My original unsigned cast.

My CAT scan.

Top of my signed cast.

Bottom of my signed cast.

I was riding along carefree on my bicycle, when suddenly an expansion joint caused by a tree root appeared. Next thing I knew, I was catapulted in the air and came crashing down on gravel. I couldn’t move. Eric and Justin, two college kids who witnessed the incident, came to my rescue. They scooped me up, and put me and my mangled bike into a woman’s van. Gigi, the woman, drove me to an urgent care facility nearby and signed me in. The nurse tended to the bloody road rash that covered the right side of my body from shoulder to knee. She gave me a shot for pain, cleaned me up, put my right arm in a brace, gave me a list of orthopedic doctors to contact, and turned me over to my friend and emergency contact Jenny.

Eric and Justin sent a joint text. “Good luck, Kimberly! Eric and Justin are here for you. We’ll be thinking of you and hope you get well soon!”

Gigi sent a text also. “Stay strong and cycle on (once you can!).” When I told her that I had broken a bone, she said she wasn’t surprised because she saw that my arm was maimed, but she didn’t want to freak me out and tell me since I was in shock at the time.

I was very fortunate to come across amazing strangers with big hearts. I will never forget their acts of kindness. Gigi even texted me the following day and offered to drive me to my doctor appointments. Truly remarkable people!

The next afternoon I went to an orthopedist at Reston Hospital, had X-rays taken and after the July 4 holiday had a CAT scan. All the results conclusively confirmed that I broke off the corner of my right wrist! The nurse wrapped my wrist and lower arm in a waterproof cast (I chose Wonder Woman red of course).

My friend Melissa asked if she could sign my cast in an effort to cheer me up. At that point, the cast graffiti tour began! Members of my community all got in on it — from my friends, to the local Starbucks crew, employees at my favorite bank branch, running group buddies and more.

Here are some of the fun messages that people wrote:

• Oops. – Melissa (*this one will always be extra special to me because it’s the first signature on my first, and hopefully last, cast)
• Chewy on the inside. – Brett
• Love the fashion statement. – Arthur
• Feel better – Starbucks family (the morning crew at my neighborhood Starbucks)
• APC (the initials of my 83-years-young Starbucks bud Art)
• Get better soon! + latte cup drawing – Cheryl
• Feel better – Mehreen (my fav lead teller at CapitalOne)
• 💛 – Jhanira (branch manager at my CapitalOne)
• You’re hard core! – Erika (from my Pacers fun run crew)
• #foreveryrun (guy from my Pacers fun run crew)
• Heal fast! – Loretta (from my Pacers fun run crew)
• Get well Spartan. – KB aka Katrena
• 🙂 – Marcia
• Love ya – Jane
• More burpees – Leia
• Get well soon! – Michael
• Love ya – Jenny (one of my BFFs)
• Stay strong! – Colin (my trainer)

I am having surgery tomorrow to get six screws and a metal plate attached to my right wrist to properly repair it. Whenever I start to feel nervous about the procedure, I look at the messages and drawings on the cast. They bring me comfort that everything is going to be alright.