Snowboarding Revisited

So I decided to expand a little bit more on my previous post and explain in detail what actually happened that fated day and the results.

I am currently enrolled in a snowboarding class on Tuesdays at Beaver Mountain through USU.  It is a ton of fun and I love every second of it.  I also convinced Clint to enroll with me.  We ride up together every week and, for the most part, have a blast.

On January 25, we headed up Logan Canyon for fun times at Beaver.  Upon arriving there and through the process of putting on our gear (which is quite the process), I discovered that I forgot to bring my jacket.  I had worn a hoodie that kept me pretty warm, but when I put my helmet on the hood would not stay up.  I decided not to wear my helmet that day.  What could really happen, right?  I'm a pretty decent snowboarded and decided that I could handle not wearing the helmet for one day.

Doesn't look very imposing, does it?

After class ended Clint and I met up (we are in different classes) and headed up Harry's Dream lift to the top.  (I should also mention that it had not snowed in a few weeks and the snow was packed hard and icy.)  We decided to take a run through the terrain park and I tried hitting a small kicker just to the side of a box for fun.  I felt pretty confident when I hit the jump and I landed it!  But I couldn't ride it out.  I caught my back edge and fell backwards and hit the ground hard.  My head bounced against it like a bobble head toy.  Clint, who was behind me, immediately stopped and asked if I was alright.  I brushed it off and said I was fine, but was seeing stars and feeling a little dizzy.  I got up and started moving forward, when all of a sudden, the trees started spinning around me and I felt sick to my stomach.  I had to sit down for five minutes or so before I began to feel better again.  I made it down the mountain and we decided to call it a day.

That week I felt extremely nauseous and sick, but I thought that I had caught the flu.  I had fallen snowboarding many times before and it never occurred to me that I might have a concussion.

...Fast forward to Tuesday, February 1st...

We headed up to Beaver for class again.  I felt great and hadn't had any headache or nausea for three days or so.  Clint and I got there early and decided to get a few runs in before class.  So we headed up Harry's Dream again.  (I was wearing my helmet and jacket this time!)  

Side view of the fateful kicker

I decided that jump wasn't gonna conquer me and tried to hit it again.  I landed it but once again could not ride it out and fell.  The next four or so hours of my life are completely blanked out, but from what I've been told, this is what happened:

I attended class, snowboarded just fine, and even participated and gave comments.  When Clint met me at the end of class we rode the lift up and I kept asking him the same questions over and over:  What time is it?  Where are we?  Are you in my class?  He knew something was wrong and so told me that we were going straight down the mountain and that I wasn't allowed to do any tricks or jump at all.  So we went down, but every once in awhile I would stop and stare off into the distance for no reason.  Then he would stop and to see what I was doing and I would ask one of the questions.  Freaky.....

We made it down to the bottom and they had the ski patrol look me over.  This is where I start to remember things.  I remember being in a building and seeing Clint and my teacher, Jake.  Also Debbie was there, who is in charge of the ski and snowboarding classes at USU.  Finally, there was a ski patrol guy shining a light in my eyes and asking if I knew who the president was.  I answered, "Obama?".  They said I probably had a concussion and should be taken to the doctor immediately.

Trying to add some comedy to an otherwise scary day

Clint drove home and gave me three words to remember and quizzed me on them constantly.  For the most part, I couldn't remember them.  We got home and waited for Thad then went to InstaCare.  They determined that I had a concussion, but sent me to the hospital for a CT scan just to make sure it wasn't severe.  While we were waiting, we passed the time with some pics.

Did all this really just happen to me?

 The CT scan revealed no serious problems and finally I was free to go!  The doctor told me I was not allowed to take ibuprofen because it thins your blood and that could cause complications.  I also could not return to snowboarding until I was free of concussion symptoms for seven days.  Yikes!!!!  Seven days is too long.... But in the long run I'm sure it served me well.

So, how does it all end?  It was a long time waiting but finally after two weeks I was able to return.  This past Tuesday, Clint and I went up to Beaver Mountain.  I remembered my jacket and wore my helmet!  We went up and through the terrain park again and I really wanted to prove myself this time.  No more screw ups.  You may think I am crazy for trying it again, but I had to prove to myself that I could properly land that jump without falling.

I was a little nervous.  Could I conquer my nemesis?  This little mound of snow that had conquered my will for almost the last month.  Could I defeat it?  I lined myself up for the jump and went in as controlled as I could.  As I hit the kicker, I thought, this is a piece of cake!  I landed, and rode it out!  I was so happy, I conquered the jump!  It was one of the most satisfying feelings I have had.  I went to class after that feeling like I could conquer the world, and in my mind, I had.  Sure, it was painful, and I had to miss out on snowboarding for a week, but I appreciated it even more when I was finally able to go again.  And after conquering that jump, I took on an even bigger challenge:  My first grab trick.  Over the weekend Beaver had a snowboardcross competition, so for class on Tuesday, we ran the course a couple of times.  I got pretty comfortable with and after a few tries (and with my trusty camera), I was able to jump over a tabletop, grab my board, land and ride it out all without falling.

I am not going to stop snowboarding.  If anything, I am going to continue to learn and to get better, to go faster, to jump higher; that is where I find the most enjoyment.  And if I get a few bumps and bruises on the way, it's just a part of the experience.  And I love it.