A well-known community member is in good spirits but suffering from a number of injuries following a car accident on Stewart Road last Tuesday afternoon.
Kathleen Horsdal was still in the Victoria trauma unit on Wednesday, but has been deemed stable and is cleared for transfer to Lady Minto Hospital this week, hopefully on Thursday morning.
Horsdal said she lost control of her vehicle after trying to avoid hitting two deer on the road just before 3 p.m. on Jan. 24.
She said she was grateful to all the first responders, and especially those who carried her up the 20-foot embankment on a spine board. Her passenger was taken to Lady Minto Hospital in a separate ambulance but was thankfully not injured.
Horsdal said some people assumed she had been transported to hospital via air ambulance as a helicopter landed in a nearby field, but the pilot was passing by and decided to stop to see if assistance was needed, she explained.
Horsdal said the pain has been “excruciating.” She suffered three fractured vertebrae in her lower back, cracked ribs on both sides, a fractured scapula on the left side “that took the brunt of the final impact of a tree,” a bruised elbow and funny bone, and a minor concussion. She also has a number of stitches and a broken wrist, but was pleased to have a purple cast. She told the Driftwood that she is so far unable to walk, but was able to sit up in a wheelchair on Wednesday, although it was painful to do so.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with immediate costs and cover the bills since Horsdal is the primary family breadwinner through her employment as a Gulf Islands Families Together Society caregiver. Her musician husband Valdy has few gigs at this time of year and is now focused on helping her heal, she said. People can access the fundraiser here.
Horsdal is also well known for her decades of volunteer work with Salt Spring Hospice.
Sending best wishes for a speedy recovery, Kathleen; from Sointula.