Seven days later I am feeling at least enough oomph to type. Here's what happened.
Tuesday, July 12 8:30 AM
I go out to the zip line area at the ATV to raise the termination cable on the North line. I was trying to slow down the rate that people were coming in on that line. As I was finishing, the other guys came down in the truck and Jeff backed the truck right up within a foot or two on the East side of the tree, thinking that I might need to stand on the truck bed to finish what I was doing with the zip line cable.
Tuesday, July 12 9:35 AM
The first group of High School campers arrive to get ready for some zip line fun. We get them harnessed up and they are ready to go.
Tuesday, July 12 9:45 AM
With the students ready to go, the hop into the back of the truck for the short ride up the hill. At that moment, Jeff got into the drivers seat, and I stepped behind the truck, between the truck and the tree. I was starting to tell the students that they should not walk under the zip line when they walk back up hill. I was also thinking that I should move, because where I was was not safe. Jeff started to go, but the truck rolled backwards just a few inches - enough to pin both of my legs just above the ankles to the tree, but (at the time I thought) not enough to hurt me. I guess I screamed, and some of the kids in the back of the truck laughed at me, thinking I was being silly. As soon as the truck went forward, the pain hit me and I instantly fell, watching my lower right leg kind of dangle. I knew then that it was broken.
Tuesday, July 12 9:50 AM
The first person I remember coming to me was Jeff, though I know there were others there. I told him my leg was broken and I wanted to make sure he knew that it was my fault. I shouldn't have stepped between the truck and the tree, and Jeff didn't even know I was there. (In fact I told my boys later that if I had seen them there I would have yelled at them to get out of there because surely they would know better than to place themselves in such a dangerous place.) Nathan Martin was right there as well, and he actually told me details of the story that I didn't remember. Jan Garbet was one of the adult volunteers who was nearby, heard me scream, and came running.
As a trauma nurse and paramedic, Jan took control immediately. After a bit of arguing with her about calling an ambulance, I prevailed and they began developing a plan to stabilize my leg and take me to the hospital. What followed was maybe 30 minutes or so of writhing in pain, while they splinted my leg. There were so many focused, professional, caring people right there. Of course Penny was there. I think Nathan or maybe Kevin Klein were the first of several people who began praying for me. Andrew Stout came and began praying. Blake and Kenan were there holding my hands as I was groaning and struggling. My boys were there, watching this whole thing. I'm not sure what they were thinking, but they were right there.
I knew that I had lost control of many, many things that morning when I was asking for water, but Jan wouldn't let me have any because she was concerned that I might be going to surgery soon. That was a horrible moment. Besides pain, I was horribly thirsty all day.
As I was laying there, I couldn't help but think of the Scripture in Phillipians 4 that says,
Tuesday, July 12 10:30 ish.
They had run to get the camp backboard, but after they secured me to the board, and tucked in an inflatable frog to help stabilize my leg, they lifted me into the van. Jan was holding my foot in place, checking that I had good circulation, while Nathan drove. It was an agonizing drive, even though Nathan was very careful, I experienced every hill and curve in a new a special way. I heard Jan tell Nathan to drive into the ambulance entrance at Cox South. I had unbuckled my chest strap on the backboard because I was having a hard time breathing.
Tuesday, July 12 11:08 AM (that was the time stamped on my hospital bracelet)
The first thing that happened at the hospital was that a Paramedic opened the door to the van, took a quick look at me and yelled, "who did this?" That was not very encouraging. I guess he saw the backboard and assumed I had a back or neck injury or something. After Jan fussed at him for a moment, he backed off. They took me into the trauma room and immediately began to check my vitals, and start an IV. They gave me morphine, which helped a lot, but messed with my head and made me a little goofy. I was sure that the ceiling was moving, and I said that a couple of times, but no one seemed to pay any attention.
Jenette arrived soon after and she began answering their many, many questions. I was truly befuddled by the array of questions and I don't think I could have answered them. All the while, of course, the ceiling was still moving, and I said again to Jenette, "the ceiling is moving." She looked up, smiled at me and said, "yes it is." I thought she was serious, so that even freaked me out more.
They resplinted my leg, which was the most painful thing that happened at the hospital. I gripped Jenette's hand so hard. It reminded me of her gripping my hand when she birthed a baby. I had felt that hard, strong grip many times and it was familiar to me, but this time, we had switched roles.
The next thing I knew, they wheeled me into another room, but when the released the brake on the bed the entire bed shuddered and the sound made me jump and panic. "Oh, sorry about that" was the response from the guy moving the bed! They plopped me onto another bed and ran me through the CAT scan machine - a really freaky experience as well.
I guess I will write more later.
Tuesday, July 12 8:30 AM
I go out to the zip line area at the ATV to raise the termination cable on the North line. I was trying to slow down the rate that people were coming in on that line. As I was finishing, the other guys came down in the truck and Jeff backed the truck right up within a foot or two on the East side of the tree, thinking that I might need to stand on the truck bed to finish what I was doing with the zip line cable.
Tuesday, July 12 9:35 AM
The first group of High School campers arrive to get ready for some zip line fun. We get them harnessed up and they are ready to go.
Tuesday, July 12 9:45 AM
With the students ready to go, the hop into the back of the truck for the short ride up the hill. At that moment, Jeff got into the drivers seat, and I stepped behind the truck, between the truck and the tree. I was starting to tell the students that they should not walk under the zip line when they walk back up hill. I was also thinking that I should move, because where I was was not safe. Jeff started to go, but the truck rolled backwards just a few inches - enough to pin both of my legs just above the ankles to the tree, but (at the time I thought) not enough to hurt me. I guess I screamed, and some of the kids in the back of the truck laughed at me, thinking I was being silly. As soon as the truck went forward, the pain hit me and I instantly fell, watching my lower right leg kind of dangle. I knew then that it was broken.
Tuesday, July 12 9:50 AM
The first person I remember coming to me was Jeff, though I know there were others there. I told him my leg was broken and I wanted to make sure he knew that it was my fault. I shouldn't have stepped between the truck and the tree, and Jeff didn't even know I was there. (In fact I told my boys later that if I had seen them there I would have yelled at them to get out of there because surely they would know better than to place themselves in such a dangerous place.) Nathan Martin was right there as well, and he actually told me details of the story that I didn't remember. Jan Garbet was one of the adult volunteers who was nearby, heard me scream, and came running.
As a trauma nurse and paramedic, Jan took control immediately. After a bit of arguing with her about calling an ambulance, I prevailed and they began developing a plan to stabilize my leg and take me to the hospital. What followed was maybe 30 minutes or so of writhing in pain, while they splinted my leg. There were so many focused, professional, caring people right there. Of course Penny was there. I think Nathan or maybe Kevin Klein were the first of several people who began praying for me. Andrew Stout came and began praying. Blake and Kenan were there holding my hands as I was groaning and struggling. My boys were there, watching this whole thing. I'm not sure what they were thinking, but they were right there.
I knew that I had lost control of many, many things that morning when I was asking for water, but Jan wouldn't let me have any because she was concerned that I might be going to surgery soon. That was a horrible moment. Besides pain, I was horribly thirsty all day.
As I was laying there, I couldn't help but think of the Scripture in Phillipians 4 that says,
"don't be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."I realized that I needed to be thankful. Thankful for the pain, for the caring helpers, for the ants that were crawling on me, for everything.
Tuesday, July 12 10:30 ish.
They had run to get the camp backboard, but after they secured me to the board, and tucked in an inflatable frog to help stabilize my leg, they lifted me into the van. Jan was holding my foot in place, checking that I had good circulation, while Nathan drove. It was an agonizing drive, even though Nathan was very careful, I experienced every hill and curve in a new a special way. I heard Jan tell Nathan to drive into the ambulance entrance at Cox South. I had unbuckled my chest strap on the backboard because I was having a hard time breathing.
Tuesday, July 12 11:08 AM (that was the time stamped on my hospital bracelet)
The first thing that happened at the hospital was that a Paramedic opened the door to the van, took a quick look at me and yelled, "who did this?" That was not very encouraging. I guess he saw the backboard and assumed I had a back or neck injury or something. After Jan fussed at him for a moment, he backed off. They took me into the trauma room and immediately began to check my vitals, and start an IV. They gave me morphine, which helped a lot, but messed with my head and made me a little goofy. I was sure that the ceiling was moving, and I said that a couple of times, but no one seemed to pay any attention.
Jenette arrived soon after and she began answering their many, many questions. I was truly befuddled by the array of questions and I don't think I could have answered them. All the while, of course, the ceiling was still moving, and I said again to Jenette, "the ceiling is moving." She looked up, smiled at me and said, "yes it is." I thought she was serious, so that even freaked me out more.
They resplinted my leg, which was the most painful thing that happened at the hospital. I gripped Jenette's hand so hard. It reminded me of her gripping my hand when she birthed a baby. I had felt that hard, strong grip many times and it was familiar to me, but this time, we had switched roles.
The next thing I knew, they wheeled me into another room, but when the released the brake on the bed the entire bed shuddered and the sound made me jump and panic. "Oh, sorry about that" was the response from the guy moving the bed! They plopped me onto another bed and ran me through the CAT scan machine - a really freaky experience as well.
I guess I will write more later.
