A Fall From Grace Part Three

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 6:45 am

I arrived at their house and positioned the Max so the headlights would shine into their picture window. If I had to, I decided I would drive the Max right through the window if no one came out of the house. To my relief I saw their oldest son, a boy of about 10 peer through the glass. He came outside, took one look at me and ran back into the house. George was there in an instant. Then a strange thing happened. As George rushed towards me I tried to tell him I broke my leg. I couldn’t make the words work! I knew how to talk, but everything came out of my mouth all slurred and sounded like gibberish. It was so strange to me. Why could I not talk? I could moan and I could scream, but I couldn’t form words with my lips and talk. It was so bazaar! I would learn later why I could not talk.

George is an angel!! He climbs into the Max and cradles me in his arms and at this moment, I feel for the first time that I may actually survive this ordeal.
He talks to me but I don’t really hear what he is saying, but I can see his face and it is so reassuring. I do hear him yell 911, and I suppose he is calling to his wife Marty. I try so many times to form the words “Call Wife” but it just won’t come out right. But I try to repeat the effort over and over again and somehow, I think he gets the message. It all gets very blurred from here. I do remember Marty and George praying for me out loud. I think I am kind of drifting in and out of consciousness at this time and I am aware that George is saying things to me like stay awake, don’t go to sleep. Stay awake! But most of all, I remember seeing Annika. I will never forget the look of terror on her face as long as I live. It scared me. What must I look like? She is looking at my face and not my leg. What have I done to my face?

The ambulance arrives but I am not fully aware of this. I am very aware of being lifted out of the Max by several people and placed on a stretcher or something. That lift is something I would never want to ever experience again. I thought I was going to pass out again from the pain. I don’t remember much from this point on. The ambulance, the ride to the hospital, the emergency room, its all kind of a blur as I went in and out of consciousness. I remember hearing the doctor at the hospital talking to the emergency people in the ambulance. They were discussing my blood pressure and I distinctly remember the physician saying to the emergency workers "This is getting dicey." I thought to myself this is just great. I go through all of this and I am going to die on the way to the hospital. I should have just stayed under that tree and let the shock take me. It would have been peaceful. It would have been a nice way to check out.

I was aware of a doctor talking to me while my face was being put back together, but I have no idea what he was saying. The pain from the leg was overriding all other senses. There was just the leg. There is no further recollection of the surgery to my head or the remainder of Saturday night at all. There is just the pain from the leg that I am aware of.

Sunday, November 23, for the most part is also lost. I received my second surgery they tell me at 8:00AM, this time for the leg. And I know nothing until sometime late Sunday afternoon. The first thing I am aware of when I wake up is the leg. The pain is still the same, excruciating and unrelenting. The second thing I remember is Annika. She is with me and this is very comforting. I am instructed, by whom I do not remember, that when the pain becomes too much to bear, I should push this button and I will get some relief. I became very good friends with that button and remember thinking I wish there was just some way to tape the darn thing down and maybe the pain would go away. This of course was a pipe dream. The pain was there, and nothing would make it go away. I’m in and out a lot the remainder of the day. Doc is there making all kinds of arrangements. Another friend Joe I recall was also giving me the once over. He is a plastic surgeon and a former classmate at Xavier University. His brother John is also there. He is my dentist and he was also checking me out. I remember thinking that Doc is pulling a lot of strings and bringing in all the big guns.

I remember Annika kissing me goodbye and saying she was going home to feed Drifter and Shadow our two black labs. She also tells me that Becker has taken the Lear to Chicago and picked up our two children and they will be landing within the hour.

That night, all I recall is the pain and the button. Hope against hope, I press the button and wait for relief.

It never comes.

agingcrossbower · Post by **agingcrossbower** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 6:59 am

Oh, My God. A person never wants to think about this. You just keep putting it off. Thanks for sharing this with us. Mike

Doe Master · Post by **Doe Master** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:30 am

Thank you for sharing again .

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:55 am

I had no Idea Mike.
waiting for number 4

Chuck Gravel · Post by **Chuck Gravel** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:56 am

Your stories are truely amazing, the detail and recolection of what happened those days are just phenominal. keep up the writing, cant wait for number 4.

SPITFIRE · Post by **SPITFIRE** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:36 am

Again Mike I am very sorry you went through all of this. Thank god you came out allright. Hope it never happends again to anybody. Waiting for next one.

Dan

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:24 am

Chuck Gravel wrote:the detail and recolection of what happened those days are just phenominal.

Not really. Remember, I wrote about this the day I came home from the hospital.

It was all really fresh in my mind at the time.

Today I can't remember what took place a half hour ago.

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:02 am

Mike, thanks for sharing your brutal experience with us. It's rough to read it, I can't begin to imagine how rough it was to live it. I'm grateful that we're all reading this knowing that you're still able to get out and go hunting today.

dick195252 · Post by **dick195252** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:18 am

Mike i am really Checking my safety harness now, I can not imagine going through that. Thank You Sir for a painful reminder of a traumatic experience for you and your family to help keep us SAFE.

one shot scott · Post by **one shot scott** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:23 am

I had no Idea of the hell you went thru. Climbing trees can be very dangerous, and eventhough most know this, it doesnt really "sink in" until you read of a experience like yours. I am one who often climbs without a harness. Its the next thing on my list! Im glad you lived to tell the tale.

hetichunter · Post by **hetichunter** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 3:02 pm

I am really caught up in this ...... i cant wait to read part 4

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 5:39 pm

thanks for sharing mike, it sounds like you have some great friends looking out for you