It's a sunny day in Grey County. A bit chilly at 11 degrees Celsius. But it
is supposed to get up to 20.
We've had a quite a large wobble in the family over past week or so. Niece Erin (in the middle of a picture taken a few years ago at Hanover Fair) was horribly injured when her horse Raven reared and landed on her. Pelvis broken in three places, a huge contusion on one leg from where she kicked her, another on her left hand. Dad Brian suffered a cracked ankle from Raven's thrashing around when he tried to get the horse off her. Yikes. The horse came out of it all basically unscathed.
Erin had to be helicoptered to London from the Markdale hospital a week ago Wednesday, and her mom Sandy and I spent the balance of the week going back and forth from the Children's Hospital at the London Health Sciences Centre to my other sister Barb's home. Sandy was a brick and in solid Mom mode the whole time, consulting with the doctors and nurses and tending to her youngest. I was there for moral support and a bit of comic relief.
We were soooo worried, but the staff at the hospital were fantastic, and she was determined to recover as quickly as possible.
Incredibly, she was back home and healing in Feversham almost exactly a week after the accident.
While it was extremely scary and she has a long road of rehabilitation, there were a few things that tipped in her favour. She's a conscientious rider, so was wearing both a helmet and a protective vest, which preserved her upper body. The emergency folks came as quickly as possible, and while her journeys between hospitals were jarring and painful, she got the treatment she needed from the professionals.
Most of all, Erin is Erin. Plucky doesn't begin to describe the strength and determination she exudes. She's also a big hit with her classmates from Lakehead University where she's studying to be a teacher. They all got together and gave her a care package with warm socks, a book, and several other bits that will help her on her way. The big, homemade get well card was signed by everyone, which really lifted her spirits.
I'm confident that she'll bounce back, better than ever, because that's who she is.
Until next week. Gratuitous cat photo courtesy of Nick, the most handsome cat on the planet, who has been gone - but never forgotten - for an incredible six years.
