I lost balance and fell off the ladder—ONLY from about three feet up—and destroyed my ankle and the tibia and fibia.
Had compound fracture because upon impact my foot bent and twisted about 90 degree from normal and my tibia and fibia broke at the bottom where they basically link up with the foot. Saw the bones poke out.
Oh by the way, in case you were wondering, it hurt. A lot.
Was a gymnast at university over 40-yrs ago, so I knew how to fall. Apparently I forgot how to land.
I had temporal distortion during the fall and break so I was able to watch in slow-motion my foot twisting and bones poking out of my skin. Other than the pain, I watched the destruction of my body and was fascinated.
Lucky me.
Laying there on the master bedroom floor with my leg up and my foot swinging and dangling was something to behold.
Ambulance came after I called them with mobile phone - I couldn’t move and the Lord placed my mobile phone in my pocket. Usually when I am home I plug in my phone to charge but the Lord made sure this time when I came home the mobile phone stayed in my pocket with me.
Ambulance guys came in my home and I knew them and they knew me because I am in the town’s Citizen Fire Academy and the last class was presented by the ambulance guys, the same guys that responded to my mishap call.
The Citizen Fire Academy is a class of 20 old guys like me where we meet at the main fire station once a week for 2-hrs and learn about fire and ambulance services.
Anyway, while in my home and while en-route hospital the ambulance guys could not find a pulse for my foot and it was turning blue and cold.
When I asked the ambulance guys to take me to my preferred hospItal, the ambulance guys reminded me of what was covered in class: while they try to accommodate the injured guys preferences, there were times when they have to take the injured to a hospital that can provide best care and in my case, my injury was a REAL trauma case so they took me to a real full-up trauma center.
Anyway,, while en-route the ambulance crew warned me that the lack of blood to my foot may result in losing my foot..had blood leaking from my wound and but none of it getting to my foot—vein destroyed upon impact.
Funny: my neighbors, good guys all, were on my lawn watching when I was wheeled out of my home. I had a sheet covering my legs.
Neighbors saw my right foot poking up the sheet but the left foot, laying flat, was not poking up the sheet so they thought I lost my foot (rumors begin).
When another firefighter came out of my home behind me and he was carrying a big bundle of bloody sheets wrapped in roll-up fashion, they then thought I lost my entire leg!
Rumors really started to fly.
Hilarious.
When I was wheeled into the ER there were at least a dozen people waiting to receive me. When I saw all those guys waiting for me I said; “hey, I’m here now so let the party begin!”
After assessment three trauma docs said they were taking me to the operating room for immediate surgery because they needed to try and save my foot.
I said, “if you need to, take the foot, that’s why I have two” and this brought a few chuckles from the trauma team in the emergency room.
I got an audience now, and as we all know, pilots love being the center of attention (especially fighter pilots).
So. . . .I added, “Heck, take the entire leg if you need to, just make sure I get my femur back so I can polish it and make it into a walking stick.” This cracked them up.
The ambulance guys said I earned my official tough guy certificate because I never screamed or cried or groaned painfully and always made a joke and gritted my teeth. I gritted my teeth several times but I did not let the pain win.
Not that I’m that tough but what the heck, I am a traditional man and men are strong for others, sounds cheesy but I laughed at the situation and made jokes, I was being strong for others and yes, for me too.
Traditionally we are strong for others, not just ourselves.
By the way, I was home alone when this happened because my wife was at the dentist, drugged (phobias).
When she came around she started to read the text messages from the neighbors and she’s started to text me, asking what the heck is going on. I did not reply.
I’m not answering her because we are busy getting ready to head to surgery.
As I was being wheeled through pre-op on the way to the operating room, my wife sent me a final text that told me I was going to be in BIG trouble if I didn’t answer her right now!
Hah, I was being wheeled into surgery and didn’t know if I’d have a foot when I woke up and she was fussing at me!
The Docs saved my foot. Great guys! I ended up with an external hardware cage attached to the leg and foot with pins driven through various bones to stabilize the situation.
And fun times were had by all.
Oh, a nerve that runs down the inside of the arch of my foot was cut so I will have no feeling in parts of my foot.
Had second surgery 19 Feb to clean the wound and attach an internal plate.
They cleaned the wound of dead tissue but they were unable to insert a plate due to swelling.
They did attach a drainage tube.
That tube HURT, in case you were wondering.
Had my third surgery in a week last Friday morning, 23 Feb. They opened the wound, cleaned it, inserted a plate and removed the drainage vac from inside the wound.
I had significant pain (agony) after that operation so was held over and released Sunday, 25 Feb.
In about a week I’ll have the next operation where they will open me up again to reconstruct what they can. . .add more internal plates and pins and such and remove the external cage.
I will be TSAs new best friend.
We don’t know how many more operations I will need. Too many unknowns.
Back to the story: Best case, months and months being laid-up, will not get full recovery, will have a limp but will need at least a cane or likely an “old person” walker for balance for the rest of my life. I can beat that progNosis.
My faith is strong so I am under no real stress.
To me, in life you often pray for yourself and that is okay, it it is important to know that if the Lord decides to step in (or appear not to) there is a greater reason because of this one undeniable fact: it is not all about you.
To me it is clear, prayers are not only about you, they are about greater things too, like your friends, family and community.
As I laid on the floor unable to move and in intense pain, I prayed for myself, for the Lords help. I firmly believe that my prayer was answered not just for me, but for my wife and son and also my friends.
In university where I was almost decapitated in an elevator, I was saved from that fate by mere micro seconds because of the hand of the Lord. I knew the Lord stepped in at that time and over time I pondered why He did so.
I figured out: it is not about me.
If I passed in that elevator I never would have met my wife or had a wonderful son, made good friends along the way and been a good friend, and I would not have went into the Air Force.
I’m not that important in the grand scheme of things, but over a lifetime everyone makes tracks.
Pardon the errors in this post - I am still taking some powerful medications for pain so I am heading to take a nap —now.
The Lord is in the driver seat and with prayers sent my way by friends and their prayer groups, I’ll be okay.
This thread affirms the power of the Lord and to remain faithful.
You have my prayers. What a horrible ordeal. Prayerfully hoping for the best outcome. Take care.
When I grow up, I want to be like you. LOL.
Good luck and God Bless.
I’m so sorry this happened to you, but thankful you’re doing as well as possible. Prayers for your recovery.
You’re so right about not being on a ladder while home alone. I also have a rule not to leave the kitchen while cooking, as I know someone who caught their house on fire after answering the door and getting distracted.
You have the writing skills to become a successful author. Spellbinding account of your experience.
God bless and stay strong.
Not to make light of any pain you may be in, but did you check to make sure your ladder had the requisite number of warning labels and safety stickers on it prior to your use? Blaming it on someone else is the new American way.
Interesting I changed all the smoke detectors in my house a couple weekends ago, on a ladder, and home alone. But no fall. Best of luck with your recovery.
And since you're going to be stuck with a cane, you might be interested in Brazos Walking Sticks ... hand crafted right here in Texas. They can even personalize them if you want ... name, military branch, etc.
Praying for you. Hold back some pain pills for physical therapy. (But make your wife drive while you are on them.) Say goodbye to stick shifts, but whichever leg it is, you can probably adapt as needed with an automatic.
Weird how God works. Friend of mine fell off his roof and broke his back. Full set of scans showed a previously undetected brain tumor that doctors said would have taken him home within a year.
He says that the Holy Spirit pushed him off the roof!
[The Lord is in the driver seat and with prayers sent my way by friends and their prayer groups, I’ll be okay.]
FATHER GOD,
You are the GOD OF MIRACLES. Nothing is impossible for You!
May the HOLY SPIRIT surge through Hulka, healing his tibia, fibia, nerves, and his ankle. We ask for and believe in a creative miracle - total restoration.
Thank You for Your Son, JESUS CHRIST, Who won the Victory! By His stripes we were healed.
In JESUS’ Name we pray. Amen!
Good luck with your recovery. So sorry to hear about your accident. It seems like it’s always the things you’d done a thousand times before that trip you up.
It could have been a lot worse. My daughter’s “Italian Dad” (the Dad of the family in Italy that hosted my daughter for a half year during high school) was a plumber. He was doing some simple work in the garage for a neighbor and fell of the ladder. Dead. Apparently hit his head on the concrete when he landed. My daughter was in Serbia on travel when this happened (about four years after she had stayed with them) and was able to attend his funeral in Italy. It was very sad.
Ladders are nothing to fool with even when you are a pro with them.
When I read your line “When I was wheeled into the ER there were at least a dozen people waiting to receive me.” I misread it. I thought you were “wheeled into FR.” I thought “Wow, how cool is that! The FreeRepublic room where we an all sit around and give you a hard time.” Wouldn’t that be a grand old time? Real live face-to-face ribbing and roasting instead of virtual. The “FR Room” should be in Fresno.
Judge Judy’s two words of advice for older folks, “Don’t fall.”
Safety at home. Home accidents will kill you faster than a gunfight.
Look at the upside, you can demand senior discounts and no one will question you.
Hang in there.
We take our good health for granted. I was “almost” there myself. I will never get on a ladder again.
Hey Hulka, sorry for your misfortune...saying a prayer for you.
Peace to you and many wishes for a full recovery!
I broke my leg off once (broke the ball of the femur off an commuted the trochanteric ridge. On a scale of 1-8, 1 being simple and 8 being 95% fatal I had a 7.
And - believe it or not - I could not get anyone to believe I had a broken leg.
Even in the x-ray room the nurses took one snap and began wheeling me out. I demanded more ‘film’ - an argument ensued until my Doctor let out a LOUD whistle and began screeching out orders to the nurses for multiple angles.
He did not think I had broken my leg as I had NO bruising, thing is I really don’t bruise...My Wife used to not believe me for at least 10 years.
Weeks later I was out of the hospital and had to learn to walk again...had a cane for a year.
Then came the second operation to remove my hardware and back came the cane for a few months.
I was told that I will likely need a hip replacement 15 years or so after the break, but still don’t need one 30 years later.
I know you will mend well - you have a great mind, FRiend, and can summon your body to heal properly!
Thumbs up, Hulka
I’m 82, going on 83 in a couple of months. I no longer climb trees or climb roofs to clean chimneys. But I do still climb ladders to change light bulbs. I make sure that I have something good to hang on to, in case I get a dizzy spell while I’m up there. So far, so good.
Anyway, prayers for a good recovery.
Glad you are here to tell the story.....thanks for sharing.
Prayers for continued and surpassed healing.
Wow - heckuva story! Prayers for a full recovery!
I did something similar (not nearly as extensive of injuries though) a few years back. I was working on a ladder - alone - cleaning the rain gutters. I had been very precise in placing the ladder....the first 20 or 30 times. but I was getting tired from climbing up and down (and up and down) and not paying close enough attention to the placement. I didn’t realize that I had set one leg on a soft spot and while I was halfway up the ladder the leg sunk in and I went over - backwards.
I landed on my tailbone and my back. It knocked the wind out of me and stunned me a bit...and hurt like the dickens. It took me about 10 minutes to get oriented and upright and I was feeling the “modifications” I had done to my back for a month.
Now my brothers and I give one another courtesy calls if we’re planning that sort of activity now..”If you haven’t heard from me by Tuesday call out the dogs”
Take care and mend well!