk, how to talk, go to the toilet, shower, write, cook, clean and how to swallow food again. I had to wear nappies and my mattress was on the floor as I could have fallen out of a bed and I had absolutely NO MEMORY.

When I left Rehab, I lived with my Mum for a year and I continued to attend Rehab as an Outpatient until November 1999, another 7 months.

I couldn't drink alcohol or drive at this time - I was fully a child again. I had Carers, and they helped me to learn everything so I could live again.

Now it is just over 3 years since my accident, I still need Carers on occasions. I have an Occupational Therapist and a Speech Therapist. I am back at T.A.F.E. College learning my Artwork. I live by myself now, in a unit. I do 2 volunteer jobs - and I have learned to drive again. I can not work full-time because I get tired and I get stressed easily, over little things, that never bothered me before. I also can't read a Melways. I get confused. I forget what I was going to buy at the supermarket or shop.

Every now and then I see a psychologist. My social life is so different now. I have had close friends leave me, and my other friends are amazing in helping me. You never do know who your real friends are - NEVER.

This accident has changed my life so much, and my families life as well. It hasn't changed in a good way.

I AM STILL LOST ! ! ! but slowly starting to rebuild my life.

So please think about your responsibilities when either a passenger or a driver of a car and ......

If you would like to discuss TRAG in further detail
and/or arrange a presentation, contact the Assistant Secretary or phone our Chairperson, Terry House on 0411 117 374