[Grammar] the next thing she knew she was in the hospital.

[kadioguy]

In the Longman Phrasal Verbs Dictionary, it says:

look away
to turn your eyes away from someone or something so that you cannot see them:

Shirley looked away from the road in front of her for a second, and the next thing she knew she was in the hospital.
--------
Which of the following sentence does it mean?

a. [the next thing (that) she knew] she was in the hospital.
b. the next thing [she knew (that) she was in the hospital.]

Would you please help me?
Thanks!

PS I also posted the same question on this, but all of your answers are unique to me. Hope we can discuss with each other. Thank you.

 

[Raymott]

Answer a, or better, "the next thing she knew was that she was in hospital."
It means, loosely, that the next conscious experience she had was of being in hospital.
In any case, not b.