Went out wheeling on the weekend with a buddy of mine, and all went well until the end. This weekend was the annual clean-up for the local recreational area that we use for off-roading, and my buddy and I were on are way to clean up a certain area. I was on my dirt bike and he was in his truck. By the time we got to the sight, I decided to head back because my fuel was running low. I waited for him at the campsite for about 2 hours, but decided to head home to get ready for a football game that me and him were supposed to go to. I had assumed he may have went to the free supper the cleanup crew had organized, but he didn't. What happened was his truck was unable to start, so one of the other guys decided to give him a tow, but it didn't go as planned. On the decent of a steep hill, my buddy had a hard time keeping the slack on the tow rope, and ended up sling shotting himself, which made the truck fish tail left and right down the gravel truck road. I heard that one the rear tires broke away and ended up rolling the truck over the edge of the road, which happened to be a steep drop of the edge. Still hooked up to the truck doing the towing, my friends truck went into a barrel roll along side of the road off the edge for about 50 yards! He was flung from the truck about 50feet away, and no one knows if the truck had rolled over him. Most of the injuries probably could of been prevented if only he had been wearing a seat belt. But in those older trucks, they hardly use them because of them causing kidney and back problems from bouncing around alot. He suffers from 5-6 broken ribs, both lungs were punctured, a ruptured spleen, and a gash on the back of the head. I saw him last night, and he looked in pretty rough shape with head swelling. They did a cat scan and found no brain damage, and I guess the rest of his internals are okay. Thinking back now, he actually asked if I just wanted to hop in with him, but he knew I wanted to ride my bike, so I did. I could have easily been in the truck with him!
Sorry for the long post, but I just had to let this out. One other thing I should mention is that he takes great care of his truck so the issue of the truck being unsafe isn't questionable, and the guys that were towing him were experienced off-roaders that are in a well known 4x4 club. The guy towing him was actually the clubs leader, so the issue of it being an unsafe tow, isn't questionable either.

Can anybody relate to this situation I'm in? I really have know idea how serious these injuries can be. I just hope he pulls threw. No. I know he'll pull threw.

 

Sorry for the bad news !!

A ruptured Spleen is usually removed (a very common injury and procedure in blunt trauma).

Lung lacerations are usually treated with chest tubes to drain the chest cavity of blood and free air.

These injuries are typical of blunt trauma and your friend should recover well. Issues to watch for at this time are secondary insults such as infection or pulmonary complications.

keep your chin up.

 

I actually when we went in to see him, he was running a fever due to an infection. Most likely from the rupture spleen. Hopefully all goes well for him today. I have high hopes.

 

Keep the Faith and be there for your friend...that is what he really needs right now. My friend has a video tape of a guy doing a "run and jerk" with his offroad club, and the tow strap broke, and recoiled and hit a guy....good thing it was in the winter and the guy had a lot of clothing on. He walked away from it with just some bruises, and a hurt ego....but was fine. That was the last time that I have used a tow strap without putting something like a jacket over it, so that if it breaks, it directs it downward, instead of coming straight back.
Either way, my prayers are with you and your friend...and hoping for a speedy recovery.

 

fordification,
Keep your faith and communication with the LORD. He will be there for your friend and you.

We will say a prayer too.

 

fordification,

Keep your faith and communication with the LORD. He will be there for your friend and you.

We will say a prayer too.

 

I got some word back on his condition. They did an exploratory and found little damage to the spleen, so they didn't bother removing it. The swelling seems to be going down, and he's starting to show signs of movement. The tests from radiology haven't come back yet, so there still not sure about spinal cord damage. Thanks for the sympathy guys. Much needed.

 

Yikes. Was this in Waiparous or McLean? I live in Bragg Creek, so I end up hearing a lot of stories about what goes on in both areas.

You ask if anyone can relate to your situation. I can't, not directly, but being a firefighter/EMT, I've been to scenes like the one you describe, and I understand what it must have been like..

All the best to both your friend and his family, and to you.. let us know how he's doing, okay?


[This message has been edited by Jay911 (edited 09-20-2000).]

 

It was at the annual Waiporous clean-up, Saturday afternoon, around 5:00pm. He was airlifted to Foothills hospital in Calgary by the Stars helicopter. Thinking back, I remember seeing a helicopter fly by twice when I was waiting at the campsite for him. That gives me an eery feeling.

And just 2-3 weeks ago, there was a roll over at McLean, that claimed the life a women.

 

I remember hearing the beginning of the call involving your friend, actually. Small world. I truly hope he turns out all right.

And my department was one of the ones involved in that rescue in McLean Creek. It was an extremely difficult rescue, and it was unfortunate that one of the passengers lost her battle. Let's hope there are no more incidents such as these around here, friend.

Again, best of luck to you and your friend and all those connected.

--jay.

 

GOT SOME GREAT NEWS BACK! The radiology tests came back and found little damage to the spinal cord, except for a small chip off an edge. They also turned off the respirator and he starting to breath on his own. It looks like he just may have been wearing a seatbelt because of an unexplained bruising across his should and diagonally down. And it just happens to be wear the 6 broken ribs were, on one side! Nobody has actually check the truck to see if the seatbelt was broken. They lowered the morphine doseage, and he slowly coming out of it, but hasn't completely woken up yet.

 

That's great! Still got a ways to go though... I chipped a vertabrae a few years ago, not AS scary as it sounds (right now anyway). Best wishes to you all.

 

Well that is some really great news to hear...Always good at a time when someone feels so helpless. Keep us posted as to his condition. My prayers are still with him.

 

MORE GREAT NEWS! I went to see my buddy last night, and he's talking and walking around already! Most of his discomfort comes from his broken ribs on the one side, and it's hard to talk because when the paramedics came for him, they hammered in a tube down his throat to clear the air passage, and it damaged part of his vocal cords. He also explained what actually happened when he was getting towed. I guess for one last attempt at getting the truck started, they decided to put it in gear to jump start it, and the diff or tranny gears might have binded and locked up, or the shifter may have moved into park, which sent the truck into a skid. He's figuring he maybe discharged from the hospital this weekend already! And just 2 weeks ago, I could hardly recognize the guy! Alot of people figured he would be hospitalized for 4-6 weeks, and then in physiotherapy for 2 months. He was kind of worried he was going to miss more football games, considering we have CFL season tickets, and a Grey Cup ticket, but it looks like he just might make it to the next home game. Thanks all for your condolences, thank god this story has a happy ending.