Sunday March 25th was a rough day for team SKB. Alan and Brian headed over to the Watauga to rack up some serious gradient but all bets were off when Brian severely dislocated his shoulder in S%^*Kicker on their second lap.
More details to come - hopefully they will include:
1) An account of running the bottom half of the rapid only using the right hand end of a double bladed paddle
2) How Team Shepherd really went above and beyond to be good samaritans (and undoubtedly sacrificed a lap's worth of gradient in the process)
3) What it's like climbing out of the Watauga gorge with a dislocated shoulder (not good)
4) Just how good Edgar looks when he happens to drive up right as previously mentioned climber steps out of the woods in need of a lift
5) Brian's diagnosis, prognosis, and plans for the future
Really tough losing our team captain on the next-to-last weekend... he did, however, rack up 506 vert feet on his way out (first lap)
Get well soon
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Brian's Account of the Watauga Incident!As I started my first lap on the Watauga, I was tired and sick. Allergies had kept me up the previous night, and I was coughing my head off on the river. Not to mention five laps on Wilson Creek the day before. However, Alan and I had big plans for the Watauga. When we made me at the take-out, our fellow competitors and friends, Team Shepherd were there with one pair already on the river. We quickly changed into our clothes and took off for the put-in. The Watauga was running at 129 cfs, and we quickly made our way through the opening rapids. We had no trouble until we came to a no-name rapid above Edge of the World. I had relaxed after a drop only to find myself right against a rock with one hand on my paddle. Unfortunately, I was completely unprepared for the hit, and went over against the rock and dropped my paddle due to my suprise. Of course, I went for a little swim. I gathered up my gear, drained the boat and set off again. But... I forgot to put in my drain plug. Once again, I stopped, drained my boat and took off. Without putting in my drain plug. So, after Edge of the World, I drained my boat and took off again. But forgot to put in my drain plug! Finally, above Heavy Water, the drain plug was in and we were good to go!
We learned from Team Shepherd at the take-out that we could have walked Stateline Falls on our previous run and counted the gradient. We absolutely would not have run it if we had known that! However, last weekend we learned you can sub-out pretty deep and still be ok at Stateline even at 122 cfs, so we took off. Again, decent lines were had and no problems were encountered. The rest of the lap was finished without incident and with drain plugs in!
When we pulled out for the first lap, I had finally found a good groove with paddling, so I wanted to continue for a second lap. If it had not been for TVF, I would not have done a second lap, but really wanted the 1,006 feet for the day. We joined up with two members of Team Shepherd and hit the river. Things were going great until Shit Kicker rapid. We took the standard line, starting on the right and then moving through the slot back to the left. I performed my standard line through the rapid, which involves cutting left too early, and then catching a small eddy on the river left side. As I peeled out of the eddy, I had reached out pretty far to take a big stroke to put myself where I wanted to be. My paddled lodged between rocks, and I felt a pop in my left shoulder as I followed through with my stroke. It hurt, but I thought nothing of it. As I made a big right then left hand turn and approached the last drop, I put a big back stroke/brace on my left side to prepare for the final drop. Then it happened, the shoulder completely dislocated. I felt it give and then slide downward and heard the crunching sound as it went out of joint. I tried to stay upright, but went over and pulled my skirt, going over the final drop upside down, slightly in and out of my boat.
I managed to perch myself on a rock in the outflow of the rapid and yelled that I was not OK and my shoulder was dislocated. The Team Shepherd guys attempted to help me get across the river, but I knew that a simple jump into the water and swim of five feet was what I needed to do. I eventually shrugged off the pain, ponied up, and jumped off the rock into the river. Once I reached the shore, the guys were in action. I made three good attempts to put my shoulder back into place. It was to no avail, and I was simply hurting way too much to continue trying. The guys made me a sling with some webbing and rope. Then, we all knew what was next. A hike out of Watauga Gorge.
The guys asked if I was ok to hike out of the gorge. My response was "I don't really have a choice but to be ok." And that was all that had to be said. With a still dislocated shoulder, a make-shift sling, and a paddle in hand for support, I began the straight-up hike out of the gorge. The rhododendron was dense and the gradient was steep, making finding a path out that much more difficult. I had to stop several times, but I knew there was only one way out, and that was to press on and hike up the gorge through the pain. I FINALLY heard cars and the road and knew I was close. I had never been happier when I saw the guard rail for the highway above me and knew that I was right at the edge of being out of the gorge and probably a mile or two hike from my car. The second I exited the gorge and stepped on the side of the highway, I saw a familiar car driving toward me. It was Edgar from Team Shepherd. He had just driven up to the put-in to help with shuttle for some other guys. Out of dumb luck, I had managed to exit the gorge at the EXACT second he was driving back. Let me tell you, at that moment he may have been the sexiest kayaking beast I have ever seen! He picked me up, drove me back to the take-out, and offered to call it quits on the river for his team in order to drive me to the emergency room. I refused to let his team do so. They had easily given up one lap on the Watauga in order to help me. I could not let them give up anymore gradient.
Off I went to the emergency room with the shoulder still dislocated. I was going to head to Sycamore Shoals Hospital in Elizabethton since it was on my way back home. When your shoulder is dislocated like this, you are in quite a dilemna. Driving around turns really fast hurts, but the slower you drive, the more time you have to sit there hurting because your shoulder is out of joint. It ended up taking me about 50 minutes to reach Sycamore Shoals Hospital due to a few stops when the shoulder pain became unbearable. 15 minutes into that drive, I really wished I had allowed those guys to drive me to the ER.
When I arrived, I walked in the ER in full kayaking attire. The sprayskirt was still on, lifejacket, wetsuit, drytop, and make-shift sling. I asked the receptionist if this was the strangest apparel they had ever seen anyone where into the ER. Unfortunately, they said "yes!" I was really hoping to get a funny story after that. About 10 minutes after checking in, I was given a room. An X-Ray was taken to determine the extent of the injuries, and then the doctor tried to put the shoulder back in place. Unfortunately, they were unable to get it in, so they knocked me out. When I came to, my shoulder was in place and an X-ray was being taken to ensure that it was really back in joint. I was told that I had a serious dislocation and a hairline fracture of the clavicle. I was asked if I wanted to have surgery right then and there, and I refused.
Currently, I am waiting to get in with an orthopaedic surgeon. The full outcome will be determined at that time. I know that surgery will be needed. It will be needed to restore the shoulder to functioning capactiy. I want to paddle again. In fact, the sooner the better. I love paddling and feel like I was born to do it. It is too big a part of my life to give up, and I can not imagine my life without it. Even if I can't return to kayaking, I have enjoyed TVF. It would be a great way to go out, with days on all of my favorite rivers with my favorite paddling buds. I'm scared that this is going to be the end of my paddling days, but you can bet your ass that I'm going to do everything I can to come back. We'll see you on the river soon. I'll keep my shoulder surgery blog/updates here.
-Brian
