To all stump grinder operators

[dangb93]

3 hours ago, Haironyourchest said:

Can I be very morbid and ask what you eventually did with the stump grinder, in terms of cleaning, repair, storage, sale or whatever? (Sorry if the question is cringe 😬)

No worries! The machine was quite clean, because i was only in contcat with it for a second - all the bits of leg tissue, flesh and bone were strewn over the garden, and the blood was a great pool around me - so no mess really on the machine.

I was told that the pfanner type c trousers took some work to extract them from the cutter wheel on the machine. Not surprising. 

My boots were so soaked in blood that they were binned.

In the days following that horrific day, I said I never wanted to see the machine again, and that I wanted to sell it. So my family tried to sell it multiple times for me, each person seemed really interested but let us down at the last minute, after this had happened, I thought perhaps there's a voice in this...by this time I had turned my thoughts round the correct way, and I was then taking full responsibility for my actions, and that the machine hadn't done anything wrong - after all, it was only doing what I told it to do!!! so I have kept it along with all my other kit - and who knows I could be grinding again in a year or two time! 

I recently started it up, engaged cutter wheel and ran full throttle for a minute or two, to reconcile my traumatised mind with the machine again. As soon as I am able, perhaps late 2024, I intend to take it out and grind a stump or two to complete the reconciliation and healing process in my mind...

Even if I never do stump grinding again, I feel very strongly that embracing it again is part of a mental healing process - a bit like if a swimmer is caught in a rip tide and has traumatic experience of nearly drowning, gets rescued by lifeboat, and then faces up to it and gets back in the sea the next day - or motorbike crash, recover, get back on motorbike again.

[dangb93]

Regarding pictures of my leg - I will try and get some in the right format to upload (and probably put a warning in the thread title as well). Can't promise when!

[dangb93]

WARNING! Graphic photos follow this post! 

[dangb93]

At the scene. Part of fibula bone dangling on my boot. If anyone is buying a new pair of boots, I would recommend giving the Arbotec Scaffell boots a try - look no further for a testimony to their endurance! Note how short my lower leg is. A limb will collapse as soon as the bones are ripped out of it. The tournequay is above my knee.

At A + E. My knee is on the right. Note the way my lower leg is curved because their is no bone structure left. Fibula bone dangling down. My right leg is visible behind. Early November 2022. 

Edited August 8, 2023 by dangb93
Date

[dangb93]

One month and 5 operations later. The skin graft done. Taken from my right thigh. Note how swollen the wound and leg is. Metal work holding my leg together. Early December. 

Edited August 8, 2023 by dangb93
Date

[dangb93]

After three months the skin graft is healed over. Still very swollen. Early February. 

[dangb93]

TSF frame is fitted, operation number 6. To align and regrow the tibia bone. February. 

[dangb93]

Foot plate TSF fitted. To repair ankle and to keep foot in neutral position while TSF is lengthening. Operation number 7. April. 

[openspaceman]

Just now, dangb93 said:

 

Heck and I thought I wasn't squeamish, best wishes for  a good recovery

[dangb93]

 

(Above) Green arrows show position of lengthening adjustment at February, commencing limb lengthening. 
(Below) Green arrows show position of adjusters now that tibia lengthening is complete, 71mm total. Note toes are curled due to tendons pulling tight as limb is lengthened. July