chopchop 0 #1 November 5, 2001 So, with Byron closed, me and a couple of friends made the trek to Lodi. We hooked up with 3 belly-fliers and planned a 6-way RW jump. I was a diver. The 4-way base exits and the other diver and i are right behind it. It funnels as we float above watching them rebuild it. Ok, rebuilt, we swoop in and start turning points. YAHOO!! so much fun, everyone is flying their slots perfectly. Planned breakoff is 4,500 feet. Nice and high. Now - a little background. My ProTrack has been in the shop for a month and I am jumping with a friend that I have jumped with at least 100 times. She is always altitude aware and I have been getting lazy with her on most of my jumps and usually having a dytter. Anyway, 1st mistake - I wasn't altitude aware and assumed we had broken off at 4,500 and did a nice long track. Well, apparently we had burned through 4k turning the last point. Long story short I was in the saddle at 1,200 feet looking at a landing area quite a bit away. OK, 2nd mistake, I can make it if I let go of my toggles and hang on my rear risers all the way home. So, 500 feet comes and goes and I still don't have my toggles in my hands and I still think i can make it so 3rd mistake, not getting my toggles in my hands with plenty of altitude. 200 feet - 4th mistake, just a little further and I'll turn in. 50 feet - 5th mistake, I'll turn flat using my risers, then grab my toggles and speed up a little to flare. Should have never let go of my rear risers at that point. Missed my toggles and had a no-flare landing at which point I made my 6th mistake and failed to PLF. So, feet, knees, feet. Ah, standing - hope no one saw that. Hmmm... been a long time since I made that OOOMPH sound when landing. Probably gonna be sore a while. Well, let's stow the brakes, and daisy chain the lines, get back in and pack. Wow! look at the grass stains on the knees and lower legs of my RW suit! OK, start walking. Hmmm... soemthing feels strange inside my left leg. like the bones are moving independently. Uh-oh, I think I broke a bone. Ok, only 50 more yards - this feels really strange - starting to hurt. OK, 10 more yards - hey there is someone from my jump, maybe if I tell him my leg is broken he'll help me into the hangar. OK, he's helping me but this is hurting. In the hangar - they are all telling me where to sit - Fuck it - the floor right here looks really good Right NOW! As I sit there, this guy starts de-breifing the jump - What the Fuck!? My leg is broken - let's gather my shit and go to the hospital. Yep - broken left fibula. Nice clean break. Anyway, I could have made a better decision 6 times that would have not let this happen. Boy - do I feel stupid. No skydiving for I don't know how long and these damn crutches are hurting my armpits!chopchopPD makes canopies all day long, you only have one life, when in doubt, cut away... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mountainman 0 #2 November 5, 2001 tough break man....hope you heal fast!!--------------Brandon Wren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallingMarc 0 #3 November 5, 2001 Wow, sorry to hear about that. Hope you heal quickly and get back in the air where it's safe! It's the ground that gets us...Marc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #4 November 5, 2001 That sucks.....I did the "No Flare" landing technique once when I lost a toggle coming out of the dive loops. I think I broke my tail bone cause it hurt for several months. Never went to the Doc though. Oh well....it feels better now. Hope you get the cast off quick and get back in the air!"There once was a man named Enis....."-Krusty the ClownClay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Merrick 0 #5 November 5, 2001 Quote"Yep - broken left fibula. Nice clean break. Anyway, I could have made a better decision 6 times that would have not let this happen. Boy - do I feel stupid. No skydiving for I don't know how long and these damn crutches are hurting my armpits!"Oh I hear ya man, I've just recently got back in the air from the same break! One metal plate, 7 screws, and 6 weeks later & I was back in the air! I was only on my crutches for 10 days, then they put me in a walking boot thing for 4 weeks. I was only out for about a month & 1/2 before I got back up... just remember to do your exercises, & don't jump or do anything that you're not ready to do... it'll be over before you know it!"Pammi's Hemp/Skydiving Jewelry" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chickenhawk420 0 #6 November 5, 2001 Another nasty sucky thing, heal quickley... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lummy 4 #7 November 5, 2001 Bummer :( Hope you aren't down for too long.At least you can catch up on your beer swoops, maybe? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slappie 9 #8 November 5, 2001 Merrick didn't you flare on your busted up landing?My New Website with 24hr Chat Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Merrick 0 #9 November 5, 2001 Quote"Merrick didn't you flare on your busted up landing?"Yeah, what's your point there Slap?? Yes I flared, had a nice little swoop going actually, right up until that mutant gofer reached up & grabbed my foot twisting it 180deg the wrong direction! lolShut-up Peer-Biaatch!!"Pammi's Hemp/Skydiving Jewelry" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chopchop 0 #10 November 5, 2001 Thanks for the kind words guys. And Merrick for checking out the scene and sharing his healing experience. 6 weeks seems like an eternity. I usually jump every weekend, planned on being in Elsinore and Perris Thursday and Friday, Z-Hills next weekend and again early Dec. Anyway, went to a speed-healing course over at the community college this afternoon and they kept trying to teach me how to read fast. Does anyone know how that helps healing? Is there a correlation between speed-reading and speed healing? - Maybe I'm a little blurry from the medication stillchopchopPD makes canopies all day long, you only have one life, when in doubt, cut away... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingnut 0 #11 November 5, 2001 Quotetough break man....hope you heal fast!!was it me or is this the mother of all puns????hope ya heal fast dude.... ... i couldn't think what i would do if i broke my leg.......maybe fix up a little skid for it so i could land and just slid on it....maybe it would save my butt from the grass too......"up my noooossseee"- wingnut, at first euro dz.com boogie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #12 November 6, 2001 QuoteNo skydiving for I don't know how long and these damn crutches are hurting my armpits!Bummer!!! But glad it was "only" the fib, you'll be back in the air soon. Enjoy the pain pills I may be able to help your armpit problem... Stand with the crutches straight up and down and see where the "pads" are. If they are close to your armpits, make the crutches shorter. Ideally you want the pads just about nipple height when the crutches are straight up and down. Once you've got them the right height, work on keeping the crutches straight up and down as you walk.Worked for my kid for six weeks after he broke his fib...pull and flare,lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chopchop 0 #13 November 6, 2001 thanks Lisa, I've lowered them already but not quite that far. I'll lower them more and see how it goes.chopchopPD makes canopies all day long, you only have one life, when in doubt, cut away... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RemiAndKaren 0 #14 November 6, 2001 she said nipple... heal fast !RemiMuff 914 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chopchop 0 #15 November 6, 2001 woohoo... went to the hospital today and got a walking cast. Doc says I can jump in it in a few weeks if I am careful. Wahtever that means. And off in 5 weeks. Soooo happy to dump the gimp sticks.chopchopPD makes canopies all day long, you only have one life, when in doubt, cut away... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #16 November 6, 2001 DUDE you got one hell of a cool DOC thats for sure...if he says you can jump in your cast...I have a friend that is just asking to jump after getting all that crap off and his doc still says he shouldnt jump....man good on ya..and hope ya heal fast!!MarcBecause I fly, I envy no man on earth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #17 November 7, 2001 "Doc says I can jump in it in a few weeks if I am careful. Wahtever that means"More careful than last time........."There once was a man named Enis....."-Krusty the ClownClay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brokeneagle 0 #18 November 8, 2001 chopchop- so sorry, my friend! Definite empathy- glad you got a walking cast so quickly! Sounds like you've got a good doc, that always helps! Take your time getting back in the sport, let your bones be ready, especially if you love it the way I do and you want to skydive a LONG time, not a little. I will be joining you in the air as soon as I can, too! Till then, heal well and quickly, blue skies and soft landings always--Brokeneagle.P.S. Thank you very much for the well-wishes on the thread Dutch did on my misjudged landing! You're a good man(but I knew that)! I'm really very gentle, no matter what my kung-fu teacher says... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
