Very Thankful

Monday March 14th was one of the scariest nights in my life. I was driving home from picking out a prom tux. On the way home I started nodding off, but I was so close that I figured I could make it and it wouldn't be worth pulling in a gas station to get a coffee or take a power nap.  Less than a half mile from home I caught myself heading towards the ditch. I turned the wheel the opposite way but overcorrected. Within a split second my car swerved back, started fish tailing and then shot into the ditch. As I was heading down the steep embankment all that when through my mind was "Don't flip!  Please, don't flip. I don't have the money for a new car!" I hit the ditch around 60mph and as my car started flipping I remember thinking "Crap how am I going to get around without my wheels?" As my car flipped over, my head was like a pinball in a pinball machine hitting everything possible it could reach. Thankfully the car stopped right side up. As the dust cleared I felt blood streaming down my face and the back of my head was throbbing. I took off my heavy jacket and climbed out the driver's side window. I immediately  called my dad to tell him what happened and started walking to the neighbors to get help. By the time I got to the road a car approached and I waved it down. The driver and his daughter were very nice.  He gave me  something to hold pressure on my cut and told me to sit down immediately. Soon after my dad arrived  he was about to take me to the ER until I told him my head was hurting; he called 911 right away. Miraculously,  two trauma ER nurses where driving by and stopped to help.  The only reason I can think of why they came instantly upon the scene of my accident is  that God sent them my way. They had me lie down.  While one stabilized my head, the other started asking me the usual awareness questions. Within several minutes the fire trucks and ambulance arrived. They put a head and neck brace on, placed me on a backboard, and put me in the ambulance. I was rushed to the trauma center and was given a CT scan. Every few minutes a nurse would walk in telling me the CT scans looked good and that I probably had a small concussion. About an hour later a nurse came in and told me I had fractured my C1 and C2 vertebrae. It is a miracle that I could still move all my limbs and was not dead. I realized God was definitely watching over me because I could have done permanent damage to my neck as I crawled out of my car and started walking down the road.  The neurologist  came in and explained that I either needed surgery or had to wear a halo apparatus.  The doctor said that I would be better off with the halo because with the surgery I potentially wouldn't have full neck movement and would have arthritis at a young age. I decided to go with the halo. To make a long story short, they put the halo on and I was kept in the hospital a few more days.  The pain was so intense I found myself pressing the morphine button every six minutes. I have been home since last Thursday and have been feeling better each day. I still spend my days and nights confined to the Lay-Z-Boy.  I am beginning to spend time on the computer and playing my X-box. I have to have the halo on for two to three months and after that I should be as good as new. I am thankful to be alive and still be able to pursue my dream of becoming a jockey if I get accepted into the program. 

Waiting on a Phone call

My future is currently waiting on a phone call and an interview. My living arrangements, money budget, and college placement tests are all waiting on one phone call. The day Chris McCarron gives me the call to schedule an interview for the jockey school will be one of the happiest days of my life. It will not only lead to the start of my jockey schooling and racing experience but will also involve leaving home, finding a new place to live and work in Kentucky. It is a weird feeling having all of your plans and expectations waiting on one phone call. There is always that question of what if I don't get in this yea? What is in store for the future and what will I do college wise if I'm not accepted.  However, I am confident my dream will come true. It is never good to have a pessimistic attitude, but there is always that lingering question WHAT IF?  I can't wait for the future and it's somewhat exciting yet scary not knowing what lies ahead. What ever happens, I know it was meant to be. I look forward to making Kentucky my home and the Academy my school for the next 2 years.

The Academy

Visiting the North American Racing Academy was an incredible experience. When I arrived and was directed to go to barn #30, home of the horses for the academy, I was about to see my possible school for the next two years. Barn #30 is a large old barn that has a fragrance of fresh hay and horse sweat. When I entered the barn  the jockeys where all saddling up their steeds, getting ready to head to the track. I had a brief introduction with Mr McCarron and then began talking to some of the students as he started checking the jockeys' horses to make sure everything was correct. I talked with several of the students about their typical day and how awesome it is to be taught by Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron. There aren't many schools, if any at all, that are taught by the top person in that field. Mr. McCarron has a personal relationship with each student and every student respects him. It is like they're one big family. I then walked down to the track and watched them warm up and then breeze the horses. Seeing the jockeys thundering past, riding like one with the horse, made me excited to become a student at the Academy. Since the Academy only allows 16 jockey students a year there is a long wait list and interviews that have to take place. I am anxiously waiting a call from Mr McCarron to schedule an interview and hopefully be granted one of the spots to send me off in my dream to win the Kentucky Derby.    

Kentucky!

On Saturday, I drove down to the beautiful state of Kentucky.  There are no words that I can use to describe how amazing and beautiful Kentucky is. The rolling hills and numerous horse farms where a nice scenic break from the wide open spaces of Illinois filled with corn fields. This is truly the horse capitol of America. Everywhere you look there are horse farms. Since I enjoy these animals so much, seeing them all around is outstanding. I cant wait to be able to call Kentucky my home for the next 2 years. Tomorrow I'm meeting with Chris McCarron and touring the North American Racing Academy. I look forward to meeting him and talking about my future plans. My dream of becoming a jockey is almost a reality.  Coming to Kentucky has made it more of a reality.  I'm looking forward to the future.