Downhill

I was hit by a car, while on my bike and doing 45 mph. I was headed downhill and having a great ride when I saw the van start to pull through the intersection, leaving my no time to react, but seemingly plenty to think of what I should do to avoid it.

Woke up with paramedics attending to me. I was given a pseudonym in hospital as I didn’t have ID, and was utterly confused when the nurse came in later asking, “Are you Sweden?”

Retrograde amnesia, some nerve damage and road rash were the worst of it. I’ll never forget the terror and inevitability that coursed through my body for about 15 milliseconds beforehand.