Injury report(saved by a black diamond catalog)

[joel20]

It didn't happen while climbing but while I was at work in Iraq. I took a piece of shrapnel to my thigh about the size of a quarter after it went through a steel shipping conix and the black diamond 2005/06 Ice Climbing catalog that I had in my pocket. I can't really walk right now and they are flying me out sometime today to get operated on. It happened 3 days ago and it hurts like hell. It stopped right at the bone and the doc said that the catalog is about the only thing that kept my bone from being shattered. I ended my last tour 8 months ago without a scratch but I guess it's a little unreasonable to ask for that kind of luck twice. If you guys don't remember me I'm the guy who climbed Saddam's Tikrit palace less than a year ago.

 

I'll post some pics after the surgery in the meantime I may end up spending my winter trying to re-hab my leg by day and running missions and patrols at night. It sucks but of course I'm flexible and as it turns out New Zealand's winter happens to be our summer I'm pretty sure of.

 

Any remarks as to how I can rehabilitate myself in a field type environment?

[magellan]

Thanks for serving our country, brother. Heal quick!

[layton]

that's the best thing i've heard in a long long time. please email this story to black diamond or i will!

[wfinley]

Wow what a story --Never thought I'd hear the day a BD catalog saved a limb... now i know why I keep them around! Hope you heal soon!

[griz]

 

Hope they are taking you to Bethesda Naval... A fly fishing buddy is a doc there and he could probably arrange a few sponge baths from some of the cute female nurses....

 

Good luck and count yourself lucky.

 

A brief walk through of Bethesda Naval Hospital this past spring was a big eye opener for me to all pain and suffering we never hear about back in the states from this war... but I guess I'm preaching to choir...

[mattyg]

That's awesome (the catolog part, not the shrapnel part), I wish you a speedy recovery. Looking forward to those pics.

[RuMR]

hey heal up fast, man!

[EWolfe]

Any remarks as to how I can rehabilitate myself in a field type environment?

 

 

You might post or link this on the Fitness Forum as well, Bob and others have a wealth of information.

 

Do you still have the catalog? It would be cool to see a picture of it...

 

Hope you get better soon! Erik

[catbirdseat]

Of course we remember you. That's a great story. Heal up fast, man. Wait until B/D get's a hold of this story. They'll be all over it.

[terrible_ted]

Good thing you weren't relying on an REI flyer...

[chelle]

Sorry you got hurt Joel. I wish you a speedy recovery.

 

Hope they are taking you to Bethesda Naval... A fly fishing buddy is a doc there and he could probably arrange a few sponge baths from some of the cute female nurses....

 

BTW Griz...

Maybe the nurse's aide or students could help with a sponge bath, as the RNs tend to delgate that task so they can concentrate on more complex aspects of a patients care.

[billcoe]

Of course we remember you. That's a great story. Heal up fast, man. Wait until B/D get's a hold of this story. They'll be all over it.

 

yeah, what he said!

[coug4]

Thanks for your service and we wish you a speedy recovery!

[BrittEasterly]

Woah thats amazing. I agree you need to email that to BD; hey maybe you'll get some gear out of it. Get well.

[Dechristo]

I thank you for your dedication to serving the USA and, thereby, my loved ones. I hope you heal and rehab with nothing more than a scar and your story as a reminder of your injury. Yours is a great story involving the BD flak catalog.

 

I trust you bear a greater catalog around your heart to deflect its wounding.