What a night last night...

Zeldman

Zeldman

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Jun 13, 2014
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17,784
Location
high desert NM
Display Name
Display name:
Billy
My wife came in and let me know that the back porch motion light is not working. So I go out to check. Looks like it might be a lose ground, so I go inside for a couple tools and the step stool.

I climb up the step stool, and take the fixture apart. After I get the wiring fastened back together, I stepped up on the railing around the porch to get in a better position to re-attach the light to the wall. I just tighten the last screw and stepped back to make it easier to get down.

And of course I stepped into nothingness. As I realized what I did, I tried to push myself away from the railing with my other foot to drop straight down. All I succeeded to do was change direction of the fail. I now was going down head first. It is about 8 feet down from the top of the rail to the ground.

As I fell I tried to twist myself to land on my back. I crossed my arms across my chest and tucked my chin into my chest.

I touched down rather roughly on the left side of my neck, then left shoulder followed by the left side of my rib cage, hip, knee then foot. Only one bounce.

The dog came over and looked at me like.... "Whatcha doing on the ground, is it play time..?"

I did not feel much pain, just a little numbness/tingling down my left arm and into my left hand all the way down my index finger. The real pain started after I went to bed.

I just came back from the doctor office. Seems I pinched some nerves in my neck and shoulder. The good part, I have some pain killer that has me flying at about 100 AGL. The next step is a scheduled 10 rounds of physical therapy. So no flying (in a plane) for a while.

Lessons learned: An old man should not be climbing on the porch railing to fix an outside light. I had a perfectly good ladder that would have put me in a better position to work on the light. Thinking back, all I had to do was pound on the wall right under the light and it would work for a little while, I shoulda stopped right there....

Oh good, time for another pain pill...:)
 
Every time my younger son (22) sees me on a ladder he reminds me that falls off of ladders are the #1 reason men over 50 visit the emergency room. I pretty much try to avoid him when I'm climbing trees, railings, etc.

Hope you recover completely and soon.

John
 
Yikes, I'm sorry that happened. I fell and busted up my shoulder to the tune of 18 months. The physical therapist was great and kept the parts moving but the pain persisted. I eventually went to a chiropractor and after 4 or 5 visits and the shoulder pain was gone, still some arm troubles though. Those chiropractor visits hurt but were worth it.

Hope you feel better soon.
 
Mistake Not... said:
Yes, it's always safer to use a ladder.
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Looks pretty safe to me. He's got somebody holding it.

Many moons ago, my Dad (an electrical contractor) rented a 40 foot extension ladder to change light bulbs in a cupola above the altar in a church. The church had the typical upside ship hull like construction with exposed beams curving up to the center where the cupola was. The ladder as delivered had no rope to extend it. So, I (at 18, 6' & 180 lbs) held it up nearly vertical and he (at 46, 5' 8" and 165 lbs) climbed it for ~15 feet, pushing the extension ahead of him until it reached the rafter to lean on. He claimed it was no big deal but it was nerve racking to me.

John
 
jsstevens said:
Every time my younger son (22) sees me on a ladder he reminds me that falls off of ladders are the #1 reason men over 50 visit the emergency room. I pretty much try to avoid him when I'm climbing trees, railings, etc.

Hope you recover completely and soon.

John
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Yeah my wife does too, but I say I got this. Son gets onto me, "dad you're 68, get that f'g ladder", usually by text though, 'cause if he told me that in person his ass would be up on it. :D

Zeldman get well my man, at least you haven't lost your humor. I'm nursing bruised ribs on one side myself, but I just took a pain pill, so all be right soon.
 
jsstevens said:
Every time my younger son (22) sees me on a ladder he reminds me that falls off of ladders are the #1 reason men over 50 visit the emergency room.
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This is why I have a boom lift / cherry picker (Genie Z80HD) in my back yard - as ridiculous a thing as it may be for a home owner to have.

But Im not getting up on a ladder for Christmas lights and other general roof work No sir.

I even use it to work on areas thats just 10 feet off the ground sometimes (though that has more to do with not trampling a garden bed).
 
jsstevens said:
he reminds me that falls off of ladders are the #1 reason men over 50 visit the emergency room.
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Hmmmmm...and here I thought it because of erections that lasted over four hours!

Zeldman...wishing you a speedy recovery.
 
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Get well.

I recently sold a house. As part of getting it ready for the sale, I had to replace a plastic grate on a vent two floors up. Soo I borrow this ladder, position it on the house with the feet on some concrete pavers. Then looked up and realized that this was a dumb way to die. Left it to the contractor to fix.
 
I used to scramble up a ladder and be hesitant boarding an airplane. Now it's the opposite...
 
crazy sht happens on ladders, young or old. feel better and enjoy (or share) your meds.
 
My wife tumbled down the stairs last night, she told me about it this morning while showing off all her bruises. She said one dog took off and hid under the bed and the other just looked at her, like "what'd you do that for, mom".
 
Distant non-blood family member; now only one leg, following roof fall.
You don't always heal from broken bones. Especially those ones where the busted end digs into the soil. Trying to stay off the taller structures for the remainder of my time.
 
A year ago walking down my wood stairs (with no railing) while in my socks I slipped. The treads are oak. One I busted with my elbow, the other with my a$$. Hurt like hell but didn't break anything except the stairs. I'd post the photo of the resultant bruise (and dent) except for 2 problems:
  1. It isn't of my elbow :eek:
  2. You might gouge your eyes out as a result
Doc Chien's advice about slowing down as you age comes to mind.
 
Hope you heal quickly, Zeldman.

Last month I had to change some bad ballasts in the three indirect linear fluorescent fixtures hanging in my living room. It's an angled ceiling, the lowest fixture is 10' from the floor, the highest is 14' from the floor.

I used a 12' A frame ladder. When I was changing the ballasts in the highest fixture, I was two steps from the top of the ladder. I was scared ****less about falling, hitting the floor from that height might have been The End.

After I was finished, I decided it was stupid to take the risk. When I was 20 it was no big deal, but pushing 60 is not the age to be that far off the ground on a ladder.
 
nauga said:
At least no one was shooting at you ;)

Nauga,
jinking hard
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I did find a bullet hole and bullet in my travel trailer. 40 caliber. Police say it isn't one of theirs, but the shooter had a shotgun....o_O

Oh well, that's what duct tape is for....
 
deonb said:
This is why I have a boom lift / cherry picker (Genie Z80HD) in my back yard - as ridiculous a thing as it may be for a home owner to have.

But Im not getting up on a ladder for Christmas lights and other general roof work No sir.

I even use it to work on areas thats just 10 feet off the ground sometimes (though that has more to do with not trampling a garden bed).
Click to expand...

That's why my Christmas lights stay up 365...:yes:

I saw a guy catapult himself off a boom lift one time. He was traveling across a parking lot, then hit the curb. Man, he flew out of that basket. He was really flapping his arms and was starting to gain altitude, but he tried to change directions and down he came. He bounced at least 3 times, then got an expensive ride to the emergency room.
 
3393RP said:
Hope you heal quickly, Zeldman.

Last month I had to change some bad ballasts in the three indirect linear fluorescent fixtures hanging in my living room. It's an angled ceiling, the lowest fixture is 10' from the floor, the highest is 14' from the floor.

I used a 12' A frame ladder. When I was changing the ballasts in the highest fixture, I was two steps from the top of the ladder. I was scared ****less about falling, hitting the floor from that height might have been The End.

After I was finished, I decided it was stupid to take the risk. When I was 20 it was no big deal, but pushing 60 is not the age to be that far off the ground on a ladder.
Click to expand...


I am not pushing 60, I think of it as pulling 50. Problem is I still think I can do what I did at 20.

I have never had a pinched nerve before, but right now I am wishing I had broken at least one bone. A broken bone does not hurt as much as I am hurting right now, even with super pain pills. I will be trying to sleep in a chair tonight.
 
Zeldman said:
I am not pushing 60, I think of it as pulling 50. Problem is I still think I can do what I did at 20.

I have never had a pinched nerve before, but right now I am wishing I had broken at least one bone. A broken bone does not hurt as much as I am hurting right now, even with super pain pills. I will be trying to sleep in a chair tonight.
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Feel better, Billy!
Pulling 50 as well. Beats the alternative.
 
Zeldman said:
I am not pushing 60, I think of it as pulling 50. Problem is I still think I can do what I did at 20.

I have never had a pinched nerve before, but right now I am wishing I had broken at least one bone. A broken bone does not hurt as much as I am hurting right now, even with super pain pills. I will be trying to sleep in a chair tonight.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear it wasn't something more serious, like shattered bones.
Good to hear you are taking advantage of that Obamacare...while it lasts :p
Hope you're healing up fast!
 
paflyer said:
Potential energy is only a problem when it converts to kinetic energy.
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Nah. It's just when you suddenly transfer that kinetic energy to something else that you have a problem.
 
DaleB said:
Nah. It's just when you suddenly transfer that kinetic energy to something else that you have a problem.
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And the time period that kinetic energy is transferred. Land in one of those nice foam block pits used at gymnastics training centers and this is a non-event.
 
Over 50? Sheesh. Kids nowadays.

So, like, I'm working on trim on the 1 1/2 story 22x30 garage with dormers and all that fun stuff that I done built all by my lonesome (OK, I hired out the concrete and shingles), standing on the top run of a 6' step ladder (yes, the step that says "not a step") on the concrete.

It's wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't landed on my hammer...

The wife and daughter come running over saying they are calling 911.
"No, just pull the hammer out from under me and give me a minute."

"Can you get up?"
"No, just pull the hammer out from under me and give me a minute."

"I should call 911"
"No, just pull the hammer out from under me and give me a minute."

Finally they relented and pulled the hammer out from under me and gave me a few minutes to lie on the concrete and recover.

Ended up with a bruise on my hip that was the size of Texas.

But after 15 minutes of walking it off, I was able to get back up there and finish the trim. :)

No brains - no headaches. That's my motto.
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Update:

I woke up around 4am this morning in excruciating pain. My current pain medication could not ease the pain. At 8am I called my doctor and she said come right in.

She gave me a shot of something that would help relax the area of pain. Now I feel like I am melting and sinking into the floor and the pain has eased up a little.

I love living in a small town, but it is also a one horse town. I can't get in to the chiropractor until next Monday.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Over 50? Sheesh. Kids nowadays.

So, like, I'm working on trim on the 1 1/2 story 22x30 garage with dormers and all that fun stuff that I done built all by my lonesome (OK, I hired out the concrete and shingles), standing on the top run of a 6' step ladder (yes, the step that says "not a step") on the concrete.

It's wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't landed on my hammer...

The wife and daughter come running over saying they are calling 911.
"No, just pull the hammer out from under me and give me a minute."

"Can you get up?"
"No, just pull the hammer out from under me and give me a minute."

"I should call 911"
"No, just pull the hammer out from under me and give me a minute."

Finally they relented and pulled the hammer out from under me and gave me a few minutes to lie on the concrete and recover.

Ended up with a bruise on my hip that was the size of Texas.

But after 15 minutes of walking it off, I was able to get back up there and finish the trim. :)

No brains - no headaches. That's my motto.
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Was the hammer harmed..???

Its funny, as hard as I landed, I have a little soft tissue soreness but no bruise.
 
Zeldman said:
Update:
She gave me a shot of something that would help relax the area of pain. Now I feel like I am melting and sinking into the floor and the pain has eased up a little.
.
Click to expand...

Making light of your discomfort, you have returned to the 70s.
 
Zeldman said:
The good part, I have some pain killer that has me flying at about 100 AGL.
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Glad that you're seeing the good part in this endeavor.
And if you think you're limited only to 100AGL, think again.
Have a beer or two on us (combined with your pain pills) and climb up to 200AGL. ;)
Get better soon!
 
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