In 2016, we were halibut fishing out of Kenai and got hit by a "following sea" (a big swell from behind). Threw my wife and I across the cabin. I landed on the deck and she landed on the seats across the cabin. I laid there for a few minutes in pain.
The next day, I was really hurting and cancelled our salmon trip. (The lady in the cabin next to us ran into a bear on the way to the rest room, so my wife cancelled also.) The day after that, we did a little sightseeing in Homer and headed to Anchorage and flew back to SEATAC, then drove back over the mountains (on Sunday).
Om Monday, I had to go to wound care to look at an infection on my (same) leg. The PA said I should get my knee looked at, so we went to urgent care. The ER doc came out and said " Good news and bad news: the bad news is you broke your kneecap; good news is you broke it in the best possible way!".
Seems I had broken my knee cap lengthwise and the muscles had actually held it together and it had already started to knit. Six weeks in a leg brace and 4 weeks therapy.
Last September I tripped on some old concrete curbing and fell into my wife's SUV side rail. I felt my upper arm break (2 places and hairline of elbow). I was pinned between the car and the curb. Out of work for most of 3 months. (Came back and went on the government shutdown a month later).
Came back from shutdown and worked for about a month and then I tripped again. Took my wife home from the dentist and drove myself to the ER. Verdict: Broken kneecap and tibia (shinbone). Two months non-weightbearing (bed) with therapy. Still on P/T (as of August) and walking with a cane.
Reviewing medical record (formal and informal) we decided I've broken 10 bones in 10 years! A bone density scan disclosed osteopenia (milder form of osteoporosis). Since I was out about 8-10 months last year, I decided to pull the pin at age 69 with over 20 years of federal service (as of July).
Take home: **** happens! You get more fragile as you get older and don't heal as well. You have to live with it. Just be more careful!
