A close shave – My Testimony

I had an experience recently that I will like to share with you guys. Some people will call what I experienced a freak accident or even a misadventure, but for me, its deeper.

Here’s my testimony…

I had travelled to Abuja to visit my father who was unwell, my plan was to to spend my first week with him – 24/7. I stuck to this plan and only stepped out to attend a function at my sister’s school and to pay my last respects to my friend’s late mum at a church Thanksgiving.

The Monday after I arrived, I had plans to reach out to my friends, do some social activities, and leave for Lagos for a few days before returning home. Little did I know my trip will be significantly different from what I had planned.

Monday June 19, 2023

Monday the 19th of June 2023 is a day I will never forget! My sister -Toyosi – had also arrived Abuja to see Dad and I asked her to come on my morning walk with me. After my morning call with my family, we set out at about 7.30 am. The weather was good and the road was quiet as always (I had been walking every day since arrival).

We were about 4 km into our 10km walk, chatting, laughing, listening to music and generally having a good time when I felt the urge to look back. Walking is one of my favourite activities, and I’m used to looking around occasionally (safety measures).

I noticed a Black Prado jeep was slowly driving towards us, obviously off its path. My first thought was that my brother was driving out and was being silly. I soon realised it was not him but I was so sure the driver could see us as I was staring straight into the tinted car. By the time it finally dawned on me that the driver was not going to stop, it was too late to run or to warn Toyosi to get out of its way, the car ran into us.

Aftermath

I felt the impact on my chest and fell down, screaming. I crouched in pain, thankful it was all over when suddenly, I felt tyres climbing me. The pain that engulfed my body cannot be described. At that point, my thoughts were that the driver had come after us to kill us!nThe car dragged me for what felt like hours. A few seconds later, I noticed the car was still. I struggled to roll out from under the car onto the road. Soon after, I could hear people shouting and trying to lift me up.

I just laid still on the floor, I was in intense pain and I was struggling to breath. I could not move any part of my body and I thought I was not going to make it. My mind went to Toyosi, I wondered if she was okay as I could not see her. I thought about my boys, I wondered how they would take it. But, Mercy said NO!

There was ANOTHER’ on the road

“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
    the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
⁸ or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;^[a]
    and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
⁹ Who among all these does not know
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?
¹⁰ In his hand is the life of every living thing
    and the breath of all mankind.

Job 12:7-10

The few seconds after the accident could have resulted in disaster for my family but God stepped in. Apparently it was not just 2 of us on that road that morning. Just as there was another in the fire with the 3 Hebrew Boys, there was another on the road with me and Toyosi.

Toyosi’s injury was more on the head. The collision must have knocked her off the road leaving her with a concussion and bruises on her face. Thank God for bringing her back, I don’t even think anyone noticed her as she was pushed to the side of the road. I was on the road with torn clothes, obvious bruises and bleeding, so I was easy to spot.

She woke up to see some people putting me in a car and with no idea of what had happened. Despite the pain she was in, she still ran home to alert our family who were able to intercept the car before we went out of reach. They wouldn’t have known where I was taken, I was aware of what was going on and could hear them talking of taking me to a general hospital but I couldn’t talk, so I could not object. I just lay helpless at the back of the car.

Thankfully my family caught up and took charge and I was eventually taken to Cedarcrest Hospital.

Hospital Holiday

I titled this part ‘hospital holiday’ as the remaining part of ‘what should have been’ my last 2 weeks in Nigeria was spent in the hospital. However, there was nothing holidaying about it 😊. The first 6 days were spent in great pain and discomfort in the ICU.

I had bruises on almost all parts of my body and I had a chest fracture so no position was comfortable. I was just always stretched on the bed, helpless, wondering when the pain will reduce but grateful to be alive. My doctors put me on very strong pain medication but the drugs didn’t do much for me.

The ICU staff were excellent – nurse Esther, nurse Modesta, Blessing, Bona and all the others. The doctors were also very nice, there was the cute Dr Ajagbe and the very cheerful Dr Kate who used to call me ‘the special one’ because of all the people checking on me. The physiotherapy team, especially Onyia were so helpful. they all made my stay there tolerable.

I finally got moved to the private ward and Toyosi moved in with me in our ‘room and parlor’ as we used to joke about it. Though I had some unpleasant experiences with some of the nurses there, I was put under the care of Dr Ogbue who was very professional and kind. The other nurses were also nice, but the ICU nurses were exceptionally good to me as was nurse Caleb, who always checked up on me. I must also mention the care i received from Dr Akinrinmade and Dr Adenuga. Cedarcrest is a good hospital.

Friday June 30, April

On Friday 30th June, I finally took off the hospital robe. I was discharged or should I say Toyosi and I were discharged 😁. Boy, was I glad to be out! Though there was still a lot of discomfort, it was good to leave the hospital walls. Mosun picked us up, I called hubs, called my other siblings and we were just praising God all the way home.

I still had to go for dressing every 2 days and I was under the care of Nurse Obichi, Cynthia, Pepe and the amazing humans in the wound dressing department. Nurse Obichi was heavily pregnant but would be on her feet dressing my wounds without complaining. My experience with them was pleasant, not the pain though, I dreaded the visits because of the pain and Dr Ogbue’s surgical blade 😊.

My Testimony

This is my story, my testimony. I’m back home now and I often wonder ‘what if’, but, there was another on the road with us. Toyosi and I are fine, we bear scars from the accident, I choose to call them scars of victory.

The Lord gave us victory that day and I cannot thank him enough. All I can do is share and tell people about the amazing God I serve.

Please praise God with and for me.

Thank you.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Psalm 34:8

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