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alina
Trad climber
CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 5, 2016 - 11:19am PT
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Have you read Paul Pritchard's book "The Totem Pole" ? Amazing story of accident and recovery.
Thanks for the recommendation, Tami and Mike. I'll look into it!
Curious, and not that it's germaine but it would be nice for the historical record to know your harness brand and model
Couchmaster, the harness is Arcteryx R280 Woman's.
I'm not sure you remember any of that night in Merced, but there were a lot of people who loved you there.
Thanks, Mike... I just remember being uncomfortable lying on my back and being pissed off that they put a cervical collar on me because I was convinced I could clear my own c-spine because I took a Wilderness First Responder course in college...
The fracture suggests an impact, though. A dent in the helmet and no associated neck pain (?) doesn't suggest a knock-out from impact to the head. If you were awake for the fracture of your lower back, I'm guessing it would have been pain greater than any you've ever felt, more than enough for your brain to turn out the lights for a bit to cope. Just my read of things based on the information.
Fair enough, JPL. I appreciate hearing another perspective on this.
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
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An absolutely terrifying story. Glad you're on the mend and thank you for sharing.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Hi Alina,
I've been through a similar situation just over three years ago. I fractured my spine at L2 and dislocated L1 in a high speed snowboard crash.
I landed on my butt going 75 miles an hour and my lower spine compressed bursting l2. I bent in two at the fracture, pinching my spinal cord in the process and slithered onto my face like a snake on the icy run. I continued sliding for a good fifty feet before I exhausted my momentum.
I never lost consciousness during the whole affair. The impact was the worst pain i've ever felt in my life. The world went black for just a brief moment when I hit and then I was seeing stars for a while afterward.
I tried to get up, but I was unable to move my legs. Then I realized that I also had no feeling below my waist.
When ski patrol got my board off, I realized that I could still wiggle my toes, so I knew I had something to work with. That very moment, I decided that this thing wasn't going to beat me. I would keep fighting until i could walk again.
They loaded me in the back of an A-star and flew me down to Whistler Health Care Centre where I was assessed and x-rayed. Then they transferred me to Vancouver General Hospital by ambulance.
I was out like a light for the bus ride and I came to as they were wheeling me into the front door of VGH. The doctors asked me if I wanted corrective surgery and I replied "well what are my options here?"
They explained that the vertebra was pinching my spinal cord and the longer that was the case, the worse my prognosis would be. I signed my life away and begged them to begin as soon as possible.
They fused me from t-12 to l-4. Immediately after the surgery I started to feel and use my right leg again, but my left felt like a buzzing log strapped to my hip.
I spent ten days at VGH, recovering and then i was whisked off to GF Strong rehabilitation centre to begin learning to use my body again.
This is where my story differs from yours, thanks to the fact that I live in the great white north. I spent three months at GF learning how to walk again. It was 8 weeks before I was allowed to return home and sleep in my own bed.
If it were not for GF strong I am certain that i would not have made the progress that I have today. Do not despair however Alina, you too can can reach your goal of walking again if you are willing to work hard enough for it.
After 12 weeks I was discharged from rehab and walked out under my own power. (I was still using forearm crutches to correct my posture and form)
It is now just over three years from that fateful February day. I am much more able these days. I am back to climbing, snowboarding and all the things i love. I don't do them quite at the same level that i used to, but i am working on that and I feel like I will begin progressing again sooner than i can imagine.
I still have a loss of sensation in my left foot, I would say it is at maybe 80%, and my glutes haven't quite caught up yet, which is causing me to overcompensate with other muscles.
I look at these as just another challenge to overcome. I have jumped a lot of hurdles so far and this one seems pretty small compared to the early days.
I still have back pain, but it's manageable most days, and sometimes I even forget about it for a brief moment in time.
I think one of the best pieces of advice i could give you is, make sure you manage the pain. Take the drugs but find ones that work with you and allow you to focus on your physio, rather than the pain killers that make you all spacey.
Another thing I was taught was to be selfish with my time, because I needed it to recover and I had to help myself before I could help anyone else.
Please shoot me a PM if you would like to talk and I will gladly give you my email. The only people who can truly relate are those who have suffered a spinal cord injury.
KEEP FIGHTING ALINA!! YOU CAN DO THIS, BUT YOU MUST FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND AND FORGET ALL DOUBT!!
You must know that you can do it in your heart and celebrate each little victory and stepping stone along the way.
The end goal is to get as much back as you can and with the progress you've made so far I can see you will be just fine.
Good luck with your quest Alina and please feel free to contact me whenever you need to. Incompletes need to stick together!! :)
Mike Cowper.
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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Thanks for posting this. My best to you.
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alina
Trad climber
CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 7, 2016 - 12:07pm PT
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Alexy, thanks so much for the kind words. I miss those early morning sessions. I admire your climbing as well -- you're too strong =)
Matt: thanks for posting up those pictures. Yeah, I'm sh#t at asking for help.
Mike: I'd love to talk. Will PM you! Thanks so much for sharing your story. A "buzzing log" is probably the most accurate description of what my legs felt like after the injury. I am so excited to hear that you're back to climbing and doing the things you love to do. Hugely inspiring.
I spent three weeks in a rehab hospital. The whole experience was pretty frustrating: they focused exclusively on how to manage my current condition. I learned how to get in and out of bed and how to use the wheelchair. And lots of the techniques were for people with c-spine injuries or complete lesions. No one was teaching me how to use the strength I had left. Or focusing on gaining more back. I think this was mandatory because they had so little time with me. Our healthcare system is broken.
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CCT
Trad climber
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Respect. 12 feet above my belayer, on a climb well within my abilities, at a small stance where I felt comfortable enough to maneuver my backpack, is not the type of place I would expect to receive such a severe injury.
It's a good lesson in never becoming complacent. Thank you for sharing.
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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I am pulling for you Alina, your attitude is inspiring .
Keep up your hard work, you're in my thoughts.
Best
Ezra
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Alina,
I read of great strides being made in this area of medicine, so I am hoping that you will be able to come back like Big Mike.
I have noticed over the years that people I know who are climbers, who have had severe injuries or illnesses, seem to come back in a way that often astounds doctors. I expect this has something to do with the fact that climbers are used to training hard and pushing their bodies beyond normal limits. So determine to use those traits in rehab and who knows what may happen.
Whole bunch of folks pulling for you here on ST.
Rick
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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I have noticed over the years that people I know who are climbers, who have had severe injuries or illnesses, seem to come back in a way that often astounds doctors. I expect this has something to do with the fact that climbers are used to training hard and pushing their bodies beyond normal limits.
I'd like to add that climbers push their minds.
Jeff Long wrote in "Angels of Light" that "climbers stick". I think it is true. After dangling your ass over huge exposure you develop a certain mind set that no one can take away.
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spectreman
Trad climber
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You are incredibly inspiring Alina! I wish you the best. Your spirit will carry you far.
I've been a physical therapist for 28 years and I've seen people do the "impossible".
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Bushman
climber
The state of quantum flux
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I had a bad tree trimming accident in 1990 when the top broke out of the tree I was in with me attached, flinging me over 20 feet to the ground where I landed on my back. I broke my clavicle and compression fractured L1 and L2, pulled the muscles in my lower abdomen, and had a contusion the size of a baseball on my left hip that left an area of nerve damage I still have to this day. I had no idea of the extent of my injuries at that moment, but I had never been in so much pain from what I considered at the time to be a short fall. I was stubborn and prideful, and decided I could walk it off as usual or at least get myself to the hospital as I had done after all my previous injuries.
After much moaning, at my request my crew removed my harness and spikes, and although I had been an EMT and knew better, I attempted to get to my feet. Crawling on my hands and knees was as far as I got, the pain was so excruciating that I could go no further and froze in that position. The customer put a blanket over me and asked if she could pray for me. Although I was an avowed agnostic, I had no objections whatsoever. The paramedics came and put me on a backboard and loaded me into the ambulance.
I was extremely lucky to not sustain a severe spinal injury or worse that day. My rehab was quick and I was back to climbing within a few months. But time has a way of catching up with us. Some years later I quit climbing after recovering from an ankle injury and a wrist injury and deciding to focus more on work and family. The bad part was I started to let my core strength go and gained weight. About 10 years ago I began having sciatica because when L1 and L2 had healed, I had a crooked spot in my spine where those vertebrae were partially crushed. The side effect was that L5 and my sacroiliac were badly out of alignment so I began to have bulging disc problems and sciatic pain down my right hip.
That has been treated to some effect by working to build up my core again with PT, Chiro, and stretching, but I have not lost enough of those added pounds yet. Consequently after unrelated knee surgery, combined with my weight, and limping for several months, I began having sciatica down my left hip to my knee. I've been treating it for two months now with more vigorous core building PT, stretching, loads of bike riding, Chiro, and battling that bulge. Life goes on and my goal is to get on some easy routes again and teach my younger grandkids some climbing.
Perseverance and motion, I think is the key, and listening to your body, but also teaching the brain about pain management in lieu of medication. I know just a little bit about pain and recuperation, I'm sending good thoughts your way and pulling for you, Alina. Keep up the great work with your recovery.
-Tim
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msiddens
Trad climber
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Thanks for sharing. I'm really hoping for a strong recovery for you
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alina
Trad climber
CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 8, 2016 - 12:41pm PT
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Respect. 12 feet above my belayer, on a climb well within my abilities, at a small stance where I felt comfortable enough to maneuver my backpack, is not the type of place I would expect to receive such a severe injury.
Yes, this kind of injury was not even on my radar. I hope that sharing my story is a useful PSA. Stay safe, everyone...
Bushman, that is quite a story!
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overwatch
climber
Arizona
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The customer put a blanket over me and asked if she could pray for me. Although I was an avowed agnostic, I had no objections whatsoever.
You know the old saying, "there are no atheists in foxholes", goes for Agnostics to I suspect.
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bradL
Trad climber
Lake Tahoe, NV
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May 10, 2016 - 08:34am PT
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I'm sending you wishes for a speedy recovery, Alina!
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HeldUp
climber
Former YNP VIP Ranger
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May 10, 2016 - 09:43am PT
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Wishing you health and happiness, Alina. I didn't see anything mentioned about Mark Wellman, a friend and former roommate while we worked in Yosemite. He is arguably the most widely-recognized climber who was disabled by a similar fall. I enjoyed his book "Climbing Back." Quite the motivational speaker, as well. Unfortunately, he and I lost contact and haven't spoken in years.
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David Nelson
climber
San Francisco
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May 10, 2016 - 10:48am PT
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I agree with Micronut: attitude counts. I am an orthopedic hand surgeon. In some ways, my patients recovering from surgery are similar to your recovery from spinal cord injury. My patients with a positive attitude routinely do better than the ones that have a negative relationship with the world.
No matter what the final outcome, your positive attitude will help you with all of your life. Thanks for posting, it helps all the rest of us as we also cope with our personal experience with life. Best of luck to you.
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cornel
climber
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
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May 10, 2016 - 06:00pm PT
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Very sorry to hear about your accident Alina.. I have been down a similar road over 30 yrs ago.. The sordid details aren't important. The thing that got me completely back in the game was discovering ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. Supremely positive focus. You are going to make a fantastic recovery.. It's clear in your attitude. As many have posted here, if the mind can conceive and believe it the body will achieve it... Visualize and affirm total and complete recovery everyday. See yourself fully recovered and doing EVERYTHING YOU LOVE TO DO. What you want wants you.. Make each daily visualization as REAL as possible. Fill in all the intimate details of how wonderful being completely back in the game feels. Standing on top of El Cap.. Yes mam, you just topped out! You are coming back big time.. We are all behind you! Stick it!
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cornel
climber
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
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May 10, 2016 - 07:48pm PT
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One more thing Alina, be aware of accepting limiting comments from anyone involved with your recovery. BS comments such as ' you may never walk again or your best hope is maybe a cane'. You won't be able climb again... Anytime you hear that TOTAL BULLSH#T, one need not even give a verbal response... Just silently say to yourself say (I give thanks that I am already 100% healed or something better..now..) this is the mantra - What you Want wants you.....! write it down a hundred times, then write it in various other ways always pointing to a Total and complete recovery...you have the right to fire your DR or anyone else who you deem not facilitating your Total recovery... Miracles happen everyday all the time.. Make it happen... Stick it!
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