One year ago today.

[chappo (Greg Chapman)]

Well a year ago today i somehow managed to take a dive through the roof and land skull first onto concrete. I have no recollection of the event but 3 days later i woke up in the ICU with a fractured eye socket, fractured skull, four fractured ribs, broken left wrist, right elbow and right shoulder and a dozen stitches in my forehead. 9 days in hospital and i was home with a right arm in a sling and left wrist in a cast with 4 pins hanging out of it. Back in for shoulder surgery a few weeks later and ongoing physio.

I couldn't take care of myself or get dressed. My wife and young Tyler stepped up and took care of me. I was off work till December before going back part time and only went back full time in January.

I am still doing physio and the specialists have said at least two years before things settle down. I will probably never get full use or extension in wrist, elbow or shoulder.
I am still suffering from some small issues with vertigo and nausea.

It all sounds bad but honestly i am lucky to be alive, not a vegie and not in a wheelchair. My life has changed considerably but I still count my blessings. I am so fortunate to have a great wife and son to look after me, so many friends from work and in the shooting community who contacted and visited me whilst i was recuperating, and a job where i had heaps of sick leave available.

I didn't fire a shot till January at a few local night fly matches only using my heavy gun. I  cant straighten my right elbow so my pistol shooting is a bit off and im going to have to learn a new shooting style.  I shot the fly nationals in Canberra in March and was lucky enough to win the two gun, three gun and overall for the match so stoked at that. Since then covid has stopped everything so no shooting at all now.

Ive had to change the way i do a lot of things and there are things i will never do again. I am banned from going on the roof under any circumstances.

Its been a wild year but all up im happy to be alive.

Hope you enjoyed the story but more importantly i hope you can learn something from it. Never go on the roof or undertake a dangerous task if there is no one home. Be thankful to be alive and able to move under your own steam. Value your family and friends. I don't stop and smell roses but i do take a minute every day to be grateful for what i still have.