Wuest eager to hike again after injury
A broken leg sustained while hiking earlier this year has not put a Kapiti resident off pursuing her passion in the future.
Dina Wuest sustained the injury during a hike to Mt Holdsworth, in the Tararua Forest Park, on Mother’s Day.
Based in Raumati, the exKapiti College student has resumed walking and strengthening her leg, and heads to the US tomorrow for four months for a veterinary internship.
She said the other reason for the trip was to go hiking, and she hopes to do so in a month’s time.
The day before her accident Wuest set off in perfect conditions, on what was meant to be a three-day hike.
Accompanied by her dog Bonnie, the tramp passed by uneventfully until about 9:30am on the second day.
‘‘The track wasn’t clearly marked. I could see a marker on the other side of a rock ridge,’’ Wuest said.
After climbing about five metres to the top of the ridge, she tried to slide down sideways, slipped, and landed on a boulder, snapping her right femur.
‘‘I knew straight away it was broken. It was bent around in a half-circle.’’
Wuest said the situation could have been worse - she landed on the track in the recovery position, with her broken leg on top, and the clean break didn’t impact her knee.
‘‘Obviously I would’ve been in shock but it felt like growing pains.’’
Wuest estimated she was halfway through the track, about five hours’ walk from a track entrance, but she had enough phone service to call for help.
At about 11am, two Wellington Free Ambulance paramedics arrived by helicopter, and started an IV line to administer pain medication.
‘‘They were the best. They were so nice,’’ Wuest said.
‘‘They were the reason I stayed so calm.’’
Bonnie was given a sedative to stop her from barking, and the pair were airlifted to Wellington later that day.
The next day, Wuest had a metal rod inserted into her leg, and three days later, she was back home.
She said the injury has not put her off.
‘‘My physio and doctor get so annoyed at me because I’m so impatient.
‘‘I’m just really keen to start doing my thing again.’’