Hi All

As you all know, or probably have heard (and I'm not dead or a paraplegic in a wheelchair), I was involved in a near death accident on 4th August 2002 from kite boarding. That day (not that I remember much of it) was pretty ordinary. My last recognition was about lunch time sitting with Ian Ausden and Marty Littlewood. It was raining and the wind was up and down like a yo-yo. The accident was around 4 pm. A freak squall of about 45 knots came through. I was landing my kite at the same time it hit. I didn't see it coming as it was from directly behind me, which immediately put the kite right in the power zone. I was picked up and launched into a gazebo. Marty tried to help but the wind was so strong that he was being pulled up with me. Ian was out on the water dealing with this freak of nature as well. After hitting the gazebo, this then sent the kite it the other direction right towards the toilet block. Some said it was like a Tee-Bag being flung around. I hit the toilet door with my feet first breaking both of these as well as the door. My right leg was broken in two places. Both kneecaps were fractured and there was substantial cartilage damage. The right kneecap was so smashed that I was told I may have to have this removed. The PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) on my right knee had been torn off. This now means that I can wobble the lower leg as there is little support holding it in place. Muscle tension is what I now use to hold me together. My shoulder was fractured. I could not lift my arm up as the piece broken off was caught in between the ball and the socket. My jaw was broken in two places. The piece of skin under my jaw has flapping like the end of a shoe when it separates. I also broke off the inside of six of my teeth. These pieces showed up on an X-Ray in my throat. A severe gash to my right lower leg and quite a large gash to above my left eye. I was hanging from the toilet block. Many thanks go to Brenton with his first aid knowledge helped to get me to the ground. I was unconscious. I only remember a brief moment there wondering what had happened. I had lost 4 hours - no memory of it at all even to today.

A month in hospital, legs in splints for 3 months, in a wheelchair for 6 months was no fun. To start walking again in 12 months meant that I had to learn to walk again. After 18 months the break in the right leg had not healed so they removed the titanium rod holding me together and reinserted another one that was going to grind bone marrow off and hopefully force this into the gap that wasn't healing. I was back to square one. In June this year I had confirmation that the bones had finally joined up. If this did not happen, they were going to shorten my leg ~2-3 cms. In May 2004 I have had the chip taken from my shoulder, so now my right arm is healing. The rod in my leg cannot be removed for another 18 months. At that time I have been told that they may be able to repair the PCL properly.

So I have had to deal with all the expected rehabilitation during my recovery. This has been a long road, with lots of pain. I have remained positive during all this as I knew if I kept mentally positive my body would eventually too.

Well up until about two months ago I plateaued out and felt that I was not getting any further. I still had a lot going on regarding pain and discomfort. Even though I remained positive I was sure things would get better, I was beginning to see this level was as far as I would get to being fully repaired. I had to come to terms with this and accept it.

About two months ago, I was introduced to the Mangosteen Juice. After taking the juice for just 4 days I had noticed a change. I immediately thought this was psychosomatic (I believe this is the term for thinking something is happening in your head, but really it isn't). However, for the first time that morning when our border collie Zara wanted to play chase me with the ball, I found myself running after her, yes running. Every other time I have done this I can take about ten to twenty steps and have to stop because of the sharp acute pain in my kneecaps. This did not happen this time. I stopped and was immediately emotionally overwhelmed by this event realising that things have begun to get better again. I could not believe the difference. I then thought that I should take this experience carefully as even though there was no pain, if I pushed it now, I may do some damage and go back to how it was before. This was truly amazing feeling. I was taking 3 x 30ml doses of the juice per day.

This is what normally happens... During each morning as part of my normal daily rehabilitation, we take Zara for a walk along the beach. Today was so different to all previous days. Normally my knees ache with sharp pains for the first 10 minutes while they get warmed up. I always have to be very conscious and tread carefully the whole time while walking so I don't twist which causes more sharp pains. Also normally during the last part of the walk, nearly 1 hour, my knees would be sore and I couldn't wait to get home to sit down and rest. This was mentally draining and a daily challenge for me as I knew this is what I to look forward to. Not much fun hey?

For the first time I had no sharp pains, right from the start. At the half way point the same, so we decided to keep going and almost walked the same distance again. So overall we walked double the normal distance. I was so excited. When I got home my legs were feeling the same as when we started. You may find this hard to believe but its what really happened.

I then thought about my bike riding. My knees always pained during this but I worked out that you could freewheel a lot of the time to get past this as all the weight is on the seat and not on your legs. I hadn't been riding my bike since my shoulder operation in May 2004 as I was advised not to. I had tried to start this back up again a few weeks earlier but it was difficult to ride one handed (try changing gears with the other hand, not very easy or safe) and when I did use my right arm the shoulder pain was too much so I stopped. I decided to give it another go the next day. My knees did not hurt and even though there was a small amount of discomfort with my shoulder I was able to do this quite easily. Funny enough I was getting puffed out because I could now push myself again without the pain in my knees.

I haven't looked back since that day. I am now taking 2 x 30ml doses of the juice per day. I can now ride my bike at full pace and then power walk along the beach without pain and discomfort. The positive mental gain from this is hard to explain. I am now getting stronger and feel the body is repairing itself again.
I have also noticed other things since taking the mangosteen juice. The cloggy tie you down feeling in my head has gone. I can concentrate more now. I have noticed that things that normally tie your stomach up in knots doesn't happen now. I now have more energy and am sleeping so much better. Just recently I have noticed the numbness on both knees where they operated has changed. I can start to feel through the top of my knees again.

This magical juice has so many healing benefits. Is worth looking into and trying some for yourself. You never know, maybe you will have something happen. I know I did and I can't help from telling people about this wonderful juice.

If you have any questions, please email or call me and I can help you. I have books that explain how and what this juice can do.
If anyone has been using the juice, I would love to hear what it has done for you as well

I am now looking forward to at least having another go at getting back on the water this summer. One must get back on the horse as they say. I now believe this will become possible, Before I was not so sure.

I hope some inspiration from what has happened to me will benefit those who are injured or those that are looking for a quicker recovery time after a hard days kiting. There are now a few kiters taking the mangosteen juice and have noticed some of its benefits.

Cheers
Rob Veale
(08) 9721-4896
0407 199 390

Dr Templeman's website
www.mangosteenmd.com
Anyone with a Science mind check this one out... Type in Mangosteen or Xanthones
www.pubmed.com

krikey.. thats abit harsh....I'm sure that there are other people out there that have fractured bones from kiting etc... that would benifit from trying it.... and correct me if im wrong hirsch ... but i thought in a forum you could put your own inputs in...about products..stores... whatever. right?? or can't we talk about any of the equipment we use, where to get it, who has good service?.... On a different note, I've been lofted into a breakwall myself.... and given that I was about 8 metres up in the air, above a foot of water, doing around 20ish kts downwind.. tha fact that your reaction time.... and the time it took for me to quick release is only i recon 2 secons ... by then i was sure i was gonna snap my feet, so i just rode it out, hit the break wall, (landed sideways on it) with my board on, doing aroun d 15-20 kts, and had no injuries......
sometimes there ain't an easy solution to; do i bail? or will it subside?, before i get carried to far..... im sure if he bailed over land, doing 15 kts, from however high he was, he still would have been seriously injured.

Thanks jacko and dachoppa for you support

I appologise to hirsc... I am not attempting to advertise however I agree with dachoppa if you have injuries... what do you do to help others get past it. How can you know of something that may help if you cant tell others about it.

Jacko, Punchy, Aussie, Brent and the crew in Bunbury have seen me when I'm down. I spend a lot of that time on my sticks and before when I wasnt broken helping people with the SAFE way to kite. I wanted be active in the sport and help others not have to go through what I did. I hope I have done that.

Even with the latest and greatest quick release, it all happens so FAST, there is NOT enough time to react. If you do release, you are normally so high up what is going to be worse... freefall of powerland. Ask any person (and believe me in hospital I did) who had a car accident how much time did they get to avoid the accident. This is real.

Everyone who kites is at the element of the wind gods. Watch for changing conditions and respond to them. If you use the attitude that you are superman and cant be hurt, you will probably end up how he did... in a box. My sympathies to his family.

I did not have any quick release, they were NOT available then. The chicken loop and de-power strap is all I had. If I had a quick release, maybe and only maybe this would have saved me. It happened so quick.

If what I write appears overpowering in what I say... sorry but sometimes we all need to be shocked into reality. Come and stay with me for a week and you will see why!
We are here for a short time, have a great time.

Kite safe and have fun!
See you on the water

I think the fact that you have been screwed back together by the medo's has more to do with your recovery then some juice. Your lucky we live in a country with such good healthcare or you would be in big trouble or big debt.

Thankyou wounded one for filling in the gaps, it's great that you have done so. To the others who have replied through sympathy and supported you demonstrates to me that you are doing well in the right position to assist in making it safe from your experiences.

The message as I see it is to always always use a leash. AND this is only my opinion but as soon as you realise your'e in the ****, get out of the system as quickly as you can, do not try to ride it out.

I might seem harsh, to some.....I just see it the way I read it. If that offends some, I apologise, it's not meant to offend, if you feel insulted because you have personal attachment to the situation...that's your issue, not mine. Again, I see it how it reads.

Again, my position is to make things safer, I will put in my opinion wherever I see fit and not take offence from folks. That's the beauty of an open forum.

It's all good and I pray for your recovery to a position where you can impart the wisdom learnt from such horrific injuries.

You gotta admit Robbie (read it again) it does kinda sound like a advert? I mean where are the steak knives? And is there more?

So the question is.... Do you profit from the sale of this stuff?

Thankyou for the insight to someone that has been on the wrong end of kitesurfing and shared your experience with us.

I too have tried Mangosteen Juice, my Physio who put me onto it promised to cure me of anything and everything but after 2 months i stopped and didn't feel 1 bit of change. I am glad that you could find a result or a belief in something, and if thats what it takes to get your mind and body right then it's a good thing.

BTW.

While we are on the subject of hit-and-miss cures.....I SWEAR by magnets.

I have had snowboarding knee injuries, plus kiting injuries that have had an almost 'Jesus touched' recovery with magnet encrusted straps.....too bad I'm too lazy to hit my elbows with em.

Then again it could be time cures all ills.

Whatever; I'll try mangosteen, plus magnets, plus whatever else when my clicking elbows piss me off enuff to fix em.



Wind's up.....what work?

glad to here you are recovering. i heard about your accident and have also had a near miss. i was catupulted around a lamppost and slammed into the end of a coppers log. i walked away but one thing i have learned is in a bad situation the first thing we tend to do is try to control the situation then we go into survival mode. unfortunately when you have a timeframe of a couple of seconds it may be too late.
i avoid frontal conditions at all costs. i still see people going out in these conditions. black clouds, rain rolling in. you may think you are going hard but all you are is bait for death. just hope hes not biting. regards rob and yeh it would be great to see you out on the water. thanks for using your experience to help others.

Wounded One,
As others have said, fantastic to hear you're on the mend using all the options available to you (Standard medicine, 'magic' juice, positive thinking etc.) Even more amazing that you're keen to give kiting a go again!
I support the point that QR chicken loops weren't around in August 2002. Most people know I work in one of the shops with one of the mainstream brands and that brand only introduced a QRCL for the 2003 season (unfortunately for Wounded One only about 2 months after his accident)
Gav, you know I'm a fan of yours for what you do for the sport, but you of all people with your own recent nasty accident should know things can happen VERY fast with kiting. Back in August '02 the only way to release the bar was to have the physical strength to unhook, something clearly impossible by the description of the power involved in the accident. In you're letter on the GWC page you also recounted your injury tale but didn't offer a lesson on how it could have been avoided...
Maybe manufacturers will develop some system to avoid what happened to you occuring again, just as they have developed QRs to help avoid incidents like Wounded One's.
Get well soon to both Gav and Wounded One
Jess

Just because Hirschausen points out the blatant similarity between the reference to Mango Magic and an add doesnt mean he lacks empathy with Rob's psoition.
Leave 'get a life' comments for people who watch daytime/reality TV or read the Herald Sun. Maybe I should start a new general thread - 'Dont believe - think!' Aren't people taught critical&clear thinking skills anymore? ... stop me now I can feel myself getting started .. rant rant rant ....

reading these tales of accidents under a kite only makes me more determined to learn the basics of this sport properly to live and enjoy it .

STUART