# This is what happens when trees roll over you! That is if you are as lucky as me!



## Greystoke (Jun 23, 2009)

Okay, I am bored. Just thought that I would share the reason why I look so miserable in this picture: http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs106.snc1/4784_1184427090815_1232378057_30514905_5075979_n.jpg
First off, in 1999, Humboldt county CA, I was falling timber for Columbia Helicopters, cutting some nice second growth redwood, busheling away when I hacked into a loaded limb:jawdrop:about 3 inches diameter; nailed me right on the end of the nose; instantly started gushing blood and eyes welled up with tears; Nose looked like bozo the clown(I kind of felt like him too). Started having trouble after that with my sinuses when...along came another nose breaker...2001, same area, same company, working on my 12th straight day; fell two small, grown together second growth redwoods on a steep sidehill. They lodged against a small fir and everything looked stable, at least to a physically and mentally exhausted timberfallers eye. Jumped on and plugged in my tape ran down to 40' where they were about 12" diameter, (remember they were two exact same size trees grown together, as is fairly common with second growth redwood). Last thing I remember was bending over to take my measurement. Next thing I remember was feeling my self tumbling with these two trees sliding up my back; life flashing before my eyes, literally; trees slid over my back, all action stops and they are at my feet with me sitting on my butt in the brush. I was ALIVE Turned around and looked up the hill where it all started...about 100', kind of funny how I only remember about last ten? Then I notice blood all down front of my shirt? Also notice I can only see out of one eye; could not see out of other eye but felt something dangling on my cheek:jawdrop: eyeball popped out? Took my glove off and started feeling around; pushed up on dangly piece and...tada...I could see again! It was my eyelid that was torn down and hanging over my eyeball. Nose was gushing blood, had a hole poked under my chin that was bleeding, my back, chest, shoulders, stomach, neck, head, legs, arms, and feet all felt kind of weird. Called my partner on the radio which I was carrying in a chest pack, and he helped doctor me, and helped me out of the brush. Still not sure how I made it out of that one alive and with only a torn eyelid, broken nose, and some sore joints. I have a picture somewhere; kind of looked like Frankenstein; luckily I am a good healer. Okay, so the lessons learned? Slow the hell down so nothing like a loaded limb gets you, and don't work yourself, or let others force you to work yourself into a state of fatigue where you might let something slip by, like an unstable leave tree on an unstable slope. It has been 8 years since these two mishaps. My eyelid took about a year till I could close it all the way,(yes I slept with one eye open), it also played hell with getting saw chips in it. My shoulder is kind of bad (rotator cuff), but my nose has probably been the biggest problem. I had the first nasal surgery in 06 while living in Alaska, and now I had to have another to get it opened up some more, and get rid of scar tissue from the first surgery. Hopefully I will be able to breathe out the right side of my nose now, and be able to blow it, and sleep on my left side, and not get so dang many head colds! Sorry about the long post, just have nothing better to do but share why I feel so miserable today. Be safe out there. 

Cody


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## Rookie1 (Jun 23, 2009)

Wow.


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## Metals406 (Jun 23, 2009)

DANG! :jawdrop:

Reminds me of my days under a line machine... Seems like something was always trying to hurt you.


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## outofmytree (Jun 26, 2009)

Ouch!


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## TimberFaller660 (Jun 27, 2009)

i got lucky today. i had a red oak leanin hard uphill. i cut it, ran back turned aurond and the butt hit the saw and threw it down the hill, knocked me to the ground and scraped my shoulder up. i was very close and lucky thats for sure.


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## Greystoke (Jun 28, 2009)

*Respect the bight*



TimberFaller660 said:


> i got lucky today. i had a red oak leanin hard uphill. i cut it, ran back turned aurond and the butt hit the saw and threw it down the hill, knocked me to the ground and scraped my shoulder up. i was very close and lucky thats for sure.


Whew!:jawdrop:Be careful out there pardner. That sounds a lot like what happened to me here: http://www.arboristsite.com/showpost.php?p=1570629&postcount=26
Unfortunately, it got me...a guy can never be too careful!


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## Meadow Beaver (Jul 1, 2009)

Geez Cody must of toke a lot of JD to make ya feel better after that one.


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