Broken neck

[Jerry Marcantel]

Thanks to all for your concern. I did go to the hospital yesterday 3 hours after the fall and they did a CT scan.... It's official. I broke my neck.There are 2 broken bones, the 6th and 7th bones down from my empty skull... The doc said it's the best kind of break to have at that location. If you all had seen how and where this happened, you would all be amazed that I'm up and about today and not paralized.. I have to wear a neck brace for a couple weeks. No activities, like getting my lathe stand prepped for paint, or any of those other neat things I like doing.. It's gonna be boring.
This is the second time I've landed on the back of my neck. The first time, I went over the back of an 8 foot ladder in the late 70's. There were a couple of friends present and they just knew I was deader than a doornail.. A minute or 2 later, I regained conciousness and my first thought was "Where is my dog"? She paniced and ran off, but I later found her in my vehicle .... Wooden ladders are junk in Arizona. You can never keep them tight.....Jerry (in Tucson)

[Jim Rimmer]

Wow, Jerry. Hope you heal quickly with no long term affects.

[John Keeton]

Whewwwwwww!!!!!! Jerry, you are one lucky sucker!! Glad you got checked out, and even more glad you avoided a life changing event.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I'm glad you got it checked out! No activity for a little while is a heck of a lot better than no mobility forever!

Hope you heal quickly and completely! Thanks for letting us know!

[Thom Sturgill]

Jerry, I'm glad its no worse. I had my own scare last week (chest pain - not heart related as it turned out) and had it checked out. Its always good to find out and better when the news is that good.

Take care.

[alex carey]

SNAP!, that sucks, gl on the heal, take it easy.

[Tom Hintz]

I guess this falls in the bad news, good news deal. Bad that you broke your neck, good that you broke it right, or something like that. I had a similar break in my neck many years ago when I tried flying a stock car. Great takeoff, graceful flight, terrible landing. I had a halo for two months and then a neck brace for three more months but no lasting problems from it. I hope you are as lucky down the road ad your neck heals.
Take care!

[GLENN THOMAS]

WOW,

Glad to hear it wasn't any worse. Hope you can get back to your old self as soon as possible.

[Allen Neighbors]

Thanks for taking care of it. We need ya on this forum. :)

[Tony De Masi]

Wow Jerry!!! Too close of a call I'm sure. Hoping you heal fast and follow doctors orders.

Tony

[Bernie Weishapl]

Holy Cow Jerry I am glad you went in. A couple of weeks doing nothing is a whole, whole lot better than sitting forever. Take it easy and get that neck healed.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Jerry your lucky it wasn't worse, I also was lucky some 25 years ago, as I broke my neck like you but a little higher, the 4th and 5th vertebrae, as i fell down the stairs and dove into the wall at the end (90 degree turn).

I had to walk around with a halo bolted to my scull for several months, but yes that is minor to what could have been, and I'm nothing the worse for it now, never had any problems afterwards.

Just take it easy and take no chances falling again now, you'll be fine, take care :)

[Mike McAfee]

DO WHAT THE DOC SAYS!!!!!

Glad it wasn't worse, now heal up quick!

MMc

[David E Keller]

Glad it wasn't worse. Looks like spinous process fractures of C6 and C7. Do what your doc tells you, and you should get back to activity soon enough.

[dennis kranz]

By the sounds of things you are one lucky person. Take care of it and it sounds like you will be fine.
Dennis

[Norm Zax]

Jerry, hope you heal fast and good. May this be a lesson to ALL of us!! I caught my back a few weeks ago trying to haul into a car a huge eucalyptus branch. We are way too greedy when it comes to wood finds and forget our most important tool of all! We could usually save our backs by two relatively small investments: a small chainsaw to cut down huge pieces in the wild and a wench over our lathe to lift pieces our back wasnt meant to carry. Lets protect our body BEFORE we promote our HOBBY. Amen.

[Jeff Nicol]

Jerry, I am so glad you are still around to tell the story! When I was working in the commercial sheetmetal world, some of the old contractors I worked for had some rickity old wood ladders and I totally agree, they are tough to keep stable. Not only are they darn heavy, I would always get my hands pinched on them folding them up. Fiberglass for me from now on!

With prayers and Gods good will, heal fast,

Jeff

[Jerry Marcantel]

Glad it wasn't worse. Looks like spinous process fractures of C6 and C7. Do what your doc tells you, and you should get back to activity soon enough.
David, that's exactly what the CT Scan print out states.. You must be in the medical field.... I'm doing my best to be inactive, but it's hard to sit or ly around doing nothing...... Jerry

[charlie knighton]

glad you are healing, it nice to be able to heal

[Rob Cunningham]

Jerry, glad you're still around to tell the story and that your injuries were not worse. Take your time with recovery, don't rush it.

[Jamie Straw]

Jerry, so glad the prognosis is good and you dodged this particular bullet. That is a scary, scary fall!