The routine in the ICU for me was to flip me over every hour or so to change my dressings, and to prevent one side of my body from flattening out too much (at least that's what it felt like). I felt a little week, and I still couldn't lift anything from the neck down, so I was still eating while laying down. I had things on my calves that inflated and deflated so that it would pump blood to and from my legs. I had a catheter in me to get rid of bodily fluids. I only had one IV in me. I had my jeopardy style pain clicker. I wasn't on oxygen, so that was good. I was always hot, and I'm sure I smelled lovely at this point. I am sure I was not in the best condition to do anything. So it came as a surprise to me when the night nurse said, "Ok, Amy, let's go for a walk."
Whuh...me??? Now????
He let the guardrails down from the side of the bed, and called another nurse saying that I was going for a walk.
Whuh...now???...I have a blood bag...I have a pee bag...how is this supposed to work?...I have a broken back...uh...I'm on morphine...
Ok, Amy, let's go.
So they lifted me out of bed, and with a nurse standing on either side of me, one holding my pee bag and the other holding my blood bag, they supported me while I shuffled around the ICU. I could barely put one foot in front of the other. I felt very unstable, but it was kind of nice to be able to put some weight on my legs. It also felt nice knowing that I could walk, and that I wasn't paralized after all.
Walking...wow...what a conconcept.
After one lap around the ICU, I was spent. I was eased back into bed, and fell asleep for the rest of the night.
I was able to go for walks like this anytime I wanted to after this experience. So early Thursday mornings, and the rest of the day on Thursday, I walked around the ICU with assistance from the nurses. And then I found a walker. So started using a walker. I felt like an old lady, but it was nice to be able to get out of bed. YAYAY!!!
23 December, 2006
Visitors galore!
I woke up Wednesday morning with a new nurse taking care of me. She told me I could eat. I realized that I hadn't eaten since Monday night. So I got to eat hospital style blueberry pancakes. I couldn't sit up from my bed, so I had to eat while lying down. Wasn't the best eating experience ever. It was a little hard to push everything into my mouth.
My back still hurt, and my eye was a little sore. I was wearing my glasses now, so I could watch TV, and actually see what was happening around me.
Elizabeth brought me my backpack from work, which had been in my car. My car was still at work. I think I had given the keys to Kristina, and she was able to get my laptop out of there. I don't remember the conversation very well. I think she said something about others coming to visit me.
Later, Eric, Joel, and Bob visited. My mom arrived in the afternoon. I tried to reassure her that everything would be fine. Kristina visited that night. I don't remember much about that either. Kelsey also visited at some point in the day. She just let herself in since she actually worked in the ICU. How convenient =).
Anna, Sheryll, and Jennifer visited on Thursday. Anna came with magazines and a crossword puzzle book. Sheryll and Jennifer came with games and a stuffed animal =) Peter also came later on Thursday with a book in hand.
Friday afternoon, prior to getting discharged, I had a visit from Fred, Eric, Elizabeth, and John. My mom's friend Heakyu also came to help out my mother. It was nice to have visitors. Always is =)
My back still hurt, and my eye was a little sore. I was wearing my glasses now, so I could watch TV, and actually see what was happening around me.
Elizabeth brought me my backpack from work, which had been in my car. My car was still at work. I think I had given the keys to Kristina, and she was able to get my laptop out of there. I don't remember the conversation very well. I think she said something about others coming to visit me.
Later, Eric, Joel, and Bob visited. My mom arrived in the afternoon. I tried to reassure her that everything would be fine. Kristina visited that night. I don't remember much about that either. Kelsey also visited at some point in the day. She just let herself in since she actually worked in the ICU. How convenient =).
Anna, Sheryll, and Jennifer visited on Thursday. Anna came with magazines and a crossword puzzle book. Sheryll and Jennifer came with games and a stuffed animal =) Peter also came later on Thursday with a book in hand.
Friday afternoon, prior to getting discharged, I had a visit from Fred, Eric, Elizabeth, and John. My mom's friend Heakyu also came to help out my mother. It was nice to have visitors. Always is =)
Waking up
1, 2, and 3...
Ouch....I thought surgery was supposed to make this hurt less..
I felt a cold hard surface on my back. My back still hurts...they took the xrays..at least I think they did.
Ok, no more cold hard surface...but now my left eye hurts like no other!!!
Owwwwwwwww....my eye hurts...how can it hurt when I don't have my contacts in? Maybe if I cry it will get whatever's in there out of there.
How are you, hun? Why are you crying?
My eye hurts (whhaaaaaa)!
Ok hun, we'll get a doctor to look at you.
Ok (sniffle)
what seemed like 30 minutes later...
where is the doctor?!?!?! (WHHHAAAAA!!!)
He's coming dear.
what seemed like hours later, the doctor came, squirted some magic solution in my eye, and it was all better. Ahhh....that is sooo much better...Apparently I had a scratch on my cornea, and I would have to have the nurse put some ointment in my eye 3 times a day. Great. I have a broken back AND a bum eye...
I looked at the clock. It was 11pm. Wow, that was a long surgery. The guy was standing over me.
Amy, do you want to brush your teeth.
Yes, sure.
Ok, here's the special brush
Ok.
Amy, open your eyes...
Ok
I grabbed the brush
I jab my mouth, and then remember that I have to open my mouth. I poke something in and out of my mouth and aim for my teeth. I hand it back to the nurse.
Ok, Amy, now push this button and it will squirt water...
Ok
Amy, open your eyes...
Ok.
I grabbed the contraption, and I brush my teeth, foam and all, without spitting out or swallowing toothpaste. I thought it was awesome. And really weird.
My roommate. She's going to be worried. She works here.
Do you know where she works.
She works somewhere at OHSU. Her name is Kelsey. Can you look her up.
I can try.
I don't remember her email. Can you email her?
I can try.
Her name is Kelsey. Kelsey Oveson. O-V-E-S-O-N.
Ok, I will try.
Ok, she might be worried.
(I am pretty sure my nurse thought I was totally crazy)
It was time for me to get my dressing changed. Did you click your pain button Amy?
I felt my pain clicker with my right hand next to me on the bed. *CLICK*...yup, clicked. He heaved me over, and tah dah, all done. This would be what I would do for the next 24 hours on the hour. Oh joy...
Ouch....I thought surgery was supposed to make this hurt less..
I felt a cold hard surface on my back. My back still hurts...they took the xrays..at least I think they did.
Ok, no more cold hard surface...but now my left eye hurts like no other!!!
Owwwwwwwww....my eye hurts...how can it hurt when I don't have my contacts in? Maybe if I cry it will get whatever's in there out of there.
How are you, hun? Why are you crying?
My eye hurts (whhaaaaaa)!
Ok hun, we'll get a doctor to look at you.
Ok (sniffle)
what seemed like 30 minutes later...
where is the doctor?!?!?! (WHHHAAAAA!!!)
He's coming dear.
what seemed like hours later, the doctor came, squirted some magic solution in my eye, and it was all better. Ahhh....that is sooo much better...Apparently I had a scratch on my cornea, and I would have to have the nurse put some ointment in my eye 3 times a day. Great. I have a broken back AND a bum eye...
I looked at the clock. It was 11pm. Wow, that was a long surgery. The guy was standing over me.
Amy, do you want to brush your teeth.
Yes, sure.
Ok, here's the special brush
Ok.
Amy, open your eyes...
Ok
I grabbed the brush
I jab my mouth, and then remember that I have to open my mouth. I poke something in and out of my mouth and aim for my teeth. I hand it back to the nurse.
Ok, Amy, now push this button and it will squirt water...
Ok
Amy, open your eyes...
Ok.
I grabbed the contraption, and I brush my teeth, foam and all, without spitting out or swallowing toothpaste. I thought it was awesome. And really weird.
My roommate. She's going to be worried. She works here.
Do you know where she works.
She works somewhere at OHSU. Her name is Kelsey. Can you look her up.
I can try.
I don't remember her email. Can you email her?
I can try.
Her name is Kelsey. Kelsey Oveson. O-V-E-S-O-N.
Ok, I will try.
Ok, she might be worried.
(I am pretty sure my nurse thought I was totally crazy)
It was time for me to get my dressing changed. Did you click your pain button Amy?
I felt my pain clicker with my right hand next to me on the bed. *CLICK*...yup, clicked. He heaved me over, and tah dah, all done. This would be what I would do for the next 24 hours on the hour. Oh joy...
Sooooooo many questions
I am sure all the questions were asked in order to keep coherent and conscious. But really, I think it was excessive.
What is your name?
How do you spell that?
How old are you?
When is your birthday?
Where do you work?
Do you work at Nike? YES!!!!!
What is your insurance?
Should we call your parents?
What is your parents number?
On and on and on...
And then the next person would ask me the EXACT SAME QUESTIONS!!!! I just wanted to say, "look, ask the person who asked me the first time...I'm sure they could help you out as much as I could...I am in a lot of pain, and I don't really feel like being asked these annoying questions time and time again..." But I refrained from saying that, and I answered the questions one after another.
What is your name?
How do you spell that?
How old are you?
When is your birthday?
Where do you work?
Do you work at Nike? YES!!!!!
What is your insurance?
Should we call your parents?
What is your parents number?
On and on and on...
And then the next person would ask me the EXACT SAME QUESTIONS!!!! I just wanted to say, "look, ask the person who asked me the first time...I'm sure they could help you out as much as I could...I am in a lot of pain, and I don't really feel like being asked these annoying questions time and time again..." But I refrained from saying that, and I answered the questions one after another.
Going under
16:00
24 October 2006
It's time to go into surgery!
I don't really remember much about this. Other than the anesthesiologist saying that she knew what she was doing, and that I would be totally asleep during teh whole process, and taht she was going to tape my eyes shut. Great. Last thing I remember was waiting for my OR (operating room) to open up. I remember the bright lights of the operating room, and that was about it.
Apparently I was on my stomach during the whole process. They fused the two vertebrae on top of the L1 (T11 and T12) to the two vertabrae on the bottom of L1 (L2 and L3). They fused it with two rods on either side of my spine, with screws going through my vertabrae. They are supposed to be made out of titanium. They are also supposed to be in me forever. The L1 is untouched.
24 October 2006
It's time to go into surgery!
I don't really remember much about this. Other than the anesthesiologist saying that she knew what she was doing, and that I would be totally asleep during teh whole process, and taht she was going to tape my eyes shut. Great. Last thing I remember was waiting for my OR (operating room) to open up. I remember the bright lights of the operating room, and that was about it.
Apparently I was on my stomach during the whole process. They fused the two vertebrae on top of the L1 (T11 and T12) to the two vertabrae on the bottom of L1 (L2 and L3). They fused it with two rods on either side of my spine, with screws going through my vertabrae. They are supposed to be made out of titanium. They are also supposed to be in me forever. The L1 is untouched.
The Diagnosis
I was wheeled into the ER at OHSU. I believe I was lifted off of the stretcher, after they unstrapped me, and heaved onto the ER bed. What is your name...Amy Gishifu. How old are you...25. Where does it hurt...in my back and my hips. How did this happen...I fell while rock climbing. Are you in pain...yes! Let's get something for that...yes!
They decided to take xrays and a CT Scan. In order to do that, they had to take off my tshirt and my pants.
Sorry, Amy, we're going to have to cut your tshirt to get your robe on you.
(What tshirt am I wearing...2003 La Jolla Half Marathon...that's ok)...Ok, you can.
Sorry, Amy, you're sports bra too
(What sports bra...old cotton...not dri-fit...)...Ok, that's fine.
They got the hospital gown on me and heaved me once again onto a stretcher and took me to another room. I saw the ceiling of different hallways, and apparently arrived in the CT scanning room. The lady asked me to put down my legs because I wouldn't be able to fit through the tunnel. I painfully lowered my knees and lay my legs flat against the bed. It hurt a lot. The CT scan was much less claustrophobic than the MRI machine that I went into about 10 years ago when I had to get my knee scanned to see if there was any muscle damage. (Wow, that was 10 years ago?!? turned out it was only a sprained knee). Then it was off to the xrays. They heaved me over onto my side, and xrays were taken. I was taken back to the ER, and hoisted back onto the bed.
Kristina was there. I was still blind from not having my glasses with me.
Is there anyone you want to call?
My manager...503-532-4233.
What about your parents?
NO!!!! Don't call them!!!!
I talked to John, and I think he knew what happened because I think all he said was that I had to go all the way. I told him I didn't know how long it would be, but that I was ok.
The pain was still there. Kristina was at my bedside now. They asked if the painkillers were working, and I said not really. It still hurt. So then they decided to give me morphine...that totally worked. I didn't understand why they didn't give me that to begin with. =)
That's when I met Dr. Yoo. He is the spine specialist at OHSU. He proceeded to tell me about his credentials and what his background was. He told me in his doctorly voice: Hi Amy, I took a look at the images, and there's some good news and bad news. The good news is that nothing hit your spinal cord, and that is fully in tact. The bad news is that you have an L1 burst. (Holy shit!) You have a couple of options. You can let it heal on it's own, but there is a possibility that some of the vertebrae can hit the spinal cord. The other option is to have a surgery and get the fragments out and fuse the bones together. He proceeded to tell me the success rate he's had with this surgery, and I heard a lot of 99%'s and less than 1%'s, so I figured I was in good hands.
I will do the surgery. (Oh, my gosh...surgery...)
Ok, then the other thing is that we can go into your hip and scrape bone off from there, or we can use this protein in order to fuse everything together.
Give me the protein (I don't want another incision)
Ok, that's good. But the drawback to using the protein is that you can't get pregnant in the next 12 months.
Oh, don't worry about that! (haha...like THAT's going to happen in the near future....I wanted to burst out laughing if I wasn't in so much pain.)
Ok, well then, we'll try and get you scheduled for surgery.
Holy moly...surgery...
The nurse came up to me, and she said, you should really call your parents. If I were your mother, I would want to know that you're going through surgery.
Ok
I called my dad
Hi Dad.
Hi Amy. How are you? Are you sore?
(Sore? How did he know I was sore?)
Aren't you sore from running this weekend?
(Oh, yeah, I ran). No, I'm fine. But I fell. I fell while I was rock climbing, and now I need surgery.
Oh. Ok. Well, I won't call your mom because she's at work. I'll tell her when she gets off of work.
Ok, here's the number to the hospital.
And so I gave my dad the phone number to hospital. And then I was told that I would have to wait til Thursday for the surgery. Crap.
When was the last time you ate?
Err...Monday night at 7:30pm.
Oh, maybe you can go through surgery today.
By now they had hooked up a jeopardy style clicker thing to the IV thing so that I could inject myself with morphine anytime I needed it. I clicked it now. I was still in pain, and I didn't want to think about how long it would be before I would be out of pain.
I was then carted away to ICU (intensive care unit) 7A. (They were kind enough to take my glasses with me, which they labeled with my name, so when I wore them I looked like a complete idiot) They then told me the good news, that I would be able to get in surgery this afternoon! Yes!!!!!!!
Kristina was with me the whole time, and managed to ask the doctor if I could make a full recovery, and the answer was yes. So the good news was also the fact that I could go back to doing my thing soon enough. Nice!
At some point during this diagnosis, I was told to roll on my side, and the doctors started applying pressure down the length of my spine, starting at my neck. Does this hurt? no. How about this? nope. They went down my neck and my back, and around my mid back I howled in pain. Does this hurt? YEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!! They went down a little further, and the pain was there, but not as bad. They hit my tail bone, and it was slightly sore. And then, I don't think I imagined this, but I think someone poked me in the butt with a needle! Ouch! yes, that hurts!! Ok, well, at least you can feel that.
Great..I am laying on my side, my backside exposed to anyone in the ER, and I get poked in the butt with a needle. Great...
They decided to take xrays and a CT Scan. In order to do that, they had to take off my tshirt and my pants.
Sorry, Amy, we're going to have to cut your tshirt to get your robe on you.
(What tshirt am I wearing...2003 La Jolla Half Marathon...that's ok)...Ok, you can.
Sorry, Amy, you're sports bra too
(What sports bra...old cotton...not dri-fit...)...Ok, that's fine.
They got the hospital gown on me and heaved me once again onto a stretcher and took me to another room. I saw the ceiling of different hallways, and apparently arrived in the CT scanning room. The lady asked me to put down my legs because I wouldn't be able to fit through the tunnel. I painfully lowered my knees and lay my legs flat against the bed. It hurt a lot. The CT scan was much less claustrophobic than the MRI machine that I went into about 10 years ago when I had to get my knee scanned to see if there was any muscle damage. (Wow, that was 10 years ago?!? turned out it was only a sprained knee). Then it was off to the xrays. They heaved me over onto my side, and xrays were taken. I was taken back to the ER, and hoisted back onto the bed.
Kristina was there. I was still blind from not having my glasses with me.
Is there anyone you want to call?
My manager...503-532-4233.
What about your parents?
NO!!!! Don't call them!!!!
I talked to John, and I think he knew what happened because I think all he said was that I had to go all the way. I told him I didn't know how long it would be, but that I was ok.
The pain was still there. Kristina was at my bedside now. They asked if the painkillers were working, and I said not really. It still hurt. So then they decided to give me morphine...that totally worked. I didn't understand why they didn't give me that to begin with. =)
That's when I met Dr. Yoo. He is the spine specialist at OHSU. He proceeded to tell me about his credentials and what his background was. He told me in his doctorly voice: Hi Amy, I took a look at the images, and there's some good news and bad news. The good news is that nothing hit your spinal cord, and that is fully in tact. The bad news is that you have an L1 burst. (Holy shit!) You have a couple of options. You can let it heal on it's own, but there is a possibility that some of the vertebrae can hit the spinal cord. The other option is to have a surgery and get the fragments out and fuse the bones together. He proceeded to tell me the success rate he's had with this surgery, and I heard a lot of 99%'s and less than 1%'s, so I figured I was in good hands.
I will do the surgery. (Oh, my gosh...surgery...)
Ok, then the other thing is that we can go into your hip and scrape bone off from there, or we can use this protein in order to fuse everything together.
Give me the protein (I don't want another incision)
Ok, that's good. But the drawback to using the protein is that you can't get pregnant in the next 12 months.
Oh, don't worry about that! (haha...like THAT's going to happen in the near future....I wanted to burst out laughing if I wasn't in so much pain.)
Ok, well then, we'll try and get you scheduled for surgery.
Holy moly...surgery...
The nurse came up to me, and she said, you should really call your parents. If I were your mother, I would want to know that you're going through surgery.
Ok
I called my dad
Hi Dad.
Hi Amy. How are you? Are you sore?
(Sore? How did he know I was sore?)
Aren't you sore from running this weekend?
(Oh, yeah, I ran). No, I'm fine. But I fell. I fell while I was rock climbing, and now I need surgery.
Oh. Ok. Well, I won't call your mom because she's at work. I'll tell her when she gets off of work.
Ok, here's the number to the hospital.
And so I gave my dad the phone number to hospital. And then I was told that I would have to wait til Thursday for the surgery. Crap.
When was the last time you ate?
Err...Monday night at 7:30pm.
Oh, maybe you can go through surgery today.
By now they had hooked up a jeopardy style clicker thing to the IV thing so that I could inject myself with morphine anytime I needed it. I clicked it now. I was still in pain, and I didn't want to think about how long it would be before I would be out of pain.
I was then carted away to ICU (intensive care unit) 7A. (They were kind enough to take my glasses with me, which they labeled with my name, so when I wore them I looked like a complete idiot) They then told me the good news, that I would be able to get in surgery this afternoon! Yes!!!!!!!
Kristina was with me the whole time, and managed to ask the doctor if I could make a full recovery, and the answer was yes. So the good news was also the fact that I could go back to doing my thing soon enough. Nice!
At some point during this diagnosis, I was told to roll on my side, and the doctors started applying pressure down the length of my spine, starting at my neck. Does this hurt? no. How about this? nope. They went down my neck and my back, and around my mid back I howled in pain. Does this hurt? YEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!! They went down a little further, and the pain was there, but not as bad. They hit my tail bone, and it was slightly sore. And then, I don't think I imagined this, but I think someone poked me in the butt with a needle! Ouch! yes, that hurts!! Ok, well, at least you can feel that.
Great..I am laying on my side, my backside exposed to anyone in the ER, and I get poked in the butt with a needle. Great...
The ride over...
I was on a stretcher. My back hurt. There was one paramedic riding with me. He asked me what my name was...Amy Gishifu...G..I ...S..H..I...F...U. How old was I...25. Where does it hurt...my back and my hips. What happened...I fell. Can you feel your legs...yes. Can you wiggle your toes...yes (they are cold by the way... because I don't have any shoes or socks on...) Good girl! Ok, we're going to get you some help soon.
Where are we going?
To the hospital.
Which one?
OHSU (Oregon Health and Science University)
Why not St. Vincents? (the one in Beaverton on th 26/217 interchange)
Because OHSU has a better trauma center, and we don't know how badly you are hurt.
(Trauma?!?!?) But there's going to be traffic!!!!!
It's ok, Amy, we're going to get there.
(but there's traffic....)
What are you doing?
We're going to stick an IV in you.
Why?
Because we dont' know how life threatening your injuries may be to you.
(Argh...why????!?!?!?!? My veins are so hard to get a hold of...he's never going to get it in me...we're in a moving vehicle...he's crazy)
Hmm....your veins don't seem to want to open up.
Yeah, I know (yes, they are evasive...especially in a moving vehicle....)
Hmm...that didn't work either...let's try the other arm. Sorry, Amy, you're going to be ok.
Ok (oh geez...he's never going to give up)
Excuse me for leaning over you...
(Yes, thank you for putting your body into mine when my back is hurting..)
Ok, it's in.
(Great, after poking my arms to death)...are we there yet?
We're almost there. Don't worry Amy.
I could hear the sirens of the ambulance. They aren't so loud from inside the ambulance. I feel myself going up a driveway. I guess we're there now.
Where are we going?
To the hospital.
Which one?
OHSU (Oregon Health and Science University)
Why not St. Vincents? (the one in Beaverton on th 26/217 interchange)
Because OHSU has a better trauma center, and we don't know how badly you are hurt.
(Trauma?!?!?) But there's going to be traffic!!!!!
It's ok, Amy, we're going to get there.
(but there's traffic....)
What are you doing?
We're going to stick an IV in you.
Why?
Because we dont' know how life threatening your injuries may be to you.
(Argh...why????!?!?!?!? My veins are so hard to get a hold of...he's never going to get it in me...we're in a moving vehicle...he's crazy)
Hmm....your veins don't seem to want to open up.
Yeah, I know (yes, they are evasive...especially in a moving vehicle....)
Hmm...that didn't work either...let's try the other arm. Sorry, Amy, you're going to be ok.
Ok (oh geez...he's never going to give up)
Excuse me for leaning over you...
(Yes, thank you for putting your body into mine when my back is hurting..)
Ok, it's in.
(Great, after poking my arms to death)...are we there yet?
We're almost there. Don't worry Amy.
I could hear the sirens of the ambulance. They aren't so loud from inside the ambulance. I feel myself going up a driveway. I guess we're there now.
Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!! Really!!!
It was Tuesday, 24 October 2006. I looked at the clock. 6:20. Crap! I was going to be late! Every tuesday for the past 4 months I had met my climbing partner, Crystal, climbing at the Nike rock gym on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 6:30 am. Why at 6:30am, you ask? Because we are nuts. But Crystal moved back to the Univ of Cincinatti to finish her studies, and I had recruited her friend Kristina to be my climbing partner at that hour in the mornings. Dammit! I'm late! No contacts today. No breakfast. No lunch making. Grab workout clothes for after work, grab work clothes (jeans and a tshirt), grab my climbing bag. Out the door! (Forget about the fact that 2 days ago I was up at this hour in the middle of Union square in San Francisco waiting to start my half marathon. Forget about the fact that my thighs were still slightly sore from having run 13.1 miles...)
I announce my arrival at my gym at 6:45. Juan, the rock gym supervisor was there, and Kristina was already there. I apologize for my lateness, and I start putting on my harness. Kristina climbs first. No problem. I was up next. I decide to start out this morning with the easy red route. Juan and I were talking about how I was 25, going on 26 in a month. As I climbed, we talked about how in May, this route had been hard, but now it was easy. Done. Ok, let me down!
I started coming down fairly fast in my opinion. I slowed a little, and then the holds whizzed past me, and just as I caught my breath to think "oh shit", WHAM!!!!! My feet touched the floor a little, my body followed, my glasses flew off, and everything hurt. I heard Juan and Kristina say "oh my gosh". And everything hurt. My back. My hips. It all hurt. There was a sharp pain in all of my back, and my hips were super sore. I thought to myself, oh shit..my back..I wonder if I can still move. I felt myself lift my legs, which felt like lead pipes. Then I heard a "DON"T MOVEEEEEEEE!!!!!" So I didn't. I lay on my side. Juan asked me if I was ok, and I said "it hurts". I couldn't see because my glasses were somewhere not near me.
I heard commotion, and I think it was a Nike security guard that arrived first. They asked everyone there what my name was. I moaned "Amy Gishifu". He asked me how old I was...25. He asked me where I was...At the Nike rock gym in the Lance Armstrong building on the nike campus. He asked me what hurt, and I said my back and my hips. He kept saying that someone would be there soon, and I just complained by saying "it hurt". I overheard Juan say "she fell from about 20 to 25 ft. up." I thought...holy shit...this is not good....
The parametics arrived next I think. Maybe 2 minutes had gone by. Some guys came in and asked me what my name was "Amy Gishifu". How old are you...25. What hurts...my back and my hip. They tried to move my legs....OOOOWWWWWWW!! Ok, maybe not. They told me they were going to put me on the hard plastic rack thing, and then transfer me to the stretcher. I said fine. They asked me if I could feel my legs, and I said yes. Juan took off my rock climbing shoes for me. They strapped the hard plastic stretcher on me, and my whole body hurt. My back especially. I refused to put my legs flat on the stretcher. I insisted on putting my feet on the stretcher so that my spine could rest on the surface of the stretcher. I told them I had a hard time breathing. My lungs felt like they were being squeezed by my rib cage. An oxygen mask went onto my face, I was lifted into the stretcher, onto the cobblestone round in the back of the Lance. It was cold. It was still dark. I couldn't see people's faces because I didn't have my glasses. I think I told them to bring my glasses with me in the ambulance. They kept reassuring me that everything was going to be ok. I think I just kept thinking ...ouwww.....it hurts.....
**What happened? I fell 25 ft. onto the slightly padded rock gym floor at the Lance's rock gym. How? I think my belayer, Kristina, tried to let me down, didn't realize how quickly the rope went through the gri gri, tried to correct for it, got rope burn, didn't let go of the break, and by the time she couuld do anything else, I was on the floor.
I announce my arrival at my gym at 6:45. Juan, the rock gym supervisor was there, and Kristina was already there. I apologize for my lateness, and I start putting on my harness. Kristina climbs first. No problem. I was up next. I decide to start out this morning with the easy red route. Juan and I were talking about how I was 25, going on 26 in a month. As I climbed, we talked about how in May, this route had been hard, but now it was easy. Done. Ok, let me down!
I started coming down fairly fast in my opinion. I slowed a little, and then the holds whizzed past me, and just as I caught my breath to think "oh shit", WHAM!!!!! My feet touched the floor a little, my body followed, my glasses flew off, and everything hurt. I heard Juan and Kristina say "oh my gosh". And everything hurt. My back. My hips. It all hurt. There was a sharp pain in all of my back, and my hips were super sore. I thought to myself, oh shit..my back..I wonder if I can still move. I felt myself lift my legs, which felt like lead pipes. Then I heard a "DON"T MOVEEEEEEEE!!!!!" So I didn't. I lay on my side. Juan asked me if I was ok, and I said "it hurts". I couldn't see because my glasses were somewhere not near me.
I heard commotion, and I think it was a Nike security guard that arrived first. They asked everyone there what my name was. I moaned "Amy Gishifu". He asked me how old I was...25. He asked me where I was...At the Nike rock gym in the Lance Armstrong building on the nike campus. He asked me what hurt, and I said my back and my hips. He kept saying that someone would be there soon, and I just complained by saying "it hurt". I overheard Juan say "she fell from about 20 to 25 ft. up." I thought...holy shit...this is not good....
The parametics arrived next I think. Maybe 2 minutes had gone by. Some guys came in and asked me what my name was "Amy Gishifu". How old are you...25. What hurts...my back and my hip. They tried to move my legs....OOOOWWWWWWW!! Ok, maybe not. They told me they were going to put me on the hard plastic rack thing, and then transfer me to the stretcher. I said fine. They asked me if I could feel my legs, and I said yes. Juan took off my rock climbing shoes for me. They strapped the hard plastic stretcher on me, and my whole body hurt. My back especially. I refused to put my legs flat on the stretcher. I insisted on putting my feet on the stretcher so that my spine could rest on the surface of the stretcher. I told them I had a hard time breathing. My lungs felt like they were being squeezed by my rib cage. An oxygen mask went onto my face, I was lifted into the stretcher, onto the cobblestone round in the back of the Lance. It was cold. It was still dark. I couldn't see people's faces because I didn't have my glasses. I think I told them to bring my glasses with me in the ambulance. They kept reassuring me that everything was going to be ok. I think I just kept thinking ...ouwww.....it hurts.....
**What happened? I fell 25 ft. onto the slightly padded rock gym floor at the Lance's rock gym. How? I think my belayer, Kristina, tried to let me down, didn't realize how quickly the rope went through the gri gri, tried to correct for it, got rope burn, didn't let go of the break, and by the time she couuld do anything else, I was on the floor.
San Francisco Women's Half Marathon 2006
So a few things have happened since hood to coast back in August 2006. I took a one month break from running, and then started to train for the Nike San Francisco Women's Marathon. My friends Shelley and Christina were running the half marathon with me. It was a good time, and we all survived, and we were all very glad that it was over.
But now I will go into more details about what happened two days after the half marathon in San Francisco. I know a lot of people have heard me tell this story a million times, but I figure this was a way to capture it electronically on some server somewhere.
But now I will go into more details about what happened two days after the half marathon in San Francisco. I know a lot of people have heard me tell this story a million times, but I figure this was a way to capture it electronically on some server somewhere.
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