My not so epic fall and first bone brake

If you know me,  you know I'm not too fond of hiking. What I like most about hiking is getting to eat something yummy afterward and being able to post a picture or two to "prove" that I actually get out to do things once in a while. My preferred pastime would be to make something yummy, work on something creative and read a book with a nice fat nap thrown in somewhere. I only wish I would've stayed home and worked on my current quilt on Saturday,  March 1, 2014.

The morning started out pretty great. We planned to go hiking early, and when  I found myself waking up late to the already risen sun I was a little exicted that we might have "missed" the opportunity to hike that day......

nope....

Scotty just had a chance to catch an amazing time lapse of the sun rise.

Kai and Chas called to confirm that they were all set to watch Hoku Bear so there were no more excuses for not go hiking after all.....So we dropped off The Bear and headed to Koko Crater.

It's gotten way popular since I last did it in March 2012 . Scotty had gone the week before and took this picture of the busy trail.

While we haven't been hiking every weekend like we did last summer we've kept pretty active getting in a few hikes here and there. I've also been taking long uphill walks while pushing Hoku 4 or 5 times a week for the past couple months so I was a little curious to see how I'd do physically on the hike that begins at an altitude of almost sea level and reaches up to 1200 ft above sea level. It measures just under a mile long.  It took me 4 attempts to reach the top of Koko Crater when I fist did it but I've done it several times since then and completed lots of more challenging hikes.

It's usually nice to start out early when it's still nice and cool, but it was overcast and breezy in spite of our later start time. A light passing shower helped cool us all down. The trek wasn't easy but I was able to get to the top in about 50 minutes (my personal best time ever). I took very few brakes and didn't feel like I needed to guzzle water. I was excited that I might actually be seeing some real progress....FINALLY!!!  I was happy to hike up to the very top and take a picture with the hubs.

Yay! time to go back down....
                                               Past the steepest part.......

 across the scary bridge.........

                                                      

 and with only a 3rd of the way to go.........

...We decided to take the easier side trail down off the steep tracks. A few minutes on the trail, a quick slip and awful branch breaking noise later - *SNAP* - I found myself laying flat on my back squeezing a branch as hard as I could to combat the screaming, throbbing, burning pain in my left leg and ankle.

I have had many falls on hikes and this was more of a little slip where my foot stayed in one place while my leg kept moving forward.....(stupid Netwon's law) ....and that was it. I was down for the count...and then some.

I remember Scotty being really calm and telling me to hold still as he slipped his backpack under my leg and called 911.

Within minutes I could hear sirens blaring closer and closer. All I could think was "I can't believe this is happening to me, I can't believe this is happening to me......" over and over and over.

I couldn't believe what was happening to me.

I have never broken a bone in my life.

I felt so relieved when I heard voices coming closer and then 2 awesome rescue guys appeared with the radio confirmations my ankle was broken. ( I was too scared to look).

They stabilized my leg in a cardboard splint thing- which REALLY hurt and called in for the helicopter.

Within minutes I heard the propellers and couldn't believe I was gonna go on my first helicopter ride.....well at least dangle in a basket from a helicopter for the first time. Before I knew it another rescuer was at my side telling me what I will need to do and we slipped into a seat basket thing and were swept up into the air....



It was painful and beautiful and I'll never forget the feeling of being hoisted up in the air- it really took my breath away. I saw the trail and Scotty making his way down- I waved to him but immediately felt a little stupid doing so and then saw what seemed like a million people on the trail with their phones and cameras taking pictures of the idiot who fell on the hike.

)

We were gently placed on a grassy area of a nearby baseball field where we had to quickly scurry out of the basket. Another guy came and helped lift me into a gurney. They pushed me down the tiny hill on the. most. painful. ride. of. my. life. to the ambulance where another 2 angels were there. With drugs. 

 

I didn't really loose it until I was set up in the emergency room after they took my shoe off and cut away my sock. It wasn't as bad as I imagined but my foot wasn't in the right place either.  They left me alone for a moment after they closed the curtain and I bawled my eyes out. Mostly from the pain but alot from the embarassment and trauma of the incident.

They took some x-rays. Diagnosis trimalleolar fracture and ankle deformation/dislocation.

They gave me something to make me a little "sleepy and forgetful" and the next moment I was looking at my bandaged and reset leg.

My ankle after it was reset in the ER.

Side view of my ankle after it was reset in the ER.

 

All bandaged up and ready to go home and wait for surgery.

My last thoughts as I left the emergency room were of Hoku and that I needed to have someone fill in for me on my Youth Sunday School lesson the next day.

I'm thinking my hiking days might be behind me-I'll be "hiking" flat even surfaces from now on.

I am so grateful for the men and women who devote their lives to helping others and who were there for me. I still am amazed at how quickly they got me out and as comfortable as possible.

I am grateful for pain killers- A LOT and that I didn't break something worse like my neck. Or hands. 'Cuz then I couldn't do crafts!