garyfreefly Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 First thing first.....I wasnt wearing a camera....but even if i was I dont think I could or want to see the resulting footage......Ive gone and crashed... Ive spent the last month in hospital having the personal attention of lots of very nice nurses oh and having my lower right leg ankle and foot ligaments / nerves being reconstructed by various bouts of surgery .... It wasnt supposed to be this way but one stupid decision in years and years of flying was enough :cry : my thanks go out to all the emergency sevices who helped me out on May 3rd including the search and rescue Big yellow helicopter from Valley (in North wales) they are now my heroes when I learnt to fly microlights maney years ago I was told that any landing that you walk away from is a good one....so by that saying i had never made a bad one But that changed .....when the wind moved round a bit when lining up for take off......this shift in the wind direction meant that it was now a tricky take off over a hedge and turn before my windsock pole....it was a move that I had got away with before so why not again That was when I should have packed up but no I got airborne ok but my wingtip caught the pole (25ft) I swung up like a kid who had overdone it on a park swing as I was on full power pulled the pole straight out of the ground and stopped flying I was inverted over a bloody high windsock pole with the ground falling away beyond the pole.....I reckon that if I had climbed onto a two storey house got onto the ridge then got onto the chimney and just jumped would be in no way an exagaration of the height I fell from.... The fall was bloody quick too quick to do much apart from think shit I am going to die from this height.....how the FU*K I didnt I will never know my right leg took it all... so there I am on my own nobody new where i was and worse nobody would miss me till dark. the wng flutterd down undamaged...my motor purring away...and my lower leg and foot at 90 degrees to what it should be and I trapped in my paramotor...so I stopped the engine as i thought a fire would not be good at this moment managed somehow to get out of the motor without passing out ( I nearly did several times ) rolled onto my front and undid my flying suit so I could get at my mobile phone (which I had actually gone back in the house for before flying) my possible only good move of the day thank god it worked thanks for technology thanks for mr Orange ect ect 999 PLEASE send somebody Please ....the woman on the other end of the phone asked loads of what I thought irrelevent questions including what is your phone number ....which I just couldnt remember ..anyway I must have done enough moaning and growning to convince her it wasnt a hoax call I didnt think pain could be so bad and to make matters worse I could feel my boot filling with warm blood...now that is when I started to panic a bit....I started to look for a bit of rope or something to tie round my leg if I had to... 1/2hr later still no sign of anybody so i rang 999 again Where the fu*k are you whats your phone number ECT ECT I got asked all over again....yea its on its way dont panic !!! well by now I was big time... the first people on site was the police...??? 3/4 hr after my phone call the ambulance came and after a few checks gave me morphene (now in the movies it stops all the pain) well let me tell you it doesnt...it had zero effect the pain was still off the scale....they then called the helicopter from RAF Valley 15mins later I was on my way to hospital 1hr+ by road 10mins by Copter....where emergency surgery was carried out to restore circulation and put all the bits of bone back in my leg I was told they had to operate there and then to save my foot which they have done..(.thank you god.) another operation has been had and now the long long road to recovery..... I had bloody good boots on or I would have lost my leg.....no question always always fly with a phone..... if in doubt dont So there you have it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Bloody hell mate Really sorry to hear of your misfortune, Shirley and I do hope for your speedy recovery. Could have been worse but sounded rather bad enough Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuartasutherland Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Scary stuff, glad you are okay(ish). Get well soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clivefreeman Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Bloody he'll Gary sorry to hear that, a lesson for all to learn from that. I will keep my fingers crossed for you , for a speedy recovery, and some sexy nurses to come your way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyfreefly Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 Ive made some contacts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbertflyer Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Get well soon! I've done a bone in my legs on 6 occasions now (none flying) & know exactly how you're feeling. 12 months time, you'll have nearly forgotten about it. Hope you continue the flying when mended. Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyfreefly Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 I think I will be back on Microlights untill I am 110% sure I can land on my feet again.. ..in the meantime I already have been looking at the possibility of attatching the paramotor to my wheelchair....it could be a goer.... I am just glad I am still here and can think of Flying again in the future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_b Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I think I will be back on Microlights untill I am 110% sure I can land on my feet again.. ..in the meantime I already have been looking at the possibility of attatching the paramotor to my wheelchair....it could be a goer.... I am just glad I am still here and can think of Flying again in the future Just get a trike and do the licence I know exactly how you felt and NO you dont want fire as well, the only good thing for me was that the pain from the burns was more than the pain from my leg. Now get well and get back up there, lesson learned I hope and a warning to others!!! If it does not feel right STOP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_k Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Get well soon Gary. Got any good pictures of the nurses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyfreefly Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 Get well soon Gary. Got any good pictures of the nurses? YES I HAVE THANKS...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outkast Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Kin hell, what a nightmare, really sorry to read that, hope you have full recovery. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irm750 Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Blimey! Thanks for sharing your misfortune for us all to learn from. Hope you have a speedy recovery! Best regards, Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_McBride Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 1/2 hour ! that's pretty rubbish ! Hope you make a full and speedy recovery! Must remember to remember to take my phone with me I have an app called SOS that when you open it gives you your lat/long, may come in useful one day (hopefully not) Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilzy Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Glad your ok Gary speedy recovery... Im sure that if you dial 112 from your mobile instead of 999 they can pinpoint your position handy if your in trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyfreefly Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 looks like a page from the latest screwfix catalogue.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantheman Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Christ Gary you will have fun at airport security Hope you recover to flying strength asap, very good point about always having a phone on you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbertflyer Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 if that's the full extent of your injuries, it looks like just a fibula. if that is the case, you should be flying again this summer. did my fib in june 97 and was flying again in september 97. Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t_andrews Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Ouch. This is identical to my injury, save the compound fracture. No flying story for me. Greasy WHEELCHAIR ramp! DO: get the cast replaced at least once during initial heal. Early on - don't mean the half cast - the fibreglas cast @ two weeks having it. DO: take as much ibuprofen as your stomach can stand to keep swelling down - esp while sealed up in a cast. Acetaminophen and pain meds just masked the symptoms for me. I say replace cast because mine came off with a pressure ulcer evident (5wks) and that spot has held up my recovery I think (could have just been the extensive ligament damage - syndesmotic injuries SUCK). I am still limping a full year out and foot launch remains out of the question at present. Luckily wheels are fair game here. A couple things I wish I had gotten long before I did- for the pain: http://www.tensproducts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=TETRA for the ligament rebuild assist: http://www.tensproducts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=US1000 I wish a speedy recovery, for both of us although I've lost hope for mine a year out. Bonus: I got to keep the shiny hardware when it had to come back out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyfreefly Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 thanks for the info.....with those products will look into it Ive been told the plaster is on for another 3.5 weeks Ive only just been put in a cast last week after being in a back slab type cast but with a cut along the entire length of the cast to allow for swelling pain is just about bearable ...when i take the tablets !! IBUPROFEN & strong CO CODAMOL.... according to the main man (the one who did the second op ) the Fibula was in four pieces with a bit of it out through the skin the bottom of the tibia was dislocated at the ankle and out through the skin with a chunk of bone taken off the bottom corner . top of the heel bone a chunk taken off that as well ! the tailus ??? a bit of bone taken off that as well ......ligament damage ....and nerve damage......not to mention the fact that he (the doc ) said he had to wash out lots of tiny bits of bone that were not worth keeping....!!! the mans a genious..... Mind you I normally heal pretty quick.....so i hope I do on this occasion.... been told not to put any weight at all on it for 3 months so that means I get to miss this summers flying......if I could only turn the clock back...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poz Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Really glad that you're still around to give us the benefit of your bit of shitty luck. When my shoulder went into my prop, my first thought was; It's funny how your world can turn upside down in a split second. It's good that you have the flexwing to fall back on though (oops, sorry, bad choice of phrase) Finally, do it right. In order to have the best long term prognosis, Don't rush the healing process. Take your time. Fingers crossed Gary for a swift, complication free recovery. All the best. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyfreefly Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 Thanks a lot it makes a big difference to know other people have had similar experiences and that there is light at the end of the tunnel....although it might be the length of the channel tunel Ill be back in the microlight as soon as I can.....walk to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Gary wishing you a speedy recovery, it must have been extremely painful, all the best Alan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyfreefly Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richwill15 Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Thoughts and best wishes are with you Gary. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer_Dave Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Good advice Gary..... and BOY that must've hurt ! All the best Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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