Tracey Bradshaw

My story

In 2008 while on a Sunday afternnon drive, our car was hit by a young speeding driver who lost control of their vehicle on a country road. I was the front seat passenger in our family car and was critically injured when the engine was forced through the firewall into my footwell. My husband and children thankfully received only minor injuries. I was trapped for over 2 hours and after being cut from the wreckage I was airlifted to hospital. My main injuries were broken left femur, broken right hand and subsequent pulmonary embolism (blood clots in my lungs).

Almost two years on I am still struggling with the injuries, pain, anxiety and depression caused by this accident. As I write this paragraph I am laying in a hospital bed after yet another surgery and to top it all off, my husband recently left me as he could not cope with my physical and emotional changes. The young girl who caused our accident (admitted full liability and was charged) has no idea of the far reaching consequences of her reckless actions. Her only excuse for her excess speed (estimated by other witnesses and police investigation to have been 120 kmph on a 60 km bend) was that she "had stuff on her mind"...

I feel like I am stuck in a kind of limbo - the physical and emotional issues still affecting every aspect of my daily life, my ability to interact with others - especially my children. Friends have drifted away - I know they are tired of it all - they expected me to be "better" by now...well so did I...

I don't want to be angry and bitter anymore - I would love my life back - to be physically and emotionally whole again...I know things could have been much worse, I am very thankful to be alive...I know it will take time...I just need patience...