Leg nearly severed by a stump grinder

[Dadatwins]

Glad to hear you are making progress and figuring out new ways to work. Like I said in an earlier post, you will and can work again, but you will just do it differently. Like any true tree climber, see below

 

[Chipper Cheryl]

:angel: My heart goes out to you. I just logged into this site yesterday to help out a customer of mine who is trying to get a manual. I got interested in your story today, and just wanted to let you know to hang in there, and stay as optimistic as you have through the whole thing. My hubby & I are also both blessed to still be around. We were in a very serious motorcycle accident 9/1/01. He had to be air lifted to the hospital, due to blood loss. He broke his right femur (came right out of his skin) He lost sight in his right eye, hearing in his left ear, and has a rod now in his leg, metal in his face. He was very angry after the accident. I was taken to a a different hospital so that they didn't have 2 traumas in ER at one time. They realized after I got there that I had more than a shattered left shoulder & wrist, broken ribs & a concussion. I had a torn aorta. They did emergency heart surgery on me. My left arm is maybe 50% of what it was...but I am here, and though I appreciated life before...the level has increased big time. It is hard to explain how much everything means so much more...because I was like that before. You probably can relate to what I am saying. Just read your story and wanted to say you are a blessing. You have kept a great attitude, and helped many...there was a reason for the accident, and a greater reason for your life. God bless you....Chipper Cheryl

 

[Tree Machine]

Welcome to the site, Cheryl!

You probably can relate to what I am saying.

Yes, Cheryl. Yes I can.

Your story made a little tear come to my eye. Your accident was more full-impact. Mine was tidy, three surgeries in one week and 12 days in the trauma unit.

YOU GUYS probably have a dozen or two surgeries between you and you're STILL recovering, four years later.

I'm so sorry Cheryl. You guys suffered terribly, far beyond my incident. Oh my. Please excuse me, I need to go process that. Oh, Cheryl.... so sorry....

 

[Chipper Cheryl]

Tree Machine

Thank You For Your Thoughts. I Actually Had The Heart Surgery, Then 11 Days After That They Repaired My Shattered Shoulder, Which They Ended Up Totally Replacing 6 Months Later. I Am As Recovered As Going To Get...which Is Fine With Me. I Can Salute You, But Can't Raise The Arm, And Have Gotten Into Some Situations Trying Clothes On That All I Can Do Is Laugh...and If There Is An Itch, You Can Believe It Will Be In A Spot I Can't Get..haha. My Left Hand Makes A Claw, But Not A Fist. When My Little Grandaughter Was Learning To Crawl, I Got On The Floor With Her & Was Going To Teach Her, I Told My Son I Would Leave That To Someone Else, Because My Wrist Won't Bend Upward, So I Looked Like A Lame Horse. My Hubby Had Surgeries On His Face To Repair It, Laser Surgery To Fix Tears In His Only Good Eye, Surgery On His Leg, And He Is Recovered As Much As He Will Be. We Just Thank God That We Are Here To Tell About It. I Remember The First Time I Went Outside & Pulled Weeds, I Started Crying, I Was So Thankful To Be Able To Just Do That. I Know I Thank God Everyday For Being Here, And Larry Is Getting At That Point To. His Heart Was Real Angry At First. We Had To Seperate Cause He Was Just So Angry People Would Come In To Visit & Leave In Tears. We Got Thru That Though, And Are Together. It Was A Very Hard Time, Yet I Feel I Grew So Much And Learned So Much. Faith Does Wonders. Good Luck With Everything In Your Recovery, And To Your Wife Too...she Sounds Like A Beautiful Lady. God Bless Ya, Cheryl

 

[luke17]

boo

 

[luke17]

hello

 

[GASoline71]

luke17, this is not the place for childish crap like this. Go mess around on some X-Box message board!

Tree Machine, I started hangin' out in the chasinsaw forum earlier this year, and have slowly worked my way around the rest of the site. I feel like I know so many people personally just from reading their posts. So with that being said, I wish you a speedy recovery from a ghastly mishap.

Man, the only other time I saw a leg injury like that was when I was working on the flight deck of an aircfaft carrier about 6 years ago, and the arresting cable snapped. 3 guys received injuries similar to yours. One almost bled to death. Hell of an injury to recover from.

Again, take care and mend up bro,

Gary

 

[Sprig]

Just read through this thread and my hands are shaking, a horrible accident and my heart goes out to you Tree Machine. I hope someone in the know comes up with a portable screen of some sort for stump grinders, only ever watched one running and my first thought was ****** dangerous thing!
I see by your X-ray that you are on the mend, even though it still appears broken it is healing. I know somewhat of what you're going through having perminantly disabled myself in '93, a short (12ft) fall that forever changed my life (not all for the worse btw). Where my tib/fib shattered ( about 2" from the ankle) the bones have grown together into one large legbone, with a plate on the outside screwed in its probably indestructable. Because I drove it into the ground and there were a lot of bone pieces they had to leave the hole in my ankle open for almost two months then used what is called a muscle reduction and skin graft to close it (they split my other leg from knee to crotch for a gracilus muscle to do the repair). I got to keep my foot, bottom line. I get around, but slow and gimpy (I regained about 60% flexability,no uneven ground for me), with 3 large screws holding the ankle together and a plate with 6 screws on the tibula I am very popular at airports. Pain is an intimate friend I'd rather not have, I can relate. On the bright side I have a wonderful wife (of 13+yrs) and (almost) 7yr old and a good support system of friends I can rely on for work trades when need be, and some new hobbies (carving and PCs).
You seem to be in good spirits and healing up, you have friends and family who love you, I am very glad for you. With than hunk of steel in there you'll be a heck of a weather forcaster btw (join the club). Keep on trucking man, add my prayers too!

Regards,
Serge S.

 

[Tree Machine]

You all are great

Thanks, Gas. Sorry about that Chipper Cheryl, you go pouring your heart out, sharing with us and re-living a horrible experience and someONE pops in and steals your thunder. We'll let this one slide past, Luke, but the moderators will yank your butt faster than you can say 'boo'. I like noobs, so, I'll just let your inappropriateness speak for itself.

So Gas, is the chainsaw forum not just the most amazing place??? There are so many mechanical geniuses that run in those ranks, I'm sort of intimidated to contribute there. What an amazing assembly of experience and knowledge in that group. There's NOTHING they don't know about chainsaws.

I imagine that aircraft carrier mishap. The arresting cable is that thing that when a plane comes in for a landing, this cable grabs the plane as it sizzles by it catches the plane and brings it to a most immediate stop. So, let me get this right, the plane sizzles by, the cable catches, stretches, SNAPS, and 3 guys took the world's biggest weedeater whip to the legs. Yeek! Wow. Ick.

Sprig, thanks for sharing your accident. It's so important for the newbies entering this industry to know that even a short fall can alter your life forever. Then there's things like chainsaws and stump grinders and falling limbs and power lines. The danger is everywhere, always. It's the job we choose.

With than hunk of steel in there you'll be a heck of a weather forcaster btw (join the club).

I noted that the other evening, the pain was really uncomfortable, normally in one localized spot, it was now shooting, up my leg, into my hip and butt, these sharp, shooting pains, I'm wondering what's going on, thinking real hard about a strong pain pill and a cider, but instead I went to bed and sucked it up until I fell asleep. the next morning it was raining. Ah-ha. My physical therapist warned me of this, you back up this truth and I experienced it.

I've always really enjoyed doing tree care in moderately nasty weather, so this could be bad.

 

[GASoline71]

So Gas, is the chainsaw forum not just the most amazing place??? There are so many mechanical geniuses that run in those ranks, I'm sort of intimidated to contribute there. What an amazing assembly of experience and knowledge in that group. There's NOTHING they don't know about chainsaws.

I imagine that aircraft carrier mishap. The arresting cable is that thing that when a plane comes in for a landing, this cable grabs the plane as it sizzles by it catches the plane and brings it to a most immediate stop. So, let me get this right, the plane sizzles by, the cable catches, stretches, SNAPS, and 3 guys took the world's biggest weedeater whip to the legs. Yeek! Wow. Ick.

TM, yes it is an amazing place to learn. I grew up around saws and thought I knew quite a bit about them. Then I stumbled onto this site and the chainsaw forum. WOW! lots of information to absorb. But I think the best thing about the chainsaw forum is the diversity of the characters that make up the board. Some days I find myself in tears I'm laughin' so hard. Other days I can read one post and be instantly pissed for 2 days. But it is the the people here at AS that make this such an awesome site to hang out on.

Yes, the carrier mishap was pretty nasty. You described it perfectly. I was topside when it happened. Wasn't near it, but was one of the first one to reach the 3 fellas that the cable hit. The one guy I was helping had his calf muscle on his right leg completely torn off. It took off his boot and 2 toes as well. I took off my belt and made a makeshift tourniquet just above his knee. It took that tourney and both hands to keep him from basically bleeding to death. needless to say it was a mess. Not something I want to see again. I guess there is a reason they call it one of the most dangerous places work.

How is the healing coming along? Take care.

Gary

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Get plenty of vitamin C in your diet, TM. I don't mean an extra pill per day. I mean like 10 grams per day. It really helps with healing. Work up to it over a couple of weeks or it will give you the runs!

But it really does work.

As for the bad weather pains - they do get better with time.

Hang in there, man.

 

[Pilsnaman]

TM: I just wanted to say that you are some kind of tough. An old coworker of mine and I had a saying for guys like you, "fight club tough" (if you watched the movie you know what I mean). That you are going back to climbing is amazing to me, knowing how physicaly demanding this kind of work is. Also, your wife must be one wonderful woman from what I have read. Keep smiling and I which you the best.

 

[Tree Machine]

Thanks you guys. I really appreciate your words. If I had gotten hurt climbing, I might have reservations about going back to climbing. However, I got hurt running a power blower on the ground.

Thanks, BlueRidge. I'm glad to know the weather pains will diminish over time. That's encouraging.

Pilsna, my wife has been a most amazing person. I'm more in love with her than ever and wish I could repay the gratitude with something more than a promise to do the dishes for the rest of our lives.

I appreciate the fight-club reference. I grew up a skinny redhead kid, tired of getting beat up by girls in grade school, I took up the sport of wrestling. By high school I was winning tournaments, taking out guys that really should have kicked my butt. They would pound me in the first or second period, but I would just not ever give up. In fact, blessed by a huge set of lungs, come the third period I would be doing the pounding, just a relentless will to overcome adversity and show my inner grit.

In college, once again, I was subjected to regular pounding because at this point, the entire wrestling room was filled with champions. Over a number of weeks, I was holding my own, gaining respect and even putting some hotshots in their place. I earned a spot on varsity and lettered in college in that sport my freshman year.

That 12 years has really prepped me well for tree climbing, which is often about wrestling limbs, being in whacky positions, balance, quick thinking and having to have the strength and grit to bust the crux moves.

I love tree climbing, rigging and tree care almost as much as I love Elizabeth. I have little choice but to make a strong comeback so I can dig out of this impressive debt I've created and support her properly. Your support out there means more to me than I can express.

 

[Frediloo]

Dear all,
My name is Frederic, I live in Brussels and I recently quit my job as a marketing consultant. Couldn't stand the air conditionning and company politics anymore. I am seriously considering a career as a tree surgeon. I found a school in Brussels that gives adequate training. Now, here is the catch, I am 38 years old. I am into rock climbing, I am an inline skating instructor and I love the outdoors. But before I embrace this new career, I thought I should speak to you guys (and girls?) and get your honest opinion. I read some of the messages posted in this forum and they have left me wondering if I am not too old for such a demanding/dangerous career...
What are your thoughts?

 

[balaban9331]

i've been reading this thread and i suddenly appreciate my life a little more.here i was complaining about back pain in the morning and how tough life is sometimes and reading yours and the others experiences found just how tough life can become for someone in a matter of seconds.i had to respond.my thoughts and prayers go out to you today.robert.

 

[stehansen]

Too old?

Frediloo, although I was a farmer for 27 years I started my tree biz when I was in my 40's.

 

[rbtree]

Frediloo, 38 is young, especially for someone as active as you...and you already are tuned in to the vertical world....Go for it!!! or go home

 

[Frediloo]

Thank you for your encouragements, rbtree and stehansen. A couple more questions if you don't mind, can one make a reasonable living in this business?
And do you have any recommendations or tips to give to someone wanting to embrace this career?

 

[CoreyTMorine]

Guys come and go, I think G.Baranek theorised that only about 5% of people who get into the bussiness stay with it. The hardest thing is when someone offers you a job that you are not trained or equiped to do. No one likes to turn work down, and often in our startup years we need the money to much to turn down the job anyway.So then a new treeguy can get stuck trying to complete something that is way out of his league. This is dangerous.

Know your limits. Network; find other independent tree guys who you can split the bigger jobs with. Pay them in cash and they will probably be happy to team up with you from time to time. I do a good bit of that kind of work, its nice not to have to chase money, or bid the work, or hold the clients hand. I show up, do what i'm good at, get paid, and go home, its nice.

don't go into debt to start your bussiness. debt will sap your profits and keep you up at night. if all you have is a little car and a trailer then drive around doing jobs where you can effectively haul the brush away with a little trailer, pruning and small removals, landscaping and shrub work.

Plan on switching your client base in 3 to 6 years. the service you are able to offer will be very different after you get a couple of years under your belt, when your equipment and skill get ironed out. if you stick with the same client base they will want to pay you the same crumy wages. start working for rich people, they will give you the work out of pity, then move to succesful working people. Much fewer hassles dealing with people who also work for their money. Don't work for friends and family. go and read "wit and wisdom of the trade" HERE and new climber seeks advice" HERE in the climbing forum.
Also use the arboristsite SEARCH function, lots of good information here.

Good luck, stay safe.

 

[Frediloo]

Thank you very much for your advice.