edenney

Very sad news for the CRW community and all of Ken's friends and fellow jumpers, he was one of the very best and will be missed. The last CRW jump I made was with Ken, unfortunately it ended with my own near fatality.

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In just the first 120 days that I was in the hospital I racked up over 2 million worth of medical bills.

That's just cause you refused to eat their slop and insisted on catered meals of lobster and filet mignon.

The only eating or drinking I did was through feeding tubes, and that definitely wasn't puree'd filet mignon coming out of those bags

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"if you can't afford insurance, you can't afford to skydive"

I STILL feel that way. Why? Who ultimately ends up paying? I do as a tax payer. I still happen to believe that we need to leave socialism to the CIS and European states. Americans should be responsible for themselves. Period. If they were America would be MUCH better off.

As someone who's unfortunately intimately familiar with this topic I feel unequivocally that every skydiver should not only have insurance, but should have good insurance, and I agree that if you can't afford insurance you really shouldn't be in the sport. Unless you're independently wealthy or have a great deal of liquid savings (and I don't mean beer in the fridge), you should also consider some form of supplemental income insurance such as AFLAC etc. The above goes double for instructors, since they actually make their living from skydiving. The fact of the matter is the longer you stay in the sport and the more jumps you do, the greater your odds of having an incident, and the vast majority of skydivers are going to suffer some sort of injury sooner or later. If and more likely when you do, you're in for a rude awakening when those medical bills start rolling in and the income stops.

In just the first 120 days that I was in the hospital I racked up over 2 million worth of medical bills. I've since racked up several hundred thousand more and I still have several major surgeries left to go. If I didn't have insurance (and an employer that kept me on the payroll & insurance during that time) not only would I have been dealing with all the horrifying things I went through in the hospital in the months immediately following my accident, but I would have lost my home and everything else. It's bad enough when you have to deal with your own recovery, believe me, you don't need the added stress of losing everything else you own, thoughts of bankruptcy, and worrying about where you're going to live, especially if you need long term care.

For those of you who have insurance through your work as many people do including myself, remember that you may or may not be able to keep your job if you're seriously injured (or even moderately injured depending on the type of work). Although you can continue your benefits for a period of time after losing your job by paying for it out of your own pocket (Cobra etc.), you'll have to be able to make those insurance payments at the same time that you don't have any money coming in which can be pretty difficult.

The bottom line is I really don't think people put enough thought into the consequences of what happens when you're injured in this sport. Most people have the "it won't happen to me mentality" and just put it out of their minds. Not only should everyone have insurance, you really should play out the scenarios of what would happen if you were injured to various degrees and be prepared for those eventualities. Sticking your head in the sand and not considering the ramifications will surely come back to haunt you if you stay in the sport long enough. It should just be considered a cost of doing business figuratively speaking, and literally speaking for instructors. Quite simply as others have stated, if you can't afford to have insurance you can't afford to be skydiving.

Eric

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It's nice to hear some good news these days.

Have a great weekend Eric.

Thanks

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I'm so happy for you and sad at the same time just because it isn't possible for me to sneak out. I hope you enjoy your day and all the fun vibes Perris has to offer. It is so good to see you doing so amazing...proof that miracles do happen.

My next trip we need to do the Xtreme again.

Yeah it's too bad you can't make it out this weekend, would have loved to see you. Once I get the big operation done we will definitely do Extreme again and I haven't forgotten about that trip to Hawaii either

Blue Skies!
Eric

I'll be out at Perris this Saturday mid afternoon for the first time since the accident in 2003 that nearly took my life. The weather's probably not going to be too great but I really hope to see a lot of my friends and fellow skydivers. I'll also be at Laurie's B-day party for a little while Sat. evening. I believe someone owes me beer and or a shot of Jaeger and it's time to collect!

Blue skies!
...Eric

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OMG....Eric Denney. You don't know me, and I don't know you, except through the nurses and doctors at Riverside County Med Center. I broke my femur at Perris in August of 2003, and all the staff there kept talking about this Eric person and how bad he was hurt, and how hard he was fighting.

Since I was another skydiver, they brought me news of you during my 4-day stay. I felt a small connection with you through them, even though my injury was so much less severe than yours. It is so good to see you posting!

Can't wait to meet you in person!

Andi

Not long after I came out of the coma about 7 weeks after I went into the hospital, the nurses told me about another skydiver that was in there for a broken leg. In fact whoever it was sent their flowers that they had received down to me when they checked out of the hospital. This was probably somewhere in late August or early September by that time, was that you? It was kind of neat to have another skydiver there during that time, not that I was happy to hear about anyone else being injured.

Yeah I was definitely the talk of the town by the staff at that hospital for a few months. The doctors and nurses all knew about my case and how miraculous it was that I survived. It was funny because I would be on my way down to X-Ray or something a couple months after I arrived there and run into a nurse in an elevator that would say "Oh my god, I worked on you the night you came in! You have no idea how lucky you are!" etc etc. I got that so many times from so many people and I since I was in a coma I had no idea who any of them were. One nurse that was assigned to me the first day when I came in didn't want to take my case because she knew by my chart that I wasn't going to survive. She did take it though and she used to stop by and visit me a lot after I came out of the coma and tell me how lucky I was.

Anyway, if you were the one that sent the flowers down then thank you! There were one or two other skydivers that came through while I was there so it might not have been you. At any rate, I'll be out a Perris at the end of the month to see everyone for the first time since the accident, hope you can make it out. I'll post the date soon...

Blue skies!
Eric

Thanks Lori, hope you're doing well And thanks for the blood
I'm going to have a big get together at the end of the month at the DZ so I sure hope to see you there. I'll be driving my car but I'm bound to crutches. I'll post the date soon...

Blue skies,
E

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Eric Denney has O negative blood. He's used so much that the Riverside blood bank ran out and they are now having to get it from San Bernadino. He's going to need more.

I know nothing about getting a blood donation to a specific place or person, but I know that O negative is rare. If you have O negative blood, are willing to donate and can make it out to the Riverside or San Bernadino blood banks (or somehow specify that your donation is to go there and be for Eric), please do.

Thanks.

Sorry for the small (18 month) delay but I just found this thread. Thank you to all of you that gave blood, attempted to give blood, made a donation, said a prayer, sent a card, or anything else for that matter. I suffered extremely severe internal and external bleeding and they were unable to control it for at least a few days. I understand that I went through an unspeakable amount of blood initially, using up all available O negative blood in that region of Riverside County and a most of the supply they had at the San Bernadino facilities. I also went through a tremendous amount of blood during the several subsequent surgeries over the next several weeks while I was still in a coma. Were it not for blood donors I simply would not be alive today, period. So keep that in mind and if you're physically able to donate blood you should try to do so occasionally, even if it's once a year. It doesn't cost you anything, it's great for your karma, many employers will let you take some time away from work to do it, and you just might be saving someone's life.

Oh, and thanks for letting me know what my blood type is! I didn't even know that I had O negative blood or how rare it was until I found this thread just now
...Eric

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I am sat at home waiting for my next surgery after having needed a load of metal work to hold my leg and ankle together

I had the same thing done. Amongst all my other fractures and wounds, the bones in my lower right leg, ankle, and foot were virtually destroyed. They fused my right ankle and put a rod in my right leg that runs the full length of my tibia and connects to the hardware in the ankle fusion. The operation was unbelievably painful but the bone structure now is able to support weight. Unfortunately I have a lot of other complications in that region that are keeping me down. Good luck with the operation!

E

I managed to get a chance to get dressed and go out on the balcony this afternoon. While I was out there my mom snapped a picture of me and I thought I would go ahead and post it here.

Although I look pretty good in this picture, looks can definitely be deceiving. I have all kinds of problems with my right leg and especially my right foot. My left foot is also incredibly painful when I try to put weight on it even though it wasn't hurt in the accident. Laying in bed for 10 months really creates all sorts of complications.

Blue Skies...

Eric

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Keep at it, Eric! So sorry to hear all of this. If 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger', I guess we'll have our next Superman when all of this is through...

LOL, now that's the truth! After everything I've been through Kryptonite wouldn't even touch me . Though I have to say my body doesn't look much like Superman at this point... maybe more like Timmy from Southpark.

Thanks for the support everyone, especially Lisa who was there for me since the beginning.

At this point all of my surgical/flesh wounds have healed except the one on my foot. That is the wound that has impeded my PT and rehab. They fused my ankle and inserted a rod into my leg (both legs actually) in November and the wound they created continues to bleed and throb anytime my foot is lowered. Not only is it not healing but it's infected with MRSA which is a very serious staff infection that is highly resistant to antibiotics. There is one antibiotic that can be used to treat it and they say it's going to take at least a month of IV treatments to eliminate the MRSA, IF they can eliminate it. There is a fear that the infection is in the hardware they inserted and that would be a worst case scenario that I wouldn't want to talk about.

In the meantime I was transferred to acute rehab yesterday. I'll be getting serious PT and OT at least 3 hours a day for the next month or more. My hope is to be walking by the time I leave here but that's going to be a tall order as badly as my right leg and foot were damaged. The pain is going to be excruciating but I'm just going to have to fight through it.

Anyway, just wanted to leave a quick update. My new room number is 3313 in case anyone wants to contact me or send anything. I have my phone line connected to my laptop 24/7 so if you want to reach me you'll need to IM me on AOL (EDenney01), email me, or call my cell phone. I don't want to post it here but you can get it from Lisa or IM me if you'd like it.

Hope everyone's enjoying the nicer weather and getting in lots of jumps!

blue skies and be safe...

Eric

Well I guess it's about time I chimed in. As Trish said, I had my (hopefully) final surgery on Thursday. The operation was pretty serious but went very well. All I know is that my right foot is no longer about 2 inches off to the left of my right leg. For anyone that saw it since the accident they would tell you that it was pretty nasty to say the least. I'm still in a tremendous amount of pain but it's getting a little better each day.

I will be going home on Tuesday of next week, just over 4 months from the accident. Shortly after I awoke from the coma in late August I set a goal of being home in time for Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday) and I'm going to make it by 2 days. I had hoped to be walking by that time but the month I spent at Loma Linda in rehab was mostly a waste of time since I ended up needing 2 more major surgeries to my legs. All of the ranging they did of my legs was wasted since I can barely even move them now after the surgeries. Oh well, the doctor has said that I will be able to start putting weight on them in the next 4-6 weeks so perhaps by Christmas I'll be starting the process of learning to walk again.

Again, thanks for everyone's support and good wishes, they're appreciated. Thanks to Trish too who has been at the hospital almost every day bringing me food and drinks and helping me out with whatever I need.

Blue Skies!
Eric

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VIBES Eric, make sure the doctors stamp your operation punch card, the 10th one should be free

LOL, I think this will make 9. I'll be sure to tell them the next one is on the house

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the ONLY other NASCAR lover at Perris

OMG!!!

Even with that, I'm still sending massive vibes. Heck, I'd even go to a NASCAR benefit!

VIBEVIBEVIBEVIBEVIBEVIBE

Wendy W.

I'm just praying my driver is going to be at the table this year. He's sitting in 10th currently and only a few points out of 9th.

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Eric is my favorite RW guy and the ONLY other NASCAR lover at Perris. Im sooo glad he is a miracle case. He is so well loved at Perris by everybody. I remember a hybrid jump with him where I was hanging from his chest strap in a stand and his visor on a full face flew up. I felt him squirm but I wouldn't let go. We had a good laugh after.....Oh yeah Eric, Ill keep your Vette exercised, even though it is an auto.....

Love ya man,

Mike Skaggs
8,15,1 & 3 forever

NASCAR forever . Yeah that hybrid jump tore my visor right down the middle and broke it loose from one side. Sure made the rest of the dive rather interesting. Hopefully these surgeries (if successful) will shorten the time it's going to take me to start walking again so I can get back out to the DZ and visit everyone. Wish me luck!

#9 and #3 forever

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Me? I'm getting ready to head out to a concert with friends, both jumpers and whuffos.

What's your excuse?

-
Jim

Broke everything from the waist down in a skydiving accident July 19th and won't be able to walk again for some months.

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Thanks again for all of the prayers and good vibes. I'm not religious but every single doctor and nurse that worked on me at the trauma center call me a miracle. Maybe the prayers and good vibes made a difference....

...Eric

It's a matter of teamwork. Prayer, good vibes, medical technology, and most of all that determined spirit of yours Smiley You're living proof that miracles can happen. Glad you're well enough to be online and back in touch with all who care about you. Group hug from San Diego. Take care and best wishes always

Thanks Maddy, it's just good to be back...

** SNIFFLE **

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Eric,
It looks like the sushi chef did your abd. surgery.

Well considering they took my whole GI tract out and had it sitting on a table next to my body they needed to make the hole kind of big . At one point it went from one side of my body to the other. It's small now by comparison

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Stopped by Eric's room today and was able to be there during 2 of his therapy sessions! :^)

With Eric's permission, we took a few pictures to go along with his words you have been reading the last couple of days.

I'll let Eric describe each of these, as I'm sure his words will be more fitting than mine.

Sure very happy to have you here with us, Eric!

Love ya!
ltdiver

Thanks for taking the nice pics Laurie. They definitely don't show me at my best but what do you expect under the circumstances.

Picture 1: Me looking pretty grungy after 3 months without a shower...

Picture 2: This is where they sliced me open to stop the bleeding...

Picture 3: Left leg complete with fixeters. Right left fixeters were already removed...

Picture 4: Me outside in the atrium. It was really nice out there today...

...Eric

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Hey, I'm even on an air bed, could be interesting!
__________________________________________________

Maybe we could just slide you around on it like air hockey!

PT does enough of that...

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Hell after this long I even miss the people I DON'T like!

So you do miss me?

I'd come visit ya but it's a hell of a trip from Florida...

LOL Excuses, excuses. Now I know just how much I mean to you

Hope life in FL. is being good to you!

Take care!
Eric

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Eric, I'm so very happy for you that you are well enough to post. We have missed you out here at Perris and can't wait to see you again. I know you have a very long road ahead of you but I hope the worst is finally over.
Blues ones...keep your head up and let us know what's going on when you can.
Linda

Thanks so much. I can't tell you how much I miss all of my friends and fellow skydivers from Perris. Hell after this long I even miss the people I DON'T like! Unfortunately it's going to be quite a while before I'm able to get out there but visitors are always welcome. Take care and be safe.

Blue Skies!
Eric