https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/i-died-on-the-road-crash-survivor-tells-his-story/3807671/ WHEN Lindsay Grant woke up from an eight-day coma, he remembered nothing of the highway crash that nearly claimed his life. "I died on the road - CPR by the ambulance (respondents) saved my life. I'm a lucky man," he said. Mr Grant, 47, was travelling north on Nebo Road when a car turned into his path, colliding with his motorbike. He suffered breaks to his femur, arm, thumb and shoulder. He also sustained a lacerated liver, kidney failure and punctured lungs. "There was one time I woke up... and I was in that much pain I just wanted it to stop," he said. Police this month issued an infringement notice to an 81-year-old driver for failing to give way to oncoming vehicle in a median turning lane.
It has been a long and weary road to recovery for Mr Grant since the June 20 crash. He was in a coma for eight days in the Mackay Base Hospital intensive care unit, needed four trips to the operating theatre and several stints on dialysis to restore his renal function. Extensive physiotherapy is next. Wayne Williams regularly visited Mr Grant, as did Lexia Irving - who constantly read to him while he was in a coma. "It was scary," Ms Irving said. "We thought there was a good chance he could die." Mr Williams said his friend had come along in "leaps and bounds" in the past three weeks. The pair were set to catch up for a coffee when the accident occurred. "We got the message that he'd had the accident, so we came straight in," Mr Williams said. "He was in the operating theatre for what I reckon was about 16 hours. "He was probably very lucky it happened so close to the hospital. The staff here have been really good." When he is released from hospital, Mr Grant will stay with his Marian-based friends until he can walk and operate independently. It is not his first health battle, having overcome stomach cancer in 2015. Despite the ordeal, he refused to be tied down by his injuries. "It had already happened, not much use being scared. I just focused on getting better - the quicker the better," he said. "I could still be lying in bed not wanting to do physio and be a Sad Sack ... but I'm just trying to push myself each day a little bit more. "When you start dwelling on it you're not going to get better ... you can't take back what you've done. "Accidents happen, there are no hard feelings from me." Rider safety will be the focus when the 2nd annual Thunder Valley Run leaves from Mackay Harley Davidson dealership on Peel St at 10am today. The funds raised from the event will go towards various bike groups in the region for their charity initiatives aimed at raising awareness for the wellbeing of bikers on the road. For Mr Grant, his experience illustrated how vital awareness between riders and drivers were. "Drivers do need to be aware ... they need to be more vigilant of motorcycles," he said. "Even if you take those couple of seconds more to make sure when you're turning there's no bike." Mr Grant hopes to be out of hospital by next Friday. The Thunder Valley Run will leave the Mackay Harley Davidson dealership on Peel Street at 10am.
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AuthorA selection of my general news content. My main round was health, however I frequently covered weather, crime, politics and general human interest. Archives
January 2020
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