"The field trip from hell"

[Colin-Partridge]

Hi gang,
Yesterday because I had been busy and on the road from one end of the country to the other I decided to take a trip into the wood to look for a couple of walking stick that I am doing as a commission. My field trips are usually the most rewarding time for me but this one turned out a little different. I was back into a forrest where I had not been before a long way from civilization. As I walked thru the woods I noticed a couple of sticks that would be perfect for the walking sticks. Of course I was excited and made a bee line towards them. All of a sudden I felt myself fall forward. I tried to put my right foot out to break my fall but to no evail. My feet were tangled in an old wire fence that was laying beneath the undergrowth. I fell forward and my left shoulder stuck a tree directly in front of my. All of a sudden I was lying on the ground in excruciating pain. The pain was so bad I almost passed out. After a few seconds I got my bearings and looked at my left arm, it wasent there. I looked over my left shoulder and there was my arm behind my back. I pushed my self up on my side and it was if my left arm was detatched from my body. Pushing myself up now lying on my stomach I reached for my left arm that was contorted. It was if my arm didnt belong to me there was no feeling. By this time the pain had got worse if that was possible and I started to drag myself back to where I had come from. I was going nowhere fast, so I decided to get to my feet it took me a long time to do this. Finally on my feet walking like the hunch back of Notra Dame I proceeded to walk back to the truck. Took me probably an hour from the time it happened to reach the truck. I was absolutly soaked to the skin, took me for ever to get myself into the truck and I finally drove myself to the hospital about five miles away. I grabbed some paper towel to wipe the sweat from my eyes the towel turned bright red. I tooked in the rear view mirror to discover I had a big laceration on my right side of my face. I finally walked into the emergency door the nurse looked at me as if I had two heads. They rushed me into the treatment room and the doctor came right in. The nurse treated my wound and the doctor told me I had a sever dislocation of the left shoulder. He told me he may be able to put it back in but it would be very painfull, or he could put me out and do it. I told him the pain couldnt be any worse than I had or had been thru. So the nurse had me lean back against her and he told me to take a deep breath and relax my arm. I was wrong the pain when he put it back in was worse. As soon as he popped it back in the pain was lessened by 80%. It is still very sore and it is difficult to sleep so here I am on the message board writing that book everyone says I should write. Hope I didnt bore you too much but I cant sleep.
Colin

[squbrigg]

Geez Colin, I'm sorry to hear of your misfortune! I hope all heals up well. Hows the head wound? My goodness, you must be careful, dangers lurk everywhere. I hope you mend quickly and have no lasting effects from the dislocation. That will be painful for a while! And, there will be no carving until it heals and you get some physiotherapy on it I immagine?

Please, take it easy for a bit and get yourself back together. We want you around for years to come son!

Bob

[Callynne]

Good grief Colin, what a field trip that was!! I was sure when I started reading your post that you were going to say you'd broken your collar bone, thank goodness you didn't break it or anything else! I can't imagine you being laid up for that long not being able to carve!!

I'm so happy you weren't more badly hurt!! Take care and be careful!! Callynne

[mikeg]

Wow, major bummer! I hope you're not laid up for too long. It's a good time to start on a book about your style of carving!

Seriously, I'm very sorry to hear about your accident. Take care of yourself.

mikeg

[AlArchie]

What an experience! Colin, you were lucky to be able to get yourself out of the woods. Sounds more like dogged determination, than good luck, though. Glad to hear you made it out and to the hospital, and that you seem to be onthe mend. Sure hope you are back to 100% shortly.

Al

[BobD]

Wow, my friend. I'm impressed by your presence of mind--and also glad for it. Some people would have ended up in a lot worse shape! If it would have taken you too long to get to the hospital, the dislocated shoulder may have caused even more damage by blocking the blood flow!


I hope you are on the mend!!!! Clamp Goody's santa roughout in vice and carve one handed <grin>

Bob

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Very sorry to hear that Colin! It seems the older we get the more these things happen ? Not sure why....I always told my son, when he wanted to go off on the mountain, hiking, hunting or whatever, to always have someone with him...these things can and do happen...you would have been a whole lot better off if you had a companion with you! I hope there is no other damage and you heal soon!

[wade clark]

Colin,
I'm sorry to hear about your mis-hap. I sure don't envy you the healing process! I've got a shoulder that hurts a lot of the time...maybe rotator cuff stuff... and it's no fun. Hopefully yours is put right and will heal without any prolonged problems. You lead an interesting, though sometimes painful life!
I'm not even going to bug you about coming to Florida and carving some Spirit Men for a little while, though I sure hope you'll consider it when you're mended.
Take Bob's advice and do a one-handed Santa!
Sure wish you the best and a speedy recovery!
Wade

[Thor]

Geez Colin,
Good wishes to heal quickly....glad it wasn't any worse, but geez...
The book sounds like a good idea right about now....you have already written the first paragraph.
Thor

[Anthony Filetti]

Dang Colin, someone steal your lucky rabbits foot?? I'm sorry to hear of your run of bad luck but I'm sure it will end. Get better soon!