One year since my accident


Vicefan7777

Recommended Posts

Good morning Vice family.  Well one year ago at approximately 8:30 am I had my horrible fall from the roof of a house I was painting.  For those of you who don't know here is what happened.  I was hired to paint the fascia board of a house.  I had done this many times before.  This house I was at has an area that was impossible to get to without climbing on the roof. I decided to paint that area first because the rest of the house would be easy to reach.  As I climbed my ladder I noticed there was seedlings all over the roof from an overhanging tree.  It created a marble effect so I was being extra careful.  I got on the roof and scrapped the old paint.  When finished I started walking back to my ladder.  This is where everything goes dark.  Thank God there was a witness across the street who called 911.  He told me when I was in the hospital I slipped, did a back flip off the roof, kicked the ladder, fell on top of the ladder, bounced three feet and landed on the cement with my head slamming the ground.  

Since the witness knew me from work I did for him he called my wife.  My wife was still asleep.  He left 4 messages and I later heard them.  They were very frightening to hear.  The witness took my cell phone and began dialing recent numbers.  He got my best friend and told him he could not get my wife on the phone.  My friend told him he would come over to my house and get my wife.  As he was on his way my wife woke up and listened to the messages.  Then she heard pounding on my front door.  My wife refused to believe it at first then came back to reality.  By this time I was already being flown to Las Vegas.  She was a nervous wreck and my friend drove her to Vegas to see me.  They were both happy that I was alive.  Doctors told her that it was a miracle that I was not paralysed.  I did break my back and ribs so the pain was the worst I had ever felt in my life. 

Since then I went through 14 weeks of wearing a brace, many months of physical therapy and have been fighting with Social Security to be put on disability.  I have seen 6 doctors and they are all in agreement that I have at least another 2 or 3 years until my body heals.  Even then they don't know if I will ever be pain free.  

On top of all this the homeowner who owns the house i fell from told her insurance company she did not know who I was and never hired me to paint. This made me angry and I hired a lawyer.  I have a down payment check and phone messages from the owner to prove my case. As we all know the court system moves very slowly so it could be next year before my case is settled. 

In spite of all this I refuse to sit in a corner and feel sorry for myself.  I can get up and move around. In fact my doctor has told me the best thing I can do is to keep active. But bending creates intense pain in my back. I am trying to lose the 20 pounds I gained since this happened.    My wife has made it clear to me I am never to scare her like that ever again! 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Vicefan7777 for letting us all know, how you have been since the accident. I know all of this isn't easy going through, but keep on being active and fighting. :thumbsup:

Wishing you all the best! 

Edited by summer84
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glad to hear you are doing better. This is another example of how you never realize what people are going through.  I always try to treat everyone with empathy because I have no idea of the things they are dealing with.  There are even things about me that even my closest friends don't know.

Best of luck to you.

Edited by IA-SteveB
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember you telling us about the accident sometime after it happened, and thank you for the update.  What an absolutely terrifying experience!

Thankful you continue to recover although sorry it feels (and is!) so slow; also what a shame that the lady who hired you to paint is now denying she had any knowledge of why you were at her house.  No doubt she is worried about her liability, afraid of having pay some of your medical bills and submit a claim to her homeowners insurance. 

You have my very best wishes for continued and quicker improvement and less pain.  Sounds like you have a great attitude and are continuing to work on your physical rehabilitation.  Like Timm525 said, Godspeed on your recovery.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember you telling us about the accident, but I saw posts from you recently and completely forgot you are still recovering. I will keep you in my prayers. God Bless you!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Dadrian said:

"Don't give up la lucha, eh?" :p

I hope I didn't seem insensitive there. I often quote Izzy, and that one is one of my favorite moments of the series. 

I enjoy all of your posts here, and look forward to reading many more! 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

that's luck, my dad knows of three people who died this way, its why i always get called over to help keep the ladder stationary whenever he needs to work on the houses roof.

as he always drilled into me never do this without someone on the ladder, as he lost good friends this way.

and never get into a tree stand without a harness, a guy died in Maine last week from that, his exact words when he called me about it was, Another Frigging tree stand, I just dont trust those things! as when heights are involved, always have spotters and harnesses, even if its a pain in the ass just do it, as its like a seatbelt, never drive anything without one.

even lap belts are better than nothing, and actually saved a guy in a lotus once vs a harness, as he was able to do a rob Snider here at 9:26 with it

 

Edited by Kavinsky
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope that the road to recovery speeds up for you. I know it is tough feeling at the mercy of the system. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers pal. Hang in there! :thumbsup:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Dadrian said:

I hope I didn't seem insensitive there. I often quote Izzy, and that one is one of my favorite moments of the series. 

I enjoy all of your posts here, and look forward to reading many more! 

 Dadrian you were not being insensitive.  In fact you made me laugh and that in of itself is good for me.  :D

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Kavinsky said:

that's luck, my dad knows of three people who died this way, its why i always get called over to help keep the ladder stationary whenever he needs to work on the houses roof.

as he always drilled into me never do this without someone on the ladder, as he lost good friends this way.

and never get into a tree stand without a harness, a guy died in Maine last week from that, his exact words when he called me about it was, Another Frigging tree stand, I just dont trust those things! as when heights are involved, always have spotters and harnesses, even if its a pain in the ass just do it, as its like a seatbelt, never drive anything without one.

even lap belts are better than nothing, and actually saved a guy in a lotus once vs a harness, as he was able to do a rob Snider here at 9:26 with it

 

Yes, seat belts do save lives.  I was involved in only one crash in my life.  Back in November 1988 in Detroit, MI.  It was a 5 car pile up on a freeway at 55 mph and I was in the middle.  I can still feel that belt holding me back as my body wanted to go through the front window. I always believe in being safe doing any job.  The day of my fall it was a bad misstep on what felt like marbles.  I too have known of people who have died from falls.  As a side note I really enjoyed the movie The Seven-Ups. :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I gotta say the thing that gets me with that chase, is who its linked to, as Bill Hillick, I think I'm screwing up the name, the stuntdriver of the charger who does the brushoff gesture to mcqueen in the 68 movie' who's driving the bad guy car in this too, based it on an actual event that took place with how the chase ended.

ala this, in the 1950's their was a family, one was a famous female lead, and the father, with a daughter in the back, they were driving home late one night, got distracted somehow, and well they did that, with only one survivor the kid in the backseat

who went on to be the very judgemental and unlikable woman on Law and order, SUV, a program that I have often done the Austin Powers why wont you die thing with!

12 seasons, 12! and here's the catch the last episode I ever remember watching of it had Roy Snider in it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.