by plowman » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:04 pm
Seeka,
glad to hear it's only temperary.
I don't know what happened, but I know the feeling and the
frustration of not being able to do things for yourself without
assistance.
I don't know if you know my story, but I'll tell you all now.
Burning Man 2005. I arrived at about 2am.Monday morning, set up camp
(at another camp) got some sleep. Monday was great, we rode around
and looked at as much as posible.Monday night was fantastic the party was on. Tuesday, I slept in, got up about 9am, decided to stay in camp
and help new arrivals. Tuesday night they opened up the 2 story maze under the "MAN". It was hard to find the passage way up to the second floor but I did it. On the 2nd floor was a firemans pole other people had gone down. It looked out of reach. It was for me.
The next thing I heard was "GO FOR IT" and then felt a hand pushing me in the middle of the back. I lost my ballance and had to grab for the pole.
It was slippery from all the sunscreen and lotion. Beside the fact I wasn't
prepared to slide down it.
By the time I had a grip on the pole and wrapped my right leg around it
I hit the ground, with all my weight on my left leg.
The Ranger that was monitering the exit looked in and said
"When did they put plywood down?"
Jump on a piece of loose plywood and that is the sound of a leg shattering
The Rangers wrapped it with an ace bandage thinking it was just a sprained ankle and drove me back to camp.
The next morning was the worst. I coudn't move without being in pain.
Someone finally decided to take me to the Med tent at center camp.(coudn't get there on my own).
The Doc said,"Yep, its broke, and broke bad. You need to get home and
schedule surgery".
Wait a minute, This is only Wednesday and the Burn aint untill Saturday, I can't leave yet!!
So he wrapped it in a splint and gave me some crutches.
Besides, My truck and all my stuff were still at camp.
I couldn't leave anyway because I was boxed in. And my truck was a standard transmision, Couldn't push in the clutch.
After a few days I found a group of people from Colorado and one of them volunteered to drive me home.
As soon as I got home, A friend drove me to the hospital were xrays
revealed , A shattered Tibia with a spiral fracture from inside my ankle
to about 2 inches below my knee. (looked like an upside down lightning bolt to me and the ball joint that fits into the ankle looked like a spiders web). The good news, my foot, heal, ankle,and fibula (that smaller leg bone) were OK.
The first Doc I saw wanted to put a pin, 3 plates and 10 screws in my leg.
The next Doc I went to told me the same thing, but I asked him if there was another way. And this is what I had to do.
Wear a plaster cast up to my hip for 4 1/2 months
Keep it elevated (easy chair all the way back with 4 pillows under my leg)
Thats were I slept also
I only got up to go to the bathroom and to go to the Doc
Recovery was harsh, No therepy for me, I decided to get back to work.
The people that I work with called me "step..drag" for a while because it was hard to use my left leg for a long time.
The good news, I can tell you when the weather is going to change.
You, on the other hand, can tell when I've been sitting to long and also when I've been standing to long.
The camp I was with ignored me after my accident.
That will NOT happen to you!!
Not in Stag Camp!!
Just make sure Danny has your ID and stuff. Rember?
Can't wait to see you and Danny again