We could have died last night. We were coming home from a really enjoyable quiz night in Cottingham. John was driving as he’s on antibiotics and can’t drink.

We came round a blind bend, and there’s this minivan hurtling towards us on the wrong side of the road. John swerved right, but so did the minivan, and we had a diagonal sort of collision. I thought, ‘This is it!’ No time for fear. I heard the crash and a felt a bad pain where the air bag hit me. Then I realised I was alive still. Looked at John and he was okay too. We sat stunned for a minute, and then saw the smoke or steam coming out of the bonnets of both vehicles. My door was jammed and I could only open it a fraction, but managed to squeeze out painfully. John couldn’t get out until I got his wheelchair out of the boot, which I did with great difficulty. I should have asked the two men from the other vehicle, but didn’t think of it.

The other men were really dazed. (Like us.) John didn’t bring his bag so had no phone, and I had forgotten my mobile. (My camera too which is a real bummer) The men were foreign and didn’t seem to know what to do. I said phone for police and they didn’t know about 999, so they gave me their mobile, but I couldn’t get through to the police. Fortunately, a lorry driver stopped and took over, phoning for police and ambulance. A lady also stopped and put her hazard lights on to warn approaching vehicles. It was 11.15 pm but quite busy.

Anyway, I’m getting bored writing now, and need to go shopping.

The ambulance men were concerned about my neck as it hurt at the centre, and not the sides, so strapped me up and got me to hospital. I had several xrays, but everything is ok. They just warned me to take painkillers as it would hurt the next day. It does, but not too bad. I’m just moving very slowly. Typing not affected though.

John’s chest hurts from the seat belt and air bag too, but otherwise we’re alive and well, and so thankful that it wasn’t worse.

The police rang this morning to say that the driver of the minivan will be charged with careless driving and probably have to do a driving course.

We were both very sorry for him, as he made one silly mistake. The policeman this morning said he had done the same abroad, and Kevin said he had done so too. I actually admitted to John that I had done it in Portugal. I have never told him out of pride. Anyway he knows now, about four years later.

Shopping now. For joint and iboprofen. No not that kind of joint.

Praise the Lord for looking after us!