Cable Forum - View Single Post

26-06-2004, 12:03

My top three all-time bad accidents/ injuries.

1). While I was serving a 6 month UN Tour in Sarajevo, my self and 2 mates attempted to save the life of a Bosnian woman who had been hit by shrapnel. The shrapnel had hit the woman in the back of the right arm. About mid-way between the shoulder and elbow, almost severing the arm at this point. The shrap. then exited her arm, and smashed throught the head of the infant in her arms. By the time the three of us got to her she was in shock, screaming in agony, and loosing blood at a prodigious rate. I applied a tourniquet (sp), to stop the arterial bleed, but when it came to attending the wound, we had difficulty due to the arm below the wound still being attached by a small peice of flesh. In the end, in despirstion I took the decision to cut free the remains of the (almost) amputated arm. Unfortunately the woman and her child where both dead by the time an ambulance got to us. It took 9 years to stop seeing that in my dreams every night.

2). On Winter Warfare Exercise in Norway, I was lead climber for my Troop. we had been ordered to do a Demolitions Ex, where we would climb a cliff, set explosives on an overhanging snow ledge, and then drop the snow in an artificial avalanche(sp). I was just starting the final leg to the to of the cliff, when I lost my hold. I ended up falling 75 feet or so down the cliff-face, and ended up with the following injuries.....
Broken right shoulder.
Broken left clavical.
Broken right shoulder blade.
4 broken ribs
5 fractured ribs.
Fractured skull (forehead abover left eye)
Fractured left orbit.
Fractured Left cheek.
Fractured jaw.
Fractured 3rd lumbar vertebrea (sp).
Dislocated right knee.
Severe concussion.
Hysterical blindness.
Slight brain damage.

3). Was in a car accident on 17.02.2004. Was a back seat passenger (near side), when the car I and my late partner where in was T-boned on the drivers side. By the time the car had come to a rest, I had 8 broken ribs (all in the right side of my back), Bruising to my Liver, Right Kidney, and Pluricy in the area of mu right lung. I now have an oval lump on my back about 8" long, 4 inches wide, and 30mm in height where 4 of the ribs which where shattered have rehealed. The driver (my mate Dave) broke his sternum, the front seat passenger (big Rodz) has several bruised ribs, cut and bumps. My partner Maureen suffered massive, and ultimately fatal internal injuries.

26-06-2004, 12:03	#6
Earl of Bronze Guest Location: Belfast Posts: n/a	Re: Nasty accidents My top three all-time bad accidents/ injuries. 1). While I was serving a 6 month UN Tour in Sarajevo, my self and 2 mates attempted to save the life of a Bosnian woman who had been hit by shrapnel. The shrapnel had hit the woman in the back of the right arm. About mid-way between the shoulder and elbow, almost severing the arm at this point. The shrap. then exited her arm, and smashed throught the head of the infant in her arms. By the time the three of us got to her she was in shock, screaming in agony, and loosing blood at a prodigious rate. I applied a tourniquet (sp), to stop the arterial bleed, but when it came to attending the wound, we had difficulty due to the arm below the wound still being attached by a small peice of flesh. In the end, in despirstion I took the decision to cut free the remains of the (almost) amputated arm. Unfortunately the woman and her child where both dead by the time an ambulance got to us. It took 9 years to stop seeing that in my dreams every night. 2). On Winter Warfare Exercise in Norway, I was lead climber for my Troop. we had been ordered to do a Demolitions Ex, where we would climb a cliff, set explosives on an overhanging snow ledge, and then drop the snow in an artificial avalanche(sp). I was just starting the final leg to the to of the cliff, when I lost my hold. I ended up falling 75 feet or so down the cliff-face, and ended up with the following injuries..... Broken right shoulder. Broken left clavical. Broken right shoulder blade. 4 broken ribs 5 fractured ribs. Fractured skull (forehead abover left eye) Fractured left orbit. Fractured Left cheek. Fractured jaw. Fractured 3rd lumbar vertebrea (sp). Dislocated right knee. Severe concussion. Hysterical blindness. Slight brain damage. 3). Was in a car accident on 17.02.2004. Was a back seat passenger (near side), when the car I and my late partner where in was T-boned on the drivers side. By the time the car had come to a rest, I had 8 broken ribs (all in the right side of my back), Bruising to my Liver, Right Kidney, and Pluricy in the area of mu right lung. I now have an oval lump on my back about 8" long, 4 inches wide, and 30mm in height where 4 of the ribs which where shattered have rehealed. The driver (my mate Dave) broke his sternum, the front seat passenger (big Rodz) has several bruised ribs, cut and bumps. My partner Maureen suffered massive, and ultimately fatal internal injuries.