Hello again, guys.

Hope you didn't forget about me.

For the past 6 weeks, I had been in the Slovak Army Hospital in Ruzemburok, Slovakia, after getting a rather nifty titanium rod installed in my broken leg.

The good thing is that it happened on my last of 4 jumps, so I was able to get all my wings and certificates. Russian, Slovak, Polish, Ukrainian and Portuguese.

A better bunch of guys you will never meet, and I had a blast, up to the part where my leg went CRUNCH. Open spiral fracture of right tibia near the ankle, poking out of my boot, and closed fracture of upper right tibia. It was not fun when the paramedic thought he could set it. Almost tossed my cookies.

At any rate, it was my own damned fault. I went from using the Polish Kadet parachute (do NOT pull toggles at landing) to Slovak/Czech OVP-68 (DO pull down toggles all the way through landing) military round chutes. FUBAR.

Originally, I was sent to a civilian hospital, where they were going to just put me in a cast and send me to Kosovo. Somehow, the Slovak Army got involved, and the Surgeon General of the Slovak Armed Forces personally ordered them to send me to the military hospital 100km away. The US Embassy's military attache called me at the hospital, advising me that he had an interesting start to the day when a US Army Lt. General was asking him about some injured private contractor in his AOR...

The Deputy to the Surgeon General was visiting me about twice a day until they were able to get the titanium rod in my leg, and then every couple of days thereafter. A former Slovak Special Forces soldier and parachutist, and medical doctor, he really took a personal interest in my case. I got treated like a VIP from then on. Private room, etc.

I was immobile in bed for a month, until I was able to get transferred to rehab 2 weeks ago. Again, private room and VIP treatment.

Yesterday, I was driven to Bratislava, and am now ensconced in my hotel room overlooking the Danube. I fly out to Bangkok via Vienna tomorrow. The guys I was jumping with have been abso-effin'-lutely amazing, ensuring that I have had all the support that I need, as has the US Embassy Citizen Services section. It has been astounding how much they have done for me, from getting me books to read, contacting my insurance company, to making my air and hotel reservations for me when I was otherwise incommunicado.

I am trying to get my photos resized, and there is even a video of me under canopy on my cherry jump.

Sorry I haven't been able to get online for the last 6 weeks, but I got to spend almost the entire time looking at ethernet outlets... that had not been connected to their network, yet.

Even with breaking my leg, I have to say I regret nothing, and am looking forward to jumping out into the sky again in the future.

Glad to see you back ok .

Not QUITE OK, but I will be in a few weeks. Doc says leg will be stronger than before, until I get Ti rod pulled out next year, then I get to wait another 6-8 weeks for that to heal, again. Not throwing out crutches.

Possible gig lined up in Cambodia, but have other options in Thailand should that fall through. Of course, I will try to enjoy myself in Thailand for a few days before getting back into the rat race.


Jeff: Are you in Thailand, now?

Really it's your own fault for leaving a perfectly functioning airplane. I mean, c'mon, how dumb is that?

;)

Regards,
-Bouncer-
ps: We don't really care about your transformer leg. Tell us about the female nurses!

There was only one nurse who was NOT fantastic. She was a loon, and luckily I only had to deal with her on the weekend night shift. Only had to see her for about 30 seconds a night, thank God. She was a real piece of work.

Otherwise, they were all delicious. One of them even gave me a nice kiss when I left.

Nope. No sponge baths. Dammit.

Bouncer: Who said it was a perfectly functioning aircraft? It was a f***ing Russian HIP! LOL

Take care in your "vacation" and welcome in the parachute injured club. in 2005 broke my knee because of bad landing

Feet and knees together Airborne!

Glad to hear your doing ok now.

Jumping is no joke. I broke both my legs back in 1999 on a jump.

Sucks huh?