Have A Nice Trip
September 2012
We got Kewalo home then sailed around in Lake St. Clair for the summer. For Labour Day weekend we headed off to Leamington to meet friends. And some great friends they are. I’ll let Randy’s email explain from here.
Hey All:
Just a little info for you all….I stepped off the boat in Leamington yesterday…..and broke my left leg. Broke the tibia and fibia just above the ankle, and dislocated the foot.
Went through surgery today, some plates and pins, hoping to get out sometime tomorrow, and off work for at least 12 weeks. Apparently a bad break.
Hoping everyone else is having a GREAT weekend.
randy
Beth and I met up with a group of friends/fellow sailors in Leamington marina on the weekend. I was able to get off work early Thursday, and we spent the first night at Boblo Island. We weren’t impressed there, the docks were loaded with bird dung, and the weeds were more than very prolific….it actually was difficult getting in and out due to the extent of the weed growth.We left Boblo early Friday morning, and departed for Leamington. It was a rough crossing, good ol’ Lake Erie enjoys kicking up and Friday was not an exception to this. We did make it to Leamington marina in good time, we were actually hitting just over 8 knots surfing down some of the waves. Yup, not a pleasant trip.
We hooked up with our friends during the day Friday and Saturday, both days spent catching up and meeting new sailing buddies. We had a great pot luck dinner Saturday night, and then an awesome potluck breakfast Sunday morning. Beth and I had planned on leaving after the breakfast, it is a long run for us to return to Pilot’s Cove on Lake St. Clair. While prepping our departure, I was about to return some items to a couple of the other boats. It was slightly raining, and as I stepped off Kewalo to the dock, my left foot slipped, and down I went. I knew before I hit the dock that my leg was broken, just like that. Our friends immediately summoned 911, but the two local ambulance units were already dispatched on other calls, so I had to wait for a unit from Kingsville. Josh and Heather did an excellent job in difficult conditions to get me onto the stretcher. I told them I could scoot my butt down the finger dock to the main dock where the stretcher was, there was no way to get me onto the stretcher on the finger dock. Mission accomplished, with both lower leg bones broken and my foot dislocated…believe it or not, I wasn’t in shock, and the pain was manageable for the most part.
A quick 45 minute ride to Hotel Dieu in Windsor, and we were placed in the capable hands of the medical team there. A few quick x-rays, confirmation of the break and dislocation, and now it was time to reset the dislocation and break….time for some meds. They gave me some “milk of amnesia” which worked wonderfully well, I was awake, but way out of it, the foot and breaks were reset, and I didn’t even realize it. Gotta love those drugs!
Up to a room, and I was operated on the following morning. 6 pins and a large metal plate, I am now officially a bionic man. I stayed one more night, and am now at home, still wondering what the heck happened.
A couple of things I did learn….Make damn sure that I have shoes on that will grip, no more sandals…..maintain at least a two point contact getting on and off the boat…both my hands were full when the accident happen. I have the best wife and group of friends anyone can ask for……I have had offers to bring the boat home from folks in Ohio, northern Ontario (the former owner of the boat) and a member of the Bayfield sailboat forum that I had just met a month or so ago. I am blessed with awesome family and friends.
So, as soon as my son completes the new cradle for the boat, it will be sailed to it’s winter storage by my friends. The marina manager at Leamington graciously offered us FREE use of the slip we were in until I can move the boat. I will be off work at least 12 weeks, what with rehab and all, and this is one of the best times of the year to sail…..oh well…..
All right, enough blithering on……watch where you step, wear shoes in good condition, and surround yourself with family and good friends. Make an honest effort to maintain at least a two point contact – one hand, one foot, etc. and you might prevent a lot of pain and missed sailing time.
gunk
Found some pics of my fracture/dislocation on Beth’s cell phone, taken about 3.5 hours after the accident….not for the faint of heart.
broken and dislocated
If you zoom in, you can see that the leg bones just about broke through, but didn’t. Thank goodness, compound fractures are real nasty. The orientation of the foot is way off to the outside….zooming in shows the “top” of the leg and where the ankle/foot ended up after the break.
Back to the surgeon on Tuesday, still having difficulty going down flights of stairs, but much better than a month ago….just might be time to go back to work….we’ll find out Tuesday.
Oct 16, 2012
Good News
No, I didn’t win the lottery..yet!<grin>
As you are aware, I had a wee accident on September 2. Visited with the Orthopedic surgeon today, and all is good, it’s time to start putting weight on the leg once again. The x-rays looked great, and it’s time for the next chapter…..more intensive therapy…yahoo!
I return to see the doc in 4 weeks…and he’ll reasses things once again.
The road to recovery is progressing well……yabba dabba doo!
randy
Sept. 19, 2012
Hello All:
Trusting that all is well for you and yours!
As most of you on this list are aware, I broke my left leg on Sunday of the Labour Day weekend. Broke both bones in my lower leg, and dislocated the foot. Yup, it was a wee bit ugly. They relocated the foot at Hotel Dieu in Windsor the same day, and then operated on my leg the following day……six pins/screws on the inside, a rather large plate on the outside. Some real pretty scars coming up<grin>
So, back to the orthopedic surgeon yesterday for an assessment. He was quite pleased with the results so far…..the x-rays are not pretty…the main screw/pin actually appears loose in the x-ray, but it is not, it was placed that way, and is in fact the most important one and the first one placed….it is at right angles to the other five. Hard to describe via written expression. My next assessment with Dr. Jacey is in 4 weeks. I can’t place any weight at all on the leg/foot for that period. The cast was cut off, and I now sport a very nice Frankensteinish black plastic padded boot that has taken some adjustment to get used to while I am “crutching” it due to it being a few inches longer that the initial cast. I am not very adept at crutching it yet….actually scare the hell out of myself once in a while, but have yet to actually endure a complete wipe out…….thank goodness! Beth has suggested that I could be a very good Frankenstein for Halloween………
Today was my first day of therapy….and I met Chun. Chun is a very, very experienced therapist, and has many great words of wisdom. I now have exercises to perform, which will not only help to develop motion in my foot…which is locked up pretty much solid at the moment, but also will help to maintain my quad muscles and calves on both legs. Let me tell you…..a “tens” machine attached close to a plate in your body is one very weird feeling, as I got to experience today…I’m going to have to get used to it. Chun claims that I will not be able to put any weight on the foot for a minimum 4 additional weeks, and probably at least 6 depending on the healing of the bones and acceptance by my body of the plate and pins/screws. Beginning to get the feeling that this is going to be a bit of a haul…..what a crock of crap. It has been a very rough afternoon and evening today after the therapy, as any of you who has had injuries would understand……those of you who have not had to endure significant injury…..I strongly urge you to continue on this road, and stay in the fast lane, believe me, it hurts like hell! But, no pain, no gain….go big or go home….and all the rest of the sayings that come into play
Chun also informed me that I will not be physically able to run or jog in the future….lol…..anyone ever recall seeing me run or jog? That should not be a problem. The location of the screws just won’t take the pounding according to my new friend Chun. Chun by the way, also assisted my son Kurtis to his pretty much full recovery when he broke his arm in two places and dislocated his elbow a couple of years ago. Chun also said that I have to take antibiotics before going to the dentist, even for a cleaning to prevent infection problems with the break. Wow……more complications to think of<grin>
So, that’s the update for now, hope the English and spelling are ok, I’ve had a few T3’s and quite possibly could have missed something in my editing.
You all take care, watch where you step……
randy
Moorahme 