On 5th August 2006 I was enjoying a sailing holiday off the West Coast of Scotland when our yacht struck a submerged rock just off the beautiful Isle of Jura. Unfortunately being in the wrong place at the wrong time this impact flung me down the boats companion way, a fall of about 10 feet, and as I landed on my head the consequences were none too pleasant. In fact as I came back to consciousness to hear my wife screaming I was aware that I was in a pool of blood but worse I couldn't move my arms or legs. Mercifully this passed after a couple of minutes and with huge relief I regained movement. Luckily my wife kept me pinned to the floor while brother and sister in law called up the rescue services and got us back to Jura. After initial treatment on the boat by a doctor and rescue team (for which I will always be indebted because their action prevented any damage to the spinal cord) I was first moved by dingy to the shore and then by ambulance to a flat field and airlifted by helicopter to Glasgow Southern General Hospital. Here I had twenty three stitches in my head and was told that I had a broken my neck ( Type 2 odontoid peg fracture of C2 with posterior displacement for the medically minded!).
I spent the next seventeen days on the Spinal Injuries Unit (Eden Hall Ward). The Consultants, Doctors, Nurses and everyone else involved in my care were fantastic (no words could do them full justice). During this time I spent eight days flat on my back before being fitted with a halo brace (see the picture). This halo isn't as comfortable as it looks! and I ended up wearing it for exactly 12 weeks. During this time the halo did it's job keeping the fracture immobilised and allowing healing. The 12 weeks was a difficult time for me, but with the support of friends and family I got through it. At first I was reluctant to go out in public but eventually I plucked up courage and ended up going to the shops or for a walk most days. People were actually quite kind but also very curious. 'How do you sleep?' and 'do you take it off at night?' (difficult as these things are screwed into the scull with 8lb torque!) were the two most asked questions. The relief getting out of the halo was immense, this being undertaken by Hope Hospital in my native Manchester. Of course a period of physio is now required to build my neck but every day I wake I'm grateful to be alive and thankful to have full movement in all my limbs.
Hopefully anybody reading this and finding themselves in a similar situation will see that whilst 'this ain't no trip to Paris' there is light at the end of the tunnel if you dig deep and keep positive.
I spent the next seventeen days on the Spinal Injuries Unit (Eden Hall Ward). The Consultants, Doctors, Nurses and everyone else involved in my care were fantastic (no words could do them full justice). During this time I spent eight days flat on my back before being fitted with a halo brace (see the picture). This halo isn't as comfortable as it looks! and I ended up wearing it for exactly 12 weeks. During this time the halo did it's job keeping the fracture immobilised and allowing healing. The 12 weeks was a difficult time for me, but with the support of friends and family I got through it. At first I was reluctant to go out in public but eventually I plucked up courage and ended up going to the shops or for a walk most days. People were actually quite kind but also very curious. 'How do you sleep?' and 'do you take it off at night?' (difficult as these things are screwed into the scull with 8lb torque!) were the two most asked questions. The relief getting out of the halo was immense, this being undertaken by Hope Hospital in my native Manchester. Of course a period of physio is now required to build my neck but every day I wake I'm grateful to be alive and thankful to have full movement in all my limbs.
Hopefully anybody reading this and finding themselves in a similar situation will see that whilst 'this ain't no trip to Paris' there is light at the end of the tunnel if you dig deep and keep positive.
