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.
God bless. Good luck.
Best wishes for your future.
That’s the best vanity post I’ve ever read.
Great reminder for us getting on in age to stay off ladders and keep cell phone with us at all times.
I promised my sister I would not get on a ladder again a few years ago, but when you live alone, sometimes you have to do things you know you shouldn’t do.
I have a good feeling you will do well in the future. :-)
Dang! Good attitude, God bless.
Great Vanity!
My Bathroom light burned out last night and I was going to change it tonight ... think I will wait until tomorrow and have my Cell Phone with me... it is located in a place where you have to lean to get to it ... it is also going to get an LED.
Thank you for your Service, the levity and for possibly saving me from an Ambulance ride.
Keep us updated please
TT
Prayers up for a FULL recovery my FRiend ! And, thanks for the interesting story of staying positive in a not-so-good kinda situation.
Snoot ;o)
Prayers up. You might surprise yourself on your recovery. Listen to your FR buddies and do the work in your physical therapy. I broke my elbow really bad in 2000 and was told I’d never be able to straighten out my arm all the way ever again. Well BS on that. After two surgeries, I followed instructions in PT and doubled down on the work. Now, not a trace of disability except for discomfort when the weather changes. It did take a number of years—like 4 or so. (Ironically during my recovery, being off work and beyond bored, that’s when I found Free Republic.) Blessings.
There isn’t a law that keeps MEN off ladders but there should be. We wives can scream to the rafters - WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THAT LADDER - only to be met with a stare! When are men going to listen? When are they going to admit that WIVES are needed to keep them from hurting themselves - a necessary component of their life without which would mean more injuries.....
You have my prayers, sir for a fast and long lasting recovery...
Next time - LISTEN!
Ping to 6PPC
It gets better but it takes a while.
Very painful so biggest risk is opiate addiction.
I went cold turkey after 1st week post op.
Sucks and hurt like hell - but better than alternative.
Resist any suggestions or pressure by Docs to fuse ankle into club and get multiple opinions.
Docs are very pessimistic on outcomes. I was told not to expect to walk again but walking normally has not been a problem. Can even run surprisingly well if necessary, but don't want to do further damage so heavy running or twisting is not recommended
Sorry to say, but recovery and rehab is long - 18+ months.
After a year or so, flying not a problem, but climbing up on the aircraft can be problematic.
Good luck and best wishes for a full recovery.
Best healing prayers and wishes for you. Love how you messed with your neighbors’ heads. Ha!
Perspective: the ultra famous LA Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn did the same kind of ladder maneuver on his patio and ended up dead.
Go overboard with your physical therapy, work it like the tough guy you are. My favorite doctor had her thumb basically severed but she took one year off and worked it like a boss and got full functioning back and was able to stay a surgeon! It meant everything to her. You got this.
Prayers for your recovery.
Prayers said for you and for your recovery.
What you wrote is a word to the wise.
At 64, I have become very careful about steps/ladders/curbs.
Before I could just bounce back, literally.
Now, not so much.
I have three steps in my garage. One day, I absent-mindedly missed the last one and jammed my whole body from the unexpected impact.
Nothing happened, thank the Lord, but it was a wake up call to be more careful and more deliberate in my actions.
I now understand the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
Praying for you to be able to recover.
Prayers up - my heart and prayers for enough healing to dispel the pain and the attitude to enjoy being around to praise God....even through clenched teeth.
Prayers for your recovery and thanks for sharing your story, especially the parts on calling on the Lord. Doctors sometimes give the worst case scenario outlook so patients will be prepared. Plus there was one word that really stood out in your post - fighter. I have no doubt that through the grace of God, hard work in therapy and the help of good doctors you will be fully recovered. Keep us posted!
Thanks for your service to our country and wonderful testimony. You exemplify the American ideal. Sorry for your mishap and I hope and pray for a quick and full recovery so that you can continue doing the Lord’s work at full capacity, He knows how badly you and men like you need to be in the fight. For this is not a battle against flesh...
God Bless you and your family.
Best wishes, friend.O Christ Jesus
When all is darkness
And we feel our weakness and helplessness,
Give us the sense of Your Presence,
Your Love and Your Strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
In Your protecting love
And strengthening power,
So that nothing may frighten or worry us,
For, living close to You,
We shall see Your Hand,
Your Purpose, Your Will through all things.
St. Ignatius of Loyola
glad you are alive after all that.
your attitude is good — keep it that way or get on the forum and bitch
We will pray for you
Bear in mind, doctors will always make it sound worse than it is, and give you the worst prognosis possible. They’d rather have you think it will never heal and then have it heal fully, than have you come back and sue them because they told you it would be great and it ended up not healing well. The first makes a happy customer, the second makes a customer who assumes somebody must have screwed something up, and who goes on to get a lawyer and sue.
Good luck with the recovery.
