Chapter 63 - Aftermath

After my accident, I realised just how lucky I was to have the NHS. Without it, I would have been dead—or, failing that, utterly bankrupt. The kind of care I received, both immediately after the incident and in the long months that followed, was nothing short of remarkable. It was a safety net I hadn’t even appreciated fully until I found myself tumbling straight into it.
And it wasn’t just about surgeries and stitches—it was everything that came after. Because, at the time, I was technically homeless, I was moved into supported accommodation. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was exactly what I needed. There were staff on hand around the clock to make sure I took my medication—something I’d been notorious for neglecting before. It was a peculiar kind of accountability, knowing that if I skipped a dose, the police would be called.
It sounds dramatic, doesn’t it? But in hindsight, it was exactly the sort of structure I needed. Those tiny pills represented a lifeline, tethering me to stability when my mind felt like it was constantly drifting out to sea. And having someone there to make sure I stayed connected to that lifeline was a kind of care I’d never known before.
The staff didn’t just watch over me like wardens. They checked in, listened to me on my worst days, and celebrated small victories with me on my better ones. They became my anchor when everything else felt like it was drifting away.
It wasn’t easy. There were moments of resentment, of feeling trapped or patronised. But looking back, I can see that they weren’t just keeping an eye on me—they were helping me rebuild the pieces of myself that had shattered in the accident. It wasn’t just about medication or schedules; it was about learning to trust people again, to trust myself again.
I can’t imagine what would have happened to me without that support. The thought of facing all of it alone—no roof over my head, no safety net under my feet—makes me shudder even now. The system wasn’t perfect, but it was there when I needed it most. And for that, I will always be grateful.