LAUTENBERG HAS SKULL OP AFTER SKI FALL

New York Post ^ | 1/27/03 | Post Wire Services

[kattracks]

January 27, 2003 -- New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg underwent surgery yesterday to treat a head injury from a skiing accident in Aspen, Colo., a month ago.

The Democratic pol, who turned 79 on Thursday, fell and hit his head while skiing on Ajax Mountain in late December, said Tim Yehl, a spokesman for the senator. He had had a low-grade headache since then.

[wireplay]

As a Colorado citizen, I can wish him well and understand his plight. We have lots of beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders who don't know how to turn and therefore cut off the better skiers at high speeds. this isn't a political issue: I hope he gets better.

Colorado is a great place to ski: nice to know he wore a helmet.

[Mr. Mojo]

I haven't skied in about a decade. Are helmets common nowadays?

[wireplay]

Not as much as they should be. The Colorado crowd is getting into them a lot more since we are treated to the regular news reports. I would say around 15% of people wear helmets on the slopes. It won't save you if you hit a tree at high-speed but it can help you, especially from the inexperienced skiers (snowboarders) hitting you.

I was hit by a snowboarder last season who took me out of both skis, forward, at high-velocity: the helmet kept me from serious injury. My ski jacket suffered but that is why there is duct tape ;-]

Come out to Colorado and go skiing. It is a great sport and most people are there to have a good time. Ski patrol has ramped up and there are no more warnings: ski fast, lose your pass.

[Ronin]

They only yanked him out of retirement for the election anyhow. This gives them a perfect excuse to stick him back on the shelf.

Hmmmm.... Say goodbye to Mr. Lautenberger and all hail the return of the Torch.

Excuse me. I think I am gonna go somewhere and throw up.

[John Valentine]

I don't know if the wearing of a ski helmet is common or not, but if you are 79 years old and still skiing, wearing a helmet sure is SMART.

[wireplay]

A helmet protects you against other people. The #1 killer of people on the slopes is trees. The best protection there is knowing how to fall and not fighting a mistake. If you are out of control, go down to the slope and stop as fast as possible.

[LurkerNoMore!]

Skiing is dangerous.

I have no idea why I am alive today.

[wireplay]

It is a great sport but very dangerous. Colorado pretty much gives blanket immunity to the ski industry. You FU, you die. But it is your decision. I see a lot of terrible behavior but ski patrol can only catch so much...

Nonetheless, if you like skiing, Colorado is the best place there is. Hell, even if you don't, the views are so breathtaking that it is a great place to visit.

[LurkerNoMore!]

I'm very athletic, and thought I'd be a good skiier, until I tried for the first time at Heavenly in Tahoe. NOT a good place for beginners. The people there would all hit the deck when they heard me yell, "Excuse Me!".......

[kayak]

fyi

[PeaceBeWithYou]

The people there would all hit the deck when they heard me yell, "Excuse Me!".......

I remember you.;-)

I re-injured a knee at Taos, got to ride the snowmobile board down the mountain(very scary ride). That finished my skiing days.

Seems like since Sonny(hit-a-tree)Bono, the rest of congress would be leary of it too.

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Hehehe. I found a pic.

No helmet here.

[dawn53]

Seems like since Sonny(hit-a-tree)Bono, the rest of congress would be leary of it too.

Wasn't one of the Kennedy clan also killed in a skiing accident?

[retiredtexan]

I sure hope that he is back on the slopes soon and often.

[johnny7]

Yeah... they were throwing a football when a tree came out of nowhere.

I guess you would call it a Hail Mary pass.

[AmishDude]

New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg underwent surgery yesterday to treat a head injury from a skiing accident in Aspen, Colo., a month ago.

Gee, isn't it interesting how we never heard of this accident until now?

Gee, isn't it interesting that the "skiing accident" caused a problem that didn't need to be addressed for a month?

Gee, isn't it interesting that Lautenberg was in poor health before the accident and FReepers predicted far and wide that it would take less than 6 months for him to resign his seat for "health reasons"?

I don't believe a word of this skiing accident nonsense.

[blackdog]

Hey Frank.....What's wrong with spending some cash on the ski operations in your home state? Serves you right.

[xsmommy]

great! he undoubtedly scrambled the few remaining functioning brain cells that he HAD~!

[Dante3]

I also have doubts about the accident. Mybe the treatment was just to prop him up so he could funtion enough to vote.