My Sailing Season is Over...

[Sin Sal]

Originally Posted by gunkylump

Hi Max!

I was really looking forward to talking with you about your trip this summer, as it was very similar to ours coming down from Lake Huron. Guess it just wasn't meant to be this time<grin>

I felt really bad exposing all of you to my misfortune, so felt that light hearted banter would not only entertain but make the situation easier for all to deal with. I really didn't get a splinter in my butt....

Beth, after the initial shock and disbelief, has been a real trooper, I am a lucky man to have her to take care of me.

I've no idea where my crocs ended up......lol, and Beth won't say. I do know that I have a brand new pair of Sperry's up in the bow hanging locker.....imagine that. Geesh!

I look forward to our next meeting, what a fun and entertaining bunch of folks you hang with....did Bill ever get his sunglasses back?

Take care, enjoy the remainder of this year's sailing time. And we are bringing the Canadian bacon for next year's breakfast!

gunk

No, regretfully, Bill did not get his sunglasses back.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Sin Sal.

[gunkylump]

Thanks defjef....and yes, the very nature of the beast will present further interesting tests......I plan on being much better prepared though!

gunk

[Celestialsailor]

Hey Gunk...fellow Canuck here in Ca. As a matter of fact Hamilton was my birth place. Land of the yellow snow.
Maybe for our American readers, you can tell us what it cost out of pocket for your excellent care...

[gunkylump]

Aaaah, Hamilton...the Ontario city with the highest insurance rates for automobiles.......

The ambulance ride was $41.00, covered by my insurer.....the crutches to get out of the hospital were $35.00, covered by my insurer....my insurer defined as being Green Shield, which is the insurer of choice used by my employer. My health benefits, which cover both my wife and I here in Canada and the U.S., cost me about $400 per year on top of what my employer pays, I'm not sure about their rates.

Hospital costs - I have no idea. I was admitted Sunday morning at about 12:30 p.m., and I was discharged two days later at about the same time. X-rays, semi-private room, operating theatre, the whole ball of wax...no out of pocket expenses paid by me. Went in with $70 in my pocket, left with the same.

But I had to eat the hospital food. Fair trade.<grin>

Yup, different world up here, but there are pros and cons to both health care systems. Not going to get into that here on this forum.

Oh yes, the prescription drugs, two separate prescriptions, cost me 35 cents per scrip.......so 70 cents.

So, to answer your question...it cost me 70 cents.

gunk

[Celestialsailor]

Thanx for that...It was the same when I lived in Canada. I never knew what my medical bill was because I never had to pay a dime. In 2008 I was in the hospital in Oahu for 5 days with a MCI. Price...$70,000. Almost paid off after 4 years. I just laugh when I hear the rhetoric here about the health care bill and how the Canadians flock to the US for care.

[Jimbo485]

How about this footwear? The soles never wear out, the toes always grip well, non-slip, lifetime guarantee, no changing shoe type every year and getting used to the new shoes, cheap as chips. Never failed me yet!

BAREFEET!!

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by defjef

Sorry to hear about this. Get well soon. The nature of dock/ deck height difference means that at some point you'll be jumping off the deck to the dock... not stepping off. Most of the floating docks I've encountered are a few feet below my deck level and so one HAS to jump. I actually do this a lot as I single hand and there is rarely anyone to toss a line to and so I've taken to dealing with this alone. I'm pretty good at it now... but last week I took a spill as I jumped off the dock in Jamestown. Fortunately I simply fell losing balance and there was no injury and I got up and secured the line. But I could have twisted an ankle too. I wear Sebagos which I find have good grip on most docks and decks... very wet is another story.

There was a guy in our weight club in college that used to jump over a weight bench while he jumped rope. I worked the desk, and I would cringe watching him because he was an accident waiting to happen. I warned him, others warned him what he was doing was, if not dangerous, it was frightening to watch. He said he had been doing it for years and not to worry.

One day I see this super human strength guy on crutches with the largest cast with multiple steel rods sticking out I had ever seen. I raced over to him asking what happened. Figured he rolled his car 60 times or some industrial accident. He was doing his patented trade mark exercise when his shoe caught the bench just a bit. That turned his ankle so he came down wrong and his bones broke, and came out of his skin. His movements were so fast he did several hops with bones out getting worse each jump. He was tired like always, working to exhaustion.

He recovered in a year or so, and gave up his trademark exercise.

The key phrase in the long true painful story above is "An accident waiting to happen".

Play out every possibility in your mind. It is possible to miss your jump, fall, hit your head, roll into the water and die.

You can learn from others misfortunes or you can learn from yours waiting to be the next big news at the docks.

You might do it for a lifetime and never get hurt. However, now having publicly told us, the very next time you try it, fate may have a big wake up call ready for you.

Safety first! One hand for you and one for the boat. An old salt saying. That saying also goes without saying both feet firmly planted whenever possible.

[Cormorant]

Can't believe you didn't opt for the wooden pegleg!

Get well soon.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

How about this footwear? The soles never wear out, the toes always grip well, non-slip, lifetime guarantee, no changing shoe type every year and getting used to the new shoes, cheap as chips. Never failed me yet!

BAREFEET!!

They works fine until I smash my toes into some deck hardware...

[gunkylump]

Originally Posted by Cormorant

Can't believe you didn't opt for the wooden pegleg!

Get well soon.

LOL!

I specifically asked for the peg leg..but they were right out of stock in eye patches, arm hooks and pirates bandanas!<grin>

Thanks for the well wishes, the healing continues!

gunk

[gunkylump]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

They works fine until I smash my toes into some deck hardware...

I have also used the Vibram Five Finger shoes....they stick to the deck of the boat like flypaper...but man, when you stub your toe....it hurts like the dickens. So....kind of got away from them as well.

You can be assured that I will be checking the soles of whatever shoe I wear on a regular basis so that I won't have to go through this again....believe me, this is NOT fun. I can't put any weight on the leg/foot for a minimum 6 weeks...our washroom is upstairs, to get into the house there are 6 stairs.....and the list of pita's goes on and on. Ever tried to have a dump and not put weight on one of your lower limbs? LOL....not good. Our dog, who is a cross between a border collie and huskie, and weighs about 70 lbs., won't leave my side....not good when you are on crutches......tv sucks, the internet only entertains for so long...I've read countless magazines already, and it's only day # 5.

I guess what I'm saying is, and CelestialSailor has as well, is stay ahead of the curve, wear good shoes, prep your movements ahead of time, be prepared. This happened to me very, very quickly....my leg was broken before my body hit the dock...yup, that fast. And I am a fairly fit 56 year old man, lots of walking, eat yogurt, drink milk, lots of fruit....I thought I was invincible.......but those walls came crashing down real quick.

When you look at the big picture, a less than $100 pair of shoes compared to the cost of your boat, or even your boating season, is really very small. From here on in, my deck shoes are every bit as important a piece of safety equipment as my lifejacket. Think about it.

Whew...ok, I'm done preaching, I'll get carefully down from the soapbox and carry on as if I'm normal.

gunk

[gunkylump]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

There was a guy in our weight club in college that used to jump over a weight bench while he jumped rope. I worked the desk, and I would cringe watching him because he was an accident waiting to happen. I warned him, others warned him what he was doing was, if not dangerous, it was frightening to watch. He said he had been doing it for years and not to worry.

One day I see this super human strength guy on crutches with the largest cast with multiple steel rods sticking out I had ever seen. I raced over to him asking what happened. Figured he rolled his car 60 times or some industrial accident. He was doing his patented trade mark exercise when his shoe caught the bench just a bit. That turned his ankle so he came down wrong and his bones broke, and came out of his skin. His movements were so fast he did several hops with bones out getting worse each jump. He was tired like always, working to exhaustion.

He recovered in a year or so, and gave up his trademark exercise.

The key phrase in the long true painful story above is "An accident waiting to happen".

Play out every possibility in your mind. It is possible to miss your jump, fall, hit your head, roll into the water and die.

You can learn from others misfortunes or you can learn from yours waiting to be the next big news at the docks.

You might do it for a lifetime and never get hurt. However, now having publicly told us, the very next time you try it, fate may have a big wake up call ready for you.

Safety first! One hand for you and one for the boat. An old salt saying. That saying also goes without saying both feet firmly planted whenever possible.

I totally agree Gary, well said!

gunk

[gunkylump]

Time for an injury update.............

Back to the orthopedic surgeon this morning, the cast was removed, and x-rays show that all is healing nicely.

I now have a walking cast...but the doc says that I still can't put any weight on the leg whatsoever for another 4 weeks. At least with this type of cast on my leg I can shower...yahooooo! The incisions are coming along nicely, he installed the 6 screws on the inside of the leg and the plate on the outside.....airport scanners will learn to love me<grin>

I start physio tomorrow, time to get the range of motion going...he says it will be a long haul but I am confident with some hard work and dedication it will come along nicely.....back to work by Christmas is the goal.

My son will have the new cradle fabricated and delivered by Friday, so I am hoping to have the boat hauled sometime next week, weather and my friend Jamie's schedule permitting. It's a full day's sail/motor to get Kewalo back to her winter resting place.

Thanks to all for your get well wishes, they are working!

gunk

[SkiprJohn]

Glad you are mending nicely although it sounds like a long time before you are 100% again. Next season you'll be back at 'em.
kind regards,