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Feels good to be getting back on my feet.

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Well NeoGAF/OT, I'm about two weeks from getting out of a back brace and cast on my arm. In early January, I was at a friend's apartment when I leaned back on a closed window that wasn't latched ... And fell three stories out onto the ground. I broke my left wrist and one of my vertebrae, and suffered some minor spinal cord injury. luckily that's all. I had to get some pins in my wrist, but i needed no surgery on my back. and now my pins are out, and i've got a clean bill of health-bones healing up with no complications and the nerve pain/burning all gone. I don't know if any of you guys have ever been in a similar accident, but let me tell you, that shit changes your life man. The less of it you spend on here the better. You'd be surprised what you take for granted, like being able to pull up your pants with both hands or bending down to pick up something on the floor, but there it is. I missed two and a half weeks of school but i managed to recover quickly enough to go back and get back in the game...and probably have the best grades of my college career so far.

Don't know why I'm sharing this, but I'm stoked about getting back on my feet and getting on with normal life. Came back from the docs on thursday with essentially a clean bill of health. Anyone else recovering from a bad accident or injury?
 
damn, could have ended up a lot worse

and that seems like a shitty idea to have that kind of window in an apartment building, should only be the kind that goes up or down not in and out as to prevent that kind of thing
 
Truly lucky dude. Congrats for being free again. I was wheelchair bound for 2 years of my life and can somewhat relate. It's nice to be yourself again.
 
Glad you're recovering just fine! If it's possible at all could you perhaps describe the pain when you fell? Was it excruciating and were you able to move at all? What thoughts immediately ran in your mind?

Feel free to answer or not. I understand that reliving that moment in your mind can't be very comfortable.
 
glad you are recovering and back in the game. crucial injury but it sounds like it could have been much worse. i was injured in the military in air assault school, so i know a thing or two about falling.. unfortunately. good luck with your healing.
 
X26 said:
damn, could have ended up a lot worse

and that seems like a shitty idea to have that kind of window in an apartment building, should only be the kind that goes up or down not in and out as to prevent that kind of thing
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Yeah it's a hinge that swings outward. Stupid apartment is full of them.

DSFan1970 said:
Welcome back! :) Do you feel like you've been given a second chance, will you now live every day to the fullest etc?
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You have no idea. As soon as this back brace is off i'm getting in the best shape of my life. You just don't think about how much of your precious time you waste until something like this happens.
 
Should sue the apartment building for having unsafe windows. Certain specialists would have a field day with that.
 
What was it like falling 3 stories? Did it feel like a second? The thought of falling any distance scares me, but 3 stories, oh my god. D:
 
It's amazing how you hear these stories of people surviving far worse than what the OP surffered, and they get away with a few bruises. Then again, it seems the OP landed on his back.
 
"In early January, I was at a friend's apartment when I leaned back on a closed window that wasn't latched ... And fell three stories out onto the ground."

Good gravy, my lady! I'm glad you will be making a full recovery OP. I can't relate but the randomness of your accident is quite sobering.
 
Salvor.Hardin said:
Glad you're recovering just fine! If it's possible at all could you perhaps describe the pain when you fell? Was it excruciating and were you able to move at all? What thoughts immediately ran in your mind?

Feel free to answer or not. I understand that reliving that moment in your mind can't be very comfortable.
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I don't remember the fall. I blacked out when i hit the ground. I woke up laying in an inch of snow with a cop and my friends standing over me. I tried to get up, using my broken wrist to push myself up- didn't work too well.

I remember one thing from the fall, reaching toward the window i fell from with my right hand spread, mid fall. I got nightmares about that single image for a week or so after i got out of the hospital.

Jason's Ultimatum said:
It's amazing how you hear these stories of people surviving far worse than what the OP surffered, and they get away with a few bruises. Then again, it seems the OP landed on his back.
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And some people die from tripping the wrong way on stairs. Projectile motion moves in mysterious ways.
 
Tarazet said:
Should sue the apartment building for having unsafe windows. Certain specialists would have a field day with that.
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I dunno that any attorney would take an "unsafe window" case. Seems the proximate cause was failure to latch the windows properly. Also, might not meet the reasonable person standard, dunno how many people thing leaning on a window is a good idea.

OP, glad you're healing up and that it wasn't worse.
 
Glad to hear nothing permanent happened to you! That's on hella accident. Glad it sparked something of a positive outlook in you than a negative "woe-is-me-the-world-hates-me" attitude. Thanks for sharing, I hope the rest of your schooling goes well.
 
3 stories?? FFUUU..
That's crazy stuff indeed. What kinda surface did you end up falling on? Were you concious after the fall? - Woops you answered those as I was still typing >.< Ouch! Glad to hear the positive vibe you got going now.

Worst thing to happen me was when I was a kid. I used to like walking on planks of wood on the grass. I stood on the head of a nail, it was fine, kept walking. Kept walking on more planks and then put one foot on the head of another nail (don't ask me why...) and lifted my other foot. Weight shifts and the nail goes throgh my boot and half way up my foot. Pain was crazy. I still find it crazy that the head of the nail penetrated my foot like it was butter.
My only real memory/story from the recovery was getting lifted on my older brother's shoulders to get up and down the stairs. I could have had serious complications if that nail was rusty...

Sorry it wasn't a recent story, I've been scared shitless about breaking bones ever since :p
 
Hydranockz said:
3 stories?? FFUUU..
That's crazy stuff indeed. What kinda surface did you end up falling on? Were you concious after the fall?

Worst thing to happen me was when I was a kid. I used to like walking on planks of wood on the grass. I stood on the head of a nail, it was fine, kept walking. Kept walking on more planks and then put one foot on the head of another nail (don't ask me why...) and lifted my other foot. Weight shifts and the nail goes throgh my boot and half way up my foot. Pain was crazy. I still find it crazy that the head of the nail penetrated my foot like it was butter.
My only real memory/story from the recovery was getting lifted on my older brother's shoulders to get up and down the stairs. I could have had serious complications if that nail was rusty...

Sorry it wasn't a recent story, I've been scared shitless about breaking bones ever since :p
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Hard ground covered in an inch and a halfish of snow. Read above for the second part.

damn that sucks. puncture wounds are weird.

EDIT: And i won't sue, IMO that's a cockroach thing to even consider when it was basically a combination of negligence, my fault, and terrible luck.
 
I can't even imagine how terrifying it must have been to fall that far. Glad to hear you're doing fine now! It won't be long until someone posts that GIF of the black figure jumping off the building.
 
I was bedridden for a month due to complications arising from an appendectomy, so my experience isn't nearly as harrowing as yours, but holy crap did it feel good to walk for the first time after. Glad to hear you're better.
 
How much did this all cost you?

Glad to hear you are not going be whole again. One of my fears is getting injured in a way that would make me not able to play guitar, or any other instrument.
 
holy crap!

3 stories?

here's my recovery story.

well the worst i have is Muscular Dystrophy, which puts me in a wheelchair. but that gave me scoliosis, so i needed a surgery which grafts a metal rod to my spine. anyway, after getting out of surgery i needed to stay in the hospital for a month (this ruined my summer). and after leaving, my back still hurt three months later. anyway, my back is all better now. (and straighter) This all happened 3 years ago.
 
HurricaneJesus said:
How much did this all cost you?

Glad to hear you are not going be whole again.
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Insurance covered the lion's share of it, but a lot according to my parents. Lucky we have good coverage and they both have great jobs. I'd hate to imagine what this accident would have meant for a less fortunate family.

dangerbyrnes said:
holy crap!
here's my recovery story.

well the worst i have is Muscular Dystrophy, which puts me in a wheelchair. but that gave me scoliosis, so i needed a surgery which grafts a metal rod to my spine. anyway, after getting out of surgery i needed to stay in the hospital for a month (this ruined my summer). and after leaving, my back still hurt three months later. anyway, my back is all better now. (and straighter)
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Man, you have it a million fajillion jajillion times worse than I ever did.
 
dangerbyrnes said:
well for the recovery.

but you could have died from a 3 story fall.
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Dealing with muscular dystrophy is still something I don't know if i'd ever be strong enough for.

I could have died. It doesn't really feel that way to me though somehow, even after the hospitalization and the learning how to walk again and all that. I guess it never really registered. Or maybe I didn't want it to.
 
EschatonDX said:
Dealing with muscular dystrophy is still something I don't know if i'd ever be strong enough for.

I could have died. It doesn't really feel that way to me though somehow, even after the hospitalization and the learning how to walk again and all that. I guess it never really registered. Or maybe I didn't want it to.
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a lot of people can't handle it.

i know some "friends" who became terribly depressed or decided they hate the world for it

i try to just live with it, it's not stopping me from living a good life. i sometimes forget that i even have it.
 
dangerbyrnes said:
a lot of people can't handle it.

i know some "friends" who became terribly depressed or decided they hate the world for it

i try to just live with it, it's not stopping me from living a good life. i sometimes forget that i even have it.
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That's a good attitude to have, and i think you should be proud of your own optimism.

http://www.physorg.com/news166974009.html

You never know what the future holds..
 
I <3 Memes said:
I always thought that story was fake. Man imagine what it was like in that room after he went out.
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I wonder what was going through his mind the moment the window went out.

OP: What went through your mind the moment you realized you were in free-fall?
 
EschatonDX said:
You have no idea. As soon as this back brace is off i'm getting in the best shape of my life. You just don't think about how much of your precious time you waste until something like this happens.
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Don't go busting your butt right now, things still need time to start growth.
Also, don't just get the mindset and go twice, if your going to go then keep with it.
 
Wow glad you are doing better.
My back issue is not so bad but I understand how you feel about getting back to it. Had a crazy back spasm 10 days ago and today was the first day I felt well enough to drive myself to the Chiropracter. My wife has been helping me put my socks and underwear on. Today is the first day I could do things on my own.
I'm like you though even though my down time was much shorter I'm ready to get back into shape and feeling good again. This has sucked.
 
lunarworks said:
I wonder what was going through his mind the moment the window went out.

OP: What went through your mind the moment you realized you were in free-fall?
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I imagine it went something like this:

Oh shiiiiiiiiiiiiit
smack
pause
fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Glad you're okay man.
 
jeremyxc said:
Don't go busting your butt right now, things still need time to start growth.
Also, don't just get the mindset and go twice, if your going to go then keep with it.
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I know, I'm starting with my PT and then i'm going to go from there. not sure what you mean by the second part.
 
misery_photo1.jpg
 
Came back from the docs.... Back and wrist fully healed, no braces or casts, and i'll be at 100% in a few months.

Probably the happiest day of my life.
 
EschatonDX said:
Came back from the docs.... Back and wrist fully healed, no braces or casts, and i'll be at 100% in a few months.

Probably the happiest day of my life.
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Fantastic news. Next time dont pull an Omar okay?
 
dangerbyrnes said:
holy crap!

3 stories?

here's my recovery story.

well the worst i have is Muscular Dystrophy, which puts me in a wheelchair. but that gave me scoliosis, so i needed a surgery which grafts a metal rod to my spine. anyway, after getting out of surgery i needed to stay in the hospital for a month (this ruined my summer). and after leaving, my back still hurt three months later. anyway, my back is all better now. (and straighter) This all happened 3 years ago.
Click to expand...


When my daughter was 13, she developed scoliosis. Literally, in 6 months, she went from having a straight spine to having one with an "S" curve, she was growing so quickly. When she had her surgery, she had 11 inch titanium rods put in her back and, no lie, grew nearly 4 inches in the 11 hours she was in surgery. Incredibly, the next day, she had to sit up and, within 6 days, she had to walk the perimeter of the nurses stations. On the 7th day, she came home...

PS - OP so glad you're recovery has gone so well. I cannot imagine how traumatized you must have felt during those first few hours/days. It's amazing how insignificant some things can become when you've faced such a dramatic obstacle...
 
tekumseh said:
PS - OP so glad you're recovery has gone so well. I cannot imagine how traumatized you must have felt during those first few hours/days. It's amazing how insignificant some things can become when you've faced such a dramatic obstacle...
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When the emt's were telling me i'd miss the semester or maybe never walk again I was terrified. I had nightmares for a while the first few days. You're right about the perspective thing. I try not to get in arguments or anything anymore. I think I'm past a lot of petty stuff right now.
 
One time in High school, I slipped on a ramp and landed right on my back - I was actually completely paralyzed for about 30 seconds and couldn't even speak. This is far worse, and I'm glad you fully recovered.
By the way, how did ChiTown get banned? :(
 
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