Update on Kodiak (aka: Jim)!

boarderchick · Since 10 Aug 2007 160 Posts Wherever there's wind:-) Stoked

Hey there,

Just wanted to post an update regarding Kodiak.

So, for those not at Rufus today, Kodiak and I went up-wind to do the ponds, and as we were getting ready to go into the ponds, Jim did one of many front roll kiteloops, and when he landed, things went bad, very bad. Once he landed, he felt like he had been electricuted. His arms and legs went numb on him and he felt real bad whiplash. To make things worse, as we were trying to get down river as fast as we could, the darn wind dropped out quite a bit on us. How he made it in with the numbness, I don't know, must have been adrenaline.

Thanks to whomever helped him land and get in safely, it was much appreciated!

So, got him some pain medication and ice, and he just wanted to chill instead of going to the ER right away.

A couple hours later, that was it, he needed to go, he was still numb in the left arm/hand, and other arm supersensitive and couldn't move his neck.

Three hours later in the ER, his X-Rays came back with no breaks, fractures, or chips in his vertabrae. He still has numbness, and was given some vicodin. If he doesn't get better in a few days, he'll need an MRI/CAT scan. At this time, they think that his muscles are swollen and pressing on his nerves causing the numbness and tingling.

Needless to say, THANK YOU to everyone that was there at Rufus for your well wishes and kind thoughts, and for checking in on him.

Thanks to Bandito for offering to take the JetSki in for us!

Our fellow kiters always come through for each other, gotta love our kiting community!

Tony · Since 28 Aug 2006 680 Posts Portland Addicted

Wow.....

Pretty scary....Hope Jim gets better....!

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3489 Posts Gresham Videographer

Get well soon, Jim!

Nak · Since 19 May 2005 1715 Posts Camas XTreme Poster

That's pretty scary. Shocked

Glad it looks like not serious. Get well soon Jim!

Mark · Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:31 am

Best wishes on a quick recovery. Sounds scary! Take care of yourself.

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 884 Posts prick Sandbagger

just when we think we can have some fun life throws in a curve ball.

hope it just turns out to be some temperary nerve pinch/ flare that usually would receed in 4-7 days,

compress a nerve and they get a bit swollen for a few days like a bruise,

take it easy and enjoy the 4th ..

its scary when these type things happen..

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 5484 Posts P-Town / W-Salmon Site Lackey

That's freaky man, hope you are feeling better this morning.

goiner · Since 26 Aug 2006 11 Posts

Moto · Fri Jul 04, 2008 7:12 am

Hope he is all right - and gets better soon!!

blowhard · Fri Jul 04, 2008 7:30 am

That sounds pretty bad
hope he is better
I had a similar but not as serious situation a few yrs. ago

While dangling my way though a downwinder @Whiskey
my left arm fell off my bar and I couldn't get it to do anything
I was thinking perhaps I was having a stroke or heart attack
I came to shore pretty fast and stopped
After about 10 minutes the feeling returned enough to get my hand on the bar

Hope its just something like that,
just a pinched nerve

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 884 Posts prick Sandbagger

If no insurance an mri is about 1250.0 a section well worth the piece of mind.

wylieflyote · Since 30 Jun 2006 229 Posts Puget Sound & Wa. Coast Stoked

If there's someone out there (on NWK) that does not have some kind of insurance for this... I'd be willing to skip my next 6 pack and kick in some $$

I've not done a kiteloop yet, this kinda scares me off. Showing my kook now.

Rico · Since 13 Mar 2005 1117 Posts Vancouver Photographer

Rest up man

Forrest · Since 21 Jun 2005 2540 Posts Hood River Hick

Jim, you better recover 100% or I'm going to kick your ass! Would be the only way I could, being that Jim is a KODIAK! I wish you all the best man!

carolb · Since 04 Nov 2006 372 Posts Stevenson, WA Obsessed

Glad you made it back to the beach safely and I hope you feel better soon.

Carol and Tony

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 782 Posts Opinionated

Thanks for the well wishes. Docs basically said my neck x-rays looked fine and there was nothing that they could see that was out of place. Most likely my muscles are swollen and pinching a nerve causing the tingling. It isn't really that my hand is numb, just that it hurts.

If it doesn't get better it is possible that I have a bulging disk and would need an MRI to see that. I do have good insurance thankfully (one good benefit of working for the man). So I will most likely be popping vicadin and watching other people kite today.

It was really freaky when it happened though. Wasn't really doing anything special, just got hit by a gust while doing a front roll/downloop transition. I think I over rotated and landed backwards while looping through the powerzone, caught the back edge of the board in the water and snapped my head back.

Onad Rednaxela · Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:17 am

Heal it up soon Jimbo!! Cool