In 2003 I was working on the road like so many of us have to do these days with the economy as it was then and now. We worked on billboard signs, fixing problems and constructing new ones. We were in Greenville, Miss.and the sign we were on was a new one that we had to build on sight, in other words, there was limited room between a business and a private residence, so we had to build it panel-by-panel
and with the height being only 30ft. to the top of this particular sign, because I've been on some in access of over 100ft. We were allmost finished, and as one person was in the crane basket attaching the trim on the outside edge, I climbed to the top w/welding lead draped over my shoulder, proceded tying off to the only thing at the top, a treated 2by6, very sturdy and well placed. After tying off, I droped my shield down and srtuck a arc and at that moment the boom on the end of the crane hit the board I was attached to, ( no creaks, no warning at all ) I went airboarne and no way to see all the way to the ground. I hit the ground so hard, it crushed my rt. heel ( which hit first ) then went down on my right side and my head hit so hard, it knocked the helmet 10 ft. in the air and cracked my head open and took the skin off my rt. forearm. I never passed out and being in shock, I didn't freak out and I knew my rt. foot was broken. Went to the hospital emergency room and was there for about 6 hours and because of the swelling they didn't want to operate that day, so I chose to go back here to my home in north Alabama to see a doctor. He wouldn't operate because of the risk of infection ( being a smoker of two packs a day ) and it taking 7 hours to do the surgery. So, I liad in the bed and healed on my on ( thats the toughest thing I've ever done ) 2 years later and 5 layers of skin gone from the swelling, I got up and started walking around the block in tears from the pain and after about two months got on top-rope and started climbing, weak and in pain, I worked through the pain, I think it was mostly my passion to climb again, so, I kept at it and today ( allthough limited some sorts ) am still climbing, I could have given up, but If you love to climb, you will prevail! Allthough I don't climb as hard and straight forward anymore, I'm still climbing and teaching climbing to anyone who will listen! My son is 18 and has really came along way and is a really strong climber, and myoldest granddaughter is climbing also very strong!! So climb, live, and climb some more!!
Belay On!!!

Right on man!

So instead of operating, they made you stay in bed for two years because you are a smoker?

I'm having a tough time believing this.

Also, you're quite wealthy now I'd assume.

They wouldn't do surgery at first, because of the risk of infection and then he said I could have the surgery, but he couldn't promise that surgery would help with the pain at all and would make it more stiff than it is. I can't move it side-to-side at all and only 40% up and down, which you supposedly only have 45% up and down anyway. So, really with no promise it would make anything better, I couldn't see going through 7 hrs. of surgery and it not helping at all, but maybe worse. Does that make any sense?
I only got a small settlement and by the time I got it, we owed so much it took most of it. I only found out about the crane actually being the cause early this year. I did get some new gear though.