What are you learning from your injury?

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Daphne

Trad climber
Northern California
Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 20, 2014 - 09:26pm PT
My seat belt retractor in my car is broken and I am awaiting the shipment of the replacement part. Meanwhile, I have just enough seat belt to embrace me, with no give and no take, and it's a pain to engage with. I got in the car tonight after a market stop 5 minutes from my home and, for just a moment, entertained the idea of not buckling up. Then I changed my mind and took the extra seconds of effort. Why?

Because a couple of years ago I shattered my heel bone in a leader fall. In the months after the injury, with so much time to replay the chain reaction of choices which led to my injury, I realized that it wouldn't have happened if I had taken the time to do things differently, from simply telling my partner I was not in a good head space, to taking the time to set that piece of pro that might have saved myself from a life-changing injury.

Now, all my risk-taking choices are evaluated in the following manner: if I am laid up for months, injured, would I have to replay this foolish choice over and over again in my mind?

So my injury has saved me from doing foolish, headstrong things many times, both in climbing and in daily life. It has made the words "no, I'm just not up for that" seem like a wise words instead of the cowardly words I used to think them. I now have deep respect for the need to respect limits, which change according to each day's body.

What have you learned or what are you learning from your injuries?
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Nov 20, 2014 - 09:30pm PT
Don't look up any more than you have to, when pulling a stuck rap rope!!
Daphne

Trad climber
Northern California
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 20, 2014 - 09:37pm PT
Well, sheesh, Jay, I could have summed up the whole first post with:

"Don't do stupid sh*t."

but, it's good to keep in mind that tugging on a stuck rope can bring rocks down

guess I was in the "life-changing" injury mode. I am SO glad you are ok and your beauty will be undamaged. <3
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
Nov 20, 2014 - 09:50pm PT
I've broken half the bones in my body, but I don't think I learned anything. Even though I'm old now, I still do stupid sh#t.

For whatever it's worth, in all the decades of whitewater, rock climbing, alpine climbing, ice climbing, and downhill mountain biking, the only thing that sent me to the emergency ward was riding my road bike around the city -- I've had three major, and several minor accidents while bike commuting.

So maybe the message is: "Stick to the extreme scary sh#t, and you won't get hurt."
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Nov 20, 2014 - 10:10pm PT
I think I'll be reminded every time I shave. But it could have been so much worse!

I think it's that they are all close calls. Disaster is always a breath away. We don't know how close we come on a possibly, daily, basis. There's luck of course, but there are also cues so small we don't conciously notice, that we act on. And most of the time that suffices.

I think we need to be careful, keep awareness on high, but not be stifled through fear, into not doing anything, We are taking unknown risks all the time, no matter what we do. We should be taking them, doing things that are meaningful to us.
Lynne Leichtfuss

Sport climber
moving thru
Nov 20, 2014 - 10:13pm PT
I am a very calculated risk taker. I could have died a couple times, but being a check, check, check, person I didn't. The only injuries I have had are torn calf muscles which were self healing and finally wearing out my Right meniscus.

Damn those high school and college teachers, forgetting to tell us that the body wears out and it might be a good idea to protect and not over use things like the shock absorbers of our knees.

Of course we'd probably have half the football players if we told them what they'd be like in their 50's. Poor souls.

Yo, Daphne. Miss you. Hope your practice is thriving and you as well.

Peace and Joy, L.
John M

climber
Nov 20, 2014 - 10:20pm PT
"Don't do stupid sh*t."

yeah, but sometimes learning what is stupid and what isn't is a process.

Sorry if this doesn't quite fit your paradigm. I didn't learn this from an injury, but from nearly drowning while out body surfing. I learned that I had a bonk point and I better pay attention to it. The surf had been building all evening and was not quite double overhead. I had been in the water for a number of hours without a wet suit or fins. I was a strong swimmer from having swam in high school and at university. It was getting dark and I was the only person left in the water. I had no friends watching out for me that day as I tended to go surfing by myself. I felt myself getting tired, but the surf was just so good that I couldn't stop. Finally I said to myself, just one more wave. I bonked on that wave and nearly drown. To this day I don't know exactly how I got out as the rip was fierce and I was done. I fought and fought to get in, and at one point found a sand bar about 100 feet from shore where I could stand and sort of rest, though the white water would wash over my head. I clung to that sand bar for probably 20 minutes, trying to recover, but I kept getting washed back out as I just didn't have the strength to fight hard enough. Plus the water was cold and I was getter more and more chilled. Eventually I realized that I had to give it one final shot, and I did, but somewhere in that effort I blacked out because the next thing I knew I was laying on the beach with the water washing over me. It was full dark and I had no idea how long I lay there.

Eventually I came up with a rule for myself.

My rule is that if I can say, "a couple of more waves" then I can keep going. But the minute I say.. "I have one more wave in me", then I quit right then and don't ride that next wave. Or take that next ski run because I'm too close to bonking. If its just a time thing, then the rule doesn't count, but if its about how much energy I have left, then I follow it. It also applies to skiing as I have seen too many people injured on what they said was going to be their last run as they were getting tired.

Just one more..

nope.. time to go in.

In a nearly identical situation a few years later I rescued a young girl who bonked while out body surfing because she wanted one more ride and didn't know herself very well. I was also nearly done and was heading in but she refused to go in, so I stayed out. We both nearly drown that day.
Daphne

Trad climber
Northern California
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 20, 2014 - 10:41pm PT
Thanks John for your post-- it exactly fits the paradigm I'm exploring. I'm so glad you are alive to tell the story. While I dont surf, the "last" ski run really rings a bell. I've turned in before last chair too. Better a long season than a long day.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Nov 21, 2014 - 02:11am PT
hey there say, daphne... very well done post... and great path of explorations...

and--very needed... even the wild critters, can learn from situations, as they grow, and grow under 'mom's' guidance as well...

for me--learning to listen to my gut-feeling...
experience...
and from my elders, now that i am older:
which is 'slow down' and take an extra look...
we just DO NOT see the same...
SLOW DOWN, just a split sec, IF it is a balance-issue,
as, our inner ears are NOT the same...

othertimes--we may NEED the speed up, to CATCH something
that experience has SHOWN us, is ready to go wrong...


life skills, are TELLING us all something and we need to learn
to listen...

good job, too, to john m, as to your post of
'not doing one more, JUST for the sake of HAVING to 'grab' it'
without prudence...


daphne, wonderfully, well said, again:
as to your quote:
So my injury has saved me from doing foolish, headstrong things many times, both in climbing and in daily life. It has made the words "no, I'm just not up for that" seem like a wise words instead of the cowardly words I used to think them. I now have deep respect for the need to respect limits, which change according to each day's body.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Nov 21, 2014 - 09:36am PT
To look at this topic from a different angle, what usually follows the initial care after an injury is physical therapy and therapeutic exercise.

If you have a good therapist-or better yet work with a group so you work with a variety of therapists-you can learn a great deal about your body. If you follow on with a therapeutic practice like Pilates or Yoga or both this learning process will continue. Lots of high functioning athletic people know surprisingly little about their own bodies.

Another thing: after a serious injury it is important not to be overwhelmed by the big picture. This point of view can sap your motivation, your drive to get better. Rather, find benchmarks so you can measure your progress in smaller increments. It’s helpful to see improvement in small bits. Set achievable goals and move toward them one step at a time.
kaholatingtong

Trad climber
Nevada City
Nov 21, 2014 - 09:41am PT
I have learned that there are many things I would rather not try to do anymore, such as play basketball or anything involving lots of jumping. At the same time, I have also learned that you can die at any damn time, for the most unforeseen reason, and as such, should cherish all you have and don't pass up a good opportunity, because at least from this perspective, you only live once, and time just keeps on slip slip slippin away...

Then again, I did hit my head really hard and I am a stubborn sunofa so there are probably many lessons I have glossed over on this journey.

I suppose I could say I have learned that healing and recovery , at least for me, had a much greater mental side to it than I ever realized. ( I told you I hit my head hard ... )
Mark Force

Trad climber
Cave Creek, AZ
Nov 21, 2014 - 09:51am PT
That good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement.
FluxAdventures

climber
Nov 21, 2014 - 09:52am PT
Behind all accidents there is a big lesson to be learn. We are doing risky activities and it is not about stoping them, it´s about learning how to manage the risk in a better way, make better decisions and if you are not sure, back off, the mountain will always be there.

http://www.fluxadventures.com
Bruce Morris

Social climber
Belmont, California
Nov 21, 2014 - 12:02pm PT
That is hurt like all heck and it was a royal pain to get up in the night and take a leak.
jgill

Boulder climber
Colorado
Nov 21, 2014 - 01:00pm PT
To stop attempts at serious bouldering after the age of fifty, when I tore the right biceps off the forearm. The next twenty years were a delight with modest free soloing.

;>)
August West

Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
Nov 21, 2014 - 01:01pm PT
I learned that injuries suck.
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
Nov 21, 2014 - 03:41pm PT
What I have learned?

Just walking around is a gift.

something i will do more of as soon as I can.

I'm basically a walking bag of brittle broken bones.


DMT good to know your getting better.
limpingcrab

Trad climber
the middle of CA
Nov 21, 2014 - 03:47pm PT
To slow down so I can still function when I'm old like you guys.


Going full throttle without training is bad for knees.
wilbeer

Mountain climber
Terence Wilson greeneck alleghenys,ny,
Nov 21, 2014 - 05:14pm PT
"It's the mileage"

I suspect your correct Cragman.I broke two ribs a month and a week ago.
Busted a few when I was younger,do not even remember them hurting now.
This has lingered.

About the only thing I have learned,You cannot do anything for broken ribs but complain.

Hope everyone here heals well.
rottingjohnny

Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
Nov 21, 2014 - 05:22pm PT
I've learned that dissing Cragman can result in painful buttocks cheeks..The guy can take it and dish it out...Moral of story..Don't diss Cragman...
Messages 1 - 20 of total 22 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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