My xrays from my skydiving accident back in September

[Busaman5000]

So for the past 3 months I have been mending a broke leg. Back on September 18th I was coming in for a landing when I hit some turbulence and my chute collapsed. I fell 30 or so feet according to witnesses. I broke my femur, tibula, fibula and my ankle. I was air lifted to the trauma center in Charlotte NC.

After the first surgery in which they installed a titanium rod into my femur bone I developed ARDS. My lungs started filling up with the fatty imbuli from the break. Eventually I couldn't breath on my own anymore and had to be put on a respirator. I was on the respirator for about 4 days and made a pretty quick recovery afterwards.

I am doing well now. The doctor released me to start putting weight on this leg last week and I am hobbling around on one crutch at the moment till I get this muscle built back up enough to hold me. I should make a full recovery.

I just got the xrays last week. I thought I would share them.

It was my 90th jump when it happened. The 2nd jump of the day. Im not sure if I will make anymore jumps. The will is there but quite frankly im scared as to what would happen if I hit this leg again.


Scroll to the right to see them all...

 

[Busaman5000]

I don't know why it puts the attachments from left to right instead of up and down. That doesn't make much since.

 

[Nicholas]

im grad ur still here with us, gonna be ready to ride once it warms back up, nice internal artwork..hope i dont catch up to u, i only have 3 screws in my femur, lol u got me beat

 

[09BusaDrvr]

wow..from only 30' thats pretty rough. Glad you are healing and going to make a full recovery. Its always tough coming back after an injury so your trepidation is understandable.

need to learn to PLF better

 

[mr8ball]

Man that look bad. I have screws and plates in my back like that and I know what I went through when that was done. Mine was put in in 2006 and I am still in pain everyday from it. I wish you the best

 

[S4L]

That is one hell of a fall man. A femur fracture and tib/fib fracture would make for a really bad time, let alone developing ARDS from fat emboli. Your lucky your alive. I'm just curious, how long after the fall did you start having trouble breathing?

Glad your okay, and good luck with your decision. I still want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, but just once

 

[Busaman5000]

Thanks guys. My leg has been aching on and off ever since Ive started putting weight on it. Hopefully it will ease off. Im looking forward to when I can hold up the weight of the bike again lol.

wow..from only 30' thats pretty rough. Glad you are healing and going to make a full recovery. Its always tough coming back after an injury so your trepidation is understandable.

need to learn to PLF better

lol. Some people said 30 some said 50. Everybody has a different story as to what they seen.

I would have done a PLF but it happened so quick I didnt even know what happened till I hit. I just know I was hitting some turbulence and my chute was jumping around. Next thing I know im on the ground looking at the sky trying to breath.

It knocked both my shoes off my feet.

 

[Busaman5000]

That is one hell of a fall man. A femur fracture and tib/fib fracture would make for a really bad time, let alone developing ARDS from fat emboli. Your lucky your alive. I'm just curious, how long after the fall did you start having trouble breathing?

Glad your okay, and good luck with your decision. I still want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, but just once

I had the accident on a Saturday around 2pm and I believe I started having trouble breathing that Sunday night if my memory serves me. So 24-36 hours later I believe.

Oh Id defiantly do it atleast once. The fact that im contemplating doing it again should tell you one or two things. Either A). Its just that much fun. or B). Im a moron. the correct answer is both "A" and "B" lol

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

Wow! Glad your still alive. Coulda broke ur freakin' nek !
My tib and fib hurt just looking at your X-rays.

You sure you weren't dreaming of your avatar right before landing?


J/k

Again glad your ok as it could have been much worse.

 

[Busa1166]

Glad you still here..


Now I can scratch that off my bucket list an think of something else to do

 

[bazmaniac]

Geez Brandon,

Take it nice & easy up there, mate....

Very glad that ur still with us....the outcome in these situations can ALWAYS be worse!!!
Next time the same thing happens.....both toggles down to half brakes (but NO further....coz u don't wanna fully stall ur canopy that close to the ground until ur ready to land), should see ur canopy re-pressurized and hopefully better set up for a smoother landing than that last one!

Ya don't get many chances up there mate, so whenever something happens out of the ordinary.....try to keep as cool & calm a head as possible....so you can make the best possible split-second decisions....remember >>>> ur life depends on it!!!!

Don't let this setback stop ya...there's HEAPZ more fun to be had up there...

Hope ya heal up well...

keep it fun,
:-)

 

[skydivr]

Man, I didn't even know you crashed. Glad you lived to tell about it.

bazmaniac is correct; half-brakes keeps the canopy inflated but not in full flight. PLF's have a purpose, but 30 ft is a long way to fall.

Several questions:

What kind and size of main?
What were the ground winds?
Why was there turbulence (were you downwind of a large object/building/treeline, etc?)

I guess I should relook at the 'incident reports' in Parachutist; did you make the reports?

I'd be willing to guess that it was pretty windy, and that you came in downwind of a large object that was creating turbulence, and tried to full flare through it...most jumpers panic at the stall point and go deeper into the brakes when they really need to let up just a hair....

I don't jump in over 15 mph STEADY winds (less if it's whipping), even though my canopy will punch thru most of it; I also am very careful to look where turbulent air would collect behind large objects, and will land further out to be in clear air. There's no one skydive worth not getting to skydive again, and as I've spent more time in the sport, i've gotten more discriminating with weather, which is probably why I'm still jumping and luckily never hurt in 20 years.

A lot of people re-evaluate after getting hurt - some never jump again, some go back to the sport but consider it a lesson learned. Luckily, I learnd my lessons watching others get hurt. You have to make your choice after you heal. Either way, it's a life experience you will never forget! I'm glad you lived to tell the tale!

Pain is temporary
Chicks dig scars
Glory lasts forever

 

[semi]

glad to hear you made it through and are on the road to recovery...it takes a pretty strong blow to break the femur like that! don't feel bad about having second thoughts about jumping again, it is a natural response to having gone through a life-threatening situation...i have seen many people do the same thing after motorcycle accidents and some actually never ride again...things usually get better after some time passes and you stop hurting as much...best of luck getting your legs back under you and returning to your normal life

 

[skydivr]

Some humor to pass the time while you are healing:

Skydiving - Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia

 

[Ludicrous Speed]

I never plan on jumping out of a perfectly good airplane

Glad to hear you pulled through though!

 

[MO-BUSA]

that looks like hurt just a tad...you know i have a fear of heights, but i always wanted to try skydiving some day, but i fear its not gonna happen.....

 

[RussellJ]

Wow you really did a number on yourself!!
Glad you are ok!

 

[Busaman5000]

Man, I didn't even know you crashed. Glad you lived to tell about it.

bazmaniac is correct; half-brakes keeps the canopy inflated but not in full flight. PLF's have a purpose, but 30 ft is a long way to fall.

Several questions:

What kind and size of main?
What were the ground winds?
Why was there turbulence (were you downwind of a large object/building/treeline, etc?)

I guess I should relook at the 'incident reports' in Parachutist; did you make the reports?

I'd be willing to guess that it was pretty windy, and that you came in downwind of a large object that was creating turbulence, and tried to full flare through it...most jumpers panic at the stall point and go deeper into the brakes when they really need to let up just a hair....

I don't jump in over 15 mph STEADY winds (less if it's whipping), even though my canopy will punch thru most of it; I also am very careful to look where turbulent air would collect behind large objects, and will land further out to be in clear air. There's no one skydive worth not getting to skydive again, and as I've spent more time in the sport, i've gotten more discriminating with weather, which is probably why I'm still jumping and luckily never hurt in 20 years.

A lot of people re-evaluate after getting hurt - some never jump again, some go back to the sport but consider it a lesson learned. Luckily, I learnd my lessons watching others get hurt. You have to make your choice after you heal. Either way, it's a life experience you will never forget! I'm glad you lived to tell the tale!

Pain is temporary
Chicks dig scars
Glory lasts forever

It was a Triathalon 175. Ironically enough I bought it because I was told it was more resistant to turbulence.

We just had a slight breeze as ground winds. It actually made for a nice easy landing during the first jump. Winds seemed normal when I got on the plane for the second jump. One person told me a few weeks ago that he thought he had seen leaves swirling around right before I landed. Maybe a dust devil kicked up?

I wasnt near any large objects. I was a good ways from the runway when it happend. Atleast 100ft probably more.

I was in full flight. I was under the impression that during turbulace its best to have it in full flight. But maybe I was wrong. Now I was making slight adjustments to keep myself on course. Nothing that would have stalled it or put it in a dive though I don't think.

Im thinking if I get back into I will order a new Pilot 188 ZPX. The Tri I have is an older model. It has a DOM of 1998 I believe. But is in really good shape. I had it inspected before I jumped it.

I don't know though. It will be spring at the earliest before I could even think about jumping again.

 

[busa-saga]

well, that kills my dream of wanting to try skydiving..hope for a speedy recovery.

 

[BlondeOnaBusa]

Wow, that's just incredible you even lived. Scary stuff but very thankful you are around to tell us about it.
Have you started PT yet? That helped my son tremendously after his accident. A lot of the medical stuff you went through is what he went through. It's a long process but he's back to normal. (his accident was 6 yrs ago)
Best of luck in your recovery and think positive!