[K_Drive]

I'm really sorry to hear man. I'm in tears. My prayers for you. Stay strong. I'm sure, you will be able to drive soon. Get well soon.

[ranjith_cbz]

Fawad, I am sorry you had to go through such traumatic experience and suffered so much. The only silver lining during this tragedy is that you were surrounded by many health care professionals also your friends without which it would have been worse. Many thanks to them.

I am glad you are doing better now and have the strength to share the experience with us. As someone who has experienced something similar within family I would say the road to recovery is very long and you should be patient with the progress. There will be good days and bad days and sometimes it is one step forward and two steps forward. BUT you are going to have your full life back soon and have all the autonomy over your body and can do everything and anything you want to do. You just have to do relearn and rewire some of the ways in which you accomplish things. Prosthetics have come a long way and you can even participate in marathons if you wish to. Some people have more active lifestyle and quality of life after the tragedy than before.

Also please consider therapy or counselling for PTSD along with your physical and occupational therapy. This is one of the most neglected aspect of injuries of such nature and one never know when the psychological trauma hits us after a time. I personally regret not giving enough attention to this aspect after my own injury.

Coming to your driving, that should be the least of your worry for time being. For immediate future I would suggest you keep your compass but hire a chauffeur who will drive you around until many aspects of your injury are left behind. Once you feel better and ready physically I suggest you buy any automatic vehicle of your choice and adapt to it.

Another lucky factor is it's the left leg rather than right leg which is one uses for driving an automatic. I think within few months you can be back to driving fully and can undertake long drives progressively.

Please keep us posted with your progress and take us along on your journey to normalcy. My prayers and wishes for your recovery and hope you get quick justice in your legal fight.

[StarrySky]

When I read "life-changing" in the title I thought you had suffered an accident which gave you a new perspective on life. Little did I know the seriousness of the accident. I had a lump in my throat as I reached the end of your post.

You have great friends. I hope you can find strength in them and your family to pull through. As others have said, the fact that you have posted your experience here shows your mental toughness.

I can only offer my best wishes and prayers.

[sameer_vwagner]

I wish you a speedy recovery Dr. Fawad. My thoughts and prayers with you and your family as i type this. Please do look after yourself and if needed take, please take help from a counsellor. This does help in overall recovery.

Also, with the technology seeing a lot of advance, i am sure you will be able to drive your compass again. If there is anything we can assist you with, please do let us know.

Finally sir, I'll advise you to seek help of a good lawyer to proceed with this. The police's outlook is totally beyond your control so a legal point of view should come in handy in this case.

Get well soon!

[khanmaj]

I wish you a speedy recovery Fawad! Hope you will find your strength very soon and be back on your Compass's driving seat.
My prayers and best wishes are with you!

[Pennant1970]

First off, commiserations on your ordeal. I wouldn't start to know how you feel after the loss of a limb. Blessings and prayers. Get well soon.

[famousshoes]

You are incredibly courageous Fawad and inspirational!
I'm definite that you will make a quick recovery.
Like many others on this thread i am filled with pain and anger at the carelessness of the pickup driver and also at the system that caused this accident. Some times we may not find meaningful answers to things that happen to us in life, I hope you find the will to carry on and get back into your life with renewed vigour.

I can only offer my support and encouragement for your journey in the coming months. There was a time in my life when i was unable to use my right hand and it was a struggle to get back into the routine i was used to.
There may be moments of frustration and pain but with perseverance you will slowly but surely make it back.
The day is not far when we will see a photo of you on this thread behind the wheel of your favourite Compass.
chin up and cheers
love and prayers

[bikertillidie]

Wish you a quick and full recovery... Our prayers are with you.

[AtheK]

Felt really sad as I continued progressing reading the post, all I can say is that stay strong, this shall pass. I know it is easier said then done, but the only way from here is forward.

I hope you recover well and wish you the very best, and soon be able to drive automatic cars!

Stay strong!

[sgm]

Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery. Truly a shocking accident. Kudos to you for being very positive and this will help you with a faster recovery.
Prayers for peace and inner strength as you slowly come back to your new normal life. Hope you will get justice soon.

[Rajjay]

You'll be in our prayers. Wishing you a fast recovery.

[V.Narayan]

Yesterday I attended a function organized by OGQ {Olympic Gold Quest} an NGO that funds the training and supports athletes and para athletes in many ways. Yesterday's function had several para-Olympians who had won a medal for India at Tokyo. To hear the narration of their journey was a testament to the human will. I attend this function after every Olympics and one cannot help but feel the power of the human spirit. Like those young para athletes I pray you too find the reservoir of strength hidden in all of us and rebuild your life and lead it to its fullest glory.

[Evyas]

Wishing you a speedy recovery Fawad. Can’t even imagine what you and your family are going through. At times like these it is hard to appreciate that you got lucky, but you are brave and level-headed enough to do that and I salute that spirit of yours. Don’t let that go down..there is much to be done and you will be back on the road, living your life the way you want to. Maybe not how you want to but but your dreams will not be sacrificed.

Believe in that and in yourself.

I can only share one of the most inspiring poems I’ve read, written by someone who was in a similar situation as yours. He was recovering from surgery as his one foot had already undergone amputation.

Keep the faith my friend. You have taken what life has thrown at you with great courage. Keep at it. You are the captain of your ship and master of your soul.

Invictus
BY WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.

[mohansrides]

Originally Posted by fawad0222

Few close medico friends….

Drive safe.

Sincere regards

Tough break sir. Very tough indeed. But sir, you are tougher. You are a machine. In fact, you are better than a machine. To go through such trauma and to have the clarity to collect and organise your thoughts, and then to make a decision to reach out and tap this community for catharsis / help / advise… that is better than what 99% of folk out there would have done. In all likelihood, most people in your position would be wallowing in victimhood (and really who can blame them if they do so?!). But you sir are certainly not doing that. So take heart. You are in all of our prayers for you to come out hard and swinging from this chapter of your life.

You will drive that car and other cars. You will go on many more safaris. You will be back on the slopes trekking and exploring to your heart’s content. You will perform every physical activity that you used to do, and some more that you never had the courage to indulge in even before this incident. You will be the source of energy and inspiration that everyone will look to when they need a push in life. You will look back on this incident and you will decide that it matters only because it unlocked your true potential as a human being. This is that inflection point that is going to set you up for unimaginable successes that have never even occurred to you at this point.

Best Wishes

[vignesh207]

Take care and wish you a speedy recovery. Life can be unpredictable at times and even if we take all precautions, it will surprise in ways which we can't even imagine.

I hope you come out stronger and you get to do all the long drives you love soon. May god be with you!