All,
I am writing to tell you that David had an accident on a hiking trip yesterday. Early in the afternoon, he decided to take our beagle puppy, Mookie, for a hike up Camelback Mountain, a rocky and steep summit. Practically immediately on the descent, the dog started pulling and David tumbled 10-15 feet. He heard a loud pop from his right foot and suffered abrasions on his palms, right knee and thigh.
David called 911 from his cell phone and a paramedic made the ascent in 25 minutes (no small feat). It took a group of 20 firefighters over 4 hours to carry David down the mountain in a basket/stretcher, even belaying him at times. As night fell, a helicopter hovered overhead shining light to illuminate the rescue workers’ way; it was simply too windy to land a helicopter and airlift him to the hospital.
A good Samaritan separately climbed down the mountain with Mookie.
I was out Christmas shopping and got the calls around 4 PM. I picked up the dog from the kind stranger and drove to the base of the mountain. There were 6 huge fire trucks and all sorts of emergency vehicles waiting; it looked like the scene from a blockbuster movie. I didn’t actually get David until around 8 PM. He was in excruciating pain. I drove him to the emergency room, where x-rays proved he has broken his tibia. He is in a large plaster cast and has to see an orthopedist this week.
As I type this he is sleeping, thank goodness. We have a prescription for painkillers; hopefully the pain will abate more each passing day.
We had plans to fly East to see Sally’s family at Christmas, but I’m not sure where that stands now until he sees the specialist. Because it’s David’s right foot, he is unable to drive and so will be housebound for some time.
Thank dear God the accident wasn’t worse. (A man died on Camelback Mountain last week.)
I’m sure David would appreciate hearing from you; perhaps e-mail might be best for the next day or two since I hope he can sleep as much as possible.
Glad it wasn't worse. Feel better soon 
