It’s all on me; by which I mean that I keep warning you all to stay vigilant, mind your manners, play by the rules, take a whistle, take water, take food, watch where you step, take a buddy, stay safe and what do I do? It’s a long story.
A couple of retired UNM and state water guys and a photographer wanted to go see a place where water and water wars had really meant something and where the place is still worth a project or two. So we went to the Rio Puerco and Cabezon—a surreal place with volcanic plugs, salt water rivers, artesian wells, limestone blocks, and ghost towns.
And then I broke my leg.
Mind you I was just standing there by the side of the road when up jumped a whole block of fossils. When I first saw it it was flat as flat can be and steady as any as it lay there on the ground. (However, if I had had my walking stick, which I ALWAYS take with me and which I always insist that everybody take as well, I would have tested the rock’s stability to see if it was, which it wasn’t, or to see if it more resembled a teeter-totter which it did.)
When I stepped on it, it sent me flying down 30%-40% slopes pretending I was a slinky. I would go head first, make a pile then feet first and make a pile. During one of those feet first stops my right foot felt the need to take a potty break in a crack it had slipped into but the rest of me kept going. Thing was the steps were six feet deep rather than the six inches of normal slinky things. I wound up about 40 feet down the slope. Pete quickly found a couple of blankets and a pillow in his car and threw them and some water down to Jim who was just getting to me. He then took off down the road in his car to find a signal, and Henry stayed up on the road in case anybody with any sense came by.
About 40 minutes later the HOTSHOT crew from Jemez Pueblo showed up and then the Zia Pueblo crew came in about five minutes later. I need to tell you about these guys but not right now.
A couple guys came down; they stabilized the leg, made sure they had my insurance card number (kidding) and with ropes, sleds, neck braces, belts, and grunts I was out of there in about an hour, most of which was a physical: You hurt? Yes. Where? Lower right leg, left shoulder. Move your fingers? Yes. Move your toes? Yes. Pain in back? No. Need to throw up? No. Hit your head? No. Bleeding? No. He called up for what looked like a sturdy sided shoebox,ripped enough of the side for my foot to fit inside and then called for another box to fit my entire leg into; he taped them shut; called for a light litter which they tucked under me; called for a sled, a neck brace, a companion and a rope; they put the neck brace on, lifted me into the sled, belted me in, tied the rope to the front end and started to pull me out.
The Zia and Jemez pueblos neighbor one another and the jokes were flying back and forth as if they were neighbors. Some sixty years ago I hooked up with a Zia HOTSHOT crew on a fire behind Los Alamos. I learned more about fighting fires in one day than in all the other fire fighting courses I’ve had since.
I asked the fellow at the head of the litter when we reached the ambulance how I could tell them apart to thank them; without taking an added breath he said the Zias were the short ones. I love those guys.
Don’t know what this all means. So far its been one tibia, one fibula, two steel plates, 18 screws, 42 stitches and some real nice conversations with the nighttime nurses in the UNM teaching Hospital. The docs say it will be a long one, putting more and more weight on it as time passes and maybe a few hours a day with a cane by mid February.
There is something weird going on in nursing in that they can’t be nurses anymore: no pats on the arm; no rub of the shoulder—has to do with lawyers and harrassment. But not for Rosa Pokey, the strong boned, 50ish, Navajo nurse who gave me my nighttime feel good shots. A slight smile showed on her face when she noticed I was watching; when she finished, she patted the back of my hand—an acknowledgment that I was human, that she knew I hurt, that she was there if I needed her. She closed the curtains, lowered the lights and left a small crack in the door as she went on to other duties. I love those people.
And you laughed at me when we met up at Starbucks and I told you I had searched a library. It’s dangerous out there Richard lol…..well, it seems retirement had it’s own way of slowing you down…so glad it wasn’t more serious(because that’s serious enough). You don’t need any of those cute nurses anyway…I’ve seen your wife 😉 Hang in there…if you need me to search any of your spots while you’re tied up, I’d gladly as long as they’re right.
And here I was worried about chagas disease. Things are mending–at least i don,t need that little hand held urinal as much any more. Believe me, sooner or later, i’m going to let everybody in on my secret search areas. Thanks for writing. It helps a lot. r/
Stop walking unleveled surfaces, stay on the flat ground with the rest of us.
Hi Jane, We are talking New Mexico here right? We have so many unleveled surfaces the water sometimes has to run uphill!
I’m happy to hear you’re doing ok. There are those who have tumbled down hills…landing each time in a pile…who remained in a pile…because there wasn’t anyone there wasn’t anyone there to unpile them.
You share some great advice to never go out into remote places alone. I swear, those people who do go out alone must be crazy.
Btw, I have a couple of aunts who are nurses. They are the nicest people by nature.
I have enjoyed your writing over the years. Please keep it up.
Hi JC,
You know what surprised me? That those ancient buddies of mine still remembered their “wilderness first aid” from boy scouts. They knew exactly what to do and how to do it. i’d go just about anywhere with them. Thanks for writing. r/
This is where I thought your previous post was going. I kept waiting for the slinky. Get well soon!
This reminds me of the time I was metal detecting a steep ravine in Sedona, AZ my right foot tangled with my left and down I went into a pile of cactus. Be safe!
Ouch! When I was about eight, my dad was hitting us fly balls out back. I was tracking one w/o looking where i was going and ran smack into a cholla. I still find one of them suckers itching to get out now and then. Take care Joe. Thanks for writing. r/
Hi Richard, This story is right above the jumpy leg story, I’ve had jumpy leg that I thought was going to launch me into space, and a tip over trip down an embankment, but something saved me from injury. Maybe you’ll be better in a couple weeks instead of months.
Hi James,
Loads of fun, right? Nothing like a fall properly belayed to up your faith in your fellow man. And nothing like a role down a rocky hillside w/o a lot of blood on your forehead to make you want to think, “Man-o-man, I must have done something right! Take care, r/
Hope you get better soon! What a story haha.
Some winter project this, hope it means lots of writing. I’m visualizing all the mineral particles clicking back into place. Tell us you’re not confined to the 17-footer. Best–
That’s one way to avoid getting roped into climbing Cabezon! That’s an angry, albeit beautiful country so be careful out there!
Indeed it is 9tter. That’s why I’m going back.
Richard, I hope you are recovering ! I was looking to see what you have been up to when I found this. I thought I was the only one whose world came up to meet them.
I too love UNMs hospitals . You must have ended up at the one down the road from me. So happy to have them in our area, it was a long trip from Sandoval county to midtown Abq. when in pain.
I hope you have been doing some writing while you recover ? It’s a good time to put thoughts to paper even virtual paper. Get better, and always take that stick with you from now on. Be well!
deb
Are you up and running again yet? We miss you out on the frontier of treasure hunting, rock climbing, and in-the-wood looking.
you have
not posted in a while, your writing is great , keep it up
Just did an obit search to see why there were no recent posts; hope your efforts were worth the Chile, coming in from the gold
Love you posts, was wondering why you stopped and will you pick it up again….please do…