To all stump grinder operators

[dangb93]

So I am sitting here thinking, what next?

I have nearly grown all the new tibia bone - done over 60mm now! But I have still got over a year before I will walk unaided again - if the plan works.

The nurses and consultants, doctors etc all say it's a miracle where I have got to so far. But I am still a prisoner on one good leg.

I have got all my kit and machinery still - the currently unanswerable question is, will I be able to use it again? I loved what I was doing, and I do have a MEWP amongst other things...

So I am getting my L4 Diploma in arboriculture done.

Like many people on here, I am self employed and the thought of becoming employed is rather off putting at times (the self employed who enjoy being so, will understand).

Perhaps anyone who has got experience of moving away from the manual graft but stayed self employed can share their story?

I know very little about surveying and consultancy, and one gets dreamy ideas about having ones own surveying and consulting company perhaps with some ecological work in the mix too as I love all things nature not just trees...is this realistic? Common sense dictates that one doesn't just sink themselves into offering a service which they have no experience in, even if one does have a L4 or L6....

Just be interested in peoples POV. Thanks.  

[Stihl123]

a very honest story, thanks for sharing. thoughts and prayers...

 

thought i'd share the story about my dad, back in the late 80's he was layed off overnight as a plumber, with absolutely nothing, he knocked on some building site and managed to find someone who was prepared to use him to carry out all his plumbing works on a couple of plots. it then grew from there and was him and another guy for quite some years, then in early 2000's he was cutting the grass and slipped on a bit of wet plastic, broke his leg real badly in quite a few places! at that time, he was the business, quoting, running jobs, invoicing, order, doing the work on site, the lot.

 

he spoke to the guy he had working for him, and he was prepared to carry on working on the tools and dad continue to try and run it from his hospital bed, which is what happened... and he managed to pull it through.

 

come forward 20 years to today, he hasn't been on the tools since and the company now employs 19 people with a few subbies 

 

not sure if that helps as to what your plan is or could be going forward 👍

[JAG63]

Good to hear you're fighting back and making progress against the medical odds based on Mr Average. My thoughts from from a distance based on events so far.

You have the experience and you're demonstrating the determination to make the business work adapting to your capabilities as they continue to recover. I'm assuming you already took on assessment, advising customers and pricing based on site visits as well as the admin so your challenge will be largely the same as before the incident, reliable and experienced staff who you can trust to do the job to your required standard, safely and efficiently whilst you add value bringing in more work and diversify into new fields such as consultancy that can add income and value to the business. You are already making things work for you with hiring out kit. 

My experience post survived major trauma over 30 years ago in a previous career. Circumstances are different but may either explain some things or give food for thought as you continue your journey. The physical recovery as the leg knitted together was easier than the mental recovery which took years, though I had been banged about the head as well with memory of the incident and suppressed consciousness for 2 weeks, hopefully you haven't sustained any concussion being thrown. My key mistakes were 1. Turning down help when a colleague noticed there was something wrong, which I knew by then but was too scared of being let go from a career I loved. If help is offered please try it and if it isn't offered seek it out if you're uncomfortable rather than trying to hide it like I did. 2. Trying to get back to normal too quickly, 2 months after being released from hospital with a leg that required further surgery, no accurate memory, short or long term and expecting to perform to or close to the way I had before. Unrealistic and lead to frustration and a very short fuse. Again this was really trying to hide the problems I had and just made everything worse. 3. Just taking the cocktail of tablets I was given without considering side effects, one of them was infamous for causing short term memory issues.

Not the easiest to write and I'm sure I have missed stuff that will come to me at zero daft thirty. You've got the ability and drive to make it work for you and your family, try to be honest with yourself along the way and trust others close to you to help when needed. Best of luck for the future.

[dangb93]

It is now 8 months since I almost lost my leg to my Bandit ZT. 1 solid month starting in intensive care, high dependancy, lower dependancy and then the ward. 14 bags of blood. 7 operations. More operations to come.

 

And 7 months now either sitting in a chair or lying on my back.

 

If this is new to anyone reading this, please go back to the beginning of the thread and read through.

 

Anyway, some great news - I have now regrown all the tibia bone that was missing in my leg - 71mm total. Now for the next long stage, which is for the new bone to calcify and both ends to knit to the knee and ankle.

 

We recently visited the people who first came to my aid that dark day, and called 999 for me and put the dog lead round my leg, which saved my life. It was a lovely occasion, and so good to see everyone and thank them in person. One of the people, named Rob, lives opposite but one on the same road, and said he heard the machine working and then a sound like a bomb and he thought oops, that machine has just hit something hard - it was of course the sound that I described as a canon going off - my bones being shattered and ripped out of my leg. He then commented on hearing the machine instantly changing tone - my type C trousers getting pulled into the cutter wheel bearings and flapping round the cutter wheel guard which placed extra load on the machine. He then told me he realised the belts where squealing badly, and assumed it was all related to this hard object I had hit with my machine - it was in fact all related, but not to a hard object, but to me - what he thought was belts squealing was my desperate screams.

 

I have to wait four months then have a CT scan to see how things are healing. In the meantime I am having private osteopathy and I am going to get started with a personal trainer.

 

Take care folks and stay safe out there.

[Steve Bullman]

Grim mate! Glad to hear you are making such great progress though!

[Will C]

Sounds like good progress. I believe keeping a positive mental attitude makes a huge difference to how you heal, your posts always come across positive, good luck with the next stage of your recovery 

[Rich Rule]

I have just read this for the first time.  Thanks for highlighting the fact many overlook, turning off the machine.

 

I hope you manage to keep strong both physically and mentally.  The mental part for me was harder than the physical recovery.  My injury was nowhere near as serious, but still was potentially career threatening.

 

Where about are you in the country?  An old friend and member on here did very similar a number of years ago.  There is a thread about that as well.  Dave made a remarkable recovery after many years of operations and rehab.  He is no longer in the industry I believe.  Unfortunately I lost touch with him when I moved away from the UK and he is t one for much social media.

 

All the best mate and keep strong.  🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[Stephen Blair]

I can’t even start to imagine the pain and fear you went through!  Amazing bravery to even tell your story!  
  I have no advice on what would be best for you at this stage, the only thing I can say is I grew up at The Inverclyde National Sports Centre as my dad was the facilities manager, I was surrounded by top athletes, coaches and all round highly motivated people my whole childhood.  1 of the coaches had 1 leg from the knee down, nobody would believe me when I’d tell them the guy running around shouting , coaching and in charge of whole teams of Volleyball had 1 leg under his tracksuit!  He moved onto work for the Olympics in Canada. 

  You crawled out the dirt bleeding and survived, the rest I imagine you will do with ease!

  You’re an inspiration!  

  

[dangb93]

So there is nothing much to update for some time now, as we wait to see if the tibia bone will knit to the knee and ankle, and whether the new section of bone successfully calcifies and sets.

I am not entirely decided myself on this, but thought I would test the water and see what people on here think - who would be up for some pictures of my leg, from the horror day to so far now?

 

[Doug Tait]

Personally I wouldn't be offended, it's reality.