Broken Back - Snowboarding Forum

dharmashred · 02-19-2010, 05:23 PM

Hey beautiful people -

My friend broke his back last weekend taking a huge jump in the park and it was fucking terrifying.

Initially, it didn't look like a bad fall and he was going to move out of the way, when he screamed in pain, we immediately told him not to move. I had mountain emergency # saved in my phone and called immediately. Others who saw from the lift also yelled they would send help. He was under the jump and we did not want to move him, so lucky for us, some riders jammed down there and stood at the top of the jump to wave off people and stop them from dropping in. He was taken to Mammoth emergency, then airlifted to Reno. He broke his back in 2 places and it has been a terrifying week of waiting for his vitals to be stable enough for surgery, and to find out if he was going to walk again. Surgery was successful, though he is in quite a bit of pain, he will walk again. He's got 6 weeks of rehab ahead of him, and he'll be walking just in time for his June wedding.

I know that we all do this knowing that danger is imminent, and just how precarious our situation is with the mountains alive all around us, but it's so different to have it actually upon you. I just wanted to share this with everyone, and I'm sure you all have this down already, but if you don't, please get a basic understanding of immediate first aid, what to do, what not to do. If he had moved just a bit..I just don't want to think about what could have happened. I'm grateful to all the park riders who came to our rescue, and ever grateful to ski patrol and mammoth mountain hospital for taking such great care of my friend. Get your first aid, or at least a basic understanding of first aid, and make sure you have all mountain emergency numbers with you and you are as prepared as you can be.

I am still shaken up and sad, and somehow feel partially responsible, even though I know I'm not. It's the worst feeling in the world to have your riding partner go down right in front of you. This just reminds me that anything can happen in the blink of an eye, any run and any moment can really be the last.

Peace and love,
dharma

Zee · 02-19-2010, 06:00 PM

Vibes+++ Wishing him a quick recovery.

You absolutely did the right thing. Your quick thinking may have saved him from something worse. Kudos

supremej · 02-19-2010, 06:16 PM

wow get well soon
you did the right thing!!!

it could of bin way worse if it wasent for your quick thinking

mountain emergency # is a great idea to have in your phone---im stealin that idea, everyone should!!!!

krazykunuck · 02-19-2010, 06:25 PM

and if your going to screw around with your phone numbers also put .ice before the main contact name in your phone, it will give mountain services, and ems personel the abilitity to notify whoever that you have been in a accident and that they can come to you.

.ice ________

my sister is a ems and it works wonders, the stories are nuts about trying to find a emergency contact person, so just make it simple for those people that are there to save your ass

sook · 02-19-2010, 06:56 PM

Wow, thats so sad to see someone go down like that. I'm glad that he is already on the road to recovery. Good on you for being prepared and level headed in an emergency.

Be safe everyone

mrpez · 02-19-2010, 09:42 PM

im gonna go save the mountain emergency number in my phone now, good thinking

02-19-2010, 09:52 PM

wow....best wishes for a speedy recovery to your friend and great quick thinking and help on everyones part shutting down the jump etc.

cokelacola · 02-19-2010, 10:04 PM

damn dude sorry about your friend best wishes gett better soon

dharmashred · 02-20-2010, 01:58 AM

Thanks everyone for the good ***vibes*** and the well wishes. I will send the positive energy along most definitely. .ice - good to know, i'll do that. He's out of ICU and asking to see the vid from his fall and cracking jokes. He called and said "yo dude, it was all just a case of bad gas

L O fucking L ...now I know he's alright

v-verb · 02-20-2010, 08:52 AM

Glad he'll be OK - best wishes!!!!

02-19-2010, 05:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
dharmashred Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lee Vining Posts: 414	Broken Back Hey beautiful people - My friend broke his back last weekend taking a huge jump in the park and it was fucking terrifying. Initially, it didn't look like a bad fall and he was going to move out of the way, when he screamed in pain, we immediately told him not to move. I had mountain emergency # saved in my phone and called immediately. Others who saw from the lift also yelled they would send help. He was under the jump and we did not want to move him, so lucky for us, some riders jammed down there and stood at the top of the jump to wave off people and stop them from dropping in. He was taken to Mammoth emergency, then airlifted to Reno. He broke his back in 2 places and it has been a terrifying week of waiting for his vitals to be stable enough for surgery, and to find out if he was going to walk again. Surgery was successful, though he is in quite a bit of pain, he will walk again. He's got 6 weeks of rehab ahead of him, and he'll be walking just in time for his June wedding. I know that we all do this knowing that danger is imminent, and just how precarious our situation is with the mountains alive all around us, but it's so different to have it actually upon you. I just wanted to share this with everyone, and I'm sure you all have this down already, but if you don't, please get a basic understanding of immediate first aid, what to do, what not to do. If he had moved just a bit..I just don't want to think about what could have happened. I'm grateful to all the park riders who came to our rescue, and ever grateful to ski patrol and mammoth mountain hospital for taking such great care of my friend. Get your first aid, or at least a basic understanding of first aid, and make sure you have all mountain emergency numbers with you and you are as prepared as you can be. I am still shaken up and sad, and somehow feel partially responsible, even though I know I'm not. It's the worst feeling in the world to have your riding partner go down right in front of you. This just reminds me that anything can happen in the blink of an eye, any run and any moment can really be the last. Peace and love, dharma __________________ Every turn is a blessing.

02-19-2010, 06:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
Zee -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 1,423	Vibes+++ Wishing him a quick recovery. You absolutely did the right thing. Your quick thinking may have saved him from something worse. Kudos __________________ The Never Summer SL-R is the best all mountain board I have been on... Ever. Buy it... Ride it... Love it...

02-19-2010, 06:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
supremej Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: toronto Posts: 112	wow get well soon you did the right thing!!! it could of bin way worse if it wasent for your quick thinking mountain emergency # is a great idea to have in your phone---im stealin that idea, everyone should!!!! __________________

02-19-2010, 06:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
sook Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Upland, CA Posts: 439	Wow, thats so sad to see someone go down like that. I'm glad that he is already on the road to recovery. Good on you for being prepared and level headed in an emergency. Be safe everyone __________________ Evo \| 390 \| Kaiju

02-20-2010, 01:58 AM	#9 (permalink)
dharmashred Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lee Vining Posts: 414	Thanks everyone for the good *vibes* and the well wishes. I will send the positive energy along most definitely. .ice - good to know, i'll do that. He's out of ICU and asking to see the vid from his fall and cracking jokes. He called and said "yo dude, it was all just a case of bad gas L O fucking L ...now I know he's alright __________________ Every turn is a blessing.

02-19-2010, 06:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
krazykunuck Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: edmonton Posts: 188	and if your going to screw around with your phone numbers also put .ice before the main contact name in your phone, it will give mountain services, and ems personel the abilitity to notify whoever that you have been in a accident and that they can come to you. .ice ________ my sister is a ems and it works wonders, the stories are nuts about trying to find a emergency contact person, so just make it simple for those people that are there to save your ass

02-19-2010, 09:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
mrpez Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 283	im gonna go save the mountain emergency number in my phone now, good thinking

02-19-2010, 09:52 PM	#7 (permalink)
aceitup1011 Guest Posts: n/a	wow....best wishes for a speedy recovery to your friend and great quick thinking and help on everyones part shutting down the jump etc.

02-19-2010, 10:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
cokelacola Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 13	damn dude sorry about your friend best wishes gett better soon

02-20-2010, 08:52 AM	#10 (permalink)
v-verb Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 362	Glad he'll be OK - best wishes!!!! __________________ 09 Bataleon Evil Twin 55 08 Bataleon Fun.Kink 53 08 Bataleon Enemy 61

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