Getting it out in Open
by Rich Heatley
Fear, anxiety, and an inability to do anything about the situation, these are some of the feelings I felt when I was told I needed open limb surgery, I felt sick as my heart sank into the pit of my stomach.
I was immediately transported back in time to when I was an awkward youngster, when I would fight with my parents when they said it was time for a bath, I didn't want it but it was a necessary evil.
It's funny how things are related and completely unrelated at the same time. My mind was overwhelmed with an array of negative thoughts as you would, worrying and creating endless scenarios where the possible outcomes of surgery would result in myself ending up legless, in a wheelchair, unable to skate and losing everything that I hold dear.
It's fascinating how your mind can be one way one minute and then the next thing, it does a complete 180 and does the total opposite. The power of the human mind is incredible.
The orthopaedic surgeon was a highly and exceptionally skilled professional he gave me my options ("We can fix it, or not, it's up to you") I weighed up the info and came to a conclusion within 3 seconds.
The surgery that I am going to receive is to repair my right ankle consists of two procedures;
1.) To repair and replace both the calcaneo-fibular ligament and the anterior talofibular ligament.
2.) To remove 3 pieces of chipped from the Calcaneus, Talus and front the Achilles.
I'm trying to empathise with the unlucky people who are going in for open brain responsive surgery, open heart surgery, amputations, and rather more serious cases than my own, I do not envy these people but I do have the utmost respect for them and the decisions they have made to go through that process to have a 50/50 chance of success. The terrifying feeling that I have, I do not want to imagine the thoughts and feelings that they are experiencing, you truly would thank god, and live life to full if you came out the other side in one piece.
Skateboarding is a great sport, but with every great sport there is great risk, and like so, many a young persons skateboarding enthusiasms have been dashed by severe orthopaedic trauma injury. But that will not stop the truly passionate raw skate doggers (Threaders, Tyrone and Hiu spring to mind) it merely slows them down for a bit.
This is the price we pay for the life we choose, roll forever, skate till you die!!
Despite Rich's need for ankle surgery somehow he still manages to jump over hip high barriers from the flat pre surgery. Pretty amazing full on skateboarding dedication / addiction. Thanks for the honesty and the story Rich, keep them coming.
If you want to send your stories to dan@stupidbloodytuesday.co.uk