To all stump grinder operators

[NJA]

All the best with recovery, thanks for writing this.  Worth it if it saves one person from having an accident.  I don't do much grinding but same applies to saws, machines, processors etc.

Maybe put your bank details on here, sure plenty could chuck something in there to help you along?

[rapalaman]

4 hours ago, NJA said:

All the best with recovery, thanks for writing this.  Worth it if it saves one person from having an accident.  I don't do much grinding but same applies to saws, machines, processors etc.

Maybe put your bank details on here, sure plenty could chuck something in there to help you along?

Maybe PayPal would be better if you have it?

[Conor Wright]

Is there a UK version of the fallen families fund or other similar organisations which may be able to help?

 

[dangb93]

23 hours ago, NJA said:

Maybe put your bank details on here, sure plenty could chuck something in there to help you along?

 

19 hours ago, rapalaman said:

Maybe PayPal would be better if you 

 

That’s very kind of you to offer thank you so much, but I was only posting to raise awareness and hopefully prevent someone else going through what I went through and still am going through. 
We are comfortable at the moment I would feel bad people giving us money! 

[Steve Bullman]

Thanks for sharing. Stark reminder of how dangerous these machines can be!

 

I know you said you’re comfortable at the moment but if things should change there’s is this charity that you could contact if needs be who deal with just this sort of thing

 

Home - Perennial

PERENNIAL.ORG.UK

---

Helping people in horticulture. If you work with plants, grass, tree or flowers and need our support, call our helpline free on 0800...

 

[Drifter2406]

Thanks for sharing, hope you have a full and speedy recovery.

[skc101fc]

Hey there, its been over a month since you posted about your disaster.  It's just been brought back to my mind by a like reaction to my post in your thread. Ashamed that I haven't checked back in with you to see if and how your recovery is going. I hope there is some improvement, and small glimpses of a positive light at the end of a tunnel. 

Are your family good, and getting used to you being around more frequently,  than when you were spending all your time being the bread winner?

Let us know what your precious and almost lost, life looks like now.

Still wishing you the best 

Shaun 

[dangb93]

1 hour ago, skc101fc said:

Hey there, its been over a month since you posted about your disaster.  It's just been brought back to my mind by a like reaction to my post in your thread. Ashamed that I haven't checked back in with you to see if and how your recovery is going. I hope there is some improvement, and small glimpses of a positive light at the end of a tunnel. 

Are your family good, and getting used to you being around more frequently,  than when you were spending all your time being the bread winner?

Let us know what your precious and almost lost, life looks like now.

Still wishing you the best 

Hello mate thanks for your kind thoughts. Without going back and reading the original post and following ones etc I can’t remember all I’ve said but the accident was 11/11/22 and I was discharged from hospital 08/12/22 with a whopping skin graft just been done over the left lower leg (outer 50% - tibula bone round to halfway across the back, knee to ankle)

It was very touch and go as to wether such a big graft over such a traumatic wound would work, and it took 2 whole months but miraculously it has healed over. 
The temporary external metal fix frame was drilled three places into my tibula bone and two places into my femur. So my whole leg was rigid. This has been holding my leg together (without it leg would have fallen to pieces) from the day of the accident until 20/02/23 when I had my sixth operation to remove the temporary metal fix frame and install a longer term TSF semi permanent frame. That’s a frame that’s like a cage that goes from my knee to ankle and I have 17 metal pins through the tibula bone. Because the tibula bone was multiple fractured so lots of pins to align it all now and also the frame I have to adjust it daily to encourage fresh bone in the gaps (they had to saw bits of bone out that were beyond repair). My fibula bone is beyond reasonable repair and will most likely end up staying in the three disjointed and shortened sections that it currently is, held in place with scar tissue eventually they hope. My leg looks horrendous it’s all pink and deformed down one side, but I still have my leg which again is a miracle. My knee is siezed due to not being moved for over 4 months so lots of rehab on that, including lying on a knee CPM machine (Google that to save an even longer post!) 3 hours at least per day.
so I have this frame for approx 18months. I have crutches now and can get about a bit. Allowed to put some weight on the left leg again which is a huge mental challenge but I’m getting there. Went out in the garden yesterday and drank in the warm sunshine and hints of spring, buds swelling and birds chirping. 
My wife is being an absolute star and our little son is happy as ever, he turns 1 year old on the 12 March, and I turn 30 (he was born on my birthday last year) so it will be a happy time as he nearly lost his Daddy. 
The future? I hope in a year or two to have a better idea if I can carry on with my current tree surgery business. I have put all my kit into storage, and occasionally my brother runs the larger kit (grinders, chipper, loader, trucks etc) the Mewp goes out on a hire here and there to pay for itself, and smaller kit won’t hurt it’s all on aspen. I plan on doing some distance learning while I’m recovering so even if highly physical work isn’t for me anymore due to possible limitations, I hope to stay within the industry, maybe go into surveying/consulting/perhaps even ecology stuff too etc

sorry long post it’s easy to ramble on but that’s me KR Dan

Edited March 8, 2023 by dangb93

[skc101fc]

Thanks for that quick reply. It would have taken me half a day to one finger type out that lot ! Not entirely keyboard averse, but fairly close to it.

Gosh, I hadn't realised the initial stumpy attack was so long ago, which makes the rehab time even more necessary for operators of any machinery to appreciate, when things go bad.

That is certainly a fair list of procedures to endure, to reach where you are today. Well done to everyone along the way for their inputs, no matter how small, from the dog walkers with their life saving tourniquets, the paramedic calling woman, through to the surgeons, nurses and your family for believing you can be rebuilt. 

Sound's like there's still a considerable journey to go. When you get angry, pissed off,  despondant, or jubilant with another milestone reached, drop me a line, or shout out in arbtalk to let it out, and let us know.

Regards 

Shaun 

 

[dangb93]

It is almost five months since I stepped backwards into my Bandit ZT at full throttle and what a horrendous journey it’s been so far. Here’s a little update some of you have said about posting sometimes how it’s going…

Operation number 7 just been done. They had to drill 4 extra pins through my foot and attach to a metal plate to try and stop my foot (which currently I can’t control) flopping round. So that makes 17 pins through my leg and 4 pins through my foot. Long long journey and a lot of pain as my leg is stretched. My tibia bone has grown back approx 40mm though so far and overall the surgeon said he is pleased with progress (apart from foot drop). And my knee is coming back. I’ve got almost 90 degrees of movement now. 
Im selling my Nissan cabstar arb tipper in the classifieds on here, if anyone is interested. Partly to raise some funds for us and also because I can’t have multiple trucks parked up not doing anything for the next couple of years…

Edited April 8, 2023 by dangb93
Bit more detail