I t was the fall of 1995. I was six years old, and had just started kindergarten. I had had my motorcycle for a year now. I was just getting used to the fact that I was on two wheels instead of four, like the four-wheeler. I think that I might have needed a little more practice to do what I did on the day of my accident.
That day started out as any other fall day. The leaves on the trees were an array of colors, orange, red, and yellow. As the afternoon went on, I decided that I wanted to ride my motorcycle, and I wanted my brother,Luke, to ride his four-wheeler. After we had been riding for a while we decided that it would be fun to race. We both went to the far side of the bumpy hay meadow. As soon as we counted to three the both of us were off in a flash. I had the motorcycle pegged to full speed, as I raced down the path towards victory. Right before I reached the finish line I hit a hole in the field. My motorcycle landed on top of my abdomen. The motor was burning me.
After what seemed like an hour, my brother made it inside to tell the adults what had happened. My older brother's friend, B.J., removed the motorcycle from my lower abdomen. He carried me inside to my mother. She started to run me a cold bath. My mother started to undress me. As she got to my undergarments she should have been more careful because my skin was stuck to them. Soon after my bath we left for the hospital. I remember being totally silent on the way there, I felt like I was dreaming, but I knew I was not.
Finally we arrived at the hospital. As soon as we walked into the emergency room, I was snatched from my mother and taken to a room immediately. My mother and I were told that I had a second and third degree burn. We were also told that we were lucky that my third degree burn wasn’t further down, because I would have had to have been transferred to St. Francis Burn Center . As they got me ready for my dressing to be put on, they gave me a shot of Demerol in the butt. They told my mother not to worry, that I would be “out” in a few minutes, so that they could scrap the dead skin off. When they returned, to their surprise, I was still wide awake. However I wish I had not been. The whole time I stayed awake, and did not go to bed till that night.
To this day I have scars from that accident. Everyday when I take a shower it is a constant reminder. For years after my accident I refuse to ride another motorcycle. I guess I never got the practice that I needed to successfully race my little brother, especially since he can ride like the wind now. Now even twelve years later I still do not like motorcycles.
That day started out as any other fall day. The leaves on the trees were an array of colors, orange, red, and yellow. As the afternoon went on, I decided that I wanted to ride my motorcycle, and I wanted my brother,Luke, to ride his four-wheeler. After we had been riding for a while we decided that it would be fun to race. We both went to the far side of the bumpy hay meadow. As soon as we counted to three the both of us were off in a flash. I had the motorcycle pegged to full speed, as I raced down the path towards victory. Right before I reached the finish line I hit a hole in the field. My motorcycle landed on top of my abdomen. The motor was burning me.
After what seemed like an hour, my brother made it inside to tell the adults what had happened. My older brother's friend, B.J., removed the motorcycle from my lower abdomen. He carried me inside to my mother. She started to run me a cold bath. My mother started to undress me. As she got to my undergarments she should have been more careful because my skin was stuck to them. Soon after my bath we left for the hospital. I remember being totally silent on the way there, I felt like I was dreaming, but I knew I was not.
Finally we arrived at the hospital. As soon as we walked into the emergency room, I was snatched from my mother and taken to a room immediately. My mother and I were told that I had a second and third degree burn. We were also told that we were lucky that my third degree burn wasn’t further down, because I would have had to have been transferred to St. Francis Burn Center . As they got me ready for my dressing to be put on, they gave me a shot of Demerol in the butt. They told my mother not to worry, that I would be “out” in a few minutes, so that they could scrap the dead skin off. When they returned, to their surprise, I was still wide awake. However I wish I had not been. The whole time I stayed awake, and did not go to bed till that night.
To this day I have scars from that accident. Everyday when I take a shower it is a constant reminder. For years after my accident I refuse to ride another motorcycle. I guess I never got the practice that I needed to successfully race my little brother, especially since he can ride like the wind now. Now even twelve years later I still do not like motorcycles.
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