Three spinal fractures

[JaneB]

I had a very bad fall ( horse related ) in late August and sustained L2-4 transverse process fractures. Two weeks in the hospital and now home for a very long recovery. My life has been turned upside down.

Skiing is out for this season and there is no way I'll be able to do it this year. I wonder if I'll ever ski again, but I probably can. This is the first time I haven't skied in 40(?) years.

Has anyone had very long period of disability? Skiing was my life in the winter.

 

[Jilly]

I hear you, because this was me this time last year. Open heart surgery Dec 3rd. First season missed in over 60 years.

The surgeon cleared me in March to ski, but I was so out of shape I decided not to even try.

My advice - keep busy with other stuff. You're in for the long haul, not a short term thing. Taking a year off is not that bad a thing I discovered.

 

[ski diva]

So sorry to hear this, @JaneB ! Sounds like you have a long road ahead of you, but you'll get there. Wishing you a full and fast recovery.

 

[JaneB]

So sorry to hear this, @JaneB ! Sounds like you have a long road ahead of you, but you'll get there. Wishing you a full and fast recovery.

Thank you.

 

[Aerlind]

So I’m no help in the skiing/injury department, but I’ve had a few riding-related injuries….when you return to riding (because if you’re any normal horse person, you totally will), have you looked into an air vest? I’ve been wearing one for the past 4ish years, and it’s been an absolute game changer in not only my confidence, but my comfort when I fall off….which is about once a year because my horse is a spooker!

I wonder, what about looking into a back protector of sorts for skiing? I know I’ve seen them on some of the freestyle team at Bridger, so they’re “a thing”. That might help any loss of confidence/fear of re-injury.

The biggest thing is not to give up hope. Stay connected with your circles, both skiing and riding. And as you are able, work on your fitness. Treat it as the thing to focus on to get you back to the things you really want to do.

And most of all, give yourself some grace. Injuries suck. It’s ok to have feelings about that. Just know you have a whole lot of people, both in person and on the internet, who are rooting for you.

 

[wernerslab]

So sorry about your fall! Glad you are back home and wish you as speedy a recovery as possible.

 

[JaneB]

So I’m no help in the skiing/injury department, but I’ve had a few riding-related injuries….when you return to riding (because if you’re any normal horse person, you totally will), have you looked into an air vest? I’ve been wearing one for the past 4ish years, and it’s been an absolute game changer in not only my confidence, but my comfort when I fall off….which is about once a year because my horse is a spooker!

I wonder, what about looking into a back protector of sorts for skiing? I know I’ve seen them on some of the freestyle team at Bridger, so they’re “a thing”. That might help any loss of confidence/fear of re-injury.

The biggest thing is not to give up hope. Stay connected with your circles, both skiing and riding. And as you are able, work on your fitness. Treat it as the thing to focus on to get you back to the things you really want to do.

And most of all, give yourself some grace. Injuries suck. It’s ok to have feelings about that. Just know you have a whole lot of people, both in person and on the internet, who are rooting for you.

Thanks. I was wearing a helmet and I'm sure it saved me from a head injury. I did have my left ear ripped in half but it's seen back on.

Vest for sure!

 

[liquidfeet]

I had a very bad fall ( horse related ) in late August and sustained L2-4 transverse process fractures. Two weeks in the hospital and now home for a very long recovery. My life has been turned upside down.

Skiing is out for this season and there is no way I'll be able to do it this year. I wonder if I'll ever ski again, but I probably can. This is the first time I haven't skied in 40(?) years.

Has anyone had very long period of disability? Skiing was my life in the winter.

So sorry to hear of your injuries. You'll get through this and come out the other end a skier as always.

 

[liquidfeet]

Thanks. I was wearing a helmet and I'm sure it saved me from a head injury. I did have my left ear ripped in half but it's seen back on.

Is your horse OK?

 

[contesstant]

@JaneB, I am so sorry to hear this! You've gotten great advice here already, so I can't add much except to heal well, and hang in there! Give those muzzles a big smooch for me. Let them be your sanity as you get through winter.

 

[JaneB]

Is your horse OK?

Yes. Amazingly. I thought he was dead. He was just knocked out.

 

[JaneB]

@JaneB, I am so sorry to hear this! You've gotten great advice here already, so I can't add much except to heal well, and hang in there! Give those muzzles a big smooch for me. Let them be your sanity as you get through winter.

I haven't been steady enough on my feet to go outside until recently, but I did get to touch their muzzles yesterday!

 

[JaneB]

I hear you, because this was me this time last year. Open heart surgery Dec 3rd. First season missed in over 60 years.

The surgeon cleared me in March to ski, but I was so out of shape I decided not to even try.

My advice - keep busy with other stuff. You're in for the long haul, not a short term thing. Taking a year off is not that bad a thing I discovered.

I am in physical therapy twice a week, so that is helping me see progress. She told me to expect about a six month recovery.

 

[contesstant]

I haven't been steady enough on my feet to go outside until recently, but I did get to touch their muzzles yesterday!

That must have made you so happy! Day by day. You are fit and strong, which is a huge advantage as you recover.

 

[Abbi]

@JaneB I had open heart surgery in November 2023 so that killed my ski season! I probably could have gone at the end of March but by that point they had already figured out that I would need to go through all that crap again to replace a valve that decided not to stay fixed. So in addition to missing my 2023–24 ski season I also then missed my 2024 sailboat racing season. Grrrrrr. However being alive is a positive so I allow for that! Best of luck on your recovery. Been there, 1 million years ago, on crashing horses! Take care of you and glad your horse is still alive!

 

[JaneB]

@JaneB I had open heart surgery in November 2023 so that killed my ski season! I probably could have gone at the end of March but by that point they had already figured out that I would need to go through all that crap again to replace a valve that decided not to stay fixed. So in addition to missing my 2023–24 ski season I also then missed my 2024 sailboat racing season. Grrrrrr. However being alive is a positive so I allow for that! Best of luck on your recovery. Been there, 1 million years ago, on crashing horses! Take care of you and glad your horse is still alive!

@JaneB I had open heart surgery in November 2023 so that killed my ski season! I probably could have gone at the end of March but by that point they had already figured out that I would need to go through all that crap again to replace a valve that decided not to stay fixed. So in addition to missing my 2023–24 ski season I also then missed my 2024 sailboat racing season. Grrrrrr. However being alive is a positive so I allow for that! Best of luck on your recovery. Been there, 1 million years ago, on crashing horses! Take care of you and glad your horse is still alive!

I'm finding that impatience to get my life back is the biggest trap. I have accepted that there is no way I'm skiing this season.

I would like to ride in the spring but whether I can ride my horse who was in the accident is another matter.

I am very gradually doing a little more. I can move better after not being able to bend or twist or lift at all. I can dress and shower myself-big progress. These little improvements are what I have to focus on.

I haven't worked since the accident except for some phone calls. Another hurdle.
What did you do to occupy your time?

 

[liquidfeet]

I am very curious about how your injuries came about. Can't shake off the curiosity.
How did the accident occur? What made it happen?
And when you say "whether I can ride my horse who was in the accident is another matter," what does that mean?
I know your horse must mean a lot to you.

 

[JaneB]

I am very curious about how your injuries came about. Can't shake off the curiosity.
How did the accident occur? What made it happen?
And when you say "whether I can ride my horse who was in the accident is another matter," what does that mean?
I know your horse must mean a lot to you.i

 

[JaneB]

I was driving my horse in a two wheeled road cart. It's a wooden wheeled vehicle. We were at Acadia National Park. There are stables there where people rent the stalls for the time there.

We have driven there ( this horse and I) for at least five trips, often 15 miles a day.

There is a steep hill from the stables going into the carriage trails. On the way up he balked, the cart turned, wheels caught, and we went down a steep embankment. I was launched out of the cart and hit the ground and maybe trees on the way down. I don't really know. It was sudden and a blur.

Riding a horse is safer than driving one. But after this injury I imagine I'll have fears around falling Horses are big. I've never been hurt with them until now. But it's been a very big hurt.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

You mention post tramatic fear around horses. Maybe some counseling to reduce that possibility would be worth looking into. From other posts on here and my own experience after trama events, I can say that EMDR therapy has helped in a matter of two or three sessions. I was injured (pelvic fractures) in late January, skiing again tentatively by April and back teaching the following December. I distinctly recall a powder day that next season when I felt lile my brain and body were fully back in the game skiing assertively. I hopw ypu can be kind and patient with yourself with however long the process takes you to hopefully return to fully enjoying what is clearly a big part of your life with you horse(s?).