Mercy and helmets - good stuff (mostly mercy!)

Every Monday evening this time of year, and weather permitting, K's 4H horse club rides at the riding arena. Yesterday we got there pretty late, since I didn't get home from bringing J to Wpg for a dental appointment until after 6. Right away when we got to the arena, K hurried up and got Spanky ready to ride as quickly as she could. I joined a parent meeting that was in progress, feeling kind of bad that I couldn't keep my full attention on K entering the arena.

During the parent meeting, I looked over now and then to try to see how things were going for her. I could see her riding, and everything looked fine. Suddenly I saw another horse and rider going at a fast clip toward the waiting kids on their horses, and it ran right into K's pony, T-bone style, knocking him to the ground with K on him. I ran over to see K laying on her side, helmet still in place. She was awake and crying. Someone called for an ambulance. She was able to move everything and talk to me, but had a headache. By the time the ambulance got there she was sitting up and things were looking pretty good. They checked her over and I made the decision to bring her to the hospital myself since she didn't seem badly hurt. We borrowed a van, since I had borrowed a truck and trailer to get there, and got on our way to the hospital.

I was second guessing my decision to not use an ambulance when K started asking me the same questions over and over and began complaining of neck pain and increasing head pain. I felt so bad about deciding to bring her myself, and prayed hard on way to the hospital. I called A and he left a jobsite and started for the hospital.

Once we got to the hospital, they checked her over and did a neck x-ray. The doctor didn't think a CT scan was necessary. He couldn't see anything on the x-ray and spent a lot of time talking to us about why they didn't do a CT scan, since I was wondering - I was pretty concerned about her having asked me the same questions over and over, and her intense headache.

Soon we were free to go, and brought her home. Once home, she seemed more and more her old self, joking with J and C. By then it was after 11, and she went to bed. Her neck felt better, and her headache was almost gone - she didn't even want any Tylenol. I roused her a bit twice before I went to bed, and she responded well, and has again this morning.

Can you say RELIEF??????? I am filled with thankfulness to the Lord for watching over her and protecting her. And I'm glad she was wearing a helmet.

That's Spanky, the pony K got about 2 months ago, on the top of my blog - I've been meaning to introduce him here, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I'll have to do a separate post about him yet. And by the way - Spanky's fine. :o)