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At 6 AM, we finally made it to Santa Fe. The horses were so grateful to get out of the trailer. I was devastated to discover that two of my favorite rabbits had died. This was the worst trip I have ever had to endure. What could I do? All I could do now is to find an orthopedic surgeon in Santa Fe and have the steel plates put in my shattered wrist. All I could do is heal my collapsed lung and two broken ribs. All I could do is pick up the pieces after a terrible accident and spend the next two months trying to find ways to recover.

We had to go back to Phoenix. We drove to Scottsdale and up to Payson. We tried to go to Winslow but seeing another traffic jam on this road, we turned around and went to St. John’s. We tried to go through Zuni but the entire town was closed so we had to turn around again. Outside of Gallup, a semi truck hit the back of my trailer. We all got off the highway to wait for the police to arrive. Thank God my animals were fine. My trailer got smashed. The policeman saw me in my hospital gown and splint and asked if I needed to go to the hospital. My cousin explained that he was helping me to get back to Santa Fe after my horse bucked me off in Phoenix. At 2 AM, we finally were allowed to get back on the highway. All I could think about was getting my animals safely home.

My cousin drove all night and got to my house at 5 AM Sunday morning. He and a friend loaded all my animals and horses into my stock trailer. By the time we left, it was noon. I could still drive with my left hand so I drove my truck and horse trailer. My cousin followed me in his car. We drove towards Flagstaff. Two hours up I-17, there was a traffic jam for miles. We couldn’t budge for two hours. We saw huge flames and black smoke on the hills above us. It was 111 degrees. I was so worried about my animals but the Highway was closed. The police arrived and said the forest fire was getting worse and everyone needed to go back to Phoenix.

When I got home from the hospital, Zum was standing in his corral. I guess my neighbor caught Zum in the field, recognized him as my horse and brought him back to his corral. I am very grateful that Zum is fine. The horses had no water. I am so glad I came home to care for my thirsty and hungry animals. I called my cousin in Santa Fe and I told him about my accident. Can he come and get me and my animals and bring us back to Santa Fe? I need help and I have no one to help me in Phoenix.

As I have no one to help me feed and water my horses, I had to dismiss myself from the hospital. My doctor warned me that my injuries were very serious but I was extremely worried about my horses without water in 111 degrees. Phoenix was having a heat wave. I was also apprehensive about Zum. He had galloped away. Where was Zum?

After seven hours in the hospital, the doctors told me I have two broken ribs which punctured and collapsed my right lung. I also broke my right wrist in two places and shattered the bones. There was a hospital bed waiting for me at another hospital and an ambulance to take me there. I need steel plates and bolts to be surgically inserted into my wrist for it to heal. The doctors were worried about my breathing.

I was taken to the emergency room at the nearest hospital. I was given a CT scan, ultrasound and x-rays. My right wrist was dislocated so I was put under so the doctor could put it back in place. I have never had anesthesia before. I felt like I was disappearing. Where am I? Am I dead?

‘Help me!’ I screamed as I landed on my right wrist and right side. The girl on the horse came back as I watched Zum gallop away. The girl called for more assistance. She helped me walk slowly to the road as I held my right wrist in my left hand. My right wrist was bent at an extreme angle forward. I knew I broke this wrist but I didn’t know how badly.

I was riding Zum near my house when a young girl rides by on a horse. I tell her that I am on a green horse and would it be OK if she doesn’t gallop away? She nods her head and then she starts to trot down a bank into a wash. I felt Zum panic and freeze. At this moment, I could have gotten off. I tried to remain calm and brave, My confidence did not help me. Zum bucked me off and ran away. I landed on my right wrist and my right side and I screamed…

I have realized that Zum will do something I ask a million times for a million rewards but only a few times for a demand.