Fourth of July Fireworks

Did you see any Fourth of July fireworks that looked anything like this? I did too, except my Fourth of July fireworks went off inside of my noggin as I took a horrible fall while hiking up at Sundance during the afternoon of the Fourth and ended up in surgery. Ow.

The day started off on a lovely note as we drove down to Provo and watched Christian march in the parade with his totally awesome American Fork Marching Band.

We then decided to meet up at Sundance with Ashley, Jordan and Ashley's friend Christine who was visiting from Colorado. Riding the ski lift up the mountain was so much fun, and the views were gorgeous. The plan was for the kids to hike over to Stewart Falls and then down the mountain while Dave and I made the return trip via the ski lift so we could hurry home to get a jump start on the big dinner we had planned for everyone. As it turns out, the mountain air was so enticing that Dave and I decided to do the hike along with the kids.

That's when it happened. The trail was very overgrown with bushes and roots and was fairly steep and slippery in places. I managed to catch one of my feet in a tangle of roots, and as I put my other foot out to catch myself, that foot too got caught in the roots so my body just fell straight forward like a tree being chopped down in the forest. Without my hands out to catch myself my head hit the ground first (fireworks!!!), and then my shoulder hit a big pointy rock (mega fireworks!!!). Ow, ow, ow. I couldn't move for many minutes. I remember Sean saying that I should get up because caterpillars were getting all over me. Yuck. I still couldn't get up. When I finally managed to sit up I was instantly nauseous. My hand reached up to my shoulder area, and I felt a very sharp pokey thing nearly jutting out of my skin, something akin to a pencil poking through a Kleenex. Oh my. I knew I was in big trouble then. While I was trying very hard not to be sick, everyone kept saying that I really needed to get down the mountain. It was at least a mile down. What to do? Christian sacrificed his shirt for a make-shift sling, and we crept down that mountain as carefully as could be. I kept thinking that I was going to have to go to the hospital for sure. I was guessing that bones poking out of the skin won't just go away on their own. Darn. I was right.

In the emergency room, the doctor told me that on a scale of one to ten, my clavical break was a ten and that a specialist was being called in. Tears. Fear. Dread. Surgery was highly recommended. SURGERY! I was not expecting that. At all. More tears. I got a second opinion from a highly respected surgeon who lives in my neighborhood. He too most definitely recommended surgery. Without it I would run the risk of that bone poking through even more, loss of movement, diminished range of motion, infection, pain, pain, pain. After that reassurance, I was up for the surgery the next day. (Well, sorta. Still not without a lot of resistance on my part).

To cut to the chase, the surgery to put in a nifty plate and a bunch of screws went without a hitch. I am now on day five and am virtually pain free except for the residual bruising and sprains on my ribs, shoulder and neck. I can even type. See? And I feel so blessed. So very blessed. What if my head had hit that rock instead of my shoulder? I can't even think about that possibility. I thank my Heavenly Father for my life and my health. And my family who has been so concerned and kind. And for my friends and neighbors who have overwhelmed me with treats, dinners, flowers, good wishes, offers to help. I am so very blessed. I can't thank my Heavenly Father enough for watching over me and for surrounding me with people who have prayed for me, cared for me, loved me. I feel very indebted, and did I say very blessed? That I am.

(Here's just a small sampling of the many, many good wishes that have been sent my way . . .)

Thank you everyone!