Pushing it Too Fast
I dug this up a few years ago. I have permission to post the PM´s. The jumper had said that he hopes some people can save themselves the ordeal.
Kudos to the jumper for his motives to collaborate.
If you do respond to this thread, please leave out names and places.
Start
Novice jumper posts that he has a few BASE jumps and new gear. Looking for someone to help in local area before attending BASE course in 3-4 months. He is willing to travel anywhere in home state and the adjoining state.
+2 months
Novice jumper asked online for any in-state locals to show him good sites to jump.
Member of his home DZ offered introductions to local jumpers who also skydive there. Asked for more background info.
+6 months
Novice jumper asked online if there are any active jumpers in a specific town.
Experienced jumper #1 suggested that more skydives are required before BASE.
Experienced jumper #2 in the named town said he has no interest in teaching a new jumper with only 120 skydives in 3 years. Recommended more skydives before BASE.
Novice jumper declared online he was not asking for instruction, just object advice near his workplace. Said skydiving was not fun.
Experienced jumper #2 explained that he understood how skydiving can become less attractive than BASE but it is an essential stage to go through in order to gain the necessary skills to be a safer BASE jumper. He further reminded new jumper that BASE is a serious and potentially very dangerous activity and, from what he’d read so far, suspected that the new jumper was trying to progress too fast and with an inappropriate attitude.
Furthermore, he asked if the jumper had found the mentor he was searching for four months earlier.
Experienced jumper #3 highlighted that new jumper has received some good advice and advised him to beware of rushing to join the list of enthusiastic, but ill-prepared novice jumpers who get injured. Also, he recommended that, if skydiving is boring then don’t BASE.
+1y 9m
Incident report. Jumper received a compound tib/fib break with significant bleeding while attempting a static-line bridge jump. Eyewitness reported that canopy was good but control was erratic. The landing was awkward and no attempt at a PLF was made.
+ 1y 11m
Jumper posted online thanks for the help he received after his accident at the bridge. He has undergone five operations with two more to come. He will keep his foot but may not be able to walk properly. He believes he will still be able to jump but not run.
Jumper advised that he has been told that in future, his employer will not pay for medical, disability or life insurance for BASE or skydiving related injuries. He needs further surgery.
He has an external leg brace with screws into the bones; his second one. He has lost about an inch of bone, suffered an infection in the wound and is on a lot of pain killers.
Statements from Jumper:
I am on a lot of pain killers that don’t work really well unless you drink a little beer with them. These are the same he wants me to take them come in,(he said take three, hell i have been taking four when it really cranks up) they are long screws. He will use a drill to back them out. i really don’t want to go in the OR again if its really not that bad. But i don’t want to have him pull one out and I piss on myself and still have three more to go. Thanks for the reply.
Dec 29, 2xxx,
This is my second fracture. This one doesn’t hurt like the first one but it cranks up from time to time. The bone shattered down to the ankle and I have a lot of screws that hurt all the time. The bone came out the top of my leg and I lost about a inch that is growing back, there is no pain there now. When the infection was in there it cranked all the time. I am going to let them drill them out. My worst was them pulling my leg sliding the bone back in and turning the leg back to face the front. After that it all when black, that was the best of it all when you sleep, No pain thanks again and Happy New Year to all.
End……
That was the last I heard from him…
Take care,
space
