17 replies to this topic

[hyzakite]

On Father's Day I was flying at a local club gathering mostly single lines, I flew my 1.5sul. My neck and knee was already messed up and surgery was already set up for the next morning on my neck which was a 2 Level ACDF now I'm in a hard collar playing the waiting game of getting healed enough so I can have my knee repaired which is a complex tear of the medial meniscus horizontal oblique tear and a focal radial tear flipping part of the mensicus over, I'm ready to fly right now, but the rest of me isn't.

I'm just wondering besides Ben and a few others who else in the forum is or have been Broken but not beat'n

[TerryB]

Hi all,

Broken a few times with pins in the knees ad 16 screws in the right foot, but loosing weight running arround after this new fangled kite you guys are besotted with.
And now I am

Out today again to catch the air here in bonny Scotland

Take care

Terry

[Baloo]

Only got a prolapsed disk myself. Not very exotic.

[JasonOsteo]

Um, no metalwork but....

multiple dislocations of shoulders resulting in osteoarthritis in the gleno-humeral joint (mainly right). Not beaten until the right became almost unusable, reconstructive surgery ensued.

2 cracked ribs 1 week before a black belt grading. Took the exam and passed. Rather uncomfortable that one. Also two and a half teeth lost at various points in training, never really bothered me although the blood made me choke a bit and put my sparing partners off.

Fell climbing before getting my first bit of protection in, ~30 ft. No fractures as far as I know, but whiplash, several deep cuts, lots of skin lost (fell on millstone grit) and bruised kidneys. Was climbing again 1 month later.

Prolapsed disc at L5/S1. That took me out for about three months and have never been quite the same since. Sciatic symptoms for 6 years after, 24 hours a day. Osteopath eventually cured that one. Carried on kickboxing for another three or four years afterwards, but with the politics that came with the high grade and other bits of life getting priority I ended up stopping. Can't feel 'texture' with the sole of my left foot any more.

Left knee not too clever, right one crunches nicely.

Oh, and I sound like a set of marackers first thing in the morning till I get moving.


Still, I can fly my revs and haul people around the treatment couch all day, so all is good

[Love2fly]

Hi hyzakite....

Hang in there. It will get better!

I just had the knee surgery, on Thursday, for what sounds like a similar injury. It got progressively worse as fragments were dislodging and floating around; to the point where I could hardly bear weight on it without excruciating pain. I just missed a trip with my team to Windscape because of this .

I've had a serious lower back injury for quite some time which has necessitated several surgeries and fusions, plates, screws, etc. (Way too much to get into).

Even though I walk with a crutch do to the neuro deficits, I can still fly and find it quite therapeautic, both physically and mentally. I never dwell on the negative; it's not productive. Always look at what you can do and thank the "man upstairs" for every day that you can!

[JasonOsteo]

Oh, a tip for those having knee surgery (and to a certain extent, any orthopaedic surgery).

Ice and movement are a huge help to a speedy recovery. Ice 3+ times a day. 5-10 mins at a time, if it aches that's plenty long enough!. Movement is also key. the joint surfaces have no blood supply, they get nutrition from the fluid in the joint. If you don't move it the fluid thickens and you get adhesions which are REALLY not nice to get gone. Also the cartilage (joint surface) doesn't get enough nutrition to maintain itself or heal in the case of miniscus or cartilage surgery.

ALWAYS DO YOUR PHYSIOTHERAPY! It is for your own good, not just your physiotherapists sadistic tendencies.

If I had a pound for every patient I have seen with knee problems after surgery as they felt 'rest and immobilisation' was better than the physio and advice they had been given, I would have a house like Pete's!

Disclaimer: The advice of your surgeon is specific to you and should be followed, this is only a GENERAL piece of advice and may not apply to your specific circumstance. Check with your surgeon first before following it!

[randude]

I hope your neck and knee surgeries go well. I have a shoulder replacement, a plate and screws lower down on the same arm and a rod in my tibia. All ski/snow related injuries. The best thing about a new, worse pain is that it helps you forget about your other pains. I think flying helps my shoulder, as I feel my poor range of motion has improved somewhat. It's that hazy, ill defined zone between pleasure and pain. Anyway, best of luck with the surgeries and what ever happens, just keep doing what you enjoy.

[hyzakite]

[quote name='Love2fly' date='25 June 2011

I just had the knee surgery, on Thursday, for what sounds like a similar injury. It got progressively worse as fragments were dislodging and floating around; to the point where I could hardly bear weight on it without excruciating pain. I just missed a trip with my team to Windscape because of this .

Oh that's terrible being so close, they must have popped that surgery on you suddenly.

[Love2fly]

Hi hyzakite-

Yes they did. It was scheduled for the following Thursday; after Canada. When I saw the doc on Monday (normal pre-op visit), he wanted to do it the next day, but I needed to be off a med. for a couple days, so Thursday it was.

I'm moving fairly well, already; all things considered. Doing as much R.O.M. as possible, to kept moving and hopefully, not develop scar tissue. Oh, and icing it, quite often is huge to keep the swelling down, and hence, the pain down, too.

[Baloo]

Prolapsed disc at L5/S1. That took me out for about three months and have never been quite the same since. Sciatic symptoms for 6 years after, 24 hours a day. Osteopath eventually cured that one. Carried on kickboxing for another three or four years afterwards, but with the politics that came with the high grade and other bits of life getting priority I ended up stopping. Can't feel 'texture' with the sole of my left foot any more.

Mine is L5/S1 also, but prolapsed to the right, lifting a patient that was pretending to be unresponsive, she twisted, I twisted and POP that was it, no more Paramedic for me.

Still got Toothake in my bum most of the time, and pins and needles down the outside of my leg and small toes. Went to an Oesteo for about 18 Months till we agreed he had got it about as good as it will get. Between the Two of us we could make a decent spine

[stroke survivor]

My addition to the medical report!! Stroke (10 years back), 2 heart attacks ( '04 + '07), 2 hip replacements (over 2 years ago and everything is great), now a bum shoulder!! Vision not so good after the stroke, double vision without the corrective grind on the glasses, and distance is terrible!! But new hips gave me back the mobility to enjoy flying again, especially at the beach where the sand was way too much to trudge through, and indoors is letting me trust my feet to brain connection and helping my balance!! Then there are the mental side effects!!! More confidence, here's a great one, finding something from your past that you can still do or maybe get better at than before!! Unfortunate side effect of the stroke is that I played just about every stick and ball game and was forced to give them all up because of the vision problems!! Was totally lost there for a while, my identity was tied to being good at so many things, suddenly they were gone!!! Oh well, the world marches on, get on or stand looking, your choice!!! You can see my take on life by my tag on my signature!!!
By the way, I call kite flying - WIND THERAPY!!

[hyzakite]

Wayne your flying and being here is sure inspiring for me,,

[stroke survivor]

I figure it's a tough job and someone's got to do it!! All I know is that coming back to kiting has put some zip in my step and a more positive spin on life for me!! With my medical past it would have been pretty easy to feel sorry for myself and just sit and wait for the end!! AIN'T MY WAY! The way I see it, if I can, anybody can!! NO EXCUSES!!!

[REVflyer]

back's screwed-up (degenerative disk disorder), can't hold my urine, 5 roid operations, knee surgery, way too light sensitive visually and I look like I've swallowed a basketball around my mid-section besides. BUT I'm Still Standin'!

[hyzakite]

I figure it's a tough job and someone's got to do it!! All I know is that coming back to kiting has put some zip in my step and a more positive spin on life for me!! With my medical past it would have been pretty easy to feel sorry for myself and just sit and wait for the end!! AIN'T MY WAY! The way I see it, if I can, anybody can!! NO EXCUSES!!!

Somehow I knew the tough job part was coming on that one.

[stroke survivor]

Somehow I knew the tough job part was coming on that one.

Wife and kids don't quite understand how important finding something from my past is to me!!! They all think I'm just over consumed with kiting (I tend towards being single-minded), but to have found something I can do again is so refreshing!!! Gives me a reason to be, .....now where's the wind???

[--Pete]

Does this count?



32 staples; about 10" long.

[hyzakite]

Ouch!! If 32 staples don't count then it sure should. Just pulling them out should count.