I'm in pain today as I write this column. Every time I move my right shoulder, it hurts, especially when I reach for the mouse. Each time I do that it hurts a lot. But apparently I wouldn't be writing at all this morning (Sunday) if I hadn't been wearing a bicycle helmet early yesterday afternoon. In fact, I probably wouldn't be alive.

A policeman and a paramedic among others told my friend, Dineke, who was with me, that I probably would not have survived without the helmet. As it is, I have a very sore right shoulder, hip and knee but nothing is broken. Nothing is broken or torn in the shoulder but it sure got knocked around.

Everyone seemed to use the same term to describe my condition, "road rash" - ugly scratches but definitely not serious.

I don't remember what happened exactly. I do remember peddling on the old highway towards the South Side Mall from the centre of town and picking up speed as I went down the hill. Apparently my pedal caught the curb and away I went.

It seems that my head hit the edge of the curb. As I said, I don't remember anything about that but I have seen the eight-inch crack on the right side of my helmet. Imagine what would have happened to my skull if I hadn't been wearing it.

Do you get the point that I am suggesting as strongly as possible that you never, and I mean never, get on your bike without wearing your helmet.

I'm saving mine to show to every young person I know ... and there are a few older ones who could benefit from the message as well.

Now let me get to the Neighbourhood Heroes that turned up immediately after I fell.

I don't remember this but I was told that a firefighter and two paramedics were the first to stop and offer their help and a woman with a cell phone called an ambulance. They all stayed there until a police officer, Constable Paul, arrived on the scene within three minutes of the accident happening.

I wish I knew the other people's names so I could thank them here but I was unconscious most of that time.

About four minutes after I hit the dirt, the ambulance arrived. The attendants, Andy (a woman), and __________, were fabulous.

I can't say I remember the ride to the hospital in detail but I do remember thinking that Andy was both empathetic and very attractive - I guess I was starting to feel a little better since I was able to make the latter observation.

To give you an idea of their empathy and caring, both of them stopped by my cubicle in the emergency ward a few hours later to see how I was doing. That's going above the call of duty and it definitely was appreciated.

The treatment I received at emergency was first class too. It seems they were especially busy that day, and I know I was definitely not the most serious case they had, but the attention was still exceptional.

I was too out of it to get the names of many of the people that helped me on the unit but I do remember feeling that I was being treated like a person and not just a number.

I also remember a nurse named Sharon who patched up my wounds and I felt that I was in especially good hands with Dr. Ben Ho. This is definitely a young doctor on the way up.

In short, I feel lucky to have survived with only minor injuries and especially lucky to have been cared for by such exceptional professionals.

And remember, Neighbourhood Heroes always wear a bicycle helmet.