Me.

[sparkyminer]

Where to begin. Please excuse any spelling, grammar and punctuation errors.

Saturday was our last rugby game. We were winning 20 – 12. when the opposition were awarded a penalty on the 5m line, they pssed it to their biggest player to crash over for the score only he didn’t. yours truly tackled and stopped him ih his tracks, unfortunately I slightly mistime the tackl;e and got my head the wrong side of his hip. I went to the floor poleaxed and stopped breathin, I couls stiil hear everything but couldn’t feel anything, iwas trying to say help me I can’t breathe but because I wasn’t breathing, no noises were coming. I heard someone say straighten his legs to inflate his lungs. I then heard someone on touchline screaming ‘don’t touch him, leave him alone’ . fortunately that was Johnny Gray, not medically trained but if Johnny says something people listen. I honestly thought I was dying. I’ve never been so scared in my life.
Now for the me3dical bit, apparently the spinal canal, should be 80% of the spinal tunnels width, mine is 50%. I always knew I was bigboned.J.
Apparently when I made the tacle my neck concertinaed and the 5th disc of 7( i think) dislocated and scissored the spinal cord against 4 and 6. fortunately it didn’t cut it but according to the MRI scan, the signal return from the cord is showing a different colour. They think its bleeding caused by the trauma. At the moment I have no use in my left arm, limited use of my left leg and full use of my right arm and leg although these are numb and tingly. The nuero surgeon, neorologist, spinal consultant and orthopaedic consultant, yes all of them were there prodding and poking me ‘til midnight last night, think once the bruising settles down the use of the limbs will return over the next few months.
I go for another mri scan next Tuesday to see the progress. They also said if I’d have been moved then I would’ve been a quadraplegic for the rest of my life.
So at the moment I’m walking round like a cross between Douglas bader and quasimodo with a bit of the Michelin man thrown in.

[Fadetoblack]

Christ on a bike!

Horrible story sparks...Sorry you had to go through it.

Get well soon mate, and good luck with the scans...

[mathare]

Sheesh! And OUCH!

Hope you get good news from the scans and that you're up and about soon Sparky

[John]

Blimey Sparks... you're lucky to be alive mate.

Get well soon, hope you make a fast recovery.

[wb]

Holy crap Sparky. Hope you recover soon :(

[sparkyminer]

Blimey Sparks... you're lucky to be alive mate.

Get well soon, hope you make a fast recovery.

i know mate. i don't mind telling you i've cried a few times thinking about it.

[bigcumba]

Jeez mate that's horrendous! I can only echo all the good wishes from everyone else. Keep us posted as and when you can.

[vegyjones]

Thank you're okay!

I too hope you make a swift recovery!
Just glad you're up and walking though!

[peza2605]

have a speedy recover sm.

[GlosRFC]

Crikey...hope all goes well. I've obviously been to a number of games (even those at the top-level of the sport) where matches have had to be cancelled because of a serious spinal injury to one of the players, and all bar a few were caused by the same thing, a mis-timed tackle. It's nature's way of telling you you're getting too old and slow for this game! Time to hang up your boots, Sparky, and live the life of the ex-player propping up the corner of the bar.

Fortunately you had someone there with a bit of common-sense that prevented you from being moved. You sure you should be moving around now though? Your Douglas Bader impression is probably very funny to watch but don't overdo it without strict orders from the quacks!

Keep us up-to-date with developments.

[TheGoodGuy]

Sparky......

Geeez....
Here's wishing you all the very best for a full & speedy recovery.

Kind regards

Ada.

[Win2Win]

I hate it when folk never finish a story.......did they score the penalty or not?

[presto]

bloody hell sparks,
have a quick recovery.

[Jonny2621]

Jeez Sparky, all the best for a speedy recovery, the sort of story that makes you go cold.

Jonny

[markwales]

Shocking story.

All the best Sparky, get well soon buddy.

Mark

[silax]

on the bright side they can't make you redundent while you're on the sick.
if you can spin this one out you could well be the last miner

[chancer]

I did the same kind of tackle once in a rugby game and even though there wasn't near the kind of damage done as yourself, it was pain beyond belief. That few seconds afterwards, when you think your neck is broken, is terrifying. I can't even imagine how bad it was for you. All the best and hopefully a full speedy recovery

[scaaty]

Blimey, that sounds horrendous !
I'm amazed that you're out of hospital and walking about at all - heartfelt best wishes for a full and fast recovery :)

[MattR]

That's awful Sparky, can't imagine what you must have gone through. I broke my collarbone last week and that's bad enough being unable to use one arm for a while, pales into insignificance to what you are going through. Here's to a full and speedy recovery and here's to Johnny Gray

[Merlin]

Get well soon Spark....sounds like you and your family have been fortunate....

[GlosRFC]

I hate it when folk never finish a story.......did they score the penalty or not?

He is finishing it...it's just gonna take him a few weeks to tap it all out, what with only being able to use one finger on the one hand for now :D

[Onlyforfun]

Sorry to hear that Sparky, but very glad you're surviving!

But was it in vain, did you win???

He is finishing it...it's just gonna take him a few weeks to tap it all out, what with only being able to use one finger on the one hand for now :D

If he's lost the use of his arms I don't want to think about what he's using to type...

[sparkyminer]

thanks for all the good wishes ladies and gents.
I'm doing everything the quacks have told me to.
Mrs sparky won't let me at the pc because the angle of the keyboard together with the surgical collar i'm weariong makes me have to scrunch up, but i've told her it's therapeutic for me to discuss it. and she's tidying up at the moment:D
It will also be very therapetutic to put all me bets on this afternoon.:)
at the moment typing with one right forefinger, which looks like a walls pork sausage. i'm actually left handed. :D

[sparkyminer]

you're right glos. it is taking time to type, no he didn't score but he offloaded to another player who did score, but to give credit to buxton they immediately agreed to call off the game and let the result stand, so technically it was a match winning tackle.:D

[Onlyforfun]

Did you get the kiss of life???

[sparkyminer]

Did you get the kiss of life???

no. the paramedic was gorgeous though.:)

[Onlyforfun]

With 29 other rugby players around I would have thought there would have been a queue! :D

[sparkyminer]

she only had eyes for me though off.:)

[Onlyforfun]

That's not what I meant and you know it!

[plater]

Speedy recovery Sparky, has your local got seat belts at the bar