It hadn’t been a great start to the excursion, but at least I had seen some activity in the woods. On the way out I had slipped trying to negotiate a ditch. It was like someone had whacked me with a plank of wood on my ankle.
My hand went to the mobile phone. Hang on. Let’s just assess what’s going on here. I could move my toes and slightly move my ankle. It can’t be broken. Perhaps a pulled muscle or at the worst damaged ligaments. It must be. I crawled out of the ditch and into the field. The exertion caused my breath to form a stream of white vapour from my mouth as the temperature dropped.
Well, if ever there was anyone more prepared for this, it was me. I had a sleeping bag, bivi bag, food, water (no I didn’t – I’d poured it away to walk out, stupid!) knife, firesteel, whistle, light-stick, kitchen sink and good clothing. I would survive.
OK. Before we call the cavalry, let’s try and stand up. I pushed myself up hopping on the good leg. And the other leg? I gingerly placed it on the deck. Yes, that hurt. A lot. A shooting pain went up the back of my leg. I would need a walking stick; but to cut one, I would have to go back into the woods. I don’t think so.
Some semblance of logic and rational thought returned. If this was a calf muscle injury, I wouldn’t be able to extend and flex the foot but I might be able to bear some weight with the foot angled out at 90 degrees. Well, that was less painful. I was kind of mobile. All I had to do now was walk, I mean limp, the half mile across the field, negotiate another ditch, follow a tarmac road for 200 yards and I would reach the car. No problems.
I had my first aid kit of course, but to strap up the leg would be a waste of time and effort. The high legged surplus army boots seemed to be doing a reasonable job of supporting the bottom of the leg.
I followed a deer trail at the edge of the field and bizarrely, I scolded myself for walking on the tracks, but I had no option other than a deeply rutted, muddy field. I counted my steps and kept the head torch firmly pinned to the area in front of me as I shuffled Quasimodo style toward the road.
I’ve been injured before and have had to persevere to get medical attention. A kind of survival instinct takes over and the adrenaline rushes to the parts of the body where it’s needed, which of course, is exactly what it’s designed to do. There’s a sense of euphoria and you actually feel good, which in turn provides you with some extra determination to drive you onwards to your goal despite the pain.
I had no option but to crawl on hands and knees to get across the other ditch. I wasn’t going to risk further injury by another slip. The tarmac of the road was bliss! The smooth surface provided fewer jolts and I began to reflect on what happened.
What had I done wrong? I was walking slowly and carefully. I always preach slowing down in the woods and I follow my own advice. Ironically, about this time two weeks ago, I was walking through a wood, barefoot, blindfolded with one ear bunged up! I had a torch on. I had high-leg boots on and not my tracking boots, which probably saved me from a more serious injury. I would have had to negotiate the ditch wherever I exited the woods. It was very slippery underfoot. A momentary lapse of concentration? I had slipped and fallen. Well, that was about it. I should have stayed in the woods was the only chastisement I could administer to myself.
At last the car. I slung the kit in the back and started her up. Now this would be interesting. My injured left foot just couldn’t depress the clutch. Another series of shooting pains reminded me that actually, my left foot was useless. It was only a five minute journey home. Mrs P wasn’t there but the cavalry, in the form of my mate who lived close by, could still be called.
I’d got this far, so I wasn’t going to give up now. I used my right foot on the clutch and slowly got old Doris moving. You can change gear without the clutch at the right revs, but I decided to stay in first gear. It was only a mile and a half. Luckily, there’s very little traffic around our country lanes, and it wasn’t long before I landed outside the front door with a judder and a screech as a heavy right foot descended on the brake, stalling the car in the process.
Once inside the house, I quickly disrobed and took off my socks. Immediately I saw the problem. Right foot Achilles tendon – present and correct; left foot Achilles tendon – Absent Without Leave. It appeared I’d ruptured my Achilles heel. Nice one!
This was confirmed 3 hours later at the hospital, (thanks Paul, for waiting about for me) where, amongst other things, an appointment was made to attend the fracture clinic next week.
At least we made it back to the pub for last orders. Perhaps not such a disaster after all.
So, what am I going to do for the next six to eight weeks? Ever the optimist… I’ve got a few cunning plans!
Please send all flowers, get well soon cards, grapes, port wine and brandy to this address …
Thanks for the visit,
Pablo.
Welcome.
This is the home of Woodlife. You will find links to Pablos Woodlife (blog) the Woodlife Social Network (forum) and Woodlife Trails (courses) all on this page.
sorry to hear of ur accident….have had many such problems so i am very aware of all the aches and pains that go with it..a few years ago i had a knee crack up..it could not have come at a worse time since i was going on a 5 day bushcraft adventure…so as i lay in the ER..talking to a friend i decided this was a chance to practice bushcraft..so with my friends help i went..and my focus was..if my leg ( now in a cast) was broken in the field ..how would i deal with it in the field..splint? ect..how ould i track..set snares ..fish ect.. as it turned out it was a great time and i learn much about how to deal with a real world injury in a survival situation..
best of luck to u..and may u heal fast and strong
OOh sounds nasty mate hope you get back on our feet quickly!
Spose be a good excuse to start a ‘project’ or two!!!!!
All the best D
Ouch!
Well at least you were preparded a lot better than some folks that go out in the wilds with no kit.
Hopefully the injury will heal quickly and Mrs P has a good supply of brandy on hand!!
Take care matey
I feel for you! I hurt my back a few years ago when I was a Wilderness Ranger and had to canoe and portage 5 miles to get to a boat that could haul me the rest of the way out. Then it was a 25 mile drive on a service road back to town and the hospital. One of the longest days of my life.
Pablo,
Well it appears that you really were the hapless traveler. In a post last week on Mungo’s blog, I mentioned that I always bring a certain level of preparedness with me when I day wander as I am always concerned that I will break something on the way out.
That is when we are most vulnerable to injury. We are tired, in a rush, it is dusk or evening, hungry – all factors that increase our risk of injury, especially for this 57 year old.
You did well in getting out on your own steam. I only hope that your 6 to 8 week estimate is realizable. We aren’t getting any younger, just thinner, on top.
Best wishes for a fast healing and a complete recovery,
Dan
Pablo
Sorry to hear about your misfortune! A few years back I was out in the woods and managed to tear my ACL. I remember the walk or should I say hobble/crawl back to the car, it is a memory that will stay with me for ever. Well done for getting yourself out, and I hope that you get better soon!
Ash
Ouuuuuuch. I remember rupturing a ligament in my ankle and it felt like someone clobbered me with a baseball bat, while electrocuting me at the same time.
Hope you feel better soon – that was a dramatic story that you led us through above!
If there’s anything from Canada you’d like (Maple Syrup, donuts), just drop me a line and I’ll send a care package!
Cheers,
Mungo
Sorry to hear that, but glad you were able to cope OK. Get well soon, Dave
OUCH!!!!!
Hope you get to feeling better my friend.
Send me your address and I’ll try to send you some medicine for the leg
Pablo is there an animal staring at us in those pic’s?
D
Sorry to hear about your accident.
Get well soon.
Cheers
Frogy
Hi Pablo,
As a silent lurker on your blog, I’ve really enjoyed all your posts. I’m really sorry to hear about your accident and hope that your recovery will be smooth and fast. Take care
My sympathies Pablo, get well soon. Possibly a time to try out some of your wood carving skills? All the best. Dawn.
Sorry to hear this Pablo….best get your thinking cap on ‘cos we’re due in the woods at the end of November and there’s enough of us to hoist you in there somehow….
Last time I saw legs like that they were hanging out of a Sparrows nest!I think King John may allow the use of his throne while around the fire and the construction of a sudan chair should see you mobile if you get to Marks.All the best mate.
Andy.
Hi Pablo
Ouch, sorry to hear your news.
May I offer some advice, buy a good quality ankle support to help in the healing process. I ripper out my ankle some time back in a similar situation, Mountain biking miles from home, (top of Rivington Pike) had to bike 5 miles back to the car then drive home and to the hospital, not nice but we do what we have to do.
Take the time to do some indoor projects, I am sure the demi-jon in the background of the last shot will help in some way
Sloe gin would it be?
So carving project anyone, spoons for Christmas?
Take care and make sure you let it heal fully before you go skipping off to the woods again (yes mother!)
You poor old sausage, ill have to come over and kidnap you for some shrafting juice activity! Get better soon buddy we are Tribing it at the end of the month!!!
Ow! Very nasty!
Will you be carving a new set of tracking crutches then?
Get well soon.
BM
sorry to hear the news buddy but you pushed on and got yourself out of the shit must hgave hurt like hell.
nbut you could of warned us of the shot of you in the shorts please i opened this at 0745 was not ready for that
What a nightmare! Hope you heal up quickly mate.
Jon
Ouuuuuuuucccchhhh!!!
Sorry to hear that mate,all I can say is thats gotta hurt I kinda know what your feeling did a number on my knee a couple of years ago and man did it smart some… speedy recovery and safe travels in future…
Karl.
Hiya mate. Sorry to hear about this. Hope you will be up and around again soon. Best wishes. Kevin
sorry to hear that, it remind me of my right ankle.
i experience the same thing last year.
get well soon.
Now… you might want to ignore this comment, but have you put any thought to possible uses of your Achilles tendon, now that you’re not using it? Dried, and separated out, the filaments make terrific cordage. It can be used to bind arrowheads to shafts, and of course to make small snares.
Just a thought.
Get better soon!
Mungo
hehe!! Unlucky mate.
I sincerley hope you’re on the mend, but I must say that as a fellow ex-reg, your part two post really appealed to the squaddie sense of humour. I was gigglng for ages about the bare arsed – sorry bareFOOT and blindfold bit..
Get well soon
Ali
Pablo
Cor that sounds awfull mate, do get well soon.
SBW
Get well soon mate. I heavily sprained my ankle jumping off my Dads porch after cleaning his window (stupid I know but I used to do it all the time when I was younger). I did the same as you lay on the floor for a while in agony before reasoning it can’t be broken then crawling back in and waiting for my Dad to come home to get me to casualty. The ankle swelled up about twice the size of the other and I had a bit of a limp for a few weeks. It took 6 weeks to completely heal.