A Sledding Adventure

Stacia invited a group of friends from college to go sledding at Clarke Wolverine.  

She loaded her car with sleds, extra snow gear and off they went with my warning to be safe ringing in her ears (I'm pretty sure she was remembering my exhortation).  

At some point in the afternoon, whilst I was envisioning the fun, I received a phone call from Stacia. 

"Mom, I biffed." 

It didn't take long until a friend took over the phone. Stacia wasn't stringing coherent thoughts together. She told me she was fine, but she wasn't o.k.  Her friend, whose name I cannot spell, said she'd flown off the sled, landed on her back and somehow her face got involved too...she had a gash on her eyebrow but what was most concerning is one eye reacted to light, and one didn't.  Hmmm...now visions of googly eyes danced in MY head. 

I had GG and dinner...I tend to under react in these situations and so I got Michael up and off he went to a spot which was new to him. LOL  Someone in the group can drive a manual and they would get Stacia's car to the college. Stacia and a friend walked back to the car and waited in the parking lot for Michael to pick her up. He would do an assessment and decide if she needed to head to urgent care or come home and to be observed.  Allie was home and got on the phone and talked with Stacia and Linea until Michael showed up. 

Meanwhile I enlisted the prayer of the sib group and Carrie provided nursing tips.  When Michael checked her eyes, both were responding, she was talking in complete, logical sentences again, she was lightheaded but was walking straight and wasn't nauseated. She came home. 

We ate dinner. 

She opted out of her evening class. 

Allie went to the movies with a friend. 

Linea checked in. 

Stacia took the max dose of Ibuprofen. Her face has tiny blood vessels which broke, her eye is red and swollen, she is sore and will be rather bruised in the next day or two...but no broken bones. 

We snuggled on the couch and watched a Great American Christmas movie and an episode of White Collar which allowed for observation. 

YIKES! Stacia grew up sledding in Japan and here - interspersed with years in Texas which has little snow. She has stories of flying off the back of the sled with brothers, of falling off and being run over by Michael...this story is sure to live with the other stories. She did this one all on her own. It seems she needs to work on staying on the sled...maybe giant velcro on the sled and the seat of her snow pants? 

Beware of icy patches beneath powdery snow....

GRACE NOTES:

1. The girls' friend groups.  

2. Time - which doesn't heal all wounds but does provide assurance life continues. 

3. The judicial system with hopes for a trial month by the end of this week. 

4. A quiet evening with Michael and Stacia. 

5. No broken bones or concussion - I'm grateful.