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Ouch - that's gonna leave a mark...

Started by Ljohnsaw, September 07, 2016, 10:23:50 AM

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Ljohnsaw

Stupid, stupid, stupid.  I was done working for the day yesterday on my timer frame foundation ( Timber Frame Build).  I still have about 2 days of work to get ready for the inspection.  Cleaning up, I was walking over a 2x12x8' (6' gap) in my scaffolding.  It must have gotten shifted at some point when I SkyTrak'd a pallet of blocks.  I fell 7' and did a cartoon fall.  On the way down, I bounced off the X brace with my left/back ribs and landed in the gravel.  I whacked the back of my right thigh and both elbows.  I suppose the bounce slowed me down - if I landed on my feet, I might have hurt one or both ankles.

At first, I figured I just bruised my back.  After an hour's drive home, it was pretty sore.  Took muscle relaxer and later, a pain killer.  Coughed once and said that's not gonna happen again!  I inherited sneezing fits from my mom - if I get a tickle on a tonsil, I can go 10-20 sneezes in rapid succession.  That will be unbearable!  Slept ok last night (flat on my back) but took about 30 minutes of maneuvering to get out of bed.  To prevent pneumonia, I'm doing my best to take full, deep breaths every now and then.  I can do that relatively pain free if I'm sitting just right.  Looks like I cracked at least one rib, possibly two.

Google says it will be at least 3 weeks before the pain begins to subside and 6 to 8 weeks before I'm back to "normal".  This really sucks!
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Magicman

Ah man, that hurts just thinking about it.   :-\

Yup, ribs are said to be the most painful break.  When I broke mine they put me in a corset, but that is not used anymore.  I guess that if it hurts, don't do it.   ::)  I wish you the best. 
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Ed_K

 Wow, that was one long step. My Doc. said the same thing, 6 weeks before you'll be in good shape. If you do sneeze watch for blood, we don't need you to puncher a lung.
Careful of the pain meds, I'm fighting constipation right now and that's bad too.
Ed K

Texas Ranger

There is a certain age when you look at heights, and basically walk away, different for different folks.  Mine came around 70, stability problem.  And I don't bounce like I used to, and yes, ribs will stay with ya while.  Take the time and let it work its way out. 

Glad you survived the introduction to Mr. Gravity, he can be a real pain.  8)
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

Raider Bill

I cracked a couple 2 years ago in a ATV mishap. Took close to a year before they were healed. Feeling a sneeze come on brings in instant panic.
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

Roxie

Did you go to the doctor?  Did you get an xray?  I ask, because I had a friend that slipped on ice, broke his ribs, but because he didn't see a doctor, one of the ribs penetrated his lung, killing him in minutes. 

Say when

Ljohnsaw

No, didn't go to the doctor.  I did a lot of reading and found there was nothing the doctor could do for me.  Taking an x-ray wouldn't change anything.  I could press on my ribs and nothing was moving, just hurting.  Had I felt the rib moving, I would have gone in.  I could breath just fine.  It hurt right after, but not as much as it did after an hour.  It is either the 4th or 5th rib up from the bottom, as near as I can feel and I think its just one that's cracked and its on my back side.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

red

I hope you go to the Dr if there is anymore symptoms. It sounds like a long recovery.
Honor the Fallen Thank the Living

Den Socling

I don't think anything hurts more than cracked ribs. When you can't take a deep breath, you have a problem. I would get an X-ray. The doctors have been giving me antibiotics for the past few falls to prevent infection at cracks.

Ox

This might help you sometime:  If you feel a sneeze coming on, pinch your nostrils shut with your fingers and breathe through your mouth until you feel the sneeze going away.  Works for me when I need to be quiet.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

sandsawmill14

sorry to hear about your fall broke ribs are very painful  :'(  ive them twice on my right side and once on the left :-\ :-[  guess im a slow learner smiley_dunce stupid_smiley  ;D
hudson 228, lucky knuckleboom,stihl 038 064 441 magnum

caveman

IJohnsaw,
I would not wish busted ribs on anyone.  I broke a few about two years ago when we were trying to herd and pen Zebu's (evil little cattle that smell like goats) which were donated to our FFA chapter.  I was riding a borrowed horse.  I have not ridden much in the past 30 years and try to avoid it if at all possible.  Anyway, the horse was a much more gifted and agile horse than I am a rider.  When my shoulder planted into the ground I distinctly heard a snap, crackle, and pop.  I worked the rest of the afternoon and drove home but the pain was incredible.

That evening when I got home I walked next door to talk to my parents like any good mid-40's man would do.  My mother broke ribs several years ago and I asked her how long I could expect to hurt every time I breathed.  Her reply was "about six weeks".  I told her that I didn't think I could hold my breath that long.

I also sneeze a lot and tend to get bronchitis every spring, which I did soon after my graceless dismount.  The coughing and sneezing with busted ribs is one of those experiences that would ascend to the top 10 experiences not to be wished on anyone I care about.

Good luck with your ribs.  I hope you do not cough or sneeze often and wish you a speedy recovery.
Caveman

Ed_K

 Whats your pain level right now between 0-10,  oh about 25  :D, it's funny but if their asking you it's not funny  :( .
Ed K

Ljohnsaw

I had a tickle in my throat last night and needed to cough.  I couldn't.  I would get about ½ a cough before the pain made me  stop.  Now the spasms are killing me :(
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

Well, some good news.  Saturday morning my back started to spasm again - feeling like someone was holding on to my muscle tissue and twisting it.  It felt so tight I thought the muscle was going to tear itself off my ribs.  Once I was on my knees next to the bed, being vertical, the pain stopped.  During the morning, if I moved just the wrong way, full blown spasm.

I read that the pain (from the ribs) would cause the muscle to spasm, only the Norco and Flexril were not doing anything for that.  So I called the doctor.  She felt it was a lack of Magnesium that was doing it.  So I picked up some Mg and started popping those as well as stretching out the muscles.  Didn't seem to help - would still go crazy.  But instead of shrinking away from the massive pain, I leaned into it and the spasm would subside (still DanG hurts!)

This morning was the same ordeal getting out of bed with one change.  The pain was only in the muscles mid-back.  The low ribs were not shooting pain anymore.  I can press on the ribs and they are still sore so I think I just really bruised or bent them too far when I fell.  So now, I don't think I cracked them unless I'm a really fast healer ;)

I've tried heat and ice but the muscle still is spasm-prone if I move just the right way.   Maybe a little less prone now.  That might just be light I see at the end of the tunnel - hopefully not a train coming the other way :D
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Magicman

It may seem like a month with the pain, but it has only been 4 days.  You may be pushing yourself too far too fast.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

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