Man, I owe sooooo muuuccchhh beer

[Michele 1]

24 hours later, I am struggling to find a way to say thank you.
Thank you for the congratulations. For the e-mails and private messages. Thank you for your help, and friendship, and encouragement - especially the encouragement - and mostly, thank you for the hugs. Thank you for posting your experiences, and for the links you've given. Thank you for helping me keep my head. You didn't know it then, but you all changed a life. You all helped save a life. You all were there in my head. Thank you.
I couldn't eat last night or today. I wasn't able to sleep last night. Everytime I closed my eyes, I was spiralling again. The earth spinning below. Then pop open my eyes, because it's too scary to remember. The shakes hit this afternoon at about 3ish. I was sitting in my office, and suddenly unable to breathe. Hyperventilating, sweating, quivering. I came home. Told my office that I was coming back likely on Monday. Turned off my pager and the telephones.
I turned on the VCR, and I watched that tape, frame by frame. Over and over, frame by frame. My body is square, arms out, arch still nice and steady. The pilot chute comes out pretty. Then the lines come out. And they are straight, until the last few frames. You can see them start to twist right over left. And there is something different about the right set then the left. The light is behind me and I am facing the camera so that there is only blackness and outline. On the right lines there is something sticking out, and it is not there on the left. I am far from able to know what this is, or if it is even abnormal. But there is something different.
I read all of your messages (don't worry, Carl, no-one saw you). Right now, I am crying, for the first time since I landed. All of you, you will do better than I did; you will keep your head, and you will pull when you need to. You won't waste time on a garbage chute. You will pull when you need to. And you will land the reserve.
Albatross and Carl, you both have touched my heart. Pammi, tell Merrick that he needn't worry - you will be as totally competent in the air as you are on the ground. And everyone else will be fine, as well.
You are all MY heroes.
bleau cieux,
Michele

[Snowflake 0]

Well it's been said so many times but I can't help myself. Michele You are one bad ass skydiving mama. A reserve ride on your 3rd AFF WOW!!!! Sounds like you handeled the situation great(probably better then I would have). Now get back up there, your mind controls your body not your glands and hormones. Remeber you have handled a situation that lots of people haven't seen in 100's of jumps and handeled it quite well. I don't know you but I'm sitting here grinning like an idiot. You have made my evening. I look foreward to hearing about your level IV (I bet I ain't the only one)
OPEN CANOPIES FOREVER
JG
JG

[MC208B 0]

Michelle, great job :)
You're well on your way to being a Skygoddess (and no, not sarcastic here!).
Tell us about your next jump. Mike

[Billy 0]

Hay Michelle,,,
Your story brought a tear ta my eye's too,, it was written incredibly well considering the state ya must have been in,, Hell I wouldn't have been able ta type squat!! You have ta let us know about your NEXT jump OK!! Lady YOU ROCK!! You obviously had some good instructors and were a good student,, I agree with ya that hearin stories here and gettin as much info as possible probably helped ya in makin your decision and reactin just like ya should have,, Cheers to you and Sangiro both!!
Happy landings,, Sweat Dreams,, Oh and BIG OL HUGS and KISSES!!
Billy ; )

[harro 0]

Mich you did really well
Freemind, freesky, freebeer, freefly, freesex

[Weirdloesje 0]

Wow, that´s a pretty amazing story considering it was your third skydive. I´m glad I didn´t have my first malfunction until my 50st or so. I think you did it really well!!
Good luck and don´t forget to smile when you´re up there.
Blue skies!

[cyric77 0]

That is a great story Michelle, and remember that under pressure some people fold while others focus. You obviously were able to keep a level head in a high stress situation, and this is a gift that many people don't have. Don't let this incident get you down, because from what I've read this is definately the sport for you. I hope that I act with as much poise as you did during my first cutaway.
-Blue Skies-