Long story made short...I fell

Best wishes on a speedy recovery. It feels odd to say that I'm glad to hear it wasn't any worse when it involves a broken back.

One of my nephews has gotten into rock climbing seriously while in college. He's a very detail oriented person so that does make me feel better but I'm a worrier as an uncle.

Tim
 
Wishing you a successful recovery!! Haven't been here in a while, turkey season and spring salmon fishing have kept me busy.
Steve, you are in good shape, with good muscle mass and consequent good bone density and a high level of microcirculation; all pluses in aiding your healing and recovery.
I am 8+ years out from a burst fracture of my L1 vertebrae from an 18' fall out of a tree. Some people will do nearly anything to avoid raking leaves!
First: Are they talking surgery or just time in the back brace? Are all the damaged vertebra intact? Do you have any notochord issues? Did you herniate any discs? You already are quite aware of all the "fun" associated with life in that appliance and aid... As you heal, you will lose muscle mass over time,but, since you had good/excellent muscle mass at onset, you have already compensated for this to a significant degree. When are they talking starting PT? I would encourage you to focus on getting rid of your "male brain" and to focus on small incremental recovery step goals. You are used to regimented training, so put that training to work, VERY slowly working to accelerate your rate of recovery. All the enhanced microcirculation you have developed via intense exercise will now come to your aid in your recovery, particularly the enhanced mitochondrial density and ribosome network.
I live just off Lake Superior, so I used beach walks and sand dune climbs with ski poles for upper body support to augment my PT...be patient, recovery will come in time with focus on nutrition and effort.
 
Steve,

I was wondering specifically about doubling back on your buckle. You had said your harness failed and I couldn't imagine how you would have survived a fall sufficient to cause harness failure. I'm not a detailed person in many parts of my life but when I'm rock climbing and especially climbing trad, I have laser focus on the little things. I attribute most of that to rote memorization i received in many days of training through organized climb training. But training alone does not absolve you of having to check each and every time and double and triple check. I have had two close friends who I had trained with and climbed with, die in the mountains. Both were easily preventable and were caused by complacency. You can be an expert but the one time you don't double back, or wear your pfd, or take some other simple safety precaution, Lady Luck might all your numbers. Years ago one of my pilots and crews died within 5 miles of their home airport one a flight leg that they had flown hundreds of times due to being to complacent and not maintaining sufficient altitude for the conditions.

I'm glad to hear you are on the road to recovery and hope that it goes smoothly. I would be happy to hike or climb when you get out to Washington but give me enough warning so I can get in sufficient shape first.

Climb on!
 
As I read your post and came to the broken back I took a step back. Wow. Well at least you went to a top notch hospital. My youngest daughter is a PA at Cleveland Clinic in there Melon Center for MS. I hope you are able to have a complete recovery.

Tom
 
Steve, I couldn't remember one of the authors: Touching the Void-Joe Simpson ; Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the MR.Everest Disaster-John Krakhauer
These will provide you with both inspiration, as well as context
 
My son and I wish you a speedy recovery! My son is 15 and has been on a team competing with the Gravity Vault here in NJ... he is totally hooked! As I shared your brush with Gravity, he looked concerned for you and asked how can he check his equipment... I know there is little comfort in your situation but sharing it has brought a real experience/ risk awareness to his passion. Thank you for that, at 15 there is NO risk!! We will pray for your recovery.
 
Best of luck with your recovery Steve. Your call will go into the second season starting Saturday as we open youth weekend for turkeys. Again, best of luck in your recovery.


Troy
 
Thank you Tim...it certainly feels odd to me as well. I've never even had a broken bone. I'm very detail oriented too. It still blows me mind that this happened. My wife worries an awful lot too, she still tries to encourage me and be as supportive as she can though. Just encourage your nephew to make absolutely sure his his gear is in order on each and every climb.

RL...Thank you sir. No surgery as of now. I have to go back for a check up/Xray on June 7th. If everything is healing well then the doctor will order PT at that point. If not, well, I don't know yet. No issues with spinal cord or anything that I'm aware of, no herniated discs. L1-L3 have compression fractures, the worst being in L2. Losing muscle is one of the things I'm afraid of. I still want to try to climb something in Washington at the end of June. I'm just hoping that something isn't a mere bump of a hill. I'll take whatever I can get though. Slow and steady for me. I just have to keep telling myself that.

Oh and those books...I have all of those. "Touching the Void" scares the heck out of me. Excellent reads though, all of them. I'm just about finished with Maurice Herzog's "Annapurna". Another good one, and a classic to boot!

Kirk...Thanks again. And absolutely share this info with your son.

Brad...Yep, it was most likely the failure to double back that buckle. Even after I did it the first time I put the harness on. Not sure what I was thinking that I failed to make sure that was done prior to climbing. I'm sure I'll be checking every other minute when I start climbing again. That will certainly haunt me for quite a while, that damn complacency is a killer. I'm fortunate enough to not have met the same fate as your pilots/crews. That still makes me shutter. So anyway, make some plans say between 6/29 and 7/5 to go climb or play for a day if you can get away for a bit. One of the guys on the Rainier team is going after Adams, I may try to join him on the 7th for that if I'm up to it. You're welcome to join us for that if you can. I'll touch base with you again as we get closer to the dates.

Tom...you got that right. I'm so glad I didn't have to go to our local hospital. Cleveland Clinic is so much better. No complaints (other than my last nurse) from me. They were on top the game there. Thank you kindly for the well wishes.

Randy... That's awesome that your boy is so involved with climbing. Keep him at it, My accident was just that, an accident. It happens unfortunately. Just tell him to stay extra vigilant when he's tying in etc. Double and triple check everything, then have your partner do the same for you. This is why I shared what happened, just to bring some extra awareness to others that like to play. And I have told my daughter this numerous times...You aren't invincible. You can get hurt and you can make mistakes. Respect what you are doing with an understanding of the consequences if you do slip up. I'm hoping my daughter takes this to heart a bit more now. And I hope your boy does as well. Thank you!

Troy...Thank you kindly sir! I'll be waiting on some pictures of a nice longbeard from you with that call. I'm going to miss our opener this weekend. I'm okay with that though. I've had better luck in the late season and the crowds are all but gone around here. Good luck to ya!!

And thanks again everybody, I really do appreciate it.

Steve
 
Holy Cow Steve! I haven't visited the site in a while and just saw your post. I hope that you're healing up ok. I hope that you can continue to climb and catch flattails.

Shit happens. And it makes you smarter the next time.
 
Hi John,

Well two weeks in the walker now. I'm really hoping to ditch it next week, or at the very least start driving again. Sitting in the passenger seat while the wife drives is getting old quickly. Each day there is a bit more progress though, including today. So things are moving steadily, albeit slowly, along.

Nothing will stop me from setting traps this fall/winter. I have big plans for this years trapline with a lot riding on the outcome.

You bet I will be far more cautious with climbing when I do get back to doing it. Thank you sir,

Steve
 
Steve, I hear you loud and clear on the "shotgun seat". I am the worlds worst passenger and it sure was a relief to crawl into the of green truck and set off on my own. Wish you the best on your recovery.
 
Tom, apparently I'm no better at riding shotgun than I am at being a patient. I guess I wasn't cut out for this line of work. Hopefully the healing process goes fast for my families sake. Thanks again,

Steve
 
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