It's Official: mdfiregal has screws loose!!!

MACK C-85 · 04-09-2012, 10:18 AM

For those who think I'm crazy, the title is her joke, not mine!!!!

Link to Original Post:

http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f6...l-13109-2.html

Well, after a little over 5 months of recooperation, Carol had surgery last Thursday to remove two of the screws from her ankle. These were the two that were holding the tib-fib joint together, after she destroyed it slipping off sunny's steps last October. Everything held together, so they didn't have to do any further repairs. She now only has two plates (3" and 7") and 11 screws remaining!!! Very little problems, walked out of the hospital Thursday afternoon with only a boot, then she spent an hour walking around a car show at our local mall Saturday night, then went clothes shopping for about an hour. She hopes to return to work tomorrow.

It will depend on how she tolerates the remaining hardware whether there will be any further surgery. The Dr. says if the hardware doesn't bother her it can remain in place.

PS, Gary, she did keep the screws!! Anyone need an approx. 2" and 2 1/4" titanium deck screws???

Mack

**Sunline Fan** · 04-09-2012, 10:26 AM

Wow, glad to hear of such a great recovery. Hopefully everything continues to go well and no other surgeries will be needed!

I have to say, after hearing about that episode, I'm a little more aware when walking up wet/snowy steps like that with no riser behind it.

**clueless campers** · 04-09-2012, 02:34 PM

That's great news! Glad to hear everything fused together properly and she was able to spend 2 hours walking so soon after surgery. Hopefully, she will have no trouble with the remaining plates and need no further surgery.

EMD_Driver · 04-09-2012, 05:19 PM

Sweeeeet!

Maybe now, we will be able to meet up and do some camping...

Make sure you put some new Sunny steps in place!

Something like this:

Or better yet, like this:

Poppy & Nana · 04-09-2012, 06:43 PM

Wonderful news......Leo still has two plates and 6 screws in his arm from his motorcycle accident in 1987 and no problems.......hope she has the same good fortune!

MACK C-85 · 04-10-2012, 09:01 AM

Gary:

Thanks for the suggestions. The first one looks good, the second one is a bit aggressive for our purposes!!!! That one would be a little hard on the bare feet in the summer time!!! Although if it wasn't that hard to swap out, and I did a lot of winter camping the second one would definitely be on there.

All:

Thanks for your encouragement, prayers, etc. She's back to work today, with just a bandaid covering the stitches and an ace bandage wrap!!!! No boot, no cane, no crutches, !!!!

Mack

kanyonkitty · 04-10-2012, 01:04 PM

Mack,

What great news. I know it's been a long slow process, but hopefully the worst is over now. Sounds like she sure had to endure a lot of pain, and it will require continued TLC forever. With summer weather coming that hopefully will also make it feel a bit better.

Have you worked on a "step mod" ???? gotta protect that ankle

Kitty

MACK C-85 · 04-10-2012, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Have you worked on a "step mod" ???? gotta protect that ankle

She claims she's going to have a sliding board installed........

But, I do like the looks of those "wraps" Gary posted about.

Mack.

**JohnB** · 04-10-2012, 05:48 PM

Hi Folks,

This tread plate, yes it is actual tread plate that does not even need sides, just bolt or weld it on. We use this at work in places of very high water and product or cleaning solutions. It is for sure, non slip.

It is however "extreme" aggressive. Those are points sticking up. Think of a hand saw blade, pointing up. We have stopped using these actually as they are so aggressive, if you fall on one the step about does you in and they are extremely uncomfortable to even stand on.

They do sell stick on abrasive material. It sort of looks like high grit emery cloth with a stick on back. These are used on stairs.

This is just one hit on the web for it. You may be able to apply this to the smoother step. On our camper 1 step has a high grit on it and the other not. Do not know why and assume Mack's slide camper has something similar.

Anti-Slip Tape - Shop 3M Safety Walk™ Non Skid Non Slip Tape

Good to hear mdfiregal is doing better.

John

EMD_Driver · 04-10-2012, 06:41 PM

John,

I thought about posting those adhesive-backed non slip pads, but wanted to be extra sure she didn't slip again...

Those highly aggressive steel plates are used on top of a lot of rail cars. Slipping from there could be fatal.. Climbing up on one of them, is not good on the knees!

MACK C-85 · 04-11-2012, 08:49 AM

Quote:

This is just one hit on the web for it. You may be able to apply this to the smoother step. On our camper 1 step has a high grit on it and the other not. Do not know why and assume Mack's slide camper has something similar.

Yes, we have the abrasive strips on the steps. However, the "dusting" (i.e. 7+ inches) of snow we had that weekend negated their usefulness!!!

Yes, if I camped in those conditions regularly (we don't) I would definitely put the aggressive treadplate steps on. The stamped metal covers do look like they would provide a little more grip without being overly aggressive, though.

The biggest issue that weekend was believing the weatherman when he said no more than a "dusting" of snow!! We didn't have the proper gear to deal with the 7+ inches that actually fell.

Proper gear being we would have stayed the h#!! home!!!

I can "retire" (in quotes because with a 13 & 14 year old actual retirement isn't happening) in Dec 2013 and I think I'm going to study to become a meteorologist, it's the only job I know where you not only don't get fired for being wrong all the time, it's actually expected!!!!!

Mack

**Sunline Fan** · 04-11-2012, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MACK C-85

Yes, we have the abrasive strips on the steps. However, the "dusting" (i.e. 7+ inches) of snow we had that weekend negated their usefulness!!!

Yes, if I camped in those conditions regularly (we don't) I would definitely put the aggressive treadplate steps on. The stamped metal covers do look like they would provide a little more grip without being overly aggressive, though.

Instead of trying to make the steps more grippy, what about attaching like tank heater element pads to the bottoms of the steps? Wire them up on a switch so you could turn them on when it gets cold out.

Poppy & Nana · 04-11-2012, 05:03 PM

OK so it has been a few days......how is she feeling back at work? Still doing okay?

MACK C-85 · 04-12-2012, 09:18 AM

Quote:

OK so it has been a few days......how is she feeling back at work? Still doing okay?

Yes, she's doing quite well. She's still down to an oversized band-aid covering the stitches and an ace bandage on the ankle. Get's a bit sore after a full day at work, but things are going good. She starts back to therapy today, so we'll see how she's doing after they get done with her!!

Quote:

Instead of trying to make the steps more grippy, what about attaching like tank heater element pads to the bottoms of the steps? Wire them up on a switch so you could turn them on when it gets cold out.

That's actually a good idea Jon, but I think as much as we would be camping in this kind of weather, I will invoke the "Stay the H#!! at home" mod.

Mack

MACK C-85 · 04-17-2012, 02:37 PM

Well, the stitches came out yesterday and after not one, but two surgeons twisting, turning, and squeezing.....the x-rays show it's holding together well. The "new" surgeon's boss (the director of the center) wants her to open and re-close Carol's incisions because the "(insert f-bomb & a-word here)" did a "terrible" job closing on the original surgery!! Carol was "Ah, like that's OK, I can live with it!!"

Anyhow, she's sore, but progressing well, to include mention by the "boss" that she might be able to "run" again by this fall!!!

Mack

EMD_Driver · 04-17-2012, 02:41 PM

Glad she got through the procedure, without kicking the docs... I guess she must only kick people she cares about!

When are you two camping again??

MACK C-85 · 04-17-2012, 02:59 PM

Quote:

When are you two camping again??

Probably not until Memorial Day

The only problem with getting involved with a VERY active Boy Scout troop is it gets it the way of our camping!!!

They're off this weekend at a campout. First weekend in May is an all day leader's training, the second weekend is Mother's Day, and the third is another Boy Scout camping trip!! The good side is the Ray is loving it!!!!

It's been 8 weeks since he bridged over from Cub Scouts and he's already been on two weekend campouts, earned his first rank, his first merit badge, his totem chit (allows them to carry/use pocket knife, saws, and axes), and his fireman chit (allows them to build campfires)!! Did I say they were active?!?!?!?!

We also attended an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for a boy in his troop this past Saturday.

Mack

Gene · 04-17-2012, 05:12 PM

After all mdfiregal has been through it gives new meaning to "watch your step". Glad to see she is almost back to normal. I hope all your future trips are "uneventfull" or positive events only.

**Sunline Fan** · 04-18-2012, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MACK C-85

Probably not until Memorial Day

The only problem with getting involved with a VERY active Boy Scout troop is it gets it the way of our camping!!!

They're off this weekend at a campout. First weekend in May is an all day leader's training, the second weekend is Mother's Day, and the third is another Boy Scout camping trip!! The good side is the Ray is loving it!!!!

It's been 8 weeks since he bridged over from Cub Scouts and he's already been on two weekend campouts, earned his first rank, his first merit badge, his totem chit (allows them to carry/use pocket knife, saws, and axes), and his fireman chit (allows them to build campfires)!! Did I say they were active?!?!?!?!

We also attended an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for a boy in his troop this past Saturday.

Mack

lol, that sounds about typical though, I was about that point within my first month as a member of the troop.

I still don't know how I bought/restored/sold a Sunline, maintained another Sunline, planned/executed an Eagle project, and went out west for three weeks all during that one summer!