Our WUWT editor, Charles Rotter was seriously injured today.
He was snorkeling [swimming] in Ft. Lauderdale, and he felt himself getting into a riptide. He forcefully swam out of it but in the process/panic he didn’t pay attention to the waves. caught [a wave to assist returning to shore,] him and [but due to riptide dynamics] it lifted his legs over his head and] threw him into the beach head first. He has spinal compression and vertebrae fractures. He’s mobile (can walk) and very lucky it wasn’t worse. He’ll be in the hospital a few days, followed by therapy.
More details as I have them. – Anthony
[update. 4 pm Eastern 9/19. I am now allowed to sit upright and my laptop was just delivered. Laying 100% flat for 24 hours in a neck collar on NBO protocol (no food or drink) is quite unpleasant. Far more unpleasant than the pain. It is not yet determined whether I will need surgery to pin the break or if I can just go home and wear a neck collar for the next three months. I’m the luckiest person in the world. The fact that I’m not dead or paralyzed is winning the lottery–charles]
[update 2. No surgery. Headed home in an hour or two. 12 weeks in a neck brace.]
Dearest Charles, You have been dedicated to the cause for so many years. Take some time out for yourself this next cycle, and heal. My prayers are for you. Best wishes, Jennifer xo
Bugger!
Take your time, Charles.
Wishing you all the best
Rob
Oh, dear.
It could have been much worse, but any spinal injury is not good.
The important things with injuries like that are to stay positive, and persevere with the physiotherapy for as long as it takes.
These things take time to make a full recovery from, and there will be a sort of manic depressive ride between feeling down in the dumps and overestimating the recovery. Stick to it, and remember that every physio session brings you that little bit closer to a full recovery.
Ouch! The sort of stuff hurts like …
Best wishes.
Get well soon, Charles.
Hope you make a full & speedy recovery Charles.
This is very nasty news for all readers. I hope that he is receiving the best possible medical care and makes a full recovery
Take care, Charles. Look after yourself. Cheers!
Wow that was an experience you were not seeking when you went snorkeling, now it will stay with you for a long time to come.
Take your time to heal as this type of injury is serious as recurrent problems might come later on.
So sorry to hear that! I hope you heal quickly, with no permanent after-effects!
Oh no! Best wishes to Charles for a rapid and full recovery.
wow nasty! a painful escape but better than the alternative. get well soon Charles
Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery. Hope you will take the time to rest and recuperate. As much as we all need you here, this is the time for you to focus on you, and yes, there will be good days, and bad days; may you know His Peace as you recover.
Best wishes Charles
sorry to hear this mr. rotter. get well soon.
Best wishes for a good recovery. These things can take time, so take it easy.
Wishing you a speedy recovery and thankful that you are still with us!
Get well soon, Charles. You’ll get used to the physio – I’m still doing mine, after breaking my right arm back in January!
My thoughts are with you and a quick recovery Charles.
Unwelcome news, but glad to hear it wasn’t worse. Best wishes for his recovery!
Thoughts and prayers and well wishes for a speedy recovery.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Charles!
We’re with you, CTM!
Rotten luck. All the best for a speedy recovery.
Charles,
Your misfortune hits home for me. I underwent a 3 level cervical fusion in late 2012. I then had 3 months of enforced non-activity, followed by 3 months of reduced activity. After the pain of the surgery subsided, a matter of a couple weeks, I descended into a funk of not being able to do anything – major cabin fever. I could not drive, work, hike, climb, etc. I could hardly take a shower. At the 3 month clearance to limited activity (and a soft head brace), I could drive again and return to work, life became almost normal. At 6 months my Orthodoc admonished me “don’t take any whippers!” – he was a ex rock climber and knew what I was going to do. By an odd coincidence a young climbing friend took a 50 foot ground fall about the time of my surgery, fracturing several thoracic vertebrae. We convalesced on the same schedule, and we returned to climbing together. We had a glorious summer getting back to it. I’m sure it would have horrified our doctors. Since that time, I’ve been very active, having done the first ascents of about 700 rock climbs in the Sierra Nevada. and just climbing many thousands of pitches right up to my ripe age of 71. Oddly, my spinal medical problem positively changed the future of my climbing. My friend went on to do some very difficult High Sierra climbing but then got buried in pursuing and earning a PhD, he’s officially retired from climbing (last I heard).
Except for some details I imagine your near future will be about like my 3 month ordeal. Probably you’ll have a hard brace on, and you can’t legally drive with it. Nor would you want to. Just being in a car with my “construct” of unconsolidated bone grafts gave me the willies. I don’t what you like to do and if forced immobility will drive you nuts, but you will get to the other side! I think I can recommend perhaps now would be a good time to undertake that novel or other book idea you might have been thinking about!