thank you all

[splatto]

Thanks again for all the words of inspiration. I originally swam in my freinds outdoor pool, that was really freakin cold even with a dry suit and 6mm dive boots on, and before the cold air this year. I think it was late October early November. Now I signed back up for the gym and use their indoor HEATED pool. MUCH better. If you want to see the squishy face I was making check out the pictures on my myspace. My nephew brought a camera the first time knowing it was gonna be cold, and I was bound to make some strange faces. He was right! I thought I would be tougher than that. Seems being in a hospital bed for 4 months covered in warm blankets has taken it's toll. We ride all year round normally(wakeboarding) so I was used to any temperature(coldest I've ridden in is about 42 degrees, up at shaver lake.). NOT ANYMORE! In fact we're gonna hit up new years day next, and my freind(other dad) says he'll let me ride(he really wants me to take it slow, so I haven't been invited recently DAMN IT. I don't think I know what "patience" means. And everyone knows it.And it is his boat.). But we do go less often in the winter. It's basically to get our fix and bragging rights. ONE AND DONE. OK off to the gym I go. The benefit of being disabled. I can go in the middle of the day without the work weariness.

[adamrod]

wow. keep it up man. you'll be riding in no time!!

with regards to the doc, it seems that your doctor isn't being that supportive of your kiteboarding addiction. it MIGHT pay off to get a 2nd opinion, and this time see someone in sports medicine who is used to fixing people up so they can go back to the things they enjoy...

[glenn]

Matt, I like your new avatar photo. I'm stoked to hear that your recovery process is going well but I have to admit I didn't like the previous avatar photo so much. Not for my sake but Only because it was a reminder of the severity of your condition previously. Keep up the good hard work. I can't wait to see your NEXT photo. -regards, Glenn

[consumer]

welcome back dude.

where the hell is the smilie with the thumbs up?

this is going to have to suffice: :finga:

Those are thumbs, seriously.

[splatto]

READ THIS!!! I am using a therapist from In Shape City Manteca. His name is Ryan DeRoche (209)483-9667, and is a certified physical therapist, and I am very impressed with everything he has done in helping with my rehabilition. I would not be where I am today physically without his advice. All those laps I can now do I can do because of his ideas. I am walking almost without a limp on my compund fractuered leg that is not even all the way healed yet. And unlike any doctor or therapist I've used from Kasiser Permenete his strengthening ideas are advised with the idea of my riding again(all of the boards I ride) And in the months I have been using him he hasn't re-injured\injured me in any way like the kaiser therpist did(re-dis-located shoulder with permanent long term effects). If you feel intense pain and it continues because of exercises you are told to do THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF AN INJURY!!!!!! STOP IF YOU FEEL INTENSE PAIN. No mater what you are told, they will change their story when you injur yourself. In fact this guy said that he never told me any of that. Luckily my dad was there and he says that's exactly what I was told to do. So I highly recomend Ryan for help if injured and are looking to recover quickly and with the intent of riding again. And Ryan is a wakeboarder whom has had major injuries/surgery in both knees. So he gives advise based on these 2 things from EXPERIENCE not read from a book. Although wakeboarding and kiting are very different sports the board skills are very similar.
I have used many therapists due to many injuries, not just the last bunch, and have never achieved the results I have working with Ryan. Feel free to ask me questions if you have them.

[splatto]

Oh, and by the way I have defyed all the odds. From what I'm told I had a 98% chance to die from my injuries. And also I am told by those who were present who asked the pilots what are my chances of survival, 0 0f 55 have survived from the type of injuries I had(statistics from the helicopter medics who flew me to the emergency room).

I was told repeatedly that I would still be hospitalized and not walking on my leg for 8 months after the accident. In fact I asked a doctor at my employers request when I might be able to return to work. I was told 1 year after the accident. I return to work on January the 5th(if I still have a job!), and the accident was on July the 26th(that's less than 6 months), and I have been walking on my leg(on doctors orders) for about a week. I was hitting the gym(pool) before being told to walk on my leg. That's not to say that it was a cake walk. It was a painful process, and alot of hard work required to get where I am today. But, so far, all that pain, and hard work has paid off tenfold(twenty-fold if I can eventually ride again). Next session with Ryan, he is going to put me on a "balance board" which he says will help with my boarding skills. I am still having issues with my vision though which may or may not heal in 2 years. And though nerely every "doctor and or specialist I have had, and there were over 10 of them, has told me I will never ride anything again, I AM THE DEFYER OF ODDS . I WILL RIDE AGAIN! You can bet your life on it! I AM! So don't give up and fight like hell, it can happen if you want it bad enough. I will eventually be living proof.

[splatto]

So I got a chance to talk to one of my gaurdian angels today Maui Mike. I want to say that I am gratefull beyound words to all those that were of help when all this happened. And Maui Mike was one of those people. If you need anything at all, any help I have to offer is yours. You have but to ask. Thank you. Oh and sorry if you had the misfortune of being one of the people to help the paramedics, I hear it was pretty gorey. Just being one who helped after the accident was pretty gorey I hear.

oh, and sorry about the rant from above, I do that from time to time, atleast now I do. I will try to edit some of the language from the statement. Sorry. I was sort of expecting the site to auto sensor. Oh and one of the statements I hear could seem as though I was referring to those reading the site. I meant the doctors who've been treating me.

Again, thank you

[Greg]

Matt-
Glade to see you've got so much fight in you- BUT you better watch that launguge!!
Seriously- you've got every right to stand on the roof and YELL (whatever you want) at the top of your lungs!! You owe no-one any apoligies here!!!
Your injuries are worse in some ways- less in others but Trang was kiting again in about a year.. (He was kept in induced coma for two months and spent the next six months fighting infection where he nearly died several more times) TODAY he is GOING STRONG!! HAVE FAITH!!!!
Hope you have a happy holiday season,
GReg

[splatto]

So, I am back to work as of Monday the 5th. It has beeen very exhausting. And it looks like I may keep my job. I am very tired/sleepy most of the time. Because I'm on light duty for 2 weeks, I stand around being a ground man/spotter for most of the day. I guess I should have stayed on my feet stationary as an exercise, do they have that machine at the gym??!! J/K. Who would have thought standing around doing nothing was an exercise!!! I am out by about 8:00pm every night, I'm usually up to about 10:00pm. I usually wake up for work at about 3am. Hopefully over time I'll get more stamina.

I have stopped going to the gym temporarily for fear of injuring myself and destroying my chances of getting my job back. I've tried to go wakeboarding, but haven't been given the chance. "It's too cold" the old guys keep saying, isn't that why we all bought expensive dry suits??. Or I like this one, "it's raining and I don't want to get wet". UMMMMM. I know I had a mojor head injury but I'm pretty sure getting wet is pretty much a guarantee in wake boarding. But it IS their boat and since I'm relying on their good graces to ride I haven't gotten the chance to go yet. I really want to regain my board skills, to get ready to kite again this summer.

[OliverG]

Congrats on going back to work! I'm sure it feels good to do so, but i know what you mean about it being exhausting. I tend to get more tired from doing nothing rather than being busy and active, so if you're spending a lot of time spotting and standing, I see how that can be tiring.

Like the new avatar! Did you get the calendars?