I got married on July 18th! Yes, I know I'm a little behind in my blogging, but I hope to catch it all up now that I have the time. Keith and I were sealed in the Mount Timpanogos Temple in American Fork, Utah. The wedding day was perfect! We couldn't have planned it any better.
Our honeymoon took us to Kauai, Hawaii where we ran effortlessly at sea level every morning. It was a great way to start our day and stay in shape (besides the snorkeling we did). We did it everyday up until the morning we left for our backpacking trip.
This trip took us along Kauai's famous Napali Coast. We hiked in one-way 11 miles on Monday where we slept on the beach at Kalalau. I've done 50-milers and hiked in some of the West's most rugged terrain. But this 11 mile journey was by far the hardest hike I have ever done in my life. It was steep up and 
down; estimating a total elevation accent and decent of 9,000 to 10,000 feet. The trail was sometimes right against the cliff and only about a foot wide. It reminded me of Angles Landing in Zion National Park in Southern Utah only without the chains to hold onto. Going in we had a dry wind and a dry trail, which, one would think, is a great thing except a dry trail means a slippery one. The little gravel rocks and the steepness of the trail created a very sketched out jAmiE and Keith. We took our time through that half-mile section and held to the cliff the remaining 3 miles.
Tuesday we hiked out 5 miles with a beautiful mist that made our scary, dry trail feel a little more solid. We were so grateful for the mist that packed the trail a little, making it less slippery. After passing the sketchy part, the mist turned to rain and rain to a downpour (which would have been muddy and slippery during the steepest parts). We hiked into camp soaked and that night slept in hammocks by a river at Hanakoa.
The next morning we went up to see the Hanakoa falls. After a quick dip we headed back down, but not as fast as we made it up. Within 10 minutes I slipped and fell off a slippery tree and down onto the rocks 4 feet below. I landed hard on my left side, smashing my thigh into a rock and bracing my fall with my hand/wrist.
My first thoughts were panic of a broken leg and arm as I tried to manage the pain. I was in shock. During the fall my hand bent in ways that it's not meant to bend. Keith came to my side and started checking for consciousness and injury. I had point tenderness on my thigh and wrist, but no broken bones that we could tell. Between my leg and wrist, I was in so much pain I just wanted to lay there, but something drove me to my feet. I knew we needed to hike out before nightfall, if that was even an option. It's hard to flag down a helicoptor when you're in the jungle, but that would sure make for a memorable honeymoon.
Keith gave me a preisthood blessing. I was blessed with peace and energy to hike out. I was blessed that the pain receptors in my brain would be blocked as we continued our hike out. they were.
After wrapping my arm, Keith took down camp while I pumped water with my good arm. I was in the most amazingly positive mood! I was happy, uplifted, and at peace. Keith took a bulk of my weight in his pack to make the 6 mile hike out easier on me. He also found a great bamboo shoot that I could use as a support. We started hiking. At first the journey was slow and I was still in a lot of pain, but within .25 miles my pace picked up and I was hiking faster then Keith. I felt truly blessed. I didn't realize the miracle I was experiencing until a couple days later when I reflected on the whole experience. I should have broken my leg and smashed my wrist. I should have been in a lot more pain. I should have taken a helicopter out, not hiked out on my own two feet. And, if I did hike out, I should have been hiking at half the pace that I did. I feel tremendously blessed!
Within .25 miles of the trailhead the pain slowly started to return and my pace slowed. We met a facinating man named Bill Summers who is single-handedly repairing the Napli Coast trail. He was inspiring to say the least at the time, money, and work he's put into it.
We drove to our condo and i spent a painful night on my back with my leg up. The next day Keith loaded me into the car and we headed to the hospital 45 minutes away in Lihue. I had X-rays done on my upper and lower body and an ultra-sound for the possibility of blood clots in my legs. My souvenir consisted of a bright blue water-proof cast and a bottle of hydrocodone. Thank goodness for water-proof casts. It only cost $18.00 extra, but the ability to shower, swim, and keep my employment teaching swimming lessons is priceless.
We enjoyed the last 5 days on the island, playing gently in the waves at various beaches, laying in the sand, and exploring the rocky edges. Although I was still in pain and facing yet another injury, I felt grateful that my fall wasn't worse. I've realized that being in denial, angry, or bitter won't do any good. A positive attitude will only speed recovery and make life more enjoyable. I'm so thankful that I can walk and swim a little (you can only go so far with a cast.) I'm grateful for a supportive husband who has assisted me with things I can't do well or can't do very fast. I am so grately blessed and have many lessons to learn from this experience. My body is just resting and preparing to train and race again. And when I do, I'll come back even faster than before!
