Screeching of rubber tyres on bitumen road pervaded the quiet evening air.
The crunch of metal against metal, then scraping, crashing, glass shattering.
Loud, hysterical, blood curdling squeals sent shivers down Tamika’s spine.
She had heard it all before, but this time she knew it was serious.
Tamika lived on a corner block adjacent to a main road intersection.
Many accidents had happened at this corner before, mainly due to haste, or inexperienced drivers lacking patience and ignoring STOP signs, and sheer ignorance of road conditions.
Tamika quickly ran to the scene to see if she could be of assistance.
As she approached the carnage, she saw injured bodies everywhere.
The injured, screaming, crying out for help, others moaning in pain. The cars were so mangled they would need help to get them out.
A group of neighbours from nearby homes also arrived to help. On seeing the blood and gaping wounds of the injured, several passed out and others had to be treated for shock.
Tamika bound the wounded and did what she could, but she felt totally inadequate. One young lass had a cut above the eye and was extremely traumatised. Tamika took her under her wing and settled her down. Ambulances were called and within a short time, arrived at the accident scene.
They were quick to give pain relief and proper medical attention to the injured.
The wound on the young lass’s head began to bleed profusely. Tamika asked the ambulance paramedics to give her a thorough check up.
The injured were still trapped in their cars. The State Emergency Services were soon on the scene, bringing with them “The Jaws of Life.” Their hydraulic spreaders were immediately put into action and within a short time, the bodywork of the cars were prised apart allowing the injured to be freed. The ambulance officers stabilized the injured and quickly rushed them off to hospital. No lives were lost.
Despite assisting in any way that she could, Tamika felt at a loss. She felt she should have been able to do more to stop the suffering. This turned out to be a life changing experience for her. Through this disaster, she had found her calling, her vision, her dream. That day Tamika made a promise to herself. She would take up a career in medicine, to be able to help others in need. To fulfil her desires, she had to wait and experience a year of patience. To enrol in this career, she had to be seventeen years of age or more.
Although Tamika “filled in” with temporary jobs, her patience was growing thin. Then, at last, the letter she had waited for for so long arrived. She had been accepted into the nursing fraternity! Everything was new and challenging.
Tamika thrived. She was hungry to learn. Hard work suited her. Patience came easily. The main stay was the compassion she showed to her patients. She found the exams quite difficult, but studied hard and soldiered on. Caring for mothers with new born babies to orthopaedic patients. Some tasks took all the energy, courage and dedication she could muster, still she never felt such elation and fulfilment in her life.
During her third year of nursing, she was assigned to Accident and Emergency.
Here she would shine, with life and death situations arriving constantly.
Assigned to a senior doctor, she listened as the ambulance sirens approached.
Tamika’s dreams were fulfilled. Persistence, perseverance and patience prevailed.
Hilda Oakley
Copyright © 17.09.2012
