Back in the shop finally

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woodwish

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Jan 29, 2004
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Lynn Haven, Florida, USA.
Back on Memorial Day I was finishing up some work on our new metal roof to our two story home. A ladder support bent and I fell about 20 feet onto a porch railing. Yes, it was the one day I did not have one my harness so I don't need any safety lectures at this point. Shattered my femur & hip, broke my elbow, and bruised up everything else. I feel lucky to just be alive.

So after three months of healing and therapy I finally got back in the shop on Saturday, first day I could actually stand for that long. I'm still a long way from being healed, and may never be 100%, but I did make some turning chips. First I made a new cane from oak that is much more like me than the aluminum one I was using (and it was much better than the walker I used the first two months). Then I finished rough turning a piece of what was green silver maple that I had chucked up the weekend that I fell.

Skills were rusty and after I finished I came in to take a pain pill and rest, but I made some sawdust. It was a huge mental step in the healing process. Maybe today I will make it out there again!

I have been reading a lot of wood forums and getting inspirations all summer so it was good to be in the shop even for a short time. I also took my "to do" list off the wall and crossed off everything that did not allow both my feet to be on the ground. I think I will sell all my ladders on E-Bay later. :)
 
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Ray,

I'm really sorry about your accident; really happy it wasn't worse; really really happy you are healed enough to get back to what you love.

Take care!!
GK
 
Glad your doing better. How do you like the metal roof? We bought a place in New Mexico and plan on using it on the new house we're going to build.

Jack
 
Thanks for all the good wishes and prayers, and I did make it out there again today. wough turned another bowel from maple that I cut shortly before the accident. Also worked on ideas for a candle holder for an unity candle set for my daughter's wedding in a less than three weeks. I promised this to her when I was in the hospital and don't intend to not follow through. I also promised that I would be able to walk her down the aisle. A few weeks ago I wasn't sure I could but in the last few days I have really improved with walking, down the aisle it will be! I also am glad I made a real cane to use for the event, aluminum off-the-shelf just wouldn't have worked. I did have several woodturner friends that offered to make a cane, but I am really glad I made one myself. It means a lot to me and my family to do that.

Jack, as to the metal roof we love it. Living near the Gulf coast of Florida it has become almost financially impossible to get homeowners insurance, so we had to re-roof even though the old shingle roof did not leak. Doing most of it ourselves (we did hire someone to finish after the accident) it was much cheaper than hiring someone to shingle it. The only shingle quote I could get was around $13,500. After hiring a crew to finish maybe the last 25%, all the supplies, and some tools that I did not already have I spent about $8000. Even with my share of the medical bills after insurance I came out ahead. Insurance went from $6800 if we did nothing to $2300 with the new metal roof. If will last about 40 years and by that time it won't be my problem [:p], really isn't very likley to EVER leak, looks great, and will withstand winds far greater than shingles. Not really a problem around here but may be where you live, it's also much more fireproof than wood or asphalt shingles.

OK, time climb into bed and get some rest, have to go back to my "real" job all day tomorrow (I teach high school). Only advice I have to all of you is to stay off ladders, or at least use a harness EVERY time you go further up than you are willing to fall [:0]
 
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