I've searched and read obsessively since June 7th, the day a London bus driver decided to experiment with launching passengers as missiles and broke my right hand, snapped the head off my left humerus, and knocked me out. Nothing I've been able to find online was similar to the symptoms or experience I had so I've decided to go back to the beginning and write about it, in case it helps someone else who has a similar set of injuries.
June 7th, 13:55
I was on a fairly empty bus heading across Southwark Bridge, running a little late for a meeting at 2pm at Red Lion Court. I came downstairs from the upper deck on the bus, I remember looking to the left as I got to the bottom of the stairs and seeing two men also standing at the middle door waiting to get off at the next stop, and then looking to the front of the bus. I remember a bus pole being wrenched out of my right hand and a sudden pain in my hand, and then nothing. The next thing I remember is an explosion of pain, as a man tried to help me up using my left arm and I screamed. I was somehow now at the very front of the bus, my face on the floor, and had an odd sensation in my left arm, which didn't seem to be working. My right hand had a deep gash on from my thumb to my wrist, and my head was bleeding and throbbing.
The man who had tried to help me up said "Don't worry, the police and ambulance are on their way, you'll be ok." Which made no sense to me at the time, I had no idea what had happened, or where I was. Then he said sorry, but he had to go. I was still on the floor, and became aware that the bus was now completely empty, except the bus driver who was still in his cab.
The front doors on the bus were open, and two women walking across the bridge looked in and asked what had happened, then got on the bus to try to help. They asked who I wanted to call, and I said my sister, but couldn't remember her number. We then tried a few things to see if I could sit up, and managed to get into a sitting position with my back against the front of the bus. One of them went to buy a bottle of water for me.
At that point the police arrived, and they were trying to get my details, but I couldn't even remember my own phone number. One of women suggested calling her from my mobile so my number would show up. Luckily someone was able to think clearly! She then suggested emailing my sister, which I managed, but then left my phone on silent, so when she tried calling me I missed the calls. Oops.
The police also tried to get me up, but I couldn't move. A paramedic arrived on a motorbike, and he also couldn't get me up. When he saw the state of me, he called for an ambulance. Meanwhile, the bus driver asked me to move as I was in the way of his cab door opening and he couldn't get out. One of the women who was with me told him precisely what he could do with himself and that he had caused enough damage already.
The ambulance got there pretty quickly, and they managed to get me up and into a seat on the bus. They cut open the left sleeve of my jumper to examine my arm, checked vitals, put my arm in a sling (a whole other world of pain there) and tried to start an IV line in my hand, which I refused. So they gave me 2 paracetemol and 2 ibuprofen, and then walked me to the ambulance. I also managed to talk to my sister now, who was on her way, and tell her I was being taken to St Thomas' A&E.
By now I had decided that I was probably ok, and it was just a rotator cuff problem, like I'd had before. I also couldn't stop talking. The paramedic looked dubious at my diagnosis. The next problem was getting me to sit down in the ambulance. I didn't know this was going to be a theme for the next few weeks - getting up wasn't fun, but trying to sit or lie down would be absolute hell for many weeks.
At the hospital I was prepared for a long wait, and had just managed to sit down (much wincing and swearing) in the A&E waiting area when the police arrived, and I got called in by a nurse practitioner. The police came along for the consultation. So now both the medical and police questions came, which fortunately had some overlap. While all this was going on, my sister arrived, having managed to get past the reception staff who didn't want to let her through. Never been so happy to see someone.
Off we went now for x-rays, which luckily could be done standing up. And then back to wait for the followup. Which was also quick - I'll say this for St Thomas' A&E, there was very little waiting, and the staff were really lovely. Unfortunately that was the last time the NHS were ok throughout all the fun to follow.
Turns out I had a complete break through the surgical neck of the humerus. I found out later it's called the surgical neck as fractures there so often require surgery. An orthopaedic consultant came in and apparently poked, prodded and asked a bunch of questions, according to my sister, I have no memory of any of that, I was just in shock at hearing I had a fracture. I do remember being told that a cast was not possible for shoulder fractures, they just put you in a collar and cuff sling and hope gravity does the rest.
I was then given the collar and cuff sling, and my head and right hand cleaned and a plaster applied (more on that later). I was told my records were sent to my local hospital, and to make a followup appointment with them as they would take over my care (huh!). I was given a prescription for codeine, and we were sent on our way.
June 7th, 13:55
I was on a fairly empty bus heading across Southwark Bridge, running a little late for a meeting at 2pm at Red Lion Court. I came downstairs from the upper deck on the bus, I remember looking to the left as I got to the bottom of the stairs and seeing two men also standing at the middle door waiting to get off at the next stop, and then looking to the front of the bus. I remember a bus pole being wrenched out of my right hand and a sudden pain in my hand, and then nothing. The next thing I remember is an explosion of pain, as a man tried to help me up using my left arm and I screamed. I was somehow now at the very front of the bus, my face on the floor, and had an odd sensation in my left arm, which didn't seem to be working. My right hand had a deep gash on from my thumb to my wrist, and my head was bleeding and throbbing.
The man who had tried to help me up said "Don't worry, the police and ambulance are on their way, you'll be ok." Which made no sense to me at the time, I had no idea what had happened, or where I was. Then he said sorry, but he had to go. I was still on the floor, and became aware that the bus was now completely empty, except the bus driver who was still in his cab.
The front doors on the bus were open, and two women walking across the bridge looked in and asked what had happened, then got on the bus to try to help. They asked who I wanted to call, and I said my sister, but couldn't remember her number. We then tried a few things to see if I could sit up, and managed to get into a sitting position with my back against the front of the bus. One of them went to buy a bottle of water for me.
At that point the police arrived, and they were trying to get my details, but I couldn't even remember my own phone number. One of women suggested calling her from my mobile so my number would show up. Luckily someone was able to think clearly! She then suggested emailing my sister, which I managed, but then left my phone on silent, so when she tried calling me I missed the calls. Oops.
The police also tried to get me up, but I couldn't move. A paramedic arrived on a motorbike, and he also couldn't get me up. When he saw the state of me, he called for an ambulance. Meanwhile, the bus driver asked me to move as I was in the way of his cab door opening and he couldn't get out. One of the women who was with me told him precisely what he could do with himself and that he had caused enough damage already.
The ambulance got there pretty quickly, and they managed to get me up and into a seat on the bus. They cut open the left sleeve of my jumper to examine my arm, checked vitals, put my arm in a sling (a whole other world of pain there) and tried to start an IV line in my hand, which I refused. So they gave me 2 paracetemol and 2 ibuprofen, and then walked me to the ambulance. I also managed to talk to my sister now, who was on her way, and tell her I was being taken to St Thomas' A&E.
By now I had decided that I was probably ok, and it was just a rotator cuff problem, like I'd had before. I also couldn't stop talking. The paramedic looked dubious at my diagnosis. The next problem was getting me to sit down in the ambulance. I didn't know this was going to be a theme for the next few weeks - getting up wasn't fun, but trying to sit or lie down would be absolute hell for many weeks.
At the hospital I was prepared for a long wait, and had just managed to sit down (much wincing and swearing) in the A&E waiting area when the police arrived, and I got called in by a nurse practitioner. The police came along for the consultation. So now both the medical and police questions came, which fortunately had some overlap. While all this was going on, my sister arrived, having managed to get past the reception staff who didn't want to let her through. Never been so happy to see someone.
Off we went now for x-rays, which luckily could be done standing up. And then back to wait for the followup. Which was also quick - I'll say this for St Thomas' A&E, there was very little waiting, and the staff were really lovely. Unfortunately that was the last time the NHS were ok throughout all the fun to follow.
Turns out I had a complete break through the surgical neck of the humerus. I found out later it's called the surgical neck as fractures there so often require surgery. An orthopaedic consultant came in and apparently poked, prodded and asked a bunch of questions, according to my sister, I have no memory of any of that, I was just in shock at hearing I had a fracture. I do remember being told that a cast was not possible for shoulder fractures, they just put you in a collar and cuff sling and hope gravity does the rest.
I was then given the collar and cuff sling, and my head and right hand cleaned and a plaster applied (more on that later). I was told my records were sent to my local hospital, and to make a followup appointment with them as they would take over my care (huh!). I was given a prescription for codeine, and we were sent on our way.
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