Saturday, June 19, 2010

Woops

Well that was pretty stupid.
After not skiing for something like 15 years, I jump back into the deep end on someone else's skis.. and without adjusting the bindings. Moron.

So how'd it happen?
Was out skiing with a mate. It was really really icy, but things were going well. I'd been out on the Greens for a while and things were going well. We headed up to the peak and started carving up the blues.

Down one of the harder blues (black?), I fell over. I don't exactly remember much of going down... classic "It's all a blur"... but I do recall the moment when I thought "shit.. this is where the bindings let go"... and then they didn't. That didn't feel good.

When I stopped sliding, I felt good that I'd been smart enough to wear a helmet. My knee was feeling painful, but not a sharp pain. I laid there for a bit and the pain subsided.

When I got up, it wasn't feeling bad, so I tried to turn down the hill and ski easy and slow, but fell right over. I unclipped and tried to walk down, but my knee had no strength and I feel right over.

My friend called ski patrol and they carted me down.

One interesting bit of the story...
All the emergency people that attended to me... women. Heck, even my friends that I was skiing with ;) Even the people that carted me down the hill. Well... there was one guy... he drove the snowmobile that drug us the last bit to the emergency shack.

Anyway
Nope, no pain.
That's apparently how these ones go.
When I got down to the medical center in town for x-rays, the doc there said I'd totally broken off my ACL... "It's gone" she said, kinda to herself and kinda to me. I thought she was joking for a second.

So next up I get scheduled for surgery.
It's Sunday here, so that's not happening till at least tomorrow. It's likely going to be a bit slower process as well cuz I'll prob have to have an MRI first, then schedule the surgery la la la.

But the sooner I get into the pipeline the better.
"Normal" recovery is something like six weeks. I'm a tad skeptical since I took the damn thing completely off. We'll see.

Oh, as some have been asking... yes, this is covered by the government insurance program.

Jim

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I guess it waited til you got to health coverage green zone, so that's good. I am glad to hear you are in good spirits about it.

Susan said...

glad to see you are supporting the NZ health service economy again :)

what a way to meet women!!

pat rooney said...

Thank God we have Internet! I just read it. Glad you are getting the care you need.
There you are in NZ with women to keep you sane? Glad you will heal. What exactly is gone? don't understand the medical stuff. MOM

pat rooney said...

Go NZ soccer!
BTW Dad & Rob explained what you did to your knee. They say you will have an interesting old age. lol
Hope you heal quickly like your Grampa Filipiak.
and you thought you knew snow!?!?! LOL