Ain't Dead Yet

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

K S SWIGART   katswig@earthlink.net (or swigart@bigbear.com)




I wish to thank everybody at the GC XP Ride who realistically 
speaking saved my life in my accident/s where I got to meet the
trees of the Kaibab Plateau upclose and personal.

And to clear up a few misunderstandings (with the understanding that
even _I_ don't know everything that happened).

To start with.  I am not dead.  I have sustained NO neurological damage (either to my head or my spine) and the facial damage is
healing nicely and I should be having my last appointment with a
plastic surgeon next week.  I am out of the Flagstaff Hosptial 
(thank you to EVERYBODY who sent flowers, cards, and made phone 
calls wishing me well) and am "convalescing at my parent's house
in Big Bear Lake, California.

There were two accidents.  My horse spooked and bolted through the
trees.  Attempts to stop the horse were futile (can't turn a horse
in a forest with the trees only a few feet apart)...and I missed 
one "turn" that the horse made and met the TRUNK of a tree with 
my face.  The facial injuries were not attractive (to say the
least).  I also had some "abdominal bleeding" and it was determined
that moving me off the Plateau over the ground was not in my best
interests and a "life flight" helicopter was called in to take me
to the hospital.

Shortly after this helicopter took off (accident still under 
investigation) and cleared the trees, it crashed.  So I got to 
see one tree up close and personal in the horse accident, and 
got to see the whole forest up close and personal as the helicopter came down through it (I have more
recollection of the helicopter crash than I do of the horse 
accident...and more "night mares" about it too :)).  Fortunately
nobody was killed in the helicopter crash, but this, apparently, is
a VERY unusual thing.  By all rights, everybody on that helicopter
should have died in that crash ("nobody ever survives a helicopter
accident like that" is what I was told by the Director of the 
Life Flight company).  The pilot and the two technicians, however,
are also alive and well, so it is indeed a fortunate thing. 

I am told that I was shot full of Valium for the second helicopter
flight (because I DO remember being absolutely insistent that there
was NO WAY I was going to get on another helicopter after THAT 
experience...and I STILL feel that way :)).

There were a great number of people who participated in saving my 
life after the helicopter crash and I want to thank them all...but
I don't want to name them here because I don't want to leave anybody
out, and I am sure there are more than I know the names of.  And 
it is certainly the case that I owe my life to XP Riders and to
the some of the Turkey hunters of the Kaibab Plateau (as well as
the wonderful staff of the Flagstaff medical center who also did
everything right).

I was not wearing a helmet and many of you know why I choose not
to wear a helmet when riding endurance.  Certainly a helmet would
not have protected my face (unless they start making equestrian
helmets with face masks :)), and it would not have protected my
liver (which is where the life threatenting injury lay).  I am,
with retrospect, now considering riding endurance in a body 
protection vest as is required of eventing riders (a horse sport
that I also participate in) :).

I appreciate the support that I have had from everybody (I have 
not really had a chance to catch up on my RideCamp reading so
I don't know everything that is being said).  The XP 2001 Calendars
should be delivered from the printers tomorrow (don't know if I am
going to be able to pick them up, but I hope to). And then will be
ready for shipment.

I expect to be back at my desk job...in a week or so.

And I have a multitude of friends who are caring for my own horses
in my absence (I am hoping to be seeing them, the horses, tomorrow
too).

Marla, the horse that I was riding, "does not have a scratch on her"
and was taken home by my driver on Saturday night (the day of the 
accident....not Friday).  And she is happy as a duck getting to
reacquaint herself with her mother (my driver owns Marla's mother).  This is one of the most relieving things for me to hear 
that my horse did not suffer any ill effects or injuries from
the ordeal.

My parents, of course, have been great support, as have all my 
clients in Southern California (who have rallied around to take 
care of my horses...and theirs...in my absence).  And I am
overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from all over the endurance
and horse community at this time.
 
I know there is more to say, but words cannot express it all.  When
I have had a chance to actually sit down and thoughtfully write
I am sure there will be more.  

I am anxiously awaiting the return of my cameras (s/b coming from
the Duck soon) and will better be able to tell if any of my photos
survived the broken camera...the first thing to hit the tree :).

I hope my accidents did not ruin the GC ride for too many people
(I know it was very traumatic for more than just ME but many of 
the riders too).  And hope that the GC riders could find peace and
solace in the beauty of the Kaibab Plateau (and that they didn't 
get the see the forest quite as close up as I did :).

Regards,

kat
Orange County, Calif.

p.s.  I am sorry I did not get to mark the trail for the Casper's
Park Ride this weekend (I was supposed to), but may be able to 
make an appearance at Sunland.