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Alison Broadbent

Dear me,

Alison was hit by a van while crossing a road, resulting in a leg amputation. She now gives others hope through an amputee support group and volunteering for Day One. Alison decided to write her letter to her dad: "Something that I’ve often wondered these past few years since the accident is what would he have thought."

Dear Dad,

I hope you are enjoying yourself in that workshop in the sky and have lots of interesting projects on the go. I expect you have been watching down at events here but in case you’ve been otherwise occupied I thought I’d bring you up to speed.

Nearly six years ago I was run over by a white van when I was walking home from the shops and was left in a right old mess. Both legs, one arm, pelvis and rib cage were broken plus a lot of surface damage. I was taken to hospital where they patched me up as best they could with various bits of metalwork and skin grafts. Unfortunately my right leg was deemed beyond redemption and so I’ve lost that. I know it would have broken your heart to see me in such a state.

I have devoted the last few years slowly rebuilding some sort of meaningful existence again summoning all my powers of determination and obstinacy which you so generously bestowed upon me. I know you brought me up to be as independent as possible, but this assignment has required help along the way by many highly talented and kind hearted people just until I’m paddling my own canoe again.

Rather than distressing you with all the lows and dark days of which there have been a few, I will list the highlights to date as follows: -

  • First and foremost, I survived the accident. It certainly wasn’t a given at the time. Now every day is very precious and to be lived to the full.
  • Coming home from hospital after two months, the first few days were exhausting I had to find new ways of doing everything, but it was so good to be home.
  • Going to see Mum in the Care Home for the first time since the accident. I was so relieved that she still recognised me and didn’t seem to notice that I had one leg missing.
  • Managing to get out of the house into the garden and greenhouse myself using a garden chair as an improvised Zimmer Frame. I felt so fortunate to be able to see the spring flowers again and the tomatoes that I grew that first year tasted exceptionally good. The following year the vegetable patch was in full production again.
  • Spending 4 weeks at a residential rehabilitation centre. I learnt so much there and met some more amputees.
  • Resitting and passing my driving test.
  • Following family tradition, purchasing an unnecessarily large car. I hope you would approve of my Audi Q5 sporting the registration of the old Land Rover. It’s my freedom machine!
  • Getting a custom-built prosthetic leg. They said I wouldn’t walk again at the hospital but with a lot of hard work and determination by both me and the prosthetist I proved them wrong. The leg took a year or two to develop by the prosthetist and it is like the most sophisticated piece of Meccano. Prosthetics is a fascinating subject I’m sure you would be interested too. Yes, it’s uncomfortable, hot, doesn’t stay on all the time and I can’t sit very easily but the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
  • Finally settling my personal injury claim after 4 years was a milestone. I wouldn’t like to have to go through it all again but I learned so much in the process.
  • I’ve managed to do quite a bit of travelling since my accident, firstly with support but now on my own. Locally, seeing High Force again when I had given up hope of doing so was special. Then I’ve been to Cornwall with support and after my settlement I went to Chelsea Flower Show and had tea at the Ritz by way of celebration. I’ve been abroad once with support to Mauritius which was a big adventure. After that all my trips have been solo and I’ve been back to Chelsea Flower Show twice and been on a road trip round England visiting lots of lovely gardens!
  • Speaking at a conference in London and getting two standing ovations, that was quite a surreal experience!
  • Helping set up an Amputee Support Group in the North East which seems to be well received by its users. I’ve also enlisted as a Volunteer for a Major Trauma Support Group. I hope this way I can help others.

So you can see I’ve been quite busy these past few years and still have lots of things I want to achieve yet. I’d like to continue with helping other people and make myself useful. Gainful employment would be a novel experience but something I aspire to, doing what I’ve no idea!

I would like to get our house and garden refurbished. It’s been sadly neglected these past few years and I’m sorry, but I’ve got an architect on the case so hopefully I’ll get it knocked back into shape soon.

Also there’s so many places in the world I’d like to explore and am looking forward to trying my first solo adventure abroad.

I know you wanted me to be a top academic in astrophysics and I was on track for it but life doesn’t seem to work to plan does it? When you were with us you were my hero and all I ever wanted was to make you proud. I hope if you were still here you would be.

With all my love forever

Alison

Read Alison's story of recovery

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