well, ouch!

So, Keebler’s stitches are healing well and I started riding him again Monday. 2 weeks in the stall, but we gave him a shot of dopa and he seemed pretty calm. Walked Mon, walked and trotted Tuesday, added canter Wednesday and decided to have a lesson yesterday (Thursday). Got on in dressage saddle (had been riding in jump saddle), got halfway around the arena at a walk and got launched (very impressive bucking!). Hit the ground hard, but didn’t hit my head. Ice and rest while Henry braved rush hou traffic to come out to the barn and get me, then 4 hours of quality time in the Penn trauma bay. My friends in trauma surgery must be getting tired of my calls that start, “who’s on?” Final tally Is a mild nasal fracture, a loose tooth and associated lip and chin lacerations, a fractured, but not displaced wrist, a fractured L-3 transverse spinal process (ouch!!!), and a nice gouge in the knee, which was the source of astonishing pain when they injected the knee to be sure the wound didn’t go through into the joint capsule. I’m guessing at least 3 weeks until I’m back in the saddle, but feel pretty lucky given how nasty a fall it was. Excellent care in the trauma bay and follow-up appointments Monday with plastic surgeon for face and hand surgeon for wrist. The vertebra just gets advil