I’ve been climbing for a long time. I was addicted from the first time I tried it: an unlikely trip to a local cliff during one of the most hectic years of college. Climbing, for me, is about freedom and physical challenge, the beauty of the outdoors, and the easy companionship. And it’s about accurate risk assessment. Safety is a complicated equation. In some situations, it is safer to chose to move quickly, to skip on some time-consuming steps so you can get to the top before dark or rain. Over the years, I made the choice to go long distances over rock without placing protection. This choice was made knowing the difficulty of the terrain ahead and knowing my abilities.
My injury happened when I fell during one of those long stretches over easy terrain. I was climbing at a difficulty way below my limit and on a climb I had done a couple of times before. This time, though, I made a single mistake. My backpack slipped as I was taking it off my back and threw me off balance. I deflected the rock flying by me with my hand… thats the last thing I remember. I fell sixty feet until I was stopped by the rope. The impact of the fall, transmitted through the rope and my harness, fractured the L1 vertebra in my spine.
All together I broke my thumb, some ribs, my scapula, and deflated a lung. Thankfully, I was wearing a helmet: there are a few dents in it, but none in my head.
My fellow climbers helped lower me to the ground. Three helicopter rides later, I was at Stanford hospital. Surgeons cleaned up my spine and fused vertebrae above and below the break to stabilize it. Initially after injury I had sensation but not movement below the level of the fracture — this classified me as an L1 ASIA B.
you’ve been to the place/life that no one has ever been to. Sure, it was costly, but hey, that rarity usually goes with day1 for all the super-hero in the making. Keep up with the great work!
Ben sent this blog to me last night. I have been touched by all your entries. This one helps me understand a little more about you and climbing. I will remember the day Ben called me about your accident. I felt something the day it happened. It sounds weird, but there it is. I am SO glad Ben sent this link to me and I hope you keep posting so I can watch your progress. I have read everything once and going through it again, I am getting more details. Love to you and my hope for your continued recovery.
Janet,
I’m glad reading this helped you understand. That is a major reason for me to write all this out. I think this is helping my family deal with the situation as well. Thanks for your support and the well-wishes.