Sitting in the ER...

[Orlando76]

I guess it’s bound to happen at some point. I was skiing this morning, probably pass #5. -22@32 with a slight head wind. Pass was going good and I was really giving it my all. Came out of 5 Ball good, CL was good. Then something happened coming off 2nd wake and I went down. Felt like the tail came out, I definitely didn’t go OTF. I’m RFF skiing double Wiley bindings. I felt my rear foot come out but front foot never did and I helicoptered. My ski partner said I was looking good then I was down. When I came up I knew something was badly broke just above my ankle. Now my ski partner, Ted Wolf, is one of the most generous genuine caring person I’ve ever met and I’m so lucky to have him as a friend and wished everyone has a friend like him. Ted is an anesthesia nurse (I can’t spell the correct title). Trained in trauma he knew what to do and how to help me. My Leg was completely broke and totally immobile. He had to cut the binding off and he knew it was a spiral fracture with still a great chance of the bone breaking through. He knew the surgeon on call, called him as we were idling back to give him a heads up. I was taken by ambulance to the local hospital. Ted came to the hospital on his day off, scrubbed up and is overseeing everything. Waiting on surgery now. Ted has already been helping me unload stress given my son state of health. I am very thankful to have a friend like Ted and I owe him more than I can say.

[BraceMaker]

Welcome to the club! Sounds like you had the best possible way to blow a leg.

 

Now the question, did it hurt when you fell or only after?

 

[MDB1056]

@Orlando76. Will put you on the prayer list.

[Chef23]

That sucks. It is great you had someone knowledgeable in the boat with you. Good luck on the surgery and recovery.

[The_MS]

I disliked the fact that you are injured. I hope you recover well and hang in there.

[tjs1295]

Ted is probably one of these. CRNA = Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. My wife is the same. Good people to have around.

[bhs]

Bummer! wish you a very speedy recovery.

 

[jcamp]

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

 

[swaterkd]

Had that happen 2 year ago. Good luck!!!

 

[Timr71]

Woah that sucks. Heal up quick. Yeah for good friends.

[bigskieridaho]

Bummer man! Hope you recover well! That’s why I am calling it quits for the year. Snow ski season is coming up and don’t want to get injured before then.

[Ed_Johnson]

Sorry that happened. Hope your recovery diagnosis is positive. I know what it feels like. Had a knee injury, non-ski related, and have not skied in weeks.

Get well soon !!!!

 

[vtjc]

I hope surgery went well. I wish you a speedy and complete recovery.

[Bill22]

Glad you friend was there. Get well soon.

[vtmecheng]

Horrible that this happened. Good luck on the recovery, take things slowly. Hope the pain doesn't take too much sleep from you. For me, that's the worst part of injuries like this.

[Orlando76]

Evidently I shattered the big bone right at the top of where my binding would be. Broke the other bone, and cracked the top ankle plate. Obviously I don’t know the bone terminology yet but I’m sure I will. Surgery has been postponed until Sunday morning due to the amount of swelling they’re expecting. I’m gonna have to research a releaseable double hard shell setup, assuming that’ll be my safest bet.

 

And a new rule, always keep scissors capable of cutting through rubber bindings. Luckily Teds boat had them as I know for a fact mine does not.

 

Thanks for the thoughts.

[Jetsetr]

Tibia is the big one, Fibula is the smaller one...I had a double compound fracture of both- Tib came out above the ankle,Fib below the knee. I’m sporting a 16 inch titanium rod, 2 plates and 8 screws. 6 months to recover, had to learn to walk again. Therapy 3X per week, 2+ hours-I had 0 range of motion in my ankle. Hope your recovery is quicker, easier...I had an awesome sports medicine orthopedic surgeon- would suggest getting surgery/treatment options. Mine would have healed without all the hardware, but a much longer recovery time. My accident was in 2008, not a skiing or racing incident.

Best wishes for a quick recovery...

[BraceMaker]

Sounds like a tib fib + talus. I moved to double hardshell and now MOB front hybrid with hrt rear.

[6balls]

@bracemaker he posted his x-rays in a PM to me...it's a bad-ass set of fractures. Nasty like my spiral tib fib but lower and into the ankle mortise.

[Horton]

@Orlando76 around here we have a name for guys in your situation for the next few months.

 

"Boat Driver"

[Zman]

Been the driver a few times.

Best wishes in your recovery. Take rehab serious, come back stronger than before.

[Stevie Boy]

Nasty, hope you heal well, sounds like you are in good hands, speedy recovery fellow baller.

[BraceMaker]

@6balls sounds nasty. Mine was a spiral femur in rubber. Odd seeing the bottom of your ski.

 

But I didnt even feel it till after I pushed my leg straight.

[One_Ski]

Still waiting for surgery, but already checking into the bindings you'll use next time around. I like your attitude! Be patient, and be strong.

[liquid d]

both feet in for good... Let the next higher body part take the impact. Good Luck!

[Orlando76]

Wow, 23 hours after surgery. I’m not gonna lie I’m in so much pain my skiing days might be over. Maybe owning that purple boat made me too much of a sissy. Hope this subdues quickly.

[liquid d]

Bones heal strong! Higher boots, both feet in, and you'll be back in the spring! Take the meds, don't be the tough guy.

[6balls]

Dude the post op pain on that injury is the real deal! I prescribe narcs and treat post op patients so realizing the amount of drug it was taking to control my pain I was amazed. I also needed no drugs following a number of other surgeries so there really was no comparison for that level of pain.

I hate to break it to you...but it stays that way for a while, too. Then it gets to where it's quasi ok as long as elevated but when you put it down and the blood flows in there...holy smokes! Makes you want to never put it down...but you have to go through it. Put it down a little longer or a little more frequently each day or it won't go away.

It takes a lot longer than I had appreciation for...and the soft tissue injuries suck, too. I didn't realize what my foot when thru til after the leg improved enough to bear weight and then my foot was killing me.

Everyone focuses on the bone...it's the totality of the trauma and the soft tissues take longer to heal.

Hang in there...reach out anytime. This too shall pass!

[Jetsetr]

Same deal with my breaks...when I was in the ER the morphine only worked for about 10-15 seconds...

Then I maxed out on allowable dosage...long story short my leg was set with no pain meds...a lot of bad words were said; I almost passed out from the pain. None of the “conventional” opioids worked for pain management on me. Tramadol did to some extent...

You have a long road to recover, but you will get thru it...one hour, one day, one week at a time-you will be able to ski again at some point. I doubt next season, but maybe...

Reach out to me as well if you like...

Dave

 

[Wolfeie]

I fractured my ankle and tore several ligaments skiing in early June and had surgery the

end of June. Skied the course for the first time since the injury this weekend, it was a long 4 months and a lot of boat driving. Backed off to 32 mph (28 off) and used a less aggressive ski with a ankle taped with duct tape. I purchased the MOB binding system

for my Vapor boots for when I return to my Vapor Pro Build and 34 mph skiing next spring.

 

I know my injury was not as bad as yours, but I play ice hockey with two players that

had pretty bad spiral fractures like yours and they are both back on the ice after about a year. We also had one of our lake members suffer a injury like yours skiing and she is

back skiing, tricking and jumping after a year.

 

So there is hope...hang in there. If there is any silver lining winter is coming. I sat out most of the summer.

 

[radarboy32]

My second cousin, a skiing partner when we're in the area, snapped his Achilles nearly the same way a while back. He's still having trouble skiing. Good luck - we're all rooting for you!

[mmosley899]

Good luck with recovery! Work hard on the PT and let me know if I can help you get back on the water.

[Orlando76]

thanks for the thoughts gentlemen. Made it home tonight. Pain is manageable now. The 24-32 hours post surgery was just unbearable. I’ve broken bones, I have had surgery on broken bones but this one hurt. I finally got to see post surgery X-rays today.

 

[Hallpass]

My choice would be to hit dislike, but that has a negative connotation here.

[6balls]

You really should post your pre-op x-rays. Your injury is the real deal.

[KRoundy]

Wow. Praying for a good recovery. Looking at releasable bindings again now.

[WaterSkier12]

Ur Surgeon did a great job, those fractures are very tough.

Good luck!

[Bruce_Butterfield]

Holy crap that’s a lot of hardware. Looks like the orthopod’s version of “lets use more duck tape”;)

[Chef23]

Wow that is a lot of metal. Good luck with the recovery.

[BraceMaker]

@6balls no need if you draw your eyes to the area with out screws.... thats just a field of fracture.

[RLW]

Your x-rays look great. Your surgeon really did a nice job with a severe fracture. Most importantly, the ankle joint is lined up perfect.

[igkya]

With all that hardware, and you wonder why there's pain? Hope you heal fast.

[6balls]

His pre-op looked worse than this which was mine. Different set of hardware, too.

 

 

[Orlando76]

The rods are more ideal and stronger but I wasn’t a good candidate due to too much damage I believe. They sure sound way more painful though. I’m glad to say the pain is manageable now just have some discomfort.

[Tryathlete]

Oh my that’s just so hard to imagine happening to anyone just out for a nice ski. Releasable bindings are coming to my setup. Looking at your x-rays on Halloween really scares me!

[Stevie Boy]

I take it the Metalwork is a permanent fixture ? I suggest some real tough Physio ahead, buy a gum shield asap or one of those rubber things Dawgs bite on.

[Orlando76]

^^ That’s funny.

[slvrbulit]

@Orlando76 this is hard to look at. Good luck in your recovery.

[vtmecheng]

That's some serious damage. Don't let yourself get dejected, a positive mood really does help. My experience with that kid of stuff is that the initial pain sucks, it gets better, then PT hurts like hell but is so important.

 

I'm typing this with my foot up, one week post-op from a joint fusion in my foot. Not nearly as bad as yours though.

[Tbone71857]

@Orlando76...I think I've followed your story on Facebook as we went "out" at about the same time. However, OMG, your injuries are horrific. I am so sorry to hear of your pain just after surgery - gut wrenching. My talus is fractured and so far, I'm very lucky. For me, it was a simple edge change from keeping on edge through both wakes and transitioning to slow down the ski before ball 2...then, plop. I guess my rear foot came out and my ski anchored down into the water the rest is snap...crackle and a pop. Rest up and I pray your recovery is strong and quick. I'm heading to FL in February for a "ski-cation"...