Rocky's Road --> May 2007 - The Biggest Loser Fansite Forums

Rocky · #1 (**permalink**) 05-06-2007, 03:19 AM

THIS IS SO HARD!!!

I feel like I can't catch a break and just stay on track. I'll be doing really good for a while then BAM I have one bad day, which turns into 2 which turns into 2 weeks...

Missy · #2 (**permalink**) 05-06-2007, 10:46 PM

I don't care about your mistakes or your flaws, we all have them and no one is perfect. You should never feel ashamed to falter. It's the only way we grow and learn....but I sure do miss you around here!

Rocky · #3 (**permalink**) 07-20-2007, 03:34 AM

I can't believe I have been away from this place for so long!!! I have had quite the summer so far... not in the way I would have liked though. I was originally supposed to be going to the west coast surfing for my holidays at the begining of June but plans fell through and I had the opportunity to try out skydiving! I was SOOO excited, and had absolutely no fear (when I look back on it all, I can't see how I couldn't). We got a little crash course the night before the jump and they focus mostly on what can go wrong so you are prepaid. But they also said they had never had a fatality and also they maybe have 1 person a year that has to use their emergency chute. So we left the class at about 11:30pm at ease and went back to our hotel to get as much sleep as we could. The next morning we woke up bright and early and it was raining.. which is not skydiving weather at all, but it quickly passed and the sky was clear. We chose to go on the 4th jump so we got to see a bunch of others do it and they all did very well. As I was getting all suited up I saw one of the instructors that had already jumped packing up his chute and I walked over and said "Wow, those toggles (the handles you use to control your chute) look really high up! Am I going to be able to reach them?" He said "Oh for sure" and showed me how the backpacks arms were higher on the ground than they would be on my shoulders up in the air. So I brushed it off... fast forward to me free falling from the plane and I look up and my chute has "collapsed end cells" which is a correctable situation that they teach you about... you reach up and flare your toggles down and that usually corrects the situation. So I go to grab my toggles and they are a good foot from my reach. CRAP! You don't have much time to think when you are falling pretty quickly towards the ground. So I realized after a few seconds of trying to swing myself side to side to reach them unsuccesfully I had to get rid of that chute or else I would be dead once I hit the ground. So I cut away the main chute and deployed my emergency one. This was by far the worst part of the jump becasue I was once again free falling FAST and it takes 1500 feet for the emergency chute to open... so in this time all I can think is, this chute better open!!! It does... and I can now hear the instructor from the ground talking to me through the radio which is on my chest. He's all "Jumper 2 you are going to have to do an emergency landing", which they teach you in the cl**** it's a feet-knees-side type ditty that is supposed to absorb the shock of the fall. Unfortunately, I learnt the hard way that no matter how many times you prepare yourself for something of this magnatude, it's not always going to go as planned. So I'm nearing the ground and I can see it getting closer and closer and BAM I'm on it. I hear a crack and a numbing pain goes over my entire body. I can't breath. I hear on the radio "Jumper 2 stand up if you are ok... " I landed a ways from where everyone was, on the far side of the runway where the plane takes off actually... on some nice solid rocks. I couldn't move, and I hear them again "Jumper 2, there is help on the way." So I am finally catching my breath again when the first person shows up. He was awesome. He kept me from moving until the ambulance came and was making me laugh as much as possible. So yeah, I ended up staying in the hospital and came out of it all with a couple fractured vertebrae. I don't reccomend to anyone to break your back or go skydiving if you are short... they should really have height restrictions or different sized chutes for different heights. I am just now starting to walk and sit for bouts of time. Which is terrible when all I want to do is go to the gym!!!

I am hoping to get back on this site more often, I miss it around here. I just got all caught up on everyones journals. Not much has been going on since I left... we need to liven this place up again! I am hoping to get approval from my doctor to go bakc to the gym for August. But the pain is still pretty bad and I don't want to push myself too hard. I have never had back problems before and I'm hoping this won't cause life long back pain. I have a bet going with my sister that every 20 lbs we each lose... the other person has to go visit the one who lost. So that will be good motivation for me to start eating right again and hopfully getting out and getting some excersice soon.

Missy · #4 (**permalink**) 07-20-2007, 03:50 PM

WOW GIRL! Sounds like you've been through a lot the last little while. I'm really glad to hear you're okay though and able to walk again. I don't think I would ever go skydiving now that I've heard your story, not to mention I'm afraid of heights. You're lucky to be alive, hope you feel better soon.

Rocky · #5 (**permalink**) 07-21-2007, 03:38 PM

Thanks Missy... slowly but surely it's coming along. It's a lot of emotional stuff too along with the physical that I am having to deal with now.

Rocky · #6 (**permalink**) 07-22-2007, 01:26 AM

I've decided I would just keep posting in this thread until August. Today I got out of the house and spent some time with a really good friend of mine who I haven't seen in forever!!! It was so nice! We walked a bit down the river valley. But I couldn't go far plus it was a good 30 degrees out. So very HOT! I started my portion controlled eating today and it was a good day.

Breakfast: Special K vanilla cereal with skim milk and a small banana.
Lunch: Mini bretons with lemon peper tuna and pea pods
Snack: Source yogurt & 1/2 cup blueberries.
Supper: Pita pit chicken pita.
Snack: undecided as of yet.

Hopefully I can keep this up.

Junk in the Trunk Lady · #7 (**permalink**) 07-22-2007, 03:23 AM

OMG....I can't believe the experience that you had. I think I would have been so scared I would have pee'd a little (hee hee). Glad to hear that even though the experience wasn't what you expected.....at least you are still alive! Skydiving and/or surfing....both two potentially dangerous things to try. But like Missy....after hearing of your experience....I WILL NEVER try it....but then again....I wouldn't be able to breathe up that high in the sky....my lungs(asthma) would never cooperate. Don't rush things too fast your body will need the time to heal. Are you going to a physical therapist?

Keep us posted on how you are doing.

Rocky · #8 (**permalink**) 07-22-2007, 05:34 PM

Hey Kimberly, I HAVE been surfing before and LOVE it. I really wish those plans would have stuck... although it is also a dangerous sport, I feel more comfortable in water than on land. And Yes I start physical therapy on Monday. They didn't want to start it too soon because they really just wanted me to be taking it easy and moving as little as possible while the bones mended. But now that I am able to walk around and sit and such it's time to start.

Rocky · #9 (**permalink**) 07-27-2007, 02:34 AM

Mostly been spending my days packing lately. And enjoying the summer activities my city has! I love this city in the summer! Every week we have something new going on. But today was filled with packing. I love my mom. I could not have done this without her. I can barely move as it is and I tried not to lift anything too heavy. I definitely do not envy the movers who are going to have to lift the boxes. Well I better head to bed. I have to go watch my nephew tomorrow morning.