Broken Wrist Saga

I broke my left wrist on the second day of 8 days snowboarding trip. It's rather unbelievable really, I could have broken it on the last day or second last day, but no, it had to be the second day. My own stupidity rewarded me with a 6 days of doing nothing at the snow resort during a much packed powder action in Tignes (it was dumping like crazy when we were there). I'm being philosophical about it and filing it on the "shit happens" folder. I escaped with minor fractures but it could have been worst.

A bit of consolation is that we did quite a few runs on day 1, and I did my first foray off-piste and black run on the second day. I wish I could say that it was the star black run that got my wrist or it was the 20 foot jump over the 720, but like most injuries it happened at the lease scary situation.

After the action packed first day, I had my lesson with Alliance Snowboard on Sunday morning. Neil took us off-piste a bit and some hairy slopes, for me anyway. Out of the 6 people on the Cruiser level, I was probably the weakest having only snowboarded for a grand total of 4.5 days before. Still I was happy with my progress and can safely go down the red runs (slowly).

In the afternoon, visibility dropped and myself, JY and Heng caught up to have a rather long lunch with me shopping for a helmet. At 3:30, armed with a new Dainese helmet and feeling invincible, I decided to practice what I was taught earlier. I should have practiced at the nursery slopes, but then it was getting late and I chose to do the hills. JY and Heng went up another way to do (much) more difficult runs.

After a short chairlift up, I snowboarded down Rhodendoron. Visibility was horrendous at this stage, however I went down without much drama. At the junction I saw the gondola tha can take my down to Les Brevieres. I thought about it for a split second before ditching that idea and turn right down Melezes. I was being greedy. Should have listened to my inner voice and took damn gondola.

As it were, not much down Melezes, I slipped on my heel edge and my I slammed my left wrist uncontrollably on the ice. Just like anyone who has broken a bone will tell you, you know straight away that something is not right. The pain was very different, and the fact that I could barely move my wrist was an indication that it was rather bad.

I probably sat there, on the piste, for about 10 minutes before deciding that I could not continue anymore and called the piste patrol. Whilst waiting for the rescue, unbelievably JY & Heng found me and stayed for the whole ordeal.

Not long after, the piste rescue came, put my arm on makeshift cast and put me on the body bag to be dragged down on the rescue sledge. This cause much hilarity and pictures taking by my two mates. After all I've only broken my left wrist, not dead. I was strapped on the sledge, board next me and head fully covered.

I can't really see what was happening, but I was told that the guy who took me down did a darn good job taking me down on a steep slope to the road. I have to admit it was quite an experience :) - not that I would ever want to be on it again.

Down the road, an ambulance was waiting for me to take me to the hospital.

Next post: the hospital and the damage. For now it's rather difficult to type with one hand :)