Down The Hill
It started out as any previous camping trip had as I woke up to the smell of sausage and eggs cooking on the camp stove. Each summer our family would pack our bags, dust off our roasting sticks and head for the hills. As I woke up I was excited for the activities we had planned for the day and couldn’t wait to take my new mountain bike for a ride down the hill next to camp.
After finishing my breakfast burrito and brushing my teeth with the assistance of a water jug, I went straight outside to take my new bike for a ride. What I was expecting to be a fun ride quickly turned into a moment my parents and family never want to remember. I jumped on my bike and headed for what I thought was going to be a smooth ride down the mountain hills. As I started down the hill I quickly realized it was much steeper than I had originally anticipated. Gaining momentum with every spin of the wheel, I started to softly pull back on my brakes, hoping that I could slow myself down before disaster struck. Unfortunately I was a little too late and the following hours are non-existent in my mind.
Waking up in a hospital bed is something that no one wants to experience. That is exactly where I found myself after experiencing minor head injuries sustained after my crash down the hill. Luckily several family members heard the crash occur and were quick to come to my aide. Finding me unconscious and worried for my health, my parents quickly rushed me to the emergency room where I slowly recovered from the injuries that were sustained.
That experience has led me to think a lot about head injuries and how a few seconds in time can change someone’s life forever. Luckily I recovered from what was supposed to be an enjoyable ride down the hill. However, others sustain head injuries that affect them for a lifetime.
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