Well, fuck my life. But at least I ain't dead.

Short version: on the way home from tram museum driving last Sunday (16th) I was involved in a nose-to-tail motor vehicle accident where I got rear-ended TWICE - and the second time I got pinned by my legs between my car and the vehicle that rear-ended me when a third vehicle rammed into the back of the second vehicle when both my vehicle and the one that rammed me were on the road shoulder. After being freed - being pinned for no more than 20 seconds - I was immediately taken to the Wellington Hospital emergency department where I was examined and spent the next two days under observation. Thankfully nothing resulted in any damage to my feet, so there's that.

Luckily no bones were broken, no damage north of my pelvis, and I have only a minor fracture/bone chip around my left kneecap area, but I've got abrasions and massive bruises all over my legs, with my left leg so bruised and swollen it's now in a splint and I've having to navigate around on crutches. I'm now discharged from hospital and have been certified as unfit for work until 1 December, with possible extensions depending to what the judgement of my doctor says in my appointment this coming Wednesday.

I was interviewed by the Police crash investigation officer - apparently there were 5-9 vehicles involved in that day's incident, it was bloody carnage! - and they confirmed all parts of my story from various dashcam and traffic-cam footage, I was not at fault in either incident. The third vehicle involved, which I never saw, was apparently driven by an 82 year old women, and there may be careless driving charges laid. Not that it matters to me that much at the moment, my main concern right now is simply recovery and not only getting around on crutches, but also navigating my pain meds and how to use a shower chair to wash myself (with my elephant leg sticking out of the cubicle in a plastic tub to stop flooding the bathroom). It's probably going to be around 8 weeks or so on crutches, so right now my physical world is the bedroom, bathroom and the lounge.

An ACC (note to non-Kiwis: government-funded accident compensation) claim was raised for my at the hospital, and I've since been advised that the claim is being processed so I should be able to tap into assistance such as travel cost reimbursement (our car damage is currently being assessed by the insurers) and home help with stuff Mrs Mayfurr can't manage. So far I'm off work on full pay, and it's possible that I'll be able to start doing work from home at some point before the end of the year.

So yeah, right now I'm feeling pretty buggered. But it could be worse - at least I got out of the hospital with all the body parts I went in with.

He aha te mea nui o te ao?
What is the most important thing in the world?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
It is the people, it is the people, it is the people.
- Maori proverb

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