Broken Back

[Jim]

Wow! As if you didn't know, you are amazingly lucky. Sounds like you have the spirit so you should do well. Just plug along nice and steady. And one word of advice - blue line crusiers from now on!! Best wishes. Edited March 23, 2006 by Jim

[mr.radon]

Well here is a picture of my implants. You can see the top 2/3's of the two Ti bars. I also got a card that states I will set off metal detecxtor due to spinal implants. That is so cool. The only cool thing about this.

[RuMR]

you are so funny...when you first got those, you made us turn them over on the counter cuz they made you "ill"! , now you think they are cool!!!!

Edited March 24, 2006 by RuMR

[catbirdseat]

Well here is a picture of my implants. You can see the top 2/3's of the two Ti bars. I also got a card that states I will set off metal detecxtor due to spinal implants. That is so cool. The only cool thing about this.

Glad you got the X-Rays to prove the implants are not screw drivers.

[Johnny_Tuff]

Well here is a picture of my implants. You can see the top 2/3's of the two Ti bars. I also got a card that states I will set off metal detecxtor due to spinal implants. That is so cool. The only cool thing about this.

 

Holy shitballs. Hard. F-ing. Core.

[mr.radon]

Yeah Rudy. Funny what a difference a week makes. I look at those x-rays and think, wow, those are big. They don't make me sick to my stomach anymore, I've come to get used to the metal being in my back now. They're my special back stiffeners. There is no way I'll ever become a manager now, I have too much of a spine.

Well I have the hardware to prove I'm a man. This is kinda like my "Eagle Dance/Sun Dance" the Sioux Indian's used to/still preform. I figure if I can live through this event I can overcome anything.

Thanks guys for the support. I'll be rope guning again in no time.

RuMR will have no more excuses not to go Ice climbing with me.

 

In a few weeks I'll be able to do this:

Edited March 24, 2006 by mr.radon

[dalius]

Glad you're doing OK. Just curious - will those Ti rods get taken out eventually or are you planning on keeping them in for life? It seems like it would seriously impair your ability to flex your back or really fuck things up in the event of another back injury. I had some hardware put in my arm years ago which was subsequently removed on the doctor's suggestion that it may seriously fuck things up if an injury were to occur there again.

[RuMR]

i think the idea here is to never ever repeat what i will term a colossal messup!

[dalius]

Of course that's the idea, but shit happens. Just wondering if things like that are temporary.

[RuMR]

its not...all of those vertebrae have been fused...

[archenemy]

I figure if I can live through this event I can overcome anything.

The combination of this belief and your changed idea of fortune (considering yourself "lucky" that you have these metal chopsticks in you rather than being in a metal chair) is an incredible gift.

[mr.radon]

The doctor said I have the option to get them taken out but he said very, very, very few of his patient request this. I can tell you back surgery sucks.... All five vert. are fused so having them in or out will not change my mobility. From the L1 to T9 (all fused) I will not loose much mobility, those don't flex that much.

He said the worst I can do right now is to get into a bad car accident or fall down some stairs. But after four months the Ti bars will not hinder me in any way and if I do have an accident it will not increase the likelihood of fracture.

I don't want to go under the knife a second time. I'll keep the hardware. Anyhow, now that I've had them for some time I've gotten used to them. I've adopted them and they make me feel special. Special because I can walk. Given my injury.

Today I walked up West Tiger III, 3 miles up 3 miles down. A little sore, but after only 18 days I feel this is a wonderful example of modern medicine. Who says the US doesn't have the best damn health care in the world. My Aunt in Germany had to wait a week for her back operation and they stuck her in a cast for six weeks, I less then 24 hours. Thank god for the USA.....

[Johnny_Tuff]

He said the worst I can do right now is to get into a bad car accident or fall down some stairs.

 

What, is this guy trying to jinx you or some shit?

 

"Oh, yeah, you should be fine. As long as you don't, say, get hit by a truck, or fall off a cliff, or get attacked by a bear..."

[EWolfe]

Power of positive thinking and proper nourishment is a powerful force.

It healed Mitchell May, who is considered a miracle of modern science.

Superfood is his end product, check it out.

 

 

(I am not a seller of this product)

[archenemy]

The doctor said I have the option to get them taken out but he said very, very, very few of his patient request this. I can tell you back surgery sucks.... All five vert. are fused so having them in or out will not change my mobility. From the L1 to T9 (all fused) I will not loose much mobility, those don't flex that much.

He said the worst I can do right now is to get into a bad car accident or fall down some stairs. But after four months the Ti bars will not hinder me in any way and if I do have an accident it will not increase the likelihood of fracture.

I don't want to go under the knife a second time. I'll keep the hardware. Anyhow, now that I've had them for some time I've gotten used to them. I've adopted them and they make me feel special. Special because I can walk. Given my injury.

Today I walked up West Tiger III, 3 miles up 3 miles down. A little sore, but after only 18 days I feel this is a wonderful example of modern medicine. Who says the US doesn't have the best damn health care in the world. My Aunt in Germany had to wait a week for her back operation and they stuck her in a cast for six weeks, I less then 24 hours. Thank god for the USA.....

Truly fucking amazing.

Modern medicine is wonderful; but it is obviously matched by your determination. I can't believe I am reading that you are already out hiking--you

[sk]

thank you for sharing this... puting things in percpecitve. i hope you heal quickly and well.

[G-spotter]

change your user name from mr. radon to mr. titanium now

 

pity tha foo who messes with mr. ti

[mr.radon]

Yeah, mr.titanium I think I just might do that

Don't make me laugh it still hurts to do that.

The cool thing is on Monday I got a call from the short term disability insurance company. They signed me off till June 3rd! I think I' going to go back well before then. I'm an engineer so my day isn't too physical. But I got to figure out how to sleep through the night still.

Yesterday I took only one pain pill, just before bed. I like having a clear head. I also made a mistake. I went to my favorite coffee shack and ordered a drink. It made me sick to my stomach. I also can’t drink beer….. However, with my mom here I’m eating so good, she cooks great European dishes. To die for.

Yesterday I started to lift with my arms a little. I got a long way to go. Another cool thing is Vertical World put a hold on my membership. I can’t wait to get back in there.

Another funny item. I was able to strip frame by frame my accident off the video. I put it onto a 8”X12” printout, 32 frames in all. Cover me from my botched take-off on the ski jump to the moment I land. I got two copies, one is going to my doctor. I don’t think he has many patients who can show him the moment they broke their back!

This copy isn't the best but gives you an idea....

[JayB]

Dude - more congrats on the recovery. Pretty amazing.

 

If you get a chance, post a couple of the overshot photos in the gallery.

 

In the meantime, check out the overshot footage here:

 

http://teddybearcrisis.com/ (click on "large teaser")

 

and see how it compares to your own. The guy in the footage came away with a ruptured spleen and a broken pelvis - but he's 18-19 so I'm sure it would have been way worse if he was in his 40's.

[archenemy]

Today I walked up West Tiger III, 3 miles up 3 miles down.

Yesterday after work I went to Tiger and sauntered around a bit. I thought of you and decided I might refer to Tiger as Broken Back Mountain if that's okay with you.

[Johnny_Tuff]

Today I walked up West Tiger III, 3 miles up 3 miles down.

Yesterday after work I went to Tiger and sauntered around a bit. I thought of you and decided I might refer to Tiger as Broken Back Mountain if that's okay with you.

 

I can't believe it took two pages for someone to make the obvious joke. Sheesh!

[archenemy]

We are right on track, so quityerbitchin Johnny Fluff

[mr.radon]

Yeah the worst part about this whole incident is the very, very bad timing. Why of all times do I break my back when that damn cowboy movie came out. It took even my most mentally challenged friend (RuMR) about a nano second to crack that joke.

Right now I've progressed to the Humor stage of the following equation: Time + Tragedy = Humor. Enough time has elapsed I find myself even making fun of my situation. It wasn't so last week trust me.

I'll also state this right now. I might work for a real conservative company, (make you wear ties, causal days is no tie) but they have stepped up to bat. I might have $300-$400 out of pocket on medical. I'm covered till 6-3-06 for full pay short term disability. They are ordering the best chair on the face of the planet for me right now and my job is secure till I can come back. They even offered to allow me 1/2 days for as long as I want. There is a recovery factor knowing things are taken care of and I have to say PACCAR (I work for Kenworth) rules... If I had lost my job or didn’t have health care I don’t know how messed up my mental status might be at this moment.

On a sad note a good friend at work (the one who recommended the tattoo artist to me) was real close to the party house where all the murders happened. He knows all the roommates there by first name basis and would have been there that night had he not been down with the flu. Another friend had fixed Jeremy’s (the first guy to get shot) GF’s VW several times. That kinda struck it home, the're people right now far worse off then I.

[RuMR]

that's only cuz everyone else quit!! You should go ask for a raise upon returning!!

 

just kiddin'!

[Mos_Chillin]

Jesus. That landing makes me cringe. The second time I watched it seemed sooo long before you landed!

 

Sorry to hear about your friends, man.