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Tobia
Social climber
Denial
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Jul 20, 2012 - 08:48am PT
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Harder sure heals fast. I can't believe the hospital pictures; but the latest one from Tom only confirms what I said before. You can't keep a good man down for long.
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chappy
Social climber
ventura
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Jul 20, 2012 - 11:30am PT
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Don,
Glad to hear you are on the road to recovery. A close call to say the least. I've been following your progress here on S.T. and Eddie B. gave me an email update. Looking forward to seeing you in the not too distant future!
Chappy
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the goat
climber
north central WA
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Jul 20, 2012 - 12:36pm PT
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So, should you be concerned that "old school 5.11" is really hard at this stage of your life, or, that you were on the wrong route! A "senior guidebook moment" perhaps?
By the way, I like the camo bruises, you've earned a place in the duck blind this Fall. ;>/
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Dave Davis
Social climber
Seattle, WA
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Jul 21, 2012 - 01:02pm PT
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Mr. Harder,
I gotta say you looked pretty scary in those early photos. Also glad to say that it looks as if you're healing pretty quickly for a gentleman of your advanced age. All of the old NW climbers missed you at the get-together the other night although there was a relatively light turn out. Give my best to Jane and I'll yak at you soon.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jul 21, 2012 - 07:36pm PT
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I shot a video of TM explaining why all the recent ascents of El Cap don’t count
Not that I would know how to do it, but perhaps the straightest line to Mecca is to post that on YouTube, then link the YouTube post here.
Just saying. I mean, we ARE on a need to know basis here. And we needs to be anointed by the TM goofiness on this matter.
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tom Carter
Social climber
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Jul 25, 2012 - 03:50pm PT
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If you heard that Don was back in the hospital it is because today he is having his broken and displaced clavicle fixed. Should improve his symmetry his disposition?!!
I like his "bonnet" - goes with his pedicure don't ya think?
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Jul 25, 2012 - 05:22pm PT
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I like his "bonnet" - goes with his pedicure don't ya think?
Is he hiding his fingernails because he isn't happy with the manicure?
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jul 25, 2012 - 05:31pm PT
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Ghost, he's the modest type; not a showoff.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jul 25, 2012 - 06:27pm PT
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First reaction in the clinic is,
“who’s the new blue-haired old lady?”
Then,
“That is the strangest and ugliest beauty salon I’ve seen!”
And finally,
“This is as pretty as Don will ever be! Disappointing how he hid his pedicure though! We all heard so much about it"
What a sport, though, this Don! Looks like you still have tons of strength in those paws too!!
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mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
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Jul 26, 2012 - 03:07am PT
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Mr. Haan Sir,
You were one of my heroes when I first hit The Trench in 1971. The outrageous things you had done and were still doing made myself and my Seattle compatriots sit up and take notice. Bravo to you-then and now.
Below is a CT scan of my wrecked shoulder. Notice the clavicle at the top. This was taken six or so weeks after the original accident and you can see that the broken and displaced bone had already started to bond itself together with it’s other half.
The surgeon had to break the two apart, butt them end to end, and install a stainless bridge-complete with screws through the bone. There were apparently some other issues but I haven’t had a chance to talk to the doctor.
When I came to in post-op, I experienced the most debilitating pain I’ve ever known (even though I was still on a morphine through my IV). I’ve passed a kidney stone, snapped an ankle, suffered a major concussion (when I was young) and a few other injuries, but all these paled in comparison with what I felt when I awoke from this surgery. I was thrashing and literally howling with pain and the nurse quickly gave my IV another shot of morphine. This didn’t work. She gave me another. This didn’t work. She tried Demerol. No difference. She tried another Demerol. Still no difference. She told me that she had reached the maximum that she was allowed to give me which was 20 units. I’m not sure what those units were but I’d guess she was talking milligrams. I was weeping with pain. She called the anesthesiologist who showed up 15 or so minutes later. She told him about reaching the 20 unit threshold and he said, “You can go up to 500. Just keep an eye on his respirations to make sure he doesn’t stop breathing.” Those words would have normally made me nervous but this time I didn’t care. Whatever the nurse did next made the difference. Within a few minutes, the pain subsided to a tolerable level. About that time, Tom Herbert came to visit. He was on duty and had come to see me in pre-op as well. It was good to see another friendly, familiar face.
This is just another chapter, but I’m sure not the final chapter, in the almost re-extinction of the Mastadon.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jul 30, 2012 - 11:07am PT
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God Don. Thanks for the comments as well. I have come to understand that you might even be funnier than Carter, but lab tests will have to take place to determine this for posterity.
The pain. I think pain right there near the neck and clavicle is particularly hideous. I broke my clavicle a couple of times within two months, first in Ireland where medical help was a bare minimum. Then again at my ranch when a mare in training trashed me at a gallop when I least expected. 1997 or so. It healed overlapped like your CT scan shows as nothing but a sling was used, and now 15 years later the site has this big bone callous---I will never make it into the movies now!! That must have been a really gruesome fall of yours for Ernie to even witness. Over backwards is just the worst on a slab and is easy to trigger.
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the goat
climber
north central WA
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Aug 12, 2012 - 03:52pm PT
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Masta, with the blue cap, you've taken on a bit of the Nurse Ratchet look. I like it. A mental institution in your future too?
Does the clavicle "adjustment" mean you'll now be a straight, upstanding individual within the Tahoe community? Maybe its time for the left side of the Hourglass.............................
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mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
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Aug 12, 2012 - 07:32pm PT
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Mr Goat, I'm still trying to figure out who you are...
As for being a straight, upstanding individual in the Tahoe community: that hasn't been the case since I lived near and associated with Bridwell in "Camp 4 North" or what we used to call the Tahoe City trailer park in the early '80's.
As for the clavicle: broken in four places-now has a metal plate running almost the whole length.
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Dave Davis
Social climber
Seattle, WA
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Aug 12, 2012 - 08:47pm PT
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Don
I don't know if I should blow the goat's cover, but I think his last name is Ledew or something like that. Nice sewing job by the way.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Aug 12, 2012 - 08:56pm PT
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This is just proof once again that "Some people have all the fun", a conjecture recently put forth by the Swiss Hadron Collider people and furthered here in California. God Don-Don, this Clavicle Caper seems the roughest going of all if one can judge from your photo alone. Good thing that did not hurt one bit though...imagine if it had!! Honestly that looks like Arcteryx is installing flesh zippers now, those cool waterproof ones. You being such a fashion mavin had to be the first in Mariposa of course. That or you are quickly becoming a handbag. I know I know, yes a high end hand bag, especially now.
Smile for Mommy! ph
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Tobia
Social climber
Denial
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Aug 12, 2012 - 09:10pm PT
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Man, what a seam.
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Aug 12, 2012 - 09:21pm PT
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"A stitch in time saves 9"....
it's all I got, hope it helps:-)
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tom Carter
Social climber
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Aug 12, 2012 - 09:23pm PT
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I'm sure down at "The Lucky 7" tatoo parlor we could get a zipper pull placed just so as to complete the illusion?
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Aug 12, 2012 - 09:30pm PT
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Yes, better still Tom. And of course we gotta get this thing matched up, and do one on the other side as well. Left AND right ones especially since these don't hurt at all; Mastadon-Don can't be showing up in downtown Mariposa with a single and be all lopsided. What would Good Society think? White people could be watching!
Also: http://explore.org/#!/videos/player/elephant-zen-den
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tarek
climber
berkeley
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Aug 13, 2012 - 01:28am PT
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Thanks very much for posting that, Don.
Major style points for the cranium catch.
Way to hang in there, best of luck for a full recovery.
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