guineapiggie101 0 #26 September 16, 2011 how long has it been since your spine and tibia accident? I'm hoping to go to the DZ this weekend to hang out and watch jumpers. I didn't go last weekend (did some other stuff instead) and I miss it. I go to the otho doc for another recheck (and xray), the week of Chicks Rock. Hopefully the doc releases me to do a tandem that weekend. That would be fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kuai43 7 #27 September 16, 2011 Quote While I have not had an injury I did have an unexpected pregnancy (haha) around jump 36... Just another skydiving-related incident? Every fight is a food fight if you're a cannibal Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man. - Anthony Burgess Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FL_new_jumper 0 #28 September 16, 2011 Quote Quote While I have not had an injury I did have an unexpected pregnancy (haha) around jump 36... Just another skydiving-related incident? Now THAT'S funny! .. I don't care who you are... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fencebuster 7 #29 September 16, 2011 My accident occurred on May 27. My back is fully healed -- no surgery was required, fortunately. My tibia is still a little bit tender but I am getting ready to go to the tunnel and re-fresh my flying skills and then go get back up in the air. It is definitely tough to go to the DZ and not be jumping, but I have been lucky that I have been able to do the ground training for a number of students and it has made me feel like I was contributing.Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ghost47 18 #30 September 16, 2011 QuoteIn light of my accident and some other circumstances relating to my anxiety, I am leaning towards not continuing with getting my license. I still haven't made up my mind completely yet, but that is where I am leaning. For many of us who got injured, we know what happened (more or less) and, while we know it could happen again, we take extra care in doing things to try to make sure it does not. For you, do you know what went wrong? Yes, you know what happened in the sense of you panicked, did not flare correctly, and did not PLF, but those seem to be the symptoms of whatever happened. Why did you panic? What can you do to ensure that you are less likely to panic in the future? It seems to me that the lack of answers to those questions is what is making you hesitate to return to the sport. This is compounded by the difficulty that you are still a student, and so you don't have much experience to draw on. If you do decide to return (and I'm not advocating either way), maybe there is a way to focus your training on landing for a while. I don't know that you could do purely hop-and-pops, especially as you'll need an instructor with you for the first couple jumps, but maybe your jumps could have only three focuses: (1) be stable; (2) pull; and (3) land. That way, your mind is not overloaded with thoughts of what else you're going to need to do to have a successful dive. Once landing becomes more natural, you can then go back to learning to fly your body. (Obviously, this is something to take up with your instructors, and their opinions should clearly trump mine.) Good luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dreaming13000 1 #31 September 18, 2011 Quote Quote While I have not had an injury I did have an unexpected pregnancy (haha) around jump 36... Just another skydiving-related incident? absolutely!!"A man only gets in life what he is believing for, nothing more and nothing less" Kenneth Hagen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
guineapiggie101 0 #32 September 18, 2011 Ghost, thanks for your introspective post. Yes, I do know what went wrong. My anxiety and over reactiveness caused me to NOT think clearly and make bad decisions that built upon each other. It was a series of mistakes that probably, had I been more experienced, I could have stopped the chain of events that led to the outcome. I went to the DZ yesterday and hung out for a few hours. It was nice to see friends and watch people jump. I had a good time. Hopefully by Chicks Rock, I can do a tandem. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,523 #33 September 18, 2011 QuoteGhost, thanks for your introspective post. Yes, I do know what went wrong. My anxiety and over reactiveness caused me to NOT think clearly and make bad decisions that built upon each other. It was a series of mistakes that probably, had I been more experienced, I could have stopped the chain of events that led to the outcome. I went to the DZ yesterday and hung out for a few hours. It was nice to see friends and watch people jump. I had a good time. Hopefully by Chicks Rock, I can do a tandem. If you are able to do a tandem (or when you are), make sure you take the opportunity to use it as a learning experience, not just a "get back up in the sky" thing. Remember, the tandem was originally designed to be the same sort of dual instruction that student pilots receive. Use it. Make sure you have an instructor who understands what you need and can give it to you. You've had landing issues in the past. Make sure you do a lot of practice flares up high. You won't get the sight picture/height judgement of the real landing, but you will get the feel for the flare, and an understanding of the pendulum effect and what happens if you let up on the toggles. You will also get one good shot at the sight picture, height judgement and timing for the landing. You may find you want to do more than one tandem. There's nothing wrong with that."There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ghost47 18 #34 September 18, 2011 QuoteMy anxiety and over reactiveness caused me to NOT think clearly and make bad decisions that built upon each other. It was a series of mistakes that probably, had I been more experienced, I could have stopped the chain of events that led to the outcome. GP, to be blunt, that sort of sounds like a longer way of saying that you panicked ;) But in any case, do you have ideas as to how to minimize the chances of it happening again? QuoteI went to the DZ yesterday and hung out for a few hours. It was nice to see friends and watch people jump. I had a good time. Awesome! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
guineapiggie101 0 #35 September 18, 2011 Wolfriverjoe, a "learning tandem" sounds like an excellent idea. I'll be sure to bring it up to the TI when I am able to do a tandem again. Ghost47, I'm not sure how to minimize my inclination towards panicking. The only way would be to take anxiety medication. I find that I tend to overreact a lot. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waveoff5500 0 #36 September 20, 2011 I suffered a traumatic spinal injury in a BMX biking accident a little over a year ago. flash forward to today and it is getting better but i am not completely recovered. after surgery i had a lot of doubt, i would sit in bed for hours, wouldnt want to go see my friends ride, and when i did start riding/skydiving again i was very nervous of injuring myself. this is normal, this is your body's way of protecting you, and your minds response to not being able to do what you love. what helped me a lot was talking to my friends, doing all the therapy i could because even though it wasnt fun it was still an activity that i could do to work towards feeling better. and looking back on it now im almost glad it happened because it gave me a great look at what can be taken away from you in the blink of an eye. i was a lucky one and was told that "you are lucky to even be walking with a limp" from then on i changed my outlook on life in general and made me appreciate every day. hope this helps! it does get better!"its just a normal day at the dropzone until its not" 1653 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
