Road Rash

Informing the family of the day's events.

Well, week one, and I've now fallen twice.  Only this time I was going over 25 mph on a highway in a slight drizzle.  I'd just crested a decent hill and was on my way down when I realized I was going a bit too fast for the road conditions.  I lightly tapped my brakes, but that just sent me wobbling since my panniers weren't really balanced very well.  Seeing gravel ahead and still going too fast, I pulled my brakes a little tighter.

Well, I made a mistake.  The tighter brakes combined with a wet road, loose gravel, and shaky balance sent me shoulder-first into the highway.  Luckily, a truck passing the other way immediately stopped and was mindful enough to pull his truck into my lane behind me to keep oncoming traffic from hitting me.  He rushed to my side and helped me get myself and my bike off the road.  He grabbed a first aid kit from his truck and started cleaning me up.  During this time, a truck full of Army guys also pulled over to help, and one of them happened to be trained in the medical field.  He started assisting the first man in helping me find my cuts and get them cleaned up and bandaged.  Meanwhile, yet another super kind person, this one an off-duty EMT, stopped and started to help clean me up.  He was the one who decided it would be wise to call an ambulance.  All the while I was trying to get ahold of Annie, who was a few miles ahead of me.  Finally, we got ahold of her, and one of the nice Army guys went to pick her up in his truck.

So here I am, on the side of the highway, surrounded by wonderful people helping me, when I realize I can't afford to take an ambulance to the hospital, so I start deciding, Hey, I don't need to go to the hospital!  By then Annie pulls up and starts documenting, and I call my father for advice.

Documentation Begins. (Thanks, Annie, for remember what's truly important.) 

I was in shock, so they wrapped a blanket around me.

It seems that I could have hurt my shoulder.  The guys put it in a sling and iced it until we got to the hospital.

 The guys were very professional and thorough.  At one point they thought I could be bleeding on my back, so one was about to cut my shirt with some scissors, but I caught him and said, "No!  Please don't!  I have only one other shirt!!"  Thankfully, they agreed to leave my clothing intact-- except of course for all the rips and tears the road put in them.

Yep, they took me to the hospital.  Thanks for the insurance, Daddy!

Fuzzy, but an idea of the size of my favorite wound.

Much clearer.  :)

We just kept finding cuts.

Really, they're everywhere.

Wrapping my road rash with lots of gauze.

That one isn't too bad, really.

It hurt SO MUCH to move my arms like that.

The nurse said, and I quote, "I'm going to make you look like a human tampon."

So now we're camped out in the hospital's family waiting room.  The hospital staff really went above and beyond to help us figure out where to stay.  I'm truly surrounded by great people.