We read this story of road rash and a victory-dancing Raccoon on Facebook and asked Cindy Freed permission to repost it. She agreed and note there’s a gruesome photo after the jump
I looked at myself in the mirror last night and I didn’t recognize the person looking back at me. Who is that woman with the purple and red face with stitches under the eye, stitches on the bridge of the nose, the tip of my nose is missing and the surgeon tried to piece it back together but it’s going to need more work. My lower lip got shredded but it saved my teeth ( all of them). My eyes are swollen and black , the right one is the worst. This was my first morning to wake up to this face and see if it was any better. I guess a day at a time right now and today is the worst of it I hope.
My helmet once again, saved my life and all of this because of a Raccoon. I have raced all season without crashing, trained my butt off and even did the 24 hour mtn bike race without getting hurt and a wild Raccoon takes me out….I know…seems ridiculous. Brian sent me a text of a note he made that said “No Raccoons”…I will post it…it was actually pretty funny as I was still in the hospital. What happened….. I had just finished McMurry hill intervals at a great speed and had just text him how awesome my training ride was going…thinking as I was out there how well this rest of season was going for me and how I couldn’t wait for the next LWV and excited that Cyclocross is around the corner and I am in good form….start heading toward Dash Point road and this cute animal in the early evening comes waddling out in front of me…crosses the street, thinking i was in the clear I pick up speed and then a truck comes down the road from the opposite direction and it comes speeding back across the road into my front wheel and cranks….I superman over the handle bars and slide on the chip seal on my face till I came to a stop. Stood up and blood is pouring out of my face….the guy in the truck and his wife stop immediately and jump out…meanwhile the Raccoon decides its not done with me and apparently jumped on me while I was down according to the man and a his wife and a nurse also cruising by…yes the Raccoon did a victory dance on my back. The firefighters got there first and got a kick out of that one…yeah..I still had my sense of humor. The couple that stopped called 911, the man gave me the shirt off his back literally…to stop blood from pouring everywhere. The nurse had a icepack and helped call my daughter and Brian. Good samaritans that will be blessed in someway for helping me.
She avoids the raccoon while a truck approaches scaring the raccoon, truck avoids the raccoon and hits her. Raccoon jumps on Cindy’s back. Then does a paw pump with a booyah.
A CAT scan showed no brain injury, we thought my cheek bone was broken but it’s not…just a cracked vertebra that is actually hurting like a mother today. They took me to St Francis first and I was there for seven hours and the Dr couldn’t deal with my nose or my mouth injury so they transferred me to Harborview and their plastic surgeon came in and worked on me for three hours. Mean time interns are coming in the room saying “heard you had good one”, “heard there was a big case in here”….yeah..that was awesome…my daughter said “at least you know he is good mom, the interns keep coming in to watch him work.”…
I am lucky, I could have been worse. I will mend but it will take time. I am an outside sales rep for work so for the next few days I will have to lay low. I look like someone walking the earth from Zombieland. Day at a time… I am scared I will never look the same but at least I am still here to see my daughter go off to college and my son be a senior. They are great kids, they have been here for me…Samantha has still not left my side. I don’t know what I am going to do monday when she is gone. I love you my baby girl. You are an amazing young lady and I am proud you are my daughter.
Thank you to everyone that has sent me notes and messages, you have no idea how much this has meant to me. Peace and will see you on the road soon god willing.
Gruesome Photo
No Raccoons
Raccoon of Doom
Amongst the Raccoon community, we guess this asshole is King for a Day.
Cindy is on the mend with lots of well wishers and we’re sure she’ll get back on the bike as soon as she can. She normally looks like this.
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