Back to work after injury

[Jimmyfwoods]

Hello everyone.

I'm new to arbtalk and relatively new at tree surgery been doing it just over two years.

Unfortunately in February 2017 I had an accident at work, a cherry tree covered in ivy fell onto me giving me a fractured and dislocated ankle, compound fracture to my fibula and also a broken collarbone. Before you say didn't you see it coming I didn't the trees roots failed and it fell just as i was walking passed it after handing some spikes to a friend. Who luckily didn't get a chance to climb it! Maybe the tree should have been checked more when being quoted, I have no idea..... HSE will decide that.

Anyway I gave up on the idea of me ever being able to do tree surgery as I had a 12 hour muscle reconstruction surgery on my ankle/leg which left me with nerve damage and a nice new metal ankle, also a metal collarbone. It took me months to even wiggle my toes and so much longer to weight bare and walk. After being told by an occupational health therapist that I'd never do it again and was fired from my previous job on medical grounds as they told them I'd never do it. Things got really tough. I tried other jobs when i started to walk again and it was killing me not being able to persue the career I'm so passionate about.

So after ignoring the doctors and with the help of a few local companies I have got back into the game! Which has honestly made me so happy because I have proved everyone wrong. After such a horrible accident and recovery it did seem impossible but here I am loving life again trying to get back out there working, but full time work is abit much at the moment so only doing 2-3 days if I can get the work ( very difficult when you tell employers you have been crushed by a tree before...)

So cutting a long story short I have a few questions that I hope someone might help me with.

1) training- I was working with a company called jenks and was so close to being put through my tickets after over a year of hard hard work but never got the opportunity to as my accident happened and they got rid. Is there any way I can get my tickets but on finance or something? As allot of places won't take me unless I have the tickets.

2) climbing equipment - I'm trying to get myself a climbing kit but as you can imagine money is tight. I've been donated a harness and a rope from some very nice people, but i was wondering where everyone gets their equipment and if anyone would sell me anything just so I can go rec climbing to get used to it again. E.g prusik, sidestrop, karabiners..

 

3) Recovery- has anyone else had similar leg injuries and found anything useful to help support on the ankle or treatments that help. 

 

Thanks for reading and remember just because the whole world is telling you, you can't do something, you can, I'm nearly back to normal and this wouldn't of happened if I didn't push the limits.

[Rough Hewn]

I'm paying for my own tickets. One by one.
Find a good place or teacher, negotiate.
Sounds like you've got a never give up attitude.
You'll make it.
[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

[Jimmyfwoods]

15 minutes ago, Rough Hewn said:

I'm paying for my own tickets. One by one.
Find a good place or teacher, negotiate.
Sounds like you've got a never give up attitude.
You'll make it.

Thanks for the advice appreciate it

 I think that I will have to do the same as you and pay one by one, will definitely be worth it tho! Waited this long I can wait abit longer haha. 

 

 

[Khriss]

Amazing bounce-back fella ! Pity yr not nearer us, k

[Arborist]

Will you get compensated for the accident? If you do you could use some of that money to set your self up.

[Mark Bolam]

Put 'Stumpgrinder accident' into the 'Search' facility mate, but be prepared as some of the pics are pretty disturbing.

Dave Dyer is back climbing again after that, he's some man.

 

Just shows what is achievable.

 

Good luck with it mate.

 

Sorry I can't offer any advice about the tickets, hope you can sort some funding.

[HuntingHicap]

I'd forgotten that thread!!! just re read it incredible guy to pull through that but not feeling like eating tonight now!

[Jimmyfwoods]

Thanks for the replies. I haven't been compensated no and if i was it would take years to get any, so a good idea in the long run  but I'm kind of desperate to get back into it ASAP haha. 

 

That accaccident looks bad, how amazing he's ok! 

[Jimmyfwoods]

Here's a picture after surgery. Thought some people might want to see... 

[Mark Bolam]

Cheers Jimmy.

That’s put me right off my ham for tea.