Sending get well wishes to my dear friend Ducky, who suffered a bad fall during last Saturday's Cyclopath ride. (I was in Vermont.) Ducky had a spill crossing the nasty speed bumps at Bradley Palmer, and was more concerned about the poison ivy she landed in than her injuries. (Stubborn cuss.) After biking home from Wenham, (insisting on riding home alone), she decided to head into Beverly Hospital to get the pain in her leg and shoulder checked out. The hospital wisely chose not to attend to the obvious injuries first, and addressed what they couldn't see -- and wheeled her in for a CT scan.
Where they discovered bleeding in her skull. (Geesh, Ducky!)
They took good care of her at Beverly and transfered her over to Lahey Hospital where they were able to stop the bleeding in her brain. (She also happened to break her clavicle and has a badly bruised leg from the fall! I can't believe she biked home, alone.) She spent three days in the hospital and is now home, recuperating. She was lucky.
Sadly, I've learned through Facebook this week that two friends have lost someone dear to their hearts from cycling accidents in recent days. Melissa Caplan lost her cousin Bonni in an accident in Idaho. (Very sad.) I also just learned tonight that Kelly Bilodeau's younger brother Jim died in a bike accident this week. My heart goes out to all of the families involved -- and especially to my sweet boy Carter, one of my third grade Lego kids, who lost his dear uncle.
Both accidents were so tragic. All of this a reminder of how fragile life can be, and how quickly accidents happen. (Be careful out there.)
"Ride as much or as little or as long or as short as you feel, but RIDE" -- Eddy Merckx
