Yesterday my lads and a couple of friends were up fishing and hiking in the canyon. They decided they wanted to cross the river and go hike on the opposite ridge. Now, my son Charles has been hunting that canyon for years with me and he knows my only fear is crossing rivers. I am dreadfully affraid of slipping on the rocks and falling in. I have always told him I would rather walk a mile up or down the river to cross safely than to try to wade across. That is just me, but it seems mother knows best.
Well, the 4 lads were crossing and Charles slipped and went down and smashed his head on a rock. I am thankful that my youngest son Brandon and his 2 friends were there as this could have ended very badly. They pulled him to the bank and got him out of the water then applied pressure to his wound on his head. Thankfully they were in an area where there was cell phone service so they can call 911 and me. After a long rescue effort by the Dayton Fire and EMT's they got him back across the river. I have to say what an awesome team of fireman and EMT's we have here.
At the ER he received over 20 stitches to his head and a severe dislocation of his wrist (8 places) He is off to surgery this afternoon to repair the wrist.
Poor kid, he is right handed and it is his right hand. Hopefully he will heal well as he is majoring in Criminal Justice to become a cop and that is his shooting hand. I have to say this, if it means anything at all, that I am very thankful that my kids and the 2 lads that were there with them knew what to do and remained calm. Part of this I will credit to what they are taught in hunter saftey and having parents that hunt, fish, and share their outdoor knowledge with their kids. We never want to ever think that this will happen to our own, but I am so glad that I taught my kids what to do if there is an emergency on the mountian.
I am including a pic of his head before and after the stitch job. Don't look if you are faint of heart. It went all the way down to the skull.
