Greetings Dr. Myers,
I just wanted to say, thanks for the broken finger. Sound odd? Silly, perhaps, but let me explain. (This is kind of long…sorry!)
Last week and this week here in Columbus is the annual Bike to Work Challenge. Never before would I even have considered such a thing – me, not just ride my bike approximately 13 miles downtown to work, but logically, home at the end of the day? So, I made the commitment this year to do it at least once. Children’s Hospital has a nice-sized group of cyclists that bike to work frequently, so there were experienced cyclists to buddy up with so that I wouldn’t have to make the trek alone.
Because I was hesitant to undertake such a thing with relative strangers, I tested the route on the Sunday before my scheduled Monday trek with coworkers, to make certain that I was up to the distance, etc. I made the trip downtown with no problems. I didn’t have a huge amount of time to give to this effort on a busy Sunday, so I immediately turned around and headed home to make certain that I was familiar with the route switches in the downtown area. George picked me up at Ohio Stadium so that we could get along with the rest of our day. So, I knew that the distance was totally doable and that I was comfortable with the sections when I would have to ride on the city streets.
Well…I overslept on Monday morning and woke up with only 30 minutes to shower, get my work clothes into a backpack and meet my fellow employees by the scheduled time…plus it was only 37 degrees at the time. It would have been SO easy to just make the phone call and say “Not going to make it, go ahead without me,” which is so in keeping with what I would expect of myself. Well, made it…hair blown dry and everything. Met everyone along the trail at the scheduled times and locations and was changed and at my desk in time to start the day.
Fast forward to the end of the day, and the small group of 4 that I had finished the ride with that morning had changed to include two men that I had never met and a coworker that I know slightly from our IS department (she would qualify as a runway model). So, our group of six, four of them very experienced riders, take off together. Approximately a mile from work, one of the veteran riders wipes out in front of me and I go head over heals over her. All I could think of was that I was going to break her in half, break every rib in her tiny body, or snap her leg (well, that and my dental work). After our four coworkers and a stranger who was also biking on the trail untangled us (literally, I had a handlebar caught totally up my pants leg) we were able to check for damage to self and bicycles. My coworker had quite the bloody gashes on her knee – but with her experience, had a first aid kit. There was much discussion by our coworkers about whether or not we should call for a ride, if they should ride to their end point and come back with their truck, etc. My preference was to get back up on my bike and go; which we did, after making certain that our bikes were road worthy.
I made it back to my starting point of Antrim Park, only a few minutes later than expected, knowing that I was sporting a broken pinkie finger on my right hand, but little else (which turned out to be incorrect – at home I discovered some decent scrapes and bruises across both thighs – I’m grateful that I don’t bruise much, it would have been a disgusting sight, otherwise).
So, at the end of the day:
• I didn’t roll back over in bed and say “to hell with it.”
• I rode my bike about 13 miles when it was only 37 degrees.
• I wasn’t mortified to be with relative strangers in stretchy work-out pants (NEVER bike shorts – puhleeze!)
• I got back “up on that horse” when it would have been easy (and perhaps better judgment) to call for a pick up.
• I did not shed a tear.
• I’m scheduled to do this twice again this week.
None of this is earth shattering, but all together, a big day for my psyche. Two years ago, I didn’t own a bike. I only bought a bike because I was getting one for George for his birthday and thought this would be fun to do together. Two years ago, I would NOT have dragged my rear end out of bed to ride a bike in 37 degree weather and if I had wiped out on said bike, you could have bet good money that I would have made a call for a pick up.
So, I’m thanking you for your part in all of this – broken pinkie and all. I’m extremely grateful for the wonderful care that you have provided and appreciate your calm…I think that I’ve learned a thing or two from you about patience, and much more.
Peace,
aph
Ann P. Holzapfel
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