What's the most dangerous thing you have survived?

[AbsentmindedWoman]

Curious about all kinds of narrow squeaks, really. I find it fascinating because they can be dramatic or terrifying like a car accident or being held up at knifepoint, or something that happens in the blink of an eye and death/ serious damage is averted thanks to sheer good luck! I seem to have had a fair few of the latter experiences (falls off horses, best friend pulling me out of the way of a bus by a hair's breadth, etc) but no big event.

I love how tough human beings are and what we can survive. What's the maddest and baddest thing you have survived?

I mentioned this in the breakdown thread a couple of days ago but the closest I've ever come to thinking "that's it" was earlier this year when a car smashed into my car as I changed a tyre down a country lane. My car should almost smashed straight into me but somehow I jumped back as it happened and avoided it; I think the adrenaline rush afterwards meant I could laugh it off but it could have been genuinely disastrous. DS2 was sat nearby and I've never really dared think what could have happened had I not thought to make him sit as far back from the road as he could.

Falling off horses. Concussed myself twice.

Malaria
Brittle asthma for 9 years and counting

Having a knife held to my throat by a complete stranger. Also very nearly drowning and being saved by a (different) complete stranger. Both things happened many years ago and fortunately life has been pretty uneventful, in a good way, since.

Drowning aged 8. Was revived in the nick of time.

Almost died giving birth.

Motorbike accident.

We were traveling back from France on a ferry when we were caught in a huge hurricane. Stuck on the ship in the middle of the ocean for over 8 hours, things flying everywhere, everyone puking. It was terrifying from what I remember!

I got chased through an estate I'd taken a shortcut through one night walking home from work by a gang of young men. I have never run so fast in my life, and thankfully managed to escape into the loos at a train station. It has made me very paranoid about walking alone at night, I couldn't outrun them now due to arthritis.

As a child a 'friend' put a sleeping bag cover over my head and tightened the drawstring round my neck, I passed out. I can still vividly remember the terror I felt, I couldn't scream because of the drawstring being so tight.

Earthquakes whilst on holiday in Eilat (Israel). We were woken up early morning with the hotel room rigorously shaking side to side and the noise of windows and mirrors breaking. As we were leaving, huge windows/rooflights were falling from the central lobby/atrium area and smashing just feet away from everyone trying to escape. Then outside, panels from the outside of the building were falling. Later that day, once we were allowed back in, we were in the lift, when we had another earthquake, with the lift lurching from side to side and banging against the lift shaft.

More: getting lost in the snowy Alps at night on my own. Guardian angel came in the form of a giant Canadian man who appeared from nowhere.

Had blood transfusions when very ill.

I was hit by a car at the age of 7, my fault for messing about in the road

When I was 12 I downed an entire bottle of whisky to look cool in front of my mates. My parents were told to say goodbye. I will never forgive myself for putting my family through that.

Had a placental abruption during labour with DC2, the last clear memory I have before the GA is begging DP to tell DC1 that I loved her.

Almost wish I'd not read this thread!

Bloody hell you are ALL lucky to be here.

Guardian angels working overtime is right......

Giving birth and hemorrhaging

My only pregnancy- 30 weeks along gallbladder surgery then inflamed pancreas and adult respiratory distress syndrome-30% survival rate and then placed on life support for many days-6 doctors of mine attending birth to see if both I and my son would survive. Son was 3# had stroke in NICU has CP. went home with MRSA and a blood clot 12 days later my son discharged at six weeks. Took me three months to be able to care for myself. Still had other issues since (breast cancer) but nothing compared to that drama

I was in a car crash at 16, was in the back of the car, leaning forward chatting to my friends in the front and the driver skidded and hit a lampost head on at 60 miles an hour. Broken Sternum, 2 ribs and collarbone, all from my seatbelt - had I not worn it I'd have been thrown through the windscreen.

Total engine failure while piloting a small aircraft - got it down safely but not a nice experience.

Multiple bouts of anaphylaxis - the worst on a flight in the USA where the plane had to be diverted so I could be taken to hospital, the combination of a full rescue kit and a doctor on board saved my life.

Flipped car upside down and into a ditch after breaking hard on black ice when the drunk driver in front of us lost control. My friend in the back only got a concussion and the two of us in the front were unscathed. The police and firemen who arrived all thought we’d be dead.

The Manchester IRA bomb in the 90's and London 7/7. I was in both and for a while after London suffered real anxiety as it triggered memories of Manchester too. But before either of those it was meningitis when I was 14.

Childbirth. I remember the light at the end of the dark tunnel and the feeling of peace, with people shouting at me from far away to open my eyes. Apparently it was exciting for a while and when I came back round there were a lot of people in the room.

Another survivor of an upside down car in a ditch. Car was a write-off though!

Hit by a neighbours car when I was 3- glancing blow to my right side, only bruises luckily. He wasn't so lucky- he ended up with my mother screaming at him for half an hour straight for not slowing down enough in a dead end street.
He was a cock to everyone though- always shouting at his wife and daughter, didn't like my mother becasue she wouldn't take any shit from him

Having my skull fractured by a violent XP, and alcoholic withdrawal seizure.

Perforated bowel and sepsis twice. I 'died' several times and was in an induced coma on life support in ICU. I wasn't expected to survive either time.

Having my drink spiked with GHB and having a massive reaction to it. My parents and boyfriend thought that was it for me because i was unconscious for so long. Thankfully I recovered after 3 days in hospital.

Boat being violently tossed from side to side on Indian Ocean, no life jackets - crew insisted on carrying on but an off duty Royal Navy captain took charge and insisted it was turned back. Maybe not as extreme as some of you but it was very scary as was the helicopter they put us on instead with winds blowing at max limits (the second group due to take off 10 mins later didn't make it to resort for 3 days due to the storm) we haven't been back!