Caroline
Rating:
;
Genre=Fiction;
Pages=11;
Characters=22,448;
Caroline's Memories Of Her Horrific Accident
It was a typical Friday morning and I was traveling to work in my car. On my way to work I have to take the dreaded motor-way that circles London. There was a lot of traffic on the M25 one day, and after getting stuck in a jam for half-an-hour I was getting a bit bored. I decided that it would be quicker to take the country route. I turned off the M25 and carried on to work along a B-road. The road I took was very bendy and I had to travel at a constant 50 mph if I was going to get to work on time. The bends in the road were starting to make me feel a bit strange. I was starting to become hypnotized by the lines in the middle of the road. I was imagining that they were one long snake wiggling off into the distance in front of my car. Suddenly I felt the car lose traction. I lost control and crashed through the barrier at the side of the road and went hurtling down into the valley below. I got flung out in front of the car as it rolled down the hill. I hit the ground and as I did so the car rolled on top of me, crushing me underneath - I blacked out.
When I came to, I was lying in a hospital bed with my neck in a brace. It was a shock at first because everything was so white. A doctor came over and I asked him what was wrong with me. He said that I'd had an accident. I felt a sudden wave of sickness as I started to remember the accident - getting crushed under the full weight of my car. I felt myself lose touch with reality - I passed out.
I felt a small pin-prick in my left arm as I awoke from my unconsciousness. I looked up to see that a young nurse was injecting a colorless liquid into me. She finished what she was doing and disappeared. The doctor I had seen earlier appeared where the nurse disappeared. He came over to me. His name-tag told me he was called Mr. Wildman.
"Hello Caroline, my name is Mr. Wildman. I'm the doctor who will be assessing your treatment here. As you've probably realized. You have some broken bones. We will need to take you to x-ray to see the full extent of your injuries. There will probably be some bone fractures that we can't really detect just by examination. I've put you on morphine for the pain."
"Do you know how long I'll have to stay here?" I asked.
"Frankly, it's hard to tell at this moment. It will probably be at least six weeks." the doctor said matter-of-factly.
"How long have I been here?" I asked unknowingly.
"You arrived here four hours ago. You're at Great Ormond Street hospital." he replied.
"I've got to go and see another patient. You'll be taken to x-ray soon. Good luck." he said reassuringly.
Mr. Wildman left the room.
After some time I was eventually wheeled into the x-ray room where my body was x-rayed from head to toe. It was an interesting process. There was no flash like you'd get from a camera, just a faint click and that was it. I was taken back to my room when the x-rays were completed. It was quite late and I had no trouble falling into a deep sleep.
* * *
I was awoken the next day by a young nurse who told me that I would be starting my treatment today. She said that I was going to have a leg in plaster. I wasn't too bothered by that, I was just happy to be alive.
After an hour or so I was wheeled into the casting unit on my bed, I met the casting doctor. He told me that it was time for my casting. I lazily watched as the doctor starting preparing the Plaster of Paris. I guess I was lucky only to have a broken leg. The doctor was ready to cast. I watched as he took out a big roll of bandages from the dish and started wrapping my leg in it. The water dripping from the plaster felt cool against my skin and in a way it was quite pleasant.
After twenty minutes the doctor had finished my leg. "There that wasn't bad was it?" he said. Then I watched as the doctor took out more plaster bandages and started wrapping up my other leg with it. This surprised me a bit as I thought I'd only broken the one leg.
"I thought I'd only broken one leg?" I asked confused.
"The x-rays show you've broken both..." he said remotely.
I relaxed again as I felt the plaster. Enjoying the cold sensation of it being wound onto my leg. It felt wonderful.
Time passed quickly and the plaster on my legs had set rock hard. The casting doctor had walked out of the room to study some more x-rays.
A while later the doctor came back in. To my surprise he took my arm and started wrapping that in a cast as well.
"What are you doing!" I said in disbelief.
"I regret to tell you that you have broken both of your arms and both of your collar bones." the doctor explained.
"Why wasn't I told about this earlier!" I cried.
"I'm sorry. There was a delay in receiving your x-rays. I'm still yet to obtain the ones of your torso and pelvis. Please try to relax." he suggested thoughtfully.
I couldn't believe it! I sadly watched as the doctor trapped my arms in plaster casts. The doctor finally finished my last free limb and inside I cried out as I felt the last movement in my right arm completely disappear. When the casts were dry the doctor then brought out bits of equipment I didn't recognize.
"What are they for?" I inquired.
"I have to support your arms out at a 90 degree angle to allow your collar bones to heal." he replied.
I just stared as he fastened a belt around my waist. He then propped up both my arms like a pair of wings at 90 degrees to my body. I felt ridiculous lying flat on my back with my arms stuck out like a bloody chicken. I suddenly burst out in waves of sobs. I was taken back to my private room where I was left alone to cry myself to sleep.
The next morning I awoke early, the big golden sun was shining in from behind a moulting tree. The sun brought new life into me as the shock of awakening and realizing that I was encased in plaster bore into me making me feel like a prisoner in my own body. The neck brace I had been wearing ever since I had been here was beginning to feel uncomfortable. I called out to a consultant walking by, to see if I could have the neck brace removed.
"Do you feel any pain in your neck when you try to move it.?" the consultant asked me.
"No. It feels fine." I replied.
I guess that it will be OK then." the doctor released the neck brace from my neck. As he did so he noticed something. Without an explanation he left. I felt better now that I could use my neck, but I was wondering what the consultant had seen. I tried lifting my hand to my neck and was instantly reminded of the restrictions of my arm casts. I couldn't move an inch. It was so frustrating.
* * *
Half an hour passed by until I saw anyone else. The consultant who removed my neck brace came back with the doctor who I'd met in the casting room the day before. The doctor wheeled me out into the corridor. The consultant kept whispering things to the doctor pushing me. The consultant walked away. I asked the doctor what was wrong.
"The consultant found some bruising on your neck when he removed the brace. We just need to check this with an x-ray. We also need to take some more x-rays of your torso and pelvic regions because the first ones we took didn't develop. There's nothing to worry about we're just x-raying your neck as a precaution." the casting doctor explained fully.
In the x-ray room I dozed off again because it took so long to get the x-rays done of my body.
* * *
When I awoke I was still in the x-ray room. A doctor behind a screen saw me awake and came over to me. He slowly explained to me that I had fractured some of the bones in my spine and I that I had also smashed my pelvis. The news made me burst out in tears. I sank down inside myself.
After I'd got over the shock, I asked the doctor what they were going to do to me. The man said that it would probably mean wearing a back brace for a while that's all. I asked what it was. He told me that it is used to keep my back straight as it heals. That didn't sound too bad.
About an hour later the consultant came in and carted me into the casting room again. I asked the consultant what was happening and he stubbornly said, "Not to worry!". The consultant walked off. I was alone again.
Ten minutes later the familiar casting doctor came in and greeted me.
"Hello again Caroline, how are you?" the casting doctor asked politely.
"A bit painful." I replied.
"Well the reason you are here is to try and sort that out. Oh and please call me Fred instead of doctor and please try to relax! Hospitals are fun places you know!" Fred said cheerily. I watched as he disappeared into a little room and came back with a table with a thin removable wooden back. He carefully picked me up and placed me on this table where I lay flat on my back.
"OK then, the consultant spoke to me about your spine and pelvis. After some consideration he realized that a back brace wouldn't be good enough to heal your spine as your pelvis needs to be healed at the same time. I'm afraid that there's only one option for you. You will need to be placed in a body cast. I know this sounds scary but if all goes well, the cast will be removed in about a three months, which you will see will come around in no time." Fred carefully explained.
"I can't believe this is happening to me! This must be a bad dream!" I replied, feeling very nervous and upset about the terrible news he had just told me.
"I'm sorry but it's absolutely vital for you to heal completely."
"How long will it take to set my body in plaster?" I asked feeling a bit queasy
"About an hour," he said "I'm going to start now if that's OK." he explained and I just nodded obediently. Still in shock over the news.
Fred started by removing the braces holding up my arms, he explained that they wouldn't be needed. Fred then, slowly and with a great amount of care lifted the bottom of my nightdress and pulled it up my body and over my head, he then placed it on a chair. He then carefully undid my bra and took that off as well. The casting doctor then started to take off my underwear but I stopped him.
"Is it really necessary to take off my underwear? I feel vulnerable when I'm naked." I asked.
"I have to be able to fit the cast without any restrictions. I'm afraid it is absolutely necessary." Fred answered.
"Well if you must...." I muttered. Trying to hold back the tears.
Slowly and carefully he peeled my underwear away from my private parts and down over my plastered legs. He then threw them on the chair with the rest of my clothes. Fred then said that he was going to prepare the plaster and he left. I was lying completely naked on the table.
While Fred was gone I peered down at my naked body. I peered down the valley between the two mounds on my chest. I could see my two legs perfectly set in two brilliant white plaster casts. I looked once more over the bare skin of my body knowing that it would soon be replaced by the sight of more Plaster of Paris.
Fred reappeared with a big trolley that had on it a bowl full of bandages. I couldn't help feeling vulnerable, lying there as Fred analyzed my broken body. I watched as Fred started wrapping the plaster soaked bandages around my body. I started day dreaming about the accident, lost in thought.
When I came back out of myself I looked down upon my body. Fred had cast both of my shoulders in plaster. Both of my arms were held out at the same 90 degree angle as before, this time enforced by the shoulder casts which were joined to the casts on my arms to form one joined cast. Fred started winding on even more plaster. I felt my breasts flatten against my chest as the plaster was carefully wrapped over the top. I was quite surprised at Fred's straightforward approach. He didn't seem to mind touching the most intimate parts of my body for prolonged amounts of time. "That's your home for the next couple of days" I thought as I looked down upon the thick wall of white setting plaster. I was pleased that Fred had been so careful around my breasts. My vulnerability had lessened slightly now. I looked down over the lump that contained my breasts to see Fred was now wrapping my stomach in a thick band of plaster.
I breathed in cautiously as Fred covered my waistline with white plaster soaked bandages. When I finally breathed out I felt the chasm of plaster hug me like a flattering swimsuit does. In a way it was rather comforting, like I was being held tightly by someone. This took away some of my loneliness I was feeling, as more and more of my body became stranded in the inflexible coat of plaster.
"I thought I'd just inform you that I am about to do around your privates and rear-end. A hole will obviously need to left in the plaster for you to still be able to go to the toilet. I'm afraid this will involve quite a bit of contact in this area which is of an awkward shape to cast. It will also be quite time consuming as I also have to join the new plaster to your plastered legs to make a fully fixed plaster body cast." Fred said simplistically.
"fully fixed plaster body cast" I thought to myself. To my amazement those words sounded pretty exciting to me and I felt nerves run up and down my body, I was looking forward to it for some weird reason! But why? It would be terrible wouldn't it?
I gave my approval and Fred carried on making my cast. At first I felt very uncomfortable and unprotected as Fred wrapped the plaster bandages around my most private bodily feature, but after a while I got used to the close contact as Fred was very careful in his work.
"I've almost finished now. I'm just going to smooth over the surface of the cast to make it nice and smooth when it hardens on you." Fred joked.
"Thank-you" I replied.
Fred started smoothing over my shoulders with his huge hands spread out flat. The plaster was now stiff like a layer of clay. Fred then placed both hands next to each other at the top of my chest and slowly slid them down over my breasts which depressed under the weight of his hands. They then went over my mid-section and finally he used one hand to rub the plaster smooth around my privates, which strangely felt quite pleasurable.
"There we go all finished. I'm just going to inform the consultant that everything has gone successfully. I will be back in two hours by which time the cast should have set enough." Fred explained then left the room.
I was alone to think. I was surprised to notice that inside this plaster cast it was very cozy! It felt like a home inside this thing keeping me warm and safe. I breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was over. No more pressure. Just locked up inside this mould in a solid unmoved state. I was actually looking forward now to the experience of being denied movement inside this comfortable, tightly fitted prison for the next three months with absolutely no chance of escape by any means, trapped. People would think that it would be terrible to be completely fixed in one posture for days on end, stuck inside this bodysuit without the use of any limbs or movement, not being able to bend over or sit up. Just enforced to stay in one laid out position, enforced by the restrictions of this perfectly moulded and fitted bodysuit of solidified plaster.
My daydreaming was interrupted by Fred as he came back in.
"Does it feel as if it has set yet?" Fred asked me.
"Yes, I think so. It doesn't feel warm anymore." I replied.
Fred ran his hands over every part of the cast to check that it had all set properly. He seemed satisfied. He gave a quick knock on the cast and a dull thud sounded out. I was taken back to my cubical to sleep.
I woke up the next day staring at the ceiling. Just as I did the last time I had forgotten about the plaster cast encasing my body like cement. I tried jerking movements to see if anything would happen. It was quite surprising that I couldn't move my position in the bed at all. The only things I could move were my fingers and toes. I tried as hard as I could to try and bend a leg but the plaster was so formidably strong, it was no use. I was going to be stuck like this for a three months so I'd better get used to it. A nurse came in with my breakfast. She put a pillow under my head to prop it up. She then took out a PVC bib and tied it around my neck. The bib lay over the plaster which contained my helpless body, ready to catch any food from splashing onto my brilliant white rock-hard bodysuit. After about twenty minutes of mouth feeding, breakfast was finally over. I felt a little embarrassed at my baby-like behaviour endeared by my statuesque state inside this plaster which had seemed to have hardened even further over night, as hard as stone.
* * *
I've been in my cast for two weeks now. I've got used to my plaster prison and I've got used to the permanent position that I was fused into at the start and I haven't been moved from this posture at all ever since the plaster set hard upon my body. The doctors say that I am making satisfactory progress and that they will be able to remove the body cast two weeks earlier than originally planned. That means I have two more months inside this beautiful artwork.
* * *
The two months quickly passed, and I was taken to have x-rays taken of my spine. Then I was taken to see Fred again.
"Hello Caroline, nice to see you again. How are you feeling?" Fred asked.
"I've got used to being stuck in this cast now." I replied.
"I've looked at your x-rays and they show that your lower spine has healed. But there are still some bones in your upper spine that haven't healed completly yet." Fred explained.
"Does that mean you can remove the body cast?" I asked.
"I will be able to remove the plaster around your mid-section and pelvis. But your upper spine must remain cast. Your cast will effectively be reduced from a body cast to a plaster jacket." Fred explained further.
"At least I'll be able to sit up in bed for once." I joked. I didn't feel a bit disappointed that I would have to remain cast in a plaster jacket I was enjoying the restrictions and the attention. Fred went out to get something.
Fred returned with a cutting tool. I watched as he carefully removed the cast upon my mid-section and pelvis. I felt my stomach loosen as the support of the plaster was gone.
"Is it OK for me to move?" I asked impatiently.
"First I need to smooth off the edges." Fred replied.
Fred went to work at smoothing off the edges so that they wouldn't irritate my skin.
"There we go!" Fred said with a smile on his face.
I tried bending side to side, it was a great feeling. I then tried sitting up but the plaster jacket was too heavy. Fred went round behind my trolley and tilted it up to a sitting position. It was wonderful to be able to sit up. No more staring up all the time. I looked down at my legs. It looked as if I was wearing a pair of big, white trousers, now that the mid-section was removed, they looked pretty cool. My legs totally encased in hard Plaster of Paris. I felt sort of glad to be in them. Seeking the attention of others who seemed to wish it was them experiencing the great feeling of having your legs set in this wonderful plaster.
* * *
It has now been six months since I had the accident. I'm really bored of being stuck in bed all the time. Fed up of being mouth fed at every meal. In an hour I'm hopefully going to have this plaster jacket taken off. It's given me something to look forward to for a change.
A doctor came in and took me to x-ray. I watched as the head of the x-ray probed my body. I was used to this boring process and found that the best thing to was to fall asleep which is what I did.
I was awoken by the familiar face of Fred. I didn't need to look around to see that I was in the casting room yet again. We made our usual greetings and Fred tilted me up into a sitting position.
"OK Caroline, I'm pleased to tell you that the x-rays show your spine, arms and clavicles have completely healed so I will be able to remove the plaster jacket. But your legs were very badly broken and need to stay in plaster for another month at least." Fred explained to me.
Fred brought out the cutting tools like before and removed the plaster jacket. As the last part of the cast was cut off I felt great to be able to stretch my body again. To move my arms for the first time in half a year. I realized that I topless and I remembered how I felt vulnerable the first time. This time, didn't feel vulnerable at all. I was comfortable with my breasts fully exposed to Fred.
"I'm going to get you your clothes to cover you up." Fred said.
Fred walked out of the room and later returned with my clothes. He took my bra and carefully put it on me. I could have done it but I let Fred do it. It surprised me how well he was at doing this, it's not exactly something he has to do himself!
"Does that feel OK?" Fred asked me.
"Yeah, it feels fine." I congratulated him.
Fred then picked up my jumper. He put that on for me as well.
* * *
It was the day that my leg casts be removed. I was taken into the x-ray department then onto the casting unit as usual.
At last the day had come. I would be able to go home finally, as good as new. I had been in hospital for 7 and a half months now.
"You are going to have to do a few weeks of physiotherapy before you can walk again properly." Fred said as he freed my legs from plaster.
"I can really go home? At last!" I replied with joy.
"As soon as you have finished your course of physiotherapy, yes." Fred reminded me.
At last I was going home.
Written by Steven (UKCaster)