Saturday, April 07, 2007

I may be broken, but I'm still alive

It's been awhile since I've written in here. I was bored at work and remembered that I once had this thing going to keep me busy, and to keep track of myself. I looked at my last post which was dated during the summer of '06. That's a long while ago, and a lot has changed. So let's get started.

I've learned women are crazy. Well, actually I didn't learn that, and not all of them are this way. Just the ones I come into contact with it seems. Maybe that or I fall for the crazy ones. Who knows. Now on to some real photographer issues.


Last time you may have checked in I was probably in perfect health, or at least was an able photographer.

Well that changed on the night of February 13th, in the early morning hours. Someone at the station wanted a piece shot from the view of the reporter travelling on the snow covered and dangerous roads. So, I was the guy who sat in the passenger seat and shot the road through the windshield as we travel into the white death.

I should have known it was going to be a bad night when the first corner we took the reporter nearly took us into a telephone pole. But, I figured it was probably just a fluke, considering it was the first one, and on we went.

After we got done shooting, on our way back to the station, the reporter loses control of our news car and decides to plow it nearly head-on into a guard rail. I knew we were going to hit, and that he lost control, so I attempted to brace myself by grabbing on the the handlebar that is on the ceiling. Bad Idea.

What you are looking at is a x-ray of my arm. That joint in the lower right corner is my elbow, and well, you can see what happened. My upper arm, also known as the humerous bone, snapped in half from the impact. The reporter, naturally, was fine and didn't have a scrape on him.

This wouldn't have been so bad, but what you can't see is there are two other fractures, and I was required to have surgery to fix the break two days later.

I was actually quite lucky. A major nerve was sitting right between the broken bones, and had it moved ever so slightly there was a good chance it would have been severed. Nerves can be put back together, but there was a chance that I would permanately lose use of my wrist and fingers. That would really have put a damper on my shooting career, considering this is my shooting arm we are looking at.

Even after the accident my Orthopaedist was relieved I still had movement in my hand. I count my blessings everyday, but my road to recovery is a long one. I am currently working as an assignment desk person til I can lift a camera again. I guess I should be happy I'm alive, but it's not where I want to be. The people eat me up inside sometimes.

Especially those that like to let the reporter drive.

2 comments:

Widescreen said...

Holy shit dude, your one lucky mother@%#$*@

And there I was thinking you had given up on the blog. I am actually really sorry for you and the terrible pain you must have felt.

In retrospect, you’re lucky to be alive. We get no snow here in Melbourne, Australia but in the mountains we do and the odd occasion I have had to venture out, I do with great caution. I am amazed that your reporter had the accident given it would seem natural for you guys to experience those conditions.

Some people should not get behind the wheel of a car! We have reporters I would never let near my car. Hopefully you are mending and back on the road soon.

Take care.

newshutr said...

Damn...

Sorry I missed this. I did put your blog off for dead. Glad you're at least living, even though the desk is a fate almost as bad..;-)

Get back out on the street soon!!