Just three days after my birthday our family went on a bike ride. Sterling had just bought himself a bike and so technically we all have a bike. But Athena's bike is too big for her...her feet can't hold her up from falling over when she sits on it. And she had no ability to balance or steer a bike. It is surprising to me...as brave and coordinated as she is...she cannot ride a bike! She can jump from a chair onto a bench without a hiccup! But she cannot balance herself on a bicycle. She falls ride over sideways!
So we were considering what to do for her...get a balance bike or a third wheel that has a seat that attaches behind an adult bike.
So when we went on this family bike ride I decided it would be okay for Athena to sit on a little pillow on the attached rack above the back tire of my bicycle. Sitting behind me, her knees went pretty far out to the sides and I assumed she knew to keep her feet away from the wheel.
We went down the street but hadn't gone too far before Athena decided to have her foot touching the spokes of my wheel as it turned. The spokes apparently ripped her skin open above the foot of her heel.
It ripped the skin, not a couple layers of it, but all of the skin down to the muscle! Open!
She started screaming, I stopped the bike and grabbed my girl to see what was wrong.
It was as traumatic for me as when Ty got hit by a car and was bleeding from his head in the street! Because I had caused this horrific accident. I had caused Athena's pain.
Sterling took the little pillow and held it over Athena's wound. I rode my bike home and got the car. Drove to pick up Athena and Ster and took them down the street to the hospital. Luckily we live really close to it.
A terrible visit to the ER. Athena just wanted the pain to stop. I couldn't handle looking at her foot. I tried my best to distract her and comfort her while Sterling took care of the foot and the medical personnel did their jobs.
It seemed to take forever for them to get her the pain medication. And when they did it was a couple needle shots into the skin near the injury. No fun!
I stayed as long as I could handle, wanting to be there for Athena. But I almost passed out and I almost threw up. I did not want the doctors having to deal with that.
So I went home. The boys and I prayed for Athena. And as embarrassed as I was at my decision to put her on my bike I reached out to the ward via facebook...for immediate prayers. Prayers for Athena to not be in pain. For her comfort as well.
Our ward is very loving and outreaching.
I kept the boys calm as much as I could. They watched tv and cleaned their bedroom.
It seemed way too long...waiting for Sterling to say Athena's stitches were in and I could bring her home. 14 stitches!
Athena's favorite pillow is a pancake pillow and it was ruined by blood that day. She was very upset that Ster threw it away at the hospital. So, I made her a new one. We had bought a nightgown at the store here and it came with that pillow case. I just stuffed it and sealed it. So, we got a new nightgown just for the pillowcase. Replaced it so she can be happy.
The day of the accident, I signed Athena up for swim lessons and I paid too. The swim lessons would start first week of June. I had to cancel and get a refund. She will have to wait until July for swim lessons.
Athena was allowed to walk with the stitches in. And play too. But at first she was on pain medication and she did not like being on her foot. So she laid on the couch a lot and hopped around on her good leg.
A friend came to cheer her up two days after the accident. Matthew Faggard. He is a good friend of Athena's! It was his mother's idea and it really helped get Athena off the couch and moving around.
Every Sunday for a little while Athena would say "I'm going to sit by Matthew in primary!" Happy and excited to be with Matthew. But...they play and talk too much so they always get separated early on.
12 days after getting the stitches in we went to get them removed. But the skin had been cut so deep it was taking a long time to heal closed. They did removed a lot of the stitches but left some in. We will go back soon to check on her skin's progress.
Recently I learned that the Toys R Us here in Fussa has decently priced balance bikes. So I went and bought Athena one. They didn't have Athena's sized. They only had ages 3-5 but Athena is a big 5, not a little five. So the bike I got her is a little too small. I bought it anyway knowing that it only takes a couple weeks before you no longer need the balance bike. So, I intend to sell it once Athena can balance and steer her big girl bike. Sterling worried she would refuse to ride this balance bike like she did the one we gave her maybe two years ago.
She loves her balance bike now! She rode it all around the main floor of our house the first few days because it was raining outside. And she rides it outside now when the rain is not here.
We went on a family bike ride a couple days ago! She rode her balance bike all the way to the big park up the street. That was cool.
In her pjs at the park while waiting for injury to heal.
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