Date: 2012-06-03
From: Hwy 325

To: Urgent Care 
Miles today: 16.0

6/3/12   "Today we hiked 16 miles. We woke up early and left for the trail by 6:30. We got on at 7:00am and were on our worst PA rocks so far. They were all small and pointy. Easy to trip on. So I did trip and fell on my arm funny. It throbbed badly so Dad gave me starbursts while he looked at my arm.  I could not do anything but cry. So we both realize it might be broken. He made a splint with his trekking poles and a sling with his shirt to keep my arm straight. We looked at the map and went to the closest road to call Uncle Bob.  When we got there Dave was there. Dave's been meeting us along the way.  He gave us Ice for my arm and a soda. Uncle Bob picked us up at the road, them we went straight to the Doctors office. She gave us an x-ray and informed us that my arm was fractured right bellow the wrist. Then she gave me a splint and put it on my arm.  Next we went to Uncle Bob and Aunt Karens house."                ¢Sunshine:-)  Well, not what we expected when we jumped on the trail this morning.  When Sunshine was still crying after two Starbursts, I knew we had a bigger problem.  I immobilized her arm and made a sling for our hike out.  We crossed a gravel road before Hwy 72 but we had no idea where it would take us.  Sunshine was already singing along to her iPod and smiling by then, so we continued to the paved Hwy. where we knew we could direct Bob to.  This seemed more certain to us.  Plus we didn't have cell service yet at the gravel.  Once we were on top of Second Mountain were were able to make calls.      Just minutes after arriving to the paved road, one of our readers/friend David pulled up in his truck.  He had planed to hike into us with cold sodas.  He had a cooler with ice, so Sunshine was able to get ice on the break quickly.  He saw our situation and stayed to help direct Bob to our location by phone.  We mentioned in conversation that our friend Beacon (which we hadn't seen in weeks) might be an hour or two behind us based on recent phone messages.  We later found out that David hiked 4 miles back to find Beacon and told him what had happened. Beacon was concerned so David drove him to us.  Thanks David!  Beacon is now with us at Uncle Bob's.  What a surprise for Sunshine!  She was so happy about seeing Beacon again, that she almost forgot about the pain.  The urgent care doctor x-rayed and splinted her arm, then told us to see an Orthopedic physician tomorrow.  It was fractured just above the wrist but not all the way through.  We will get more information tomorrow from the Orthopedic doctor to better make decisions on how to proceed.  Sunshine is determined to continue the hike, so as long as the doctor agrees that it is safe to do so, we will once she is ready.  What is a Thru-hike without a visit with the doctor, Right?  I'm sure some will judge me for this, but remember, kids have these sort of injuries in school activities and sports programs all the time.  No one questions the parents judgment there.  Sunshine is an athlete like anyone in an organized sport, so these unfortunate things will happen.  I feel horrible for her.  However, the only way to avoid injury is to stay inside playing video games and eating Bon-bons, but even then you risk carpeltunnel and diabetes(just teasing).   After seeing the doctor, Sunshine is now happy with little pain, and in great spirits.  Thanks for keeping her in your prayers and thoughts.