irishflygirl

I dislocated my shoulder in April - just as the season began up north... MRI showed I had torn my Labrum (ligament that attaches your arm to your shoulder). Was recommended for surgery, but opted for Physical Therapy first. After 8 weeks of PT 3x's a week, I'm back at work, and trying to get back into skydiving... No surgery so far, unless I reinjure it. What I've learned: Go to a good Orthopedic Surgeon. Get an MRI. Make sure you go to THE BEST Physical Therapist you can find. (It makes ALL the difference.) Work really really hard at PT and you may be able to avoid surgery. My doc said once you have dislocated your shoulder, it is more apt to dislocate again. It will take over a year for the ligaments to heal, and even then they will never ever be the same. Surgery can stabilize the ligaments more than PT, but it can be a lengthy and painful process (arm out of commission for 4-9 months depending). Also, a few docs have a new laser that penetrates deep into the tissue and after several treatments, it can heal torn ligaments by regenerating cells in the area - I know a Chiropractor that's getting one and may try it. It's an option instead of therapy... As for skydiving: My plan is to do a tandem first to make sure my shoulder is strong enuf to steer and flare - and that it doesn't dislocate in freefall. (I'd hate to do a reserve ride down with only my left arm after only 39 jumps and 7 months off...) I'm going to change my reserve handle from a pillow to a D-ring. I've been trying out various shoulder braces - I'm looking for something that will hold my shoulder slightly forward, so it doesn't end up too far behind me (in a position that it more likely will dislocate again). A friend at my DZ dislocated his shoulder last season, had the surgery, and is just now getting back into it. He said belly flying he's ok - but in a sit he can feel his shoulder start to become unstable again. Other than that, I wish I had answers for you. Good luck...

I started flying airplanes when I was 13 and had always wanted to jump out of one, but never had a good reason to. The night before my 30th birthday I was telling a friend that I didn't feel like I had "done everything I was supposed to do" by 30. She asked "Like what?" Not even thinking, I blurted out in a pout, "Skydive..." And she says, "That's IT! That's what we're doing tomorrow! I'm taking you skydiving!!!!" After much protest, I was jumping out of an airplane 12 hours later. Never in a million years did I think I would ever do such a crazy thing again... And a week later I was doing my second tandem, and a few months later I was going through the AFF course... My videographer said he could tell the minute I landed that I had been bitten and would be back... (Truth be told, I think I had instantly fallen in love with skydiving AND him - I'm not sure which I came back for... hehehe) My only regret is that I didn't start sooner. My family was initially horrified. I got a phonecall-a-day from my father begging me to stop this "nonsense." After 2 years of explaining how it all works, he claims he's going to make a tandem this summer. We'll see! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace." -- Amelia Earhart

Slayer152 - my video is 11min 17 sec... I don't think it will work if it only takes 10 mins. Thank you so much though.

The problem is, I don't know how to get it copied onto my hard drive... When I go into my D: drive, it says there are the following folders: AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS It says the AUDIO_TS folder is empty. In the VIDEO_TS folder there are the following files: VIDEO_TS (IFO File) 12.0Kb VIDEO_TS.BUP (BUP File) 12.0Kb VIDEO_TS.VOB (VOB File) 3.18MB VTS_01_1 (IFO File) 20Kb VTS_01_1.BUP (BUP File) 20Kb VTS_01_1.VOB (VOB File) 653MB I've tried copying them to my hard drive, but when I click on them, the computer tries to open each file individually and it says it doesn't know what program created it so it can't open it. Please help? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace." -- Amelia Earhart

I need some help from you video & computer gurus... I'm afraid my First Jump DVD is degenerating, and I'll be crushed if I lose it for good - please help!!! The DVD was made almost 2 years ago. I was watching it the other night (for old time's sake

Thanks for the suggestions! I think I'll email them and find out if there are any dealers in my area.

Very strange... I was just having this conversation at work today!!! I have not been to Oregon, Idaho & South Dakota. The other 47 I've had the pleasure... Joe - Where did you get this quote? I love it!!!! :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace." -- Amelia Earhart

I'm new to the sport and have decided that I'd like to purchase a Merlin Freefly Suit. My DZ ProShop doesn't stock them, so I figured I'd get one off of their website... but I can't get it to work! (When I click on Suits, Freefly - nothing comes up.) So, my questions are... Is there another website for them other than www.merlinsuits.com ? How can I go about ordering a Merlin Suit other than from their website? (I don't know what my color scheme/design options/etc are.) I've been told it could take months to get one... If I went to Deland, would I be able to get one faster? Thank you!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace." -- Amelia Earhart