Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Bad day on the mountain

Yesterday was a scary day and just need to vent it out.

I was on my way to a doctor appointment. My son Noah calls me.. he is nineteen, has AS and RA.. is also a snowboarding instructor and I know he does some tricks on that thing that as a mother I am not sure I really ever want to see him do.
Well he calls and all he says.. in a calm voice... Hey Mom, do you think you could pick me up? I told him I was on the way to the doctor, could he wait til after then? He says.. again very calmly.. Sure no problem, just pick me up at ski patrol. I asked him what happened and he says.. I think I messed up my ankle really bad. It might be broken. Now I know he handles a lot of pain. He never complains about his AS or RA pain, I know the calmer his talking gets the worse his pain is, so I told him I was on my way. Called my doctor to cancel and my boss to let him know what was going on and probably wouldnt be back that day. I get to the mountain and cursing the decision to wear heels that day, hobble to the ski patrol building to find my sons leg in a huge splint and him very pale. They carried him in a wheel chair to my car and we headed down the mountain. There was a girl in there next to him on the next bed when I got there. She is a co worker of his and had been the one to call ski patrol for him. Then she got hurt coming back to check on him.
It took over an hour to get him back into town and to the hospital. Then took forever to get him back in to be seen, then another hour before any xrays were done. They finally tell us they dont see any breaks, but think there are severely torn ligaments. So they give him some pain meds, an air splint and crutches and send him home.
Then he was almost to the bedroom and one of the crutches slips, he lands on the hurt foot. We got him into bed and he fell asleep finally. Then at two in the morning I woke up to hear him screaming in pain. After one pain pill, no relief so called the hospital, they told me double it up and then even if I had to wake him up. make sure he got one more every four hours. So of course I was afraid I wouldnt wake, I stayed up to make sure he got them. He is doing better pain wise today. But I can see him moving so stiffly when he does get up at all. I am hoping this doesnt kick him into a flare.

I suppose we should be glad it wasnt more serious for him. And that in the three years he has been instructing and the five years he has been snowboarding he has never been seriously injured. But now I worry about his mental health. He is stressing that he wont be able to teach as much as he used to. And is stressing over the college classes he teaches twice a week. He teaches the advance students from three different colleges and universities, as well as his other lessons. So many people dont understand how important his job is to him. He says when he is up there on the mountain he feels free. That it is easy to ignore the aches and pains when he teaches someone how to land a trick and see the faces of the little kids who are able to make that first run without falling.
I am trying to be positive for him, telling him lets just get him healed up and go from there. So thank you for letting me vent my fears for him here.

And he feels so bad for the girl who called for help for him. We met her mother in the waiting room of the hospital. That poor woman went through heck. They sent her to one hospital, then finally someone called her to say her daughter was on the way to this one as it had a trauma unit. So she was understandably hysterical by the time she arrived not knowing what had happened. Her daughter finally got there another hour later. They believe she broke her pelvis. We stopped by the trauma unit to see her before we left and she was joking about seeing Noah on the slopes first thing in the morning. While she and Noah talked, her mom and I just went in the hall and cried. Then joked that we hoped they both just got jobs at McDonalds.

Sorry for such a long post, but thank you again for just letting me vent here. Sometimes it is hard being strong for my son, when part of me wants to just say give up that job and find something on flat land. But I know how important it is to him. I just wish he could stick to teaching beginner lessons instead of most of them being the advanced park classes.

Thanks again,
Pam

Pam,

It sounds like you needed a good drink or a nerve pill to get through all of that. I used to be like that if I got hurt and usally managed to get to the hospital and being treated before anyone knew what had happened. I think being on the mountain made things a bit harder to get to help for your son though. At least he did not drive himself and call for a ride home from the hospital the way I used to do. I broke my right arm and drove 42 miles in a five speed pickup once then they called for someone to come get me and the truck.

I sure hope he heals up nicely and does not have any complications from the ankle injury. I would make sure he has it checked after the swelling goes down to make sure nothing got broken. I know the teen years are rough on the ankles for people who have AS and RA so he needs to take time to let it heal if you can convince him of it.

Hope everything turns out ok for you when you get your appointment rescheduled.

Brent

I read the title I thought it was YOU taking the ladies ski lesson so glad to hear it's not but sorry about Noah. He'll be fine and it's amazing he's never been injured yet doing those crazy boardin tricks. Nearly every hard-core skier I know, including instructors, have blown out their knees big time. Some have had multiple surgeries but they just put on a brace rather than quitting. He'll have to be patient but I think he'll be out there and unfortunatley you'll have to continue worrying about his career choice. Was caught in a wild storm on snowshoes yesterday & my back is sore but I understand what he means about the freedom...I'll be back asap.

Hi Brent,

Thank you. Wow, that is a long way to drive with a broken arm. And if my son could have fit into his buddies little two seater car yesterday, I would have gotten a call from the hospital instead
I worry about him on the mountain, but really he has had a lot less injuries up there than in previous years, riding his bike or doing things like trying to leap onto the top of my car in one bound ... his foot hooked the back bumper and one leg went crashing through the back window. LOTS of stitches on that one. A fourteen year old trying to impress the neighborhood girls. He finally realized he was getting hurt a lot when we went to one hospital and a nurse came out to call him back, looked at his name, then asked What did you do this time Noah? Took us a minute to realize he was the same nurse who had treated him many times at another hospital close to where we used to live. He had taken a job at the new hospital and joked with Noah he had left that one because Noah kept him so busy.

I will make sure to have it checked again next week when the swelling goes down more. It is a bit more swollen tonight, but keeping his pain under better control. The hardest part for him is just laying around.

Thanks again Brent.

Take care,
Pam

Hey my snowbunny friend.
Caught in a snowstorm?? yikes. That can be scary in backcountry. The day before Noah got hurt, he and a few fellow employees rode the backside of the mountain down to this switchback in the road. Totally out of bounds, and listening to some of them talk, some crazy areas. But they always go as a group and someone meets them at this parking lot for the snowshoers and cross country skiiers. They do that run atleast once a year. I am so thankful that this injury didnt happen on that run. Would have been nuts trying to get him out of there.

His buddy had to tease him after he got hurt. Noah has always joked that he would never take the ride of shame. Said he would rather slide down on his butt than do that. But he changed his mind pretty quick when he was hurt. Of course it had to be near the top of a black diamond run. The ski patrol guy said he could go slower and it might be less painful going over this one area of serious moguls, or he could haul azz and get there quicker. Noah told him... just haul azz.

He is already talking about an ankle brace so he can ride sooner. And we talked about taking it easy and healing so he doesnt permanently damage anything.

And my brother is coming to town the weekend after next to bring him the motorcycle he gave him for Christmas So now will have two extreme sports to stress over. If he gets a hang glider I am torching it though

Take it easy and I hope your back feels better soon. I am still debating the ladies day lesson.

Pam

Oh my gosh, what an experience. I'm so sorry. I hope your son feels better soon.

My mom would totally understand where you're coming from. My brother and I were both a little on the care-less side. I remember when I broke my elbow, almost a year to the day from when I broke my wrist, I went into the house, told my mom I think we need to go to the emergency room, and she just looks at me. Why? She's all are you bleeding: NO, did you get knocked unconcious: NO, did you break a bone: No and I'm like, well I believe I may have broken my elbow. Low and behold, she was right, it wasn't broken, it was SHATTERED! Completely shattered! She just looks at me and rolls her eyes. She's like I can't believe you didn't cry or scream. So we get that recovered and almost a year later to the elbow issue, I come home and say we need to go to the emergency room and she says why this time: I just regained consciousness, I knocked my self out roller skating. I hit my head on the concrete and I have a headache. So we go and at least this time I didn't break anything, jsut a concussion! (Of course this isn't all of the damage I've done to myself, the list goes on!!!)
So my mom would seriously sympathize with you. And of course my brother did some hum-dingers as well!
He'll get through it. He'll be ok. He sounds a lot like me, and he'll be back on the slopes before he knows it! He just has to believe it. He may have to go through some mega rehab, but he'll get there! It will turn out just fine!
I now can predict the rain though! He may have that to look forward to!

Pam sory to hear about Noah.I hope every thing turns out ok.Mt.Hood Timberline lodge was my place growing up.Its hard for a parent to let them be a snow board instructor but i had a boy named Bill Johnson gold medal winner started out that way.When it gets in there blood its there and sounds like Noah is great at what he is doing.But its ok for moms to worry you love them.
Bradford

At least he didnt really hurt himself bad. My son is 10 and he skateboards, snowboards and ride dirt bikes (I wont let him get a motorcross bike yet) He's already been to the er 3 times, once for a broken arm and the other 2 were for stitches...I really dread him getting older... But i guess when their young they do bounce back...

Angie

Thanks Janet,

He was able to sleep a lot better last night. So am hoping each day is a little better.