Christine's Incident

Christine Schaubert: Front right.

I heard over the weekend that Christine had been helping someone with a horse, and they were a little sketchy on the details, but said she would not be able to walk for a year and that she had had three surgeries by the weekend. I was reluctant to call Christine's mom, Sharon, for fear of stirring her from what may be the only rest she was getting. But last night (July 29), I decided to try to call Christine's sister, Bethany. When that number that we had rang through as not in service, I broke down and called Sharon. Even though I got the details from her, I am still a little sketchy myself, but this is what Sharon told me.

Christine was out in Central Park in Elkhart with Black, which is the horse that belongs to Liz Borger Pletcher that Christine used to have in 4-H Saddle club several years ago. Liz was wanting her horse to be in the Musical "Oklahoma". But Black has been out of circulation for a few years due to health problems. Chris took Black off for a ride to get him used to the park. The horse got kind of jumpy and was upset. She was riding him down an incline and he started "crow jumping." He was not bucking, but Christine decided she needed to get down on the ground and calm him. She went to jump off, but she landed wrong.  Sharon said the impact of the way she landed broke two bones in her right leg. The Fibula shot through the skin and out through her blue jeans. The Tibia was shattered, somehow tearing through the skin and into the ground underneath.

Doctors were able to repair the Fibula. The Tibia is in very bad shape. The most recent surgery they did yesterday was to start grafting bone. There were just shards of bone in the Tibia to work with. Sharon said they have told her there will be many more surgeries. Christine will probably be "walking" with a walker and crutches. Sharon said they have told her it will be a year plus other recovery time before she will walk unaided.

Sharon has her hands full taking care of her 91 year old mother with Alzheimers at home. Now she will have two to care for. They told her yesterday that Chris might be able to go home today. (July 30). But Sharon said she was going to appeal to the Doctor to give her the weekend so that Chris might be further along in her recovery before sending her home.

If you know the family, you know what they have been through. Please keep them in your prayers.

Edit Adding
I saw Christine today at the Hospital. She looks great! Her attitude is superb. She was dressed in a polo shirt and shorts, no hospital gown for her today. She looks like a little athlete. She was cheerful and she joked with me when I came in, "So, I guess I have to break a leg to see some people I haven't seen for a while." Sharon is still hoping she won't go home until Monday. When I first got there, there was a Therapist there, I believe she was an Occupational Therapist, and she was going over some of the tips to help Christine manage when she goes home. Christine was saying, "Oh I'm so thankful for this information." I didn't get to stay long, but long enough for Christine to clear some of things up for me that were muddled. I promised to come visit her again when she gets home.