Not Done Yet

Oct 18, 2020 | by Nancy Newbrough

Covid 19 has changed so much for all of us!  Because I am an avid runner and triathlete, that also has meant races getting cancelled or postponed.  I was bummed that my April Iron-man Texas 70.3 got postponed to November.  But I decided to use the delay to get stronger and faster.  In addition to working with my tri-coach, I also hired a nutritionist and personal trainer to learn how to fuel my body properly for my training and to get stronger in all three disciplines of triathlon.  Not only was I on track to ace my upcoming event, but I had also committed to running a half marathon in December and racing my first full Iron-man in 2021.  With all of this work, I was confident in achieving a personal best at the 70.3 as well as the half marathon. 

Also during this time, I committed to working on my mental health and started seeing a counselor.  I am not one to spend a lot of money or time on myself as I would rather be helping others.  But I enjoyed seeing the progress that was being made physically, mentally, and emotionally.  I was now in the best shape of my life.

September 19 started like any other Saturday for me.  I set out with a group of training buddies on a bicycle ride from Pattison to Brookshire.  About an hour into the ride, my world was forever changed!  I was hit from behind by a truck going around 50 mph.  The next thing I knew – I found myself lying face down in a ditch in a lot of pain.  One of my riding buddies, who was in front of me, heard something and turned his head in time to see my bike flying through the air.  He immediately turned around to come to check on me.

Meanwhile two other men also came to my aid.  Both were retired HPD officers who happened to be working on a house right where I had gotten hit.  They called 911 and were able to tell the dispatcher the exact location.  In addition, their training kept them from moving me.  God had definitely put them there for a reason that day! 

My riding buddy started working diligently on contacting others in our group, my tri-coach, and anyone else who could get in touch with my family.  While waiting on the ambulance to arrive, I was handed a phone.  On the other end was my sister who lives in Seattle.  It meant the world to her to be able to hear my voice.  Unbeknownst to me, word was spreading rapidly of my accident and causing many people from The Fellowship and others to begin praying fervently for me. 

EMS decided to life-flight me to the Texas Medical Center due to the amount of pain in my back and neck. Shortly after arriving at the ER, I heard a familiar voice!  My husband was already by my side!  I spent the day getting a lot of x-rays, a few CT scans, and a MRI.  After each test result came back, I found out that something else was wrong with me.  The list was growing:  open fracture of my fibula (lower leg bone), fractured C2 vertebra in my neck, fractured T10 and T11 vertebrae in my back, fractured rib, and a fractured scapula (shoulder bone).

Over the next few days, I had surgery to clean out the open wound on my leg as well as to repair my broken back.  The other fractures would be left to heal on their own.  I was fitted for my neck and back brace required to be worn for the next three months.  I worked hard to prove to the OT, PT, and doctors that I was ready to go home.  Just five days after being hit by a truck, I was heading home to begin the recovery process. 

In the moment, we often do not understand the timing or the why behind how God works in our lives.  But getting to see it on the other side is amazing.  My husband retired two years ago from teaching and coaching.  Who in the world retires when they have two boys that will be heading to college soon?  And  shortly after retiring, my mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  My now retired husband was available to help with my mom.  In addition, his flexible schedule means he can be at home with me as I travel this journey to recovery.

Remember all that work that I had undertaken, thinking it was to get a personal best at a race – well, that was God at work knowing that I would need the physical, mental, and emotional strength to journey through getting hit by a truck. 

By the grace of God, my life was spared that day.  He is not done with my story yet!  Despite all of the pain, God has given me a huge sense of comfort.  I look to the future with excitement in anticipation of what He has in store for me.  He will work out everything for His good and mine.  Thus I choose to find joy in this journey.

C.H.

And we know that in all things God works for
the good of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose.  
Romans 8:28