Why I can imagine your shock so well, is that our Bridget had an accident saturday a week ago. While me and the girls were on the attic, Bridget fell down the stairs and lost concience. I hadn’t seen what had happened, but Lauryn saw her moving backwards, losing grip and falling down.

Obviously, Lauryn was very upset. I rushed down, grabbed Bridget and laid her down on our bed. She was reacting in such a disturbing way that I decided to bring her downstairs and call 112 (911 in your country). When the medics, the police and the trauma helicopter had arrived, she had regained concience again but they had to stabilize her before she could be brought to the hospital. It is so strange to have so many people running around your house, the whole neighbourhood in front of the house wondering what had happened, and then a rush over the highway to a hospital in Amsterdam. I have never had to sit in an ambulance with lights and sirens on, and I hope I never have to do that again.

All these things happened when Michiel was not at home, so I had to call him and tell him that he needed to come to the Amsterdam Academic Centre. Our neighbours and my parents-in-law took care of Jesse and Lauryn and the dog so we could accompany Bridget.

in the trauma room, a team of at least 10 people was ready to take care of her, surgeons, trauma doctors, a neuro surgeon, nurses, a peditrician, x radiologists etc. They took radiographs and ct scans of her whole body to see wheter she had broken something or was bleeding somewhere inside.

Fortunately, that was not the case and after about half an hour, it was evident that the “only” thing she was suffering from -besides some nasty bruises – was a pretty bad brain concussion. Therefore, she had pain in her head and was nauseous. She had to stay in hospital overnight so that she could be monitored and woken up every hour and I was allowed to stay with her.

Sunday, Bridget was released from the hospital and with some medication for the pain and her nausiness, she could come home. That is where she still is right now, although she is feeling much better now. We will let her go back to school on Monday for half days and see how that goes.

Probably the worst thing for Bridget is that she will have to skip her ponyriding classes for the next month and a half!

my thoughts and prayers are with all of you and Isaac in particular.

take care, love Karin

We will be back in town tomorrow and will help in any way we can.

Love, Mom

Oh, just an added thought…
If boys are going to work along side their dads in any active way, there are always dangers, whether it be in hunting, fishing, farming, building, etc. We can only do our best to teach our kids working skills, safety habits, and then trust that God rules in all circumstances, even the most unexpected.