Date: 2013-10-04
From: Between Johns Creek and Va 632

To: Big Stony Creek Rd (Va 635), ParkingLot
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Cub broke her arm. Will update when I can...It is true, Cub has a broken arm. My poor baby girl! We survived The Whites and Maine only to have the accident occur on a gentle VA slope. We had been hiking fast all day trying to get to Whoops who was driving up after class from Appalachian State again to slack pack us on Saturday. We had a 3 mile up and then hiked most of the day on the side of a ridge. We were on a rocky ledge that wasn't as wide as my feet at times. We felt like we were back in PA with all the sharp rocks. The leaves are falling, creating a multicolored carpet of beauty. Though we admire it we feel like the Titanic looking out at a beautiful sea with hidden hazardous icebergs. The leaves often completely cover the rocks and roots thus leaving us blind to the dangers. What looks like a soft, cushiony step becomes an ankle twister or tripper rock. Amazingly, though we grumbled, we negotiated the trail just fine. When we were almost to the road where we would meet Whoops! we were commenting on how lovely the soft pine needle path were, how we'd now make good time and how easy we had it. Suddenly Cub went down as she stepped over a log. Not a big or even difficult step over. She just scrapped her foot on it which caused her to stumble. Her momentum and pack caused her to go forward and she fell holding her hiking poles. The pole bent her arm and her body fell on top of it. She kind of whimpered, which she never does. Cub always jumps right up and reassures us that she is fine. She really detests falling down. We all do of course. It's kind of humiliating and worrisome. We usually laugh about it and then name the fall. When Cub didn't pop up I knew something was wrong. I gently rolled her over and tried to get her pack off. She sat up and Badonkadonk and I looked down only to see an "S" shaped arm. Badonkadonk gasped and shut her eyes. She had a plan in 1 second. She grabbed my phone and took off running, screaming I'll get Whoops! and call dad. We had no phone service so she was running to get it. I was so focused on Cub I didn't even think of that. Cub was totally calm. She casually compared her arm to Harry Potter's when a spell took away his bones. Yesterday Cub was stung by a yellow jacket. Her other hand is swollen up like someone blew air into a glove. She was comparing that to a time when Harry Potter's aunt got blown up into a puffy balloon like woman. Too bad I don't have a wand to fix all this. Back to the woods and away from the silver screen, so I picked up two sticks and secured Cub's arm. I held them in place with my knee brace. Luckily when my parents visited they took us to Walmart to purchase blaze orange wear because it is hunting season. The cheapest and most effective solution was to buy 1/4 yard neon orange fabric for 50 cents. We tie it into our packs since they are camo-colored. I was able to make a sling for her arm. I carried Cub's pack on my chest and mine on my back. Happily we were light on both food and water since we were meeting Whoops! and knew she would resupply us. Cub and I hiked out and waited by the road. It was two miles from the original spot we had arranged to meet Whoops! by. Badonkadonk ran the whole two miles to the pick up spot, trying to call along the way. Two hikers we'd spoken to earlier came up and were so concerned and kind. We'd met Globe in Vermont when he was going SOBO and we were still NOBOs. He was hiking with Claire who calmly sat down and talked to us.We'd been there over an hour when a Forest Ranger stopped his truck and asked if we needed drinks. He had a cooler full of iced drinks and was out working even when the politicians aren't paying him. By the way did you know that during this shutdown congressmen, senators and the President all get their pay checks? Why don't they get the salary of teachers since they often like to magnanimously point out that they are "public servants" while teachers get a politicians pay, health insurance, retirement and other perks? So this kind ranger saved the day without pay! In addition he said he loves the AT and thinks there is no way they can monitor and keep us thru hikers out. So this ranger drives Cub and I up the road to find Badonkadonk. Meanwhile, Globe and Claire hiked towards Badonkadonk along the trail with a message from me in case she was already heading back our way via the trail.Badonkadonk didn't even know if we'd made it out of the woods. Badonkadonk had gotten to the pick up spot - a small AT parking area - but Whoops! wasn't there. Writing and posting a note for Whoops! on the AT bulletin board Badonkadonk then quickly started her run back along the trail to find us. So when we drove up with the ranger there was no Badonkadonk and no Whoop! The ranger suggested we get Cub to the hospital and get to an area with phone service. I was able to call Whoops and my husband Blueberry en route to Blacksburg using the ranger's phone - both had already talked to Badonkadonk. Blueberry sent insurance info to two hospitals since he didn't know where we'd end up. The ranger told us that even though it was farther away, he'd take his own kids to the hospital in Blacksburg (where Virginia Tech is).Globe and Claire met Badonkadonk seconds after we left. Claire stayed with Badonkadonk and Globe hiked the 2 miles to the meeting spot to wait for Whoops! After a bit a woman stopped and offered the girls a ride so they were able to wait with Globe. I left a detailed message for my girls so Badonkadonk was relieved to know Cub was getting help. We got immediate and caring attention at LewisGale Hospital Montgomery Emergency Room. It turns out that Cub has a "green stick" fracture. Her radius did not break but bent like a rainbow. The ulna has a hairline fracture that is visible on an X-ray but didn't come apart. They did not have to reset the bone. The radius will naturally go back. They set a temporary type of cast in which the bottom is hard and molded to her arm and the rest is ace bandaged on. This will also allow for any swelling. We are supposed to see an orthopedic doctor on Monday. The ER doctors felt like Cub could still hike but I want the orthopedic doctor's opinion. They will cast it Monday. Cub used to wear a fake cast and sling around so she seems to be fascinated by this experience. She's eager to get a red cast and to have us carry her gear! I'm just not sure how her pain will be or if she will be comfortable out on the trail. We keep laughing about how dirty and stinky the cast would get. We know because we've seen two people hiking with broken arms. There were no hotel rooms in Blacksburg due to a football game tomorrow. We decided to drive back to the Woods Hole hostel. Blueberry talked to the owner all day and said she was so genuinely kind and caring that he thought we'd be better here. It's an organic farm. It was dark and everyone was sleeping so we couldn't see much. It looks absolutely charming. It's a full house so we are in the bunk house. Whoops and her roommate are upstairs. Cub, Badonkadonk and I are laying down on an open porch on top of thick soft mats. Cub was asleep in about one second. The hospital gave her a pain pill and Benadryl. She had her eyes closed in the car. I, on the other hand, am so jacked up I cannot sleep. It's awful to see your child so injured and for her to remain so stoic. I would have freaked out if my arm looked like that! All Cub wanted were kisses. Buddy backpacker sent her a virtual kiss via a photo and that made her giggle. Maybe I can't sleep because there is a ticking box in the bunk house that sounds like a never ending ping pong game. Also a string of white lights illuminates the porch for night time out house seekers. In addition the hikers above us are snoring quite loudly. Honestly though I was a light and troubled sleeper before this adventure I can now pack away 10 to 12 hours of sleep with no problems. Benefits of hiking all day are sheer exhaustion at night with an 8pm bedtime and massive amounts of junk food with no muffin top!Will update as we figure stuff out... Buddy Backpacker couldn't hike in the Shenandoah National Forest because of the shut down so he's close to us and his family might drive down to visit us. Cub is determined to finish and tie her sister in being the first Chinese born thru hikers. She's worried Badonkadonk and I would go on without her. We are a team and we stick together. We'd be lonely without our adorable Cub. Whoops told Cub she already got the record for being the first Chinese born, Jewish, 12 year old girl to break her arm on the trail. So we will take it a day at a time. Will update soon. Maybe I should take some pain pills and Benadryl, haha, just kidding. I'm too busy watching Cub breath and jumping up at her every movement. Sweet dreams to those who can.