Working as a Lineman
Hello, Here is my story: I am a 37 year old man who worked for an unnamed cable company and my day back in August, 2018 started off like any other day. I checked my van, equipment, and safety gear and off I went. I had to return to a house to put a new cable line from a telephone pole to a sub pole and to the house which is a pretty easy job for me. I got there, prepped everything and began work. I checked the sub pole with a hammer and poked the bottom for rot and all seemed ok. Sub poles in someone’s yard aren’t always as deep in the ground and they always wobble a little so when I placed my ladder and the pole wobbled slightly I didn’t think anything of it. I began to climb and everything was normal. I brought part of the cable line up with me to connect to a small hook called a jhook. Then I would get down. I belted my safety belt around the pole and ladder and reconnected it to my body belt. So I was secure. As I began to move around on the ladder I noticed the pole seemed to move a little too freely and thought I should get down, but at that moment, as I reached down to disconnect my safety belt the pole snapped and began to fall forward. It snapped again and down it went. I was 25 feet in the air. I hit the ground on my right side and shoulder, causing my supraspinatus tendon to rip from my shoulder, and I fractured my pelvis in 5 places: acetabulum, bilateral pubis rami, and bilateral sacrum. I remember the sharp jolting pain I felt at that second and the fact that I couldn’t breathe because the wind had been knocked out of me. When I could breathe, all I could do was yell “oh God!” over and over again. Luckily, the homeowner was home and came out to assist. He happened to be a volunteer firefighter as was I. His wife came out also and tried to comfort me as he was assessing my injuries to tell the paramedics on the way. Later I found out the pole was rotted 6 inches below ground where I could not check. I was in the hospital for 17 days and was able to get up 4 steps by the time I left, with help. I used a walker and then a cane for some time after. Meanwhile, I couldn’t have my shoulder reattached until I could walk unassisted so that happened in November. I cannot tell you how painful that is. How painful it all is! I started feeling better, but more recently, I have seemed to backtrack a little and have been in some real intense pain with my back, legs and hips. Some days I can barely walk. I gained 25lbs and can’t even exercise. I am so fed up with being in so much pain I just want someone to help me cope and get through it. I am not on narcotics or opiates now, and ended up actually having to go through withdrawal because of Thanksgiving. My prescription was supposed to be filled and I couldn’t because of the holiday. So when I finally got in touch with the office, they said I wouldn’t get it until that Thursday. I was already almost through the withdrawals by this time so I just braved it out and finished. Last thing I want is to ask for more. Over the counter stuff hasn’t been working at all for about 2 weeks now. How have you all coped with your injuries? Not to mention, the nightmares…the falling nightmare where you usually wake up before you hit the ground…well not me…I hit it every time :(
