MikePowers321
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- Leeds, Ny
Much Love, AJ. Now your third eye is just begging to be used.
Communication and why it is the most critical safety factor in tree work and tree climbing in general
- Thread starter moss
- Start date
moss
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
That’s great to hear, you’re my model/goal at this point, going for it ;-)
Oh wow, when you don’t expect it is when it gets you. So sorry, listen to the Dr’s and take care of yourself during the healing process.
Stephen Moore
Branched out member
- Location
- Anglemont
Stephen Moore
Branched out member
- Location
- Anglemont
Here’s looking at you man! Sending good vibes!
jmcscrap
Participating member
- Location
- Woodbury, MN
Hope everything works out for the best!
TimBr
Official Well Known Greeter
- Location
- Northern Virginia
@moss; Really sorry to read about your accident, moss. I hope you are doing as well as you can be. Keep your chin up. Just shocking how fast really bad stuff can happen. I guess I have to thank you for being strong enough to post about this stuff, and for helping to keep the rest of us safe by your willingness to debrief this incident. It does and will continue to make a difference. I do tend to let the PPE stuff get more relaxed when I'm doing things that are not directly work related, but you have taught me something here. It is just not possible to predict when the incident will happen, even if you are just hanging around your own house on your off time, taking care of the everyday needs of keeping up with the maintenance on a place.
Thanks for sharing, it makes a difference.
Tim
Thanks for sharing, it makes a difference.
Tim
SoftBankHawks
Branched out member
- Location
- Japan
Hey Moss,
I'm so sorry to hear about this and hope that your eye is healing, just so shocked. I plan to visit Eric in November with a couple of Japanese climbers and would be stoked to meet you if things could fall that way. All the best.
I'm so sorry to hear about this and hope that your eye is healing, just so shocked. I plan to visit Eric in November with a couple of Japanese climbers and would be stoked to meet you if things could fall that way. All the best.
moss
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
Thank you, things are going well, back in the saddle. I’ll check in with Eric and/or PM me dates etc.
moss
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
A bit of followup... second surgery back in the end of May, 3.5 hours, had my retina reattached, unfolded my iris and stitched it back in place, a couple of other things. Surgeon was super happy, didn't think what he did was possible. Every followup appt. since they are amazed, retina surgeon said later, "I didn't really think your retina would remain attached after the surgery, I can't believe it". Because the lens was blown out in the accident, the eye sees a fuzzy world and like Mr. Moore (see his nail gun report above) the pupil is stuck on open, right eye vision is not functional but I'm happy the eye is there and doing its best to contribute. Just had a followup appointment and the surgeon is still amazed. Next step is a contact lens with a built in pupil (aperture) set for daylight, that could make a huge difference.
A couple things... recovery.
After the retina surgery I had to stay face down 23 out of 24 hours a day for two weeks then about 12 hours a day for a week. Audio books saved my ass. I listened to a new book I'd heard about from Old-Growth Forest Network founder Joan Maloof. She mentioned it last year, the author sought her out to consult on details of forest ecology etc. The author is Richard Powers, the book is called "Overstory". It's an intense ride, over 500 pages, introduces and follows 9 characters dating back to colonial times and ends up in the '90's in the battles over old-growth in Northern California. Each character has some deep connection to trees whether they know it or not, the trees and forest are a character too. Listening to it completely fired me up as I dealt with my own sudden trauma and aftermath. Powers is a gifted story teller, at times I felt like he was in my head, I know many of the places and situations he describes. When I finished the book, I started another of his, "The Echo Maker". Turned out too close to home, story of a guy who rolls his truck and suffers a traumatic injury. Put that aside till later. Realized I had Garageband on my phone and could use it to write music face down. That's the second thing that saved my butt during face down recovery time. Here's the first piece I wrote during that time, "Speaking for the Trees" The Journey" sums up the initial accident, the hard ride, and finding a way forward:
The brain is amazing, each daily task made difficult by losing binocular vision has become much easier. My first walk in the woods off-trail freaked me out, it was the most difficult thing I'd done since the injury, day after that I wrote this:
Look at the deer walk
Listen to the the thrush call
Watch the hawk turn into the wind and lift
This is genius
Moving through the woods
Brushing aside branches
Feet nimble over rocks and logs
This is you
Watch the squirrel leap
The beaver swim
The turtle rest
This is genius
Do you dare?
Breathe
Think
Feel
Smell
Touch
These are yours
Use them
Walk like a deer
Listen like a fox
Plan like a raven
Walking in the woods is fine now, I can move the way I want to.
-AJ
A couple things... recovery.
After the retina surgery I had to stay face down 23 out of 24 hours a day for two weeks then about 12 hours a day for a week. Audio books saved my ass. I listened to a new book I'd heard about from Old-Growth Forest Network founder Joan Maloof. She mentioned it last year, the author sought her out to consult on details of forest ecology etc. The author is Richard Powers, the book is called "Overstory". It's an intense ride, over 500 pages, introduces and follows 9 characters dating back to colonial times and ends up in the '90's in the battles over old-growth in Northern California. Each character has some deep connection to trees whether they know it or not, the trees and forest are a character too. Listening to it completely fired me up as I dealt with my own sudden trauma and aftermath. Powers is a gifted story teller, at times I felt like he was in my head, I know many of the places and situations he describes. When I finished the book, I started another of his, "The Echo Maker". Turned out too close to home, story of a guy who rolls his truck and suffers a traumatic injury. Put that aside till later. Realized I had Garageband on my phone and could use it to write music face down. That's the second thing that saved my butt during face down recovery time. Here's the first piece I wrote during that time, "Speaking for the Trees" The Journey" sums up the initial accident, the hard ride, and finding a way forward:
The brain is amazing, each daily task made difficult by losing binocular vision has become much easier. My first walk in the woods off-trail freaked me out, it was the most difficult thing I'd done since the injury, day after that I wrote this:
Look at the deer walk
Listen to the the thrush call
Watch the hawk turn into the wind and lift
This is genius
Moving through the woods
Brushing aside branches
Feet nimble over rocks and logs
This is you
Watch the squirrel leap
The beaver swim
The turtle rest
This is genius
Do you dare?
Breathe
Think
Feel
Smell
Touch
These are yours
Use them
Walk like a deer
Listen like a fox
Plan like a raven
Walking in the woods is fine now, I can move the way I want to.
-AJ
moss
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
While I'm at it, Duane Hook, Ohio climber and person par excellence, texted me at 4:30 AM on a Saturday a month back. I hadn't climbed since the injury. He said something to the effect of "I'm two hours away in Maine, want to climb this afternoon?". Took me ten minutes to think before I responded, I wasn't sure if I could do it, didn't want to face disappointment at loss of abilities, and I was afraid to be up in the air, could trigger more PTSD etc. Replied "Yes!" We went into the woods to a plus 200 year-old red oak growing by a red maple swamp. My throwing sucked, no surprise. Climbing was easy, finally, something that wouldn't be hard to reclaim after the injury. Climbing is 90% tactile, it's all hands, arms, legs, body etc., vision is just along for the ride.
Duane is just one of the tree brothers and sisters who stepped up and made a huge difference for me. Probably like many of you, I tend to tough it out and go it alone way too much. Maybe I've learned how important my fellow humans are, I hope so.
I'm back working, the toughest thing is looking up into the crowns of trees, assessment takes longer, I have to walk around a tree a couple times more than usual to get it. My throwing is back, did some awesome rigs on a takedown two days ago, felt great.
-AJ
Duane is just one of the tree brothers and sisters who stepped up and made a huge difference for me. Probably like many of you, I tend to tough it out and go it alone way too much. Maybe I've learned how important my fellow humans are, I hope so.
I'm back working, the toughest thing is looking up into the crowns of trees, assessment takes longer, I have to walk around a tree a couple times more than usual to get it. My throwing is back, did some awesome rigs on a takedown two days ago, felt great.
-AJ
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SoftBankHawks
Branched out member
- Location
- Japan
so great to hear, thanks for the update, Moss.
