Serious thread: helmets and rockfall impact.

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SteveW

Trad climber

The state of confusion

Jul 23, 2009 - 10:42am PT

Bump for L and Beth. . .

please update us on your condition, we're all thinking
about you!

Fluoride

Trad climber

Hollywood, CA

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 23, 2009 - 10:56am PT

It's almost 8am. A County Fire Captain friend just called to check in and woke me up. Head hurts like f*ck, but I'm okay

I'm drinking lots of water and am so happy to see a marine layer has moved in.

Advil isn't working.

rhyang

climber

SJC

Jul 23, 2009 - 11:14am PT

Thinking positive thoughts .. hope you are feeling better soon !

Howie

Trad climber

Calgary, Alberta

Jul 23, 2009 - 11:18am PT

Do you feel any improvement in yourself?
If not I think you should visit a hospital.
This is reminding me of my sort of same incident. Everything turned out OK but as it was a looooonnnng time ago there was not the equipment availble then as there is now to determine if things are OK on speedy basis.
Sorry but I'm still pushing for you to go see someone.
Hope you are OK. Thoughts.
H.

Largo

Sport climber

Venice, Ca

Jul 23, 2009 - 12:08pm PT

Looks like you were saved to me. Can I get a witness?

JL

Daphne

Trad climber

Mill Valley, CA

Jul 23, 2009 - 12:30pm PT

Can you improvise an ice bag? I like to put the ice bag on the injury and a heating pad somewhere else-- a soothing combination. Sorry you are hurting- this so totally sucks but I am glad you are posting and here with us.

nita

climber

chica from chico, I don't claim to be a daisy

Jul 23, 2009 - 12:43pm PT

Fluoride..Ouch, I just checked back on this thread, i didn't realize you were injured.

I hope you feel better Soon, glad you are still with us.

Three cheers for.. L and Fire Captian friend.

Fluoride

Trad climber

Hollywood, CA

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 23, 2009 - 01:04pm PT

L is my heroine.

Seriously, she's the best

She just called to check in on me. I was asleep and now I'm awake and drinking a glass of Emergen-C on her orders.

Then I'm going back to sleep.

And Cosmic thanks for the call this morning. You're a good man.

climber

The Paleozoic rift of the Caradoc drift

Jul 23, 2009 - 01:30pm PT

Just checked in on Beth. That woman is amazing!

When she told me the ordeal she had to go through to even get off the mountain after getting clocked by that rock, I've got to tell you, I'm not sure if I'm even worthy to put the ice-pack on her brow now. ;-)

In all seriousness, folks, she's doing much, much better. I've got a bit of experience with concussions and injuries of her nature--I would never have left her alone last night had there been the least indication she wasn't going to be OK. The good night's sleep did her a world of good, and the natural healing process of the body--albeit somewhat painful--is well underway in her case.

Beth said "feeling the love" from the Taco has made her feel incredibly cared for, and gifted to have such wonderful friends. Feelings like that are what make recovery happen so much more quickly--so keep those thoughts and prayers flowing for her, would you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last night we discussed gold-plating the HB helmet that saved her life. I liked that idea.

SteveW

Trad climber

The state of confusion

Jul 23, 2009 - 01:48pm PT

Flouride, glad you're doing better. You still might want
to see a doc. . . please?

L We know you're the best! And thanks for taking
care of Beth!!!!!

Studly

Trad climber

Jul 23, 2009 - 01:58pm PT

Get feeling better! I climbed at Beacon Rock yesterday with a helmet on, did a slew of pitches. Then end of day setting at the base of Young Warriors, I took my helmet off and kicked back. About 2 minutes later, me and my partner hear a incoming round, its a I-phone coming down from about 200 feet up. Impacts about 2 feet from me and then continues down the hill. Son of a....the lady was very upset over the loss of her phone. Me, I was happy to still have my head intact.

CynthiaL

Social climber

Joshua Tree

Jul 23, 2009 - 02:37pm PT

Jeez, Beth, how scary! I am so glad to hear you're on the upswing, and that Laura was there to check on you and help you along.

Sending prayers for a speedy recovery!

Cyn

murcy

climber

San Fran Cisco

Jul 23, 2009 - 03:19pm PT

Wow, nasty tale, and sounds like a nasty concussion. My wife recently had a head-banging fall, and is still healing up a month later, and the expectation is that some symptoms (headache, memory and concentration problems, fatigue) can often last as long as three months (longer being rare but not unheard of). They had her in the ICU for a while checking for signs of hematoma (internal bleeding). Her docs said Tylenol is fine, but not to use aspirin, Ibuprofen or any other anti-inflammatory. Be careful--you don't want to bang your head again soon; and best wishes!

couchmaster

climber

pdx

Jul 23, 2009 - 03:55pm PT

"Death by Iphone".

Holy crap, that would be a first......"Man killed by Iphone"....
Coincidentally, I've climbed 37 years and haven't taken any rock of substance...ever. Till this weekend. Years ago we'd had a kid who was trying to pass the knot on rappel in the twilight drop some gear that landed right in between my partner and I on dinner ledge on the South Face of the column as we were already in our sleeping bags. Maybe a helmet on the testicles was needed there. We didn't have helmets then. I often do not even wear a helmet now, even though I own 5 now.

Saturday I was out on a new line, rapping in from the top in an obvious gully to examine the cliff in the center of Cathedral Formation. For this trip on new ground where no human has ever been, I selected what I feel is my best helmet, a Petzl Elios, and it stayed on my head all day until I was on the ground and in the cave around the corner totally protected below. Here's a picture.

I went first and kicked off all the obvious looking loose stuff. Generally fist to head sized knobs and boulders. Then I ducked out of the way outside of the gully into a perfectly hidden spot where a perfect rap station was (the tree in the pic) as partner 2 then partner 3 came down. I came out after they were all down and safe on the new rap point I'd just established. I was still outside of the gully itself and off to the side at that point. We left the rope fixed above and started preparing the 2nd rap point with some more tying off the next rope etc etc (with 2 more raps to go to kiss ground again)

We're all totally focused out and down paying attention to what we were about when we hear a bamm from up above...we all tensed and braced in the microsecond that it took for this fist sized knob to come flying off and down -MISSED my best helmet and whacks me in the back of my shoulder blade with enough noise that the other 2 dudes made sympathetic "ouch" noises and facial winces. Then we watched it disappear down the cliff and went back to work. Forgot about it till last night I'm in the bathroom shirt off (Sunday) and my wife, while touching it exclaims, "WHAT IN THE HECK IS THIS?" Brought back the memory. Evidently I'll be marked for a while. LOL!

ps, glad your feeling better and L, good job and bless you on watching over her.

climber

The Paleozoic rift of the Caradoc drift

Jul 23, 2009 - 05:28pm PT

Beth,

The good people at your office insisted you stay home tomorrow and continue to recover from this near-death experience. I just spoke to them, and must admit I was very impressed with their compassion and understanding.

Whoever said "televison people" are hard-hearted was simply wrong. ;-)

Jaybro

Social climber

Wolf City, Wyoming

Jul 23, 2009 - 06:42pm PT

Get better, Beth!

Way to step in L!

When I had a minor conc after a rollover, I didn't feel, 'right' for over a week.

Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber

Sprocketville

Jul 23, 2009 - 08:57pm PT

Beth will be ok, i just spoke with jeeezus.

kaykers have helmets with face guards, they look kind of corny, but if you have ever smashed a rock with your face wile upside down in a river, they seem to make sense.

might look corny for climbing too.
but could be useful in weird situations, like a whipper into the wall, or while climbing a notorious bowling ally, or while pulling on cams or swinging a hammer while 2000 feet up.

Reilly

Mountain climber

Monrovia, CA

Jul 23, 2009 - 09:06pm PT

Fluoride,
Best wishes. It sounds like the worst is behind you.
I broke a hard-shell Bell bike helmet once so I'm feeling
your pain. The mind and body is amazingly resilient.
In my case I didn't have much to lose 'upstairs' but
you obviously do so I am happy the Taco vibes are doing
their thing.

All the best,
Reilly