04/09/2026
LONG Post…
The day has finally arrived.
1 yr today since my MVA car accident on my diverted long way home from homecare/physio/ massage on a farm in Kernot.
The day wasn’t like today being sunny!
It was cold, wet , extremely windy.
I sometimes think of the Kernot bridge if opened or fixed, l may not have had my accident on the windy narrow roads.
I moved across L into the muddy red slushy embankment to give way to oncoming car with a horse trailer and was flicked back on rd through a puddle hole and the back wheels locked up and started fishtailing , and l though lll opposite steer, and then next thing it went sideways heading L up towards the embankment, and all l could say in my head “ohh lm going to have an accident “ so l relaxed and held the steering wheel as tight as l could.
Then Bang, 🤯💥the force of the Toyota rav 4 (with a decent metal bar) connecting upwards l think or sideways upwards knocked me out so l didn’t feel any pain.
I then woke as the car was flipping over banging down the embankment off the big gumtree apparently and landing with my drivers side down on the road sideways.
As l woke l was so scared thinking lm now facing opposite bend in the road for an oncoming car to take me out completely as l lay there looking out the cracked window but found out l was facing the opposite direction.
I got my belt off sideways and found my phone and rang 000 but no had pin for me to detail where l was.
Then l saw this truck looking farmers Ute go by and a man in a hat race upto me thinking it was a farmer.
As he lent down to see me l said l can’t tell 000 where l am and can you please help.
He left and then l had about 5 min of awesome adrenaline still running through my body and l was shaken up and a bit teary.
I did take a few pics from my phone and a video maybe incase l was going to D*e - saying “lve just had an accident but lm ok” as lm talking into the phone!
Ahh well then Lights out for me…
My body apparently went o to deep shock twice, 13 services attended from Bass CFA, LochCFA , Hwy patrol, Wonthaggi Police, SES services and Wonthaggi Ambulance services.
I remember shaking and passing in/out as l lay against the door sideways and it took 2hrs to g ER me out.
Loch CFA crew had to do a roof flap extraction which they are trained in so when l finally was stable they had a ambulance man somehow in the car with me covering me with a blanket to stop the glass breaking onto me.
It was noisy and l thought my R shoulder was stuck every time they tried to move me.
I felt so sorry for all the crews that were kneeling down to be with me especially a woman ambulance whose voice l could hear trying to obviously keep me awake.
They finally lifted the door up a little to be able to grab my hand to do obs on, l remember some of that.
They were asking about my kids, but l don’t think l was very responsive.
Then apparently the air ambulance was called, and arrived with the difficulty of the wind factor so it must have been really windy - yes it was when l was conscious taking a quick pic and video earlier on.
They put me on a trolley and one of the air paramedics told me one of the police officers knew me, and he apparently tried to find out who was my NOK and kids numbers via my good friend lm told - gulp that sounds serious!!!
🥹
I was flown to The Royal Melbourne Hospital 🏥 and l still vividly remember the crew giving me instructions as we landed and what to expect when l got into Resus Bay.
You will see a lot of Drs and nurses all around you and you will be in good hands.
This is the third time lve been in a HEMS air ambulance.
1st time when our son at age 10 months went blue in bed and l happened to hear his muffled crying and l went in to find babe unresponsive and blue, in cot so we raced down to Warley hospital (1min away) and my baby and l were rushed via HEMS air copper to the Royal Children’s hospital where we stayed for a week doing lots of tests to see why babe was lucky to be here- maybe could’ve been cot d**th if l didn’t go into to him in time.
2nd time when l was checking into Leongatha Hospital 🏥 to book in for the birth of my Babe no 4,
dr Tim Linton said Bebe has a too regular heartbeat and l was rushed in an HEMS air chopper to The Mercy Hospital 🏥 but unfortunately she had a virus 🦠 and brain damage and we had her for two days.
And the moral of these stories involving HEMs choppers is this. 👇
After my Recent MVA crash and recovering at home if l was outside hearing or seeing emergency services
go past hwy (l lived near the main st) and thenoises of police ambo and emergency service would effect me.
Then months after the MVA l heard a buzzing sound outside my house and l went outside and looked up to see a RED chopper flying overhead close enough over the house.🏡
Deep inside my brain 🧠 l must have had a connection with PTSD symptoms arising from the MVA and deep seated trauma from previous experiences in a HEMS chopper as mentioned above with two of my children.
Well then l started to shake profusely and hyperventilate and Burst out crying uncontrollably trying to make it back inside when l collapsed onto the couch.
Geez this floored me unexpectedly, and how the brain 🧠 Remembers a threat, and goes into fright flight or freeze mode.
I’ve had professional road Trama group session counselling via TAC and the RMH, which was very informative and gives a MVA survivor tools to help you learn to cope with all of the emotions that can, and will happen.
Listening to other people experience the same thoughts 💭 from their experience after their MVAs which is pretty much the same in all of us eg: thoughts, fears, emotions, flashbacks.
The lucky ones, who can get in a car, or have a car, or can only sit in the drivers seat - there are many firsts will getting behind the wheel again.
I hope sharing my experiences can help anyone out there who has had a MVA or hope to goodness doesn’t that l can help you in some way.
For me personally l wasn’t able to drive luckily for a few weeks from the accident til l had assessments done in outpatients and had regular appointments with RMH opth and neuro teams.
Because my head was bashed around and pushed backwards into the seat also from impact 70- 80km, l had double vision and STML (short term memory loss) and different professionals telling me “ l can drive local” and “no you can’t” and back n forth.
I didn’t have a car anyway so l had TAC taxi codes to get me to all my appointments thank goodness and l tell ya you get to know all the local taxi 🚖 drivers and the system here on Phillip lsland.
Subconsciously, lm scanning the roads and “what ifffs” and thinking cars were going to crash into me.
And the wet roads are still a struggle for me as l have flashbacks of loosing control and that the wheels re just going to swerve off the rd.
So l don’t drive in the wet farther than local areas.
Then l got the all clear just before Mother’s Day and my eldest son in QLD (since found out) three kiddies all put in and bought me a Mazda 6 automatic with warning sounds all round the car 🚗 if l get close to any objects, and my daughter and partner surprised me with this car on Mother’s Day this yr.
Thankyou my precious children not just getting me on the rd, but caring so much for me by not getting me a car till l was given the report to drive, for all my 5 children’s love, support, also Benny visiting me at the RMH when l got there, the calls and family support, and Jo Jo for being there too in hospital that day and my sisters and brothers.
Kiara for staying here with me after a minor procedure,
❤️
The SES Vicpol and CFA and VicAmbulance service that day at 10.48am on the narrow bend on the Glen Forbes Rd 4/9/25 - thankyou for you service you really are all angles on this earth and especially Grantville CFA George who found me and elected all services to me.
And two weeks later l was driven back to this accident site so l could process what a remember happening and guess who stopped again and got out and walked upto me ???
George !
In his CFA gear.
We talked hugged, he actually answered my questions and he told me exactly what happened which l think is very important for metal recovery.
Thanks George!
🙏🥹🛣️
And to all of my friends , my clients , new friends that have supported me, the visits the calls, the food, everything- thankyou!
🙏🏠🥹
I have a few pics of my journey and some of you stars 🌟 as it’s really all about YOU.
Sorry if l missed finding you in images here.
You know who you are.
If you have read this far l hope l can help others in a similar situation from Road Trama therapy to recovery and lastly, l learned that if you are in a MVA it is upto
YOU to tell Vic Roads, not the Drs not the hospital 🏥 YOU.
I didn’t know this and when l was given the final report that no double vision l was told to go get the vic roads vision test done, take it too vic roads and l thought that’s all l had to do.
Well l went in a taxi the next day with the results for this test plus the report form RMH Opptho and neuro teams signing me off clear to drive amd Leongatha vic roads customer service man said - do l have a case with transport vic about my MVA?
Ummm no - he said well now l do, l had to give him all copies from all teams and an investigation was issued.
I had to have a Specific Physio come down from Melb organised by TAC to assess me in a car (provided by Stan the local driving instructor who even thought my eldest now 31 to drive), then on my motorbike, then two written tests and cognitive and physical therapy assessment.
Then Transport Victoria (vic roads) gave me the letter to allow me to drive again.
Imagine how many people have gotten behind the wheel thinking a local GP said yep you can drive mate!
I’m lucky l didn’t have a car to get in at the time, not knowing this.
So there you go, the physio man told me how people after a MVA crash 💥 who have been told they can drive by a Dr have been in accidents with dire consequences, not holding up in court, and have ended up in bars…
So l hope this can edducate others.
Okiedookie,
Today last Friday l moved into a 2 brm unit 3 streets away, l also started to treat a few clients again.
🤲
Photography has been a blessing and contract work here has been easier to do and thanks for allowing me to do what l could knowing about my brain 🧠 function neurological issues l still have to navigate and manage best l can.
Life is full off ups and down just like a wave 🌊
If you can manage the ups and downs and find a medium balance in the middle - l believe life can be
rich without the trimmings.
And remember- life never stays the same so if you in a bad patch it won’t last just like the highs of life.
Keep safe, love with an opened heart, don’t sweat the small stuff, be yourself wholeheartedly, and find joy in all the ups and downs.
Putting my last two hrs of writing down my thoughts and feelings l guess this is me, open and raw and a little anxious but if l can reach out to others and help - it’s worth it.
😅
Love you my little community in San Remo and Phillip lsland , family is everything and so are friendships.
To my children- you are my inspiration, and as a parent you always know your kids are going to achieve and accomplish way more, in this life.
I’m one lucky duck
🌏
A funnier story to tell.
Ohh about 4 months after the accident (because l don’t sleep much) l decided to take a walk across the rd to watch the sunrise 😅on zero sleep 💤
In thongs leggings and t-shirt without phone.
Just my 18-55 mm camera
📷 round my neck.
Omgosh after the sun rise l turned L and saw the Golden Gate Bridge 🌉 lit up golden from the exact moment the sun hits.
I waddled up to the rock edge to lean over and get a better view and POW 💥 l ended up at the bottom of the bouldering rocks, onto the sandy smaller rocks 🪨 after getting knocked out - again!
I checked my camera at the time it still worked.
📷
While down there 👇 it was such a different view so l still got the Golden Gate Bridge shot, before somehow climbing up the sandy side of the rocks across the hyw and hobbled bleeding and cut up home 100 mtrs away.
I called an ambulance 🚑 to be checked out as l had a big hematoma on the back of my head, a deep wound on my forearm and a coxic
bone 🦴 l couldn’t sit on.
Anyway, has 4 stitches in arm, bruised coxic bone and deep lasarations all over my legs and arms.
I tell you this actually hurt more than the accident body wise 🙃
So no more silly stuff as my balance is not great anymore.
Geez that stack was a ripper!
The wound on my leg got infected had to go hospital again and had it drained out and then luckily it healed up.
And the tide was out!
If you’ve reached the end here, see the last image of the Golden Gate Bridge from my angle. 📐
I have many cat 🐈 lives
😁
