Well guys, yesterday was such a beautiful day that after I got the wife home from Birmingham for her second of 3 radiation treatments, I decided to do some exterior painting. I got several window sills and door trim painted and was going to paint 4 window sills on the second floor of the house. I got the extension ladder set up and a friend called. After speaking to her for about 10 minutes, I went up the ladder with paint in one hand and hope for an easy job. About 8 feet up the ladder, it slid out from under me and I landed face first in the rocks around the house. So, I'm beat all to crap with a broken nose, two black eyes, 12 stitches in my left shin and very sore, bruised ribs on the right side. All I can think is that I was distracted by the phone call and forgot to to my triple check on the security of the ladder like I usually do before climbing one. I go to an ENT next Friday to see about getting the nose fixed. I'll get my daughter to add pictures later. For now, I'm just going to keep painting inside the house. No extension ladder needed. Just a small step stool. I'm hurtin for certain right now, fellas. Some prayers and positive vibes would be appreciated. Thanks. derf, I could send you a couple of pics if you want to post them. Let me know

 

Sorry you are hurting my friend. Those pictures are kind of gruesome so I'm going to spare the rest of us. Face down in rocks.

Did you get checked for a concussion or do you have any concussion like symptoms?

Not like it's any consolation, but the last time I fell off a ladder, I was being stupid about where I had placed the top. I was pretty much two stories up in the air when the top of the ladder slid off the edge of the house. Once I realized I was falling, I pushed the ladder away from me as hard as I could so it would not land on me, only problem being it angled me to land on the base of my skull with my feet 3 ft higher in the air. I know to do the chin tuck from living in Wisconsin and all the ice. Forgot to move my tongue but still have all of it. I'm not sure why my neck didn't break literally. Probably because I landed on the grass.

It's amazing that the smallest of things that you accidentally overlook or convince yourself are okay can lay you up or kill you, especially when gravity is involved.

I'm not sure if you can reset the nose after a full week. I'm not suggesting you try it yourself but you might want to Google it to be sure because I hear that having to have it broken again to reset it is more or less not fun. Take care, brother

 

Wow! Sorry to hear that my friend. It hurts more than it used to. Take it easy and best wishes for your wife.
Andy

 

Thanks fellas. I was lucky I was only about 8 feet up and not the full 20. There was no time to react at all. One second I was going up and the next I was hitting the ground. I did bite the tip of my tongue, so it's easier for me to text than talk on the phone. I think I cracked my right knee cap, but didn't notice it until after I got home. Getting in and out of bed hurts so much, I'm thinking about sleeping on the reclining loveseat. You guys can bet your butts that once I'm over this, I'll be anchoring my ladders with stakes and ropes!