Alix Ainzuain

Period 5

September 6, 2011
The Rapids.

It was about 103 degrees outside and I have not been rafting in a couple years so me and the family went for a rafting trip down the Rogue River for a rafting trip. The river seemed a little high but calm in the beginning. A while down the river there was another family pulling off to the side. They started to shout but we could not understand what they were saying, so we looked down the river and noticed it was getting dangerous. We realized they were telling us we should not go any further but by that time there was no way to pull over. The rapids started getting scarier so when I though I had the chance and there were no rapids I move to the back but there was an unnoticeable rock that we hit while I was standing and I slipped out of the raft. The next thing I new I was in the water, I started to panic unaware of what to do in that situation and before I could do anything I was getting sucked into rapids, afraid I wasn’t going to make it I tried to swim along with it thinking that was the best thing I could possibly do so I maybe I could have a chance to live. I couldn’t feel my body I was numb. When something got a hold of my leg it was stuck between to rocks I tried to tug my leg out but it wouldn’t budge, I felt a snap my leg was broken and I couldn’t move from that rock I held on to it as long as I could but I just couldn’t hold myself up any longer I was getting weak. I started to go under the water, but I pulled myself back up. I kept wiggling my leg around and finally it got loose and I paddled to a rock away from the rapids and held on for as long as I could but I didn’t know how much longer I could do it.

I woke up coughing. I couldn’t breathe and I had no idea where I was. I was lying on a bed, I was in the hospital. I was oblivious to what was going on at first; the doctor had to explain what was happening before I could remember. They had to send someone to get me from the rock. I had broken a leg and hyperthermia from the water. I had to stay in the hospital for a couple days. I healed in about five or six months.

I have learned from the experience to always be aware and take caution to what you are doing. Although I love rafting I have not being rafting since, and it will take a while for me to go back and face my fear, and I will always have a scar on my right leg to remember that day by and to realize how lucky I am today to be alive.