Retallack on a sunny morning in March. Epic conditions. Enjoying the view before getting endless face shots.
I was asked to write a blog about my injury. I think that’s a great idea. A lot of people talk about being injured and coming back to their career as pro athletes, but not many talk about the struggle to come back. What really happens when you’re injured? What happens when you don’t have any time to prepare for a sudden end to your season? The thoughts that go through your head, the feelings you have, good and bad. Days go by, how do you pass your time? All of the sudden you have 24 hrs a day to do absolutely nothing, or to be a proactive as possible. It doesn’t really matter. Life slows down and nears a stop after surgery. All you have to do is get healthy. All that’s on my mind every day is fixing my broken knee, healing the wounds. Here’s part 1…
Phil Casabon getting some air time on another sunny day in Retallack.
It was nearing the end of the season. No more competitions. All I had to focus on was filming. Getting the shots and rounding off my segment. That’s all that was on my mind. I only had 1 other trip under my belt with MSP and that’s not enough. Retallack bound and full of energy. The trip was our most productive team shoot to date. MSP was there. Poor Boyz was getting footage of JP and Level 1 was getting Phil’s shots. The infamous Chris O’Connell was on hand capturing moments in time, skiers suspended in air, slashing pow turns and disappearing behind the soft bottomless snow. We were literally having the time of our lives. The Orage team, kinda like a family, working with a common goal.
Nearing the end of the trip, the last day of shredding, was when it happened. I was tired, trying to keep it mellow and save my body for the next journey. MSP had invited me to join them on a heli mission up North. I was so excited about the trip. Getting things in order for it and starting to mentally move on from Retallack.
Trying to stay warm and out of the snow. Waiting 3 hrs for the heli.
Looking back I think I might have had an intuition, but it’s hard to notice that in the heat of the moment. I stood on top of the cliff after inspecting it from many different angles. Waiting for the cameras, digi and film. Listening for the “READY!!” And I waited. Had some thoughts…where I was taking off, visualizing the stomped landing, grab or no grab, exit through the trees, no speed checks, what’s for lunch…the usual. Then it came, “READY!! Cameras ready!” Then I said, “Dropping in 5 (pause) 3, 2, 1 DROP!”
That’s when it all comes together. All of the thoughts blend into one concentrated focused mentality. The zone. Things move at a slower pace, more controlled movements. I notice small things like my pants being too high or my pole strap folded under my thumb. I notice the acceleration, the air, the time in between snow, then the landing getting closer, closer, and SLAM! What the F$#&@^()!!!!! was that? I heard an echo, saw some rocks, noticed a sharp immediate pain. I thought I tumbled, but they said I skied away, even made a turn, and then just laid down.
Loading up. Usually I'm really excited to ride in a heli...not so much this time.
Normally I try to be tough and not make those funny noise you hear people (like the grape lady) make when their hurt. Come on Michelle! Pull it together. It doesn’t hurt that bad and you’re going to be fine. No not this time. F&*^% that, I’m letting it all out. This is over the top and my body is definitely lacking the shock mode right now. This is when a series of obscenities exited my mouth echoing off the mountains. I immediately grabbed my knee. Whooaa! It doesn’t feel like a knee. There a bump near the back of my leg and another big bump up high and to the left. Where’s my knee cap? Where’s my knee? This is bad. Is my knee dislocated? This is the worst pain I’ve ever felt. (Insert Scream Here).
Lets go!
They strapped me down and loaded me into the makeshift sled. The heli was called in because we were pretty far out on the snow cat and that didn’t seem like a smooth ride to the lodge. We waited in the snow for a few hours until the heli could fly. The weather wasn’t optimal. My knee still felt dislocated. I was on the verge of passing out. The heli ride was another half hour flight to the hospital and when we got there they gave me laughing gas, which was silly. I was laughing, but still in pain. Soon after, I was hopped up on morphine and the doc was putting my knee cap back in place. Once that was taken care of the pain subsided, but I knew things weren’t looking good for the outcome of my knee.
My knee right after the accident.
