MAN UP MACKIN

It was early Saturday morning. Diane suggested we go for a hike up to the waterfall in Bell's Canyon. It was a good idea. We got off early and breezed along the trail, past the bridge at 1.4 miles and then hit the steep uphill climb a short time later. We were in the boulders and breathing hard. It seem sometimes as if the trail will never end. We got to the section where the trail crosses the stream and we knew we were close. Another quarter mile and we were at the waterfall. There is something special about having a beautiful feature there to reward you for the uphill climb. We rested for a bit and then headed down. Why it always seems so long to get down, I will never know. We worked our way downhill over the boulders and stumps and were now getting to a flatter part. One would think that we were now safe from any slip and or fall. Wrong! Somehow, I got my feet tangled and two things did not happen. I usually can just skip along and regain my balance. This did not happen. In the past, I have gone down and I would just sort of tuck and roll and pop back up. This did not happen either. I pretty much just went splat and landed chest first on some hard rocks(no soft rocks around). I felt stunned. More confused that hurt, although it did hurt. Someone gave me a hand up and I was on my feet. Diane asked if I was all right and I thought I was. I knew I would have hurt for a few days. We finished the hike. I was a little more short of breath than usual on the little uphill portion that we had to get past. We went home and I got out an ice pack. We were home around 10 am and I just hung out the rest of the day. Sam and Kate came over. After they left, I told Diane that I was getting some subcutaneous air that was spreading up my chest to my neck. We went to the free standing ER and the x-ray showed some broken ribs and a completely collapsed lung. My sat on admission on room air was 86%. I was transported to St. Mark's ICU where I met a hospitalist named Julia Whitaker. She numbed me up and put in a chest tube to re-expand my lung. I was in the hospital until Monday afternoon. I was pretty bored and spend most of my time walking around the ward and going up and down the stairs. It was good to get the chest tube out and go home and sleep in my own bed. I took pain pills for one more day and then relied on ibuprofen and acetaminophen. The morale of the story. Watch your step. Which I did today as Diane and I hiked back up the canyon, although just to the bridge. Eight days after getting out of the hospital, I got back on trail. And did not fall!