Don't do anything stupid

[Chuck Feldman]

  Stupid?? Yes I did one. On Monday a week ago while doing a honey do I fell off an eight foot step ladder. I am still suffering from the injuries I received. Being 70+ I am lucky that I am not in the hospital for this. So please do me and yourself a favor. Do not do anything stupid and get injured as I have. Here it is a full week since the fall and I am still down and out. The main injury is a contusion to the right side. In short I am bruised inside and out and my liver is swollen and I can feel ribs that are either broken or cracked. These are injuries that are not really treatable. Time heals all wounds. Maybe I will be able to fly sometime next week.

Be careful,

Chuck

[Bill Hodges]

Chuck:

Sorry to hear about your injuries.  Heal up quick.  Cocoa is only a few days off.

See you there
Bill Hodges

[Terry Bolin]

After some thing like that happens, it's easier to see how I could have done it safer but we all have had those moments when : WOW, that was close. It can sure enough can change our whole life or end it. When I was building the house we are in now, I stepped off  of a trailer onto a Rubber air hose and rolled an ankle until it broke. Well, that slowed things down a little. DIDN't stop me but sure enough changed things for a long while. Take care and get well soon!

[Eric Viglione]

Hi Chuck - Really sorry to hear that! Was hoping to see you at the TBLF stunt contest Nov 1st... Heal quick!

Stupid? Oh, I probably got you beat, or at least tied for first place... I had a similar injury a few months back... I was putting a box of old business records up in the rafters standing on the top surface of a cheap old 8ft aluminum step ladder (while talking on the cell phone, hey, I use a head set, I'm safe, right?). The pile had gotten high and I had to stretch to the right side get the box on top. Oh yeah, wearing sandles, of course. Yup, that's me, Wile E. Coyote - super genius!

Well... the ladder failed and bent, then went out from under me sideways to the left and I came down hard on my side ribs on one truss, bounced off it and on the way down grabbed a cross beam and hung their like Magilla Gorilla from one arm for a second and let go when I was ready. Got bruised and cracked up from that pretty good I have to admit. The person on the other end of the phone got treated to some adult language and the sounds of the crash, wanted to know if he should send an ambulance, heh heh. Once I realized I was going to live, it struck me how amazingly stupid and serious an accident that really was...I could have bought the farm!

I guess the lessons here are: Don't use cheap ladders (I bought I fiberglass heavy duty replacement) Never stand above the top rung, never use a ladder without a helper present to steady the base, and most importantly- Never work so late that the brain goes into neutral!

Hope that gave you a chuckle, don't feel bad, I'm laughing at myself even as I typed it...
Get well soon Chuck!
EricV

[Roger Vizioli]

Chuck, Eric,
You are not the first, nor will you be the last to do "stupid things!"
Sometimes I think age and experience block out common sense.
Hey, I can say that, I'm older than Chuck!   
Roger V. 

[Howard Rush]

Sorry to hear that, Chuck.  Thanks for the reminder. 

[Chuck Feldman]

Eric,   Change a few details and that is exactly what happened to me. Right down to the aluminum ladder. I have already researched a premium grade fiberglass ladder as a replacement. There is a long chance I can still make it across the state this coming Sunday. I sure hope so.

Chuck

[Chuck Feldman]

Roger and Howard,

Thank you both for sending in a reply. I hope to make to your fly in Roger. Howard please move down here to the east coast of Florida. So you can fly all year.

Chuck

[Chuck Feldman]

Bill, Thanks for the get well wishes. Maybe I'll get better sooner than later. I was actually in better shape on Monday than today. I am sure my liver was enlarged and now it is returning to normal. I think the new pain is from the ribs that where previously supported by the swollen liver. I can feel the ribs move now before they where not moving at all. Stomach area was so swollen. The hospital could do much for me. Of course they did xrays and a cat scan etc. All that proved that I had no intern injuries and that I could go back home. Only took them 7 hours to do that. They did give me a pain pill while I was there. So then they put me on some Oxycontin drugs which I took for about 4 days.
I called my own Doctor and they said if you develop a temperature than get in here. Other wise you will just have to stay in bed, rest and tough it out. They do not tape ribs anymore. The drugs and probably the fall it self shut down my body functions for all most a week. However that is all working again. I have paid a big price for doing such a stupid thing. Please everyone do not take any risks.

Chuck

[Greg L Bahrman]

You need to get well so you can walk in circles again. Step dad put the ladder up against a branch to trim the branch back and the branch unknowenly was rotten on the inside and it broke. He ended up with a metal shoulder socket and much pain. Don't come back to soon.

[Roger Vizioli]

Roger and Howard,

Thank you both for sending in a reply. I hope to make to your fly in Roger. Howard please move down here to the east coast of Florida. So you can fly all year.

Chuck

Chuck,
Looking forward to seeing you there, but, as stated below - dont rush it!
I plan to take a poll on interest in an annual Old Time Contest at our new field.
Roger V.