Spinning Forward Falling Down

I'm so excited! I bought a new bike April 8 after looking for the perfect one for weeks. It's true that you never really forget how to ride a bike. What a wonderful sensation, almost like flying! Robert got one too, so you'll see us breezing around town this Spring together. At least I thought you would, until...

Monday morning I went out for a quick zip in the neighborhood. I got to the end of the street. I turned the corner and attempted to mount a driveway to get up onto the sidewalk. I came at the driveway sort of sideways and the bike tire slipped on the lip of the driveway. The bike slid out from under me and I fell flat on my face on the pavement.

My hip hit the ground first then my elbow which jammed my shoulder. There I was, 62 years old, laying in the street. No one around, so much pain and shock and awe. Thankfully I decided to take my phone with me, so I called Robert while I was laying face down on the pavement. He informed me that he had been expecting my call and would be right down to scrape me off the street.

He packed me and the bike in the car and after stopping back at home so he could get dressed, took me to the Emergency Room. Oh my goodness I was in unbelievable pain.
It was 10 out of 10 on the pain scale. I tried my best to hold back my emotions, but I was a total loss.

The hospital staff was very comforting and sympathetic.
They were however, very impressed by my sports related injuries. I guess they don't get many 62 year old overweight diabetic women who come in because of a sports related injury. I was pretty proud of that.

Within minutes Kristin, Scott and Laura (Rick's Wife) were all standing over me at the hospital. It felt so reassuring to have my kids there to help me and to have Robert and Scott give me a blessing.

The doctor's were afraid that it would take surgery to repair the damage that had been done. We were told that it was possibly my hip, arm or shoulder or some combonation of the three. After several rounds of X-Rays and two doses of Morphine for pain, the diagnosis came. I had broken my shoulder.


The good news is that it wouldn't take surgery or even casting to fix. I'd just have to have my arm immobolized in a sling for the next 6-8 weeks. No biggie, but no more riding bikes for the next several months.

I had so much fun on my bike before hand and I DO want to get back on and ride again although I am apprehensive about it. But the bike is in cold storage for the next little while.

After spending the afternoon in the hospital ER they sent us back home with pain pills and a sling. Here I am, still standing after all I had been through.
Nothing is going to stop me from achieving my ulitmate goals of living a healthy, full, fun and adventurous life all while fighting against diabetes.

The main reason I bought the bike was because I signed up to ride in the Diabetes Tour de Cure in June. I along with several members of my family planned to ride in the Tour de Cure to raise funds to find a cure for Diabetes.

We want to help educate and find a cure so that all can live better by overcoming this disasterous disease. I know you will want to help too. Since diabetes effects many of us including me and our oldest grandson, Jeffrey. I want to do all I can to stop this dreadful disease.

I'm afraid the lifestyles we live, along with unexplained triggers, may put many of us in jeopardy for contracting it. Seeing my grandson and his parents learn how to deal with Type 1 Diabetes has been difficult. He was diagnosed it when he was just five. He is now 13 and is doing pretty well thanks to his parents and many advancements in diabetes technology. We are encouraged he will live a full active life.

We thank our Heavenly Father for the research being done to improve his life, mine and tens of millions of others like us. With that background, you may understand why supporting American Diabetes Association is so important to me. Will you help?

I will not be able to participate in the race (this year) thanks to my broken shoulder, but my daughter Kristin and her husband Steve are and still have not met their fund raising goals. Scott and Jeffrey are also riding, but have met thier fundraising goals. Please contribute to Kristin and Steve's ride and help me help them and millions of others fight diabetes. Also, say a little prayer that I will be able to heal from this injury quickly and be able to get back to doing the things I love including riding my new bike.

Donate to Kristin's Ride against DiabetesDonate to Steve's Ride against Diabetes

Updates this week:

Got off my weight loss plateau by losing 3 pounds

The doctor eliminated one of my diabetes medications completely! Yea!

I've found more ways to move including a little running, I don't think my podiatrist will believe it!