Hi Katie -

I admire you. You sound like one neat kid. Welcome to the crash club. It's no fun earning membership, but you're one of us now. I became a member in June of 2005 when a pit bull attacked me and knocked me off my brand NEW Trek 1500. The dog came out of nowhere and next thing I knew, I was having a very close encounter with hard pavement. Road rash, bruises, severely twisted knee and ankle, and FEAR. It took me a month to heal. That was my first crash ever. I ride smarter now. I have learned some lessons about preparing for disasters, letting my body heal on its schedule and not a schedule set by others, and being very thankful for every chance I get to ride my bike. Be patient with yourself. You are very motivated. You will heal. You will recover. You will ride again! One of the things I did as I was healing was to make a "Boo Boo Book" which contained pictures, a journal, hospital bills, get-well cards, etc. It motivated me. Don't get depressed. Put a smile on your face every day. I now wear a Road ID bracelet that has all my emergency information on it. This is important because I always ride solo. You are terrific. Be proud of yourself.
Barb from Southern Indiana