Problems on the Moutain

We went skiing this afternoon. Well, actually Grizz and I snowboarded while Neighbor and Neighbor's Boyfriend skied. I have not been out on a mountain since New Years about three years ago. And that time had been my first. I was a little nervous about trying it again.

But, as it turns out, snowboarding is like riding a bicycle; even if you're wobbly for a bit, it comes back like second nature. I'm not saying that I'm good, I'm just saying I didn't lose much in those three years.

I didn't fall while getting off the lift. I didn't even get a bruise. We're still trying to improve my "toe-side" (thats where your toes are toward the mountain instead of your heels... being able to do this will greatly improve my control!).

However, I only got two runs in. Grizz only got one and a half. Yup, there was trouble on the mountain (flash forward several hours and he's sleeping in the bedroom... just so you know!)

We were practicing my "toe-side," so we were holding hands and I was trying to control my balance after turning from heel-side to toe-side. While wobbling, Grizz took a hard fall on his butt. For your information, even though it was very close, I did not fall on him. He said he felt like his back was a pop can that got crushed. Nothing audibly popped or cracked, and he withered in pain for a bit, but then we got up and started going again.

I tried toe-siding some more and we met up with our friends. We told them to go on without us (since I was practicing a skill). Grizz took some time here and there to try and stretch out his back. Then, we took some more time to stretch out his back. At one point, he was on his back trying to tell his butt to move upward. His body couldn't do it.

Ski-patrol showed up. We tried to keep going again. Eh, on second thought, maybe Grizz will take ski-patrol's offer of a ride down... So, he got cocooned onto a taboggen and ski-patrol skied him down. I finished the run and met them at the 1st-Aid place.

Eventually, I decided to take my board up to the lodge and try to find our friends. Hmm... they could be using the other lift... oh look, in the distance, by the other lift, there's another taboggen with an injured skier... the skier near the taboggen looks kind of like Neighbor's Boyfriend.... nah, can't be... I'll just return my board and boots and get back to Grizz... I'll try finding friends again closer to closing time.

Well, when I returned to Grizz, there was Neighbor on the bed next to him, with ice on her swelling knee. Seriously? Four of us come out to play in the snow and two of us get injured?! Neighbor had fallen and her skis and feet when one direction while the rest of her body went another. She didn't hear any cracking or popping either (good sign!).

Needless to say, it was an interesting car ride home. Grizz had the front passenger seat reclined and he was laying on his tummy. Neighbor had her knee in a cardboard splint laid out on the back seat. There was still room for me behind her and I readily became her back support :) We enjoyed reminiscing past injuries and the day's events while munching on cheese and crackers and planning how we were going to get the invalids up the stairs to our second floor apartments.

We did it! Grizz is still in a lot of pain and his back can hardly support any weight. Neighbor still has lots of swelling but some meds are helping with the pain. She even hopped over to spend some time with us this evening. We just ask for some prayers to quick healing and that if/when they see doctors that its nothing serious!

PS: When referencing skiing: a "yard-sale" references a fall where your skis unclip and your poles go flying. (your equipment is all laid out on the snow like a yard-sale). How did I learn this? It's how the boys described Neighbor's fall.