She was on her way to get breakfast before heading to work when a van came out of nowhere and changed her life.
Stomp earlier reported that a 50-year-old man was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of drugs and suspected drug-related offences after the van he was driving hit a woman along Jalan Sultan on Apr 18.
The 33-year-old woman was taken conscious to hospital.
Stomp contributor Candy told Stomp she was the victim of the accident and wanted to share how her life has been impacted by that fateful day.
The single mum of a one-year-old baby said the day started out like any other work day.
At about 7.20am, she was about to enter a 7-Eleven at the Textile Centre to get her breakfast before taking the bus to work
"Before entering, I felt a sudden sense of unease," she said.
"I looked up and saw a white van driving towards me just 20 metres away.
"He was so fast and came out of nowhere without any horning or precautions.
"I tried to dodge but he hit me and I flew onto the pavement.
"The moment he hit me, my brain went blank and the next thing I knew, I was bleeding from my head with excruciating pain all over my body.
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"I couldn't stand on my own or move.
"I was in shock while sitting there bleeding and trying to call for an ambulance.
"Suddenly, the driver who hit me came out of his van but was incoherent and unable to speak clearly, let alone assist me."
Candy said two kind cyclists, a man and a woman, crossed the road to come to her aid and helped her to stop the bleeding on her head with their first aid kits.
They also brought her some drinking water.
"People around started gathering and some even tried to speak with the driver but he couldn't say anything clearly and he started laying down on the pavement," Candy said.
"At this point, the two cyclists and onlookers suspected that he was under the influence.
"He had knocked down a road sign, busted his van's front tyre and broken the vehicle's front windshield, indicating that he was driving at a pretty fast rate at the time of the incident."
Candy said when the police and an ambulance came, she was taken to the nearest hospital, Raffles Hospital at about 8.10am and admitted for observation at the accident and emergency department where tests were run and she was examined for injuries.
"The next day, the accident was reported on the news stating that the Lalamove van driver was driving under the influence of drugs," said Candy.
"A good friend of mine who's also an independent insurance agent contacted me and informed me that for any incident that involved driving under the influence, the insurance company would not cover my third-party damage or hospital bills.
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"When I received the news at the hospital, I was devastated and feared the high cost of medical bills.
"I immediately contacted my doctors in charge and asked to be discharged as I couldn't afford to stay longer.
"The doctors then informed me that apart from bruises all over my body and the lacerations on my head and ears, I had sustained a concussion to my head, two annular tears in my neck and lumbar spine and also a torn ligament on my left knee.
"I also had a white spot on my right brain which needs further observation to determine its cause.
"They recommended that I should stay for observation and continue with a follow-up later on, but I conveyed the fact that my financial situation would not allow me to stay warded any longer."
Candy was discharged on the second day since her accident.
She told Stomp that she has had to undergo three magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, two CT scans and over ten X-rays.
She was advised by her doctor to avoid any prolonged walking, standing, bending of her neck, heavy duties or any kind of sports until further follow-ups and assessments.
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"My annular tears and injured ligament could take up to two years to heal from my current condition," she said.
Prior to the accident, Candy had just started a new job and was in the midst of her three-month probation period, ending on June 7.
"My new job has been greatly affected as I'm no longer able to fulfil my job scope which involves some manual labour," she said.
"I've been taking unpaid days off as well and have no means right now to get legal help or advice.
"What happened to me could be the first but definitely not the last and the victim shouldn't be the one suffering the consequences of other's actions."
This article was first published in Stomp. Permission required for reproduction.
