Pain in the....

...shoulder!!

I went out climbing yesterday to meet up with my old boss Jane and her family. It was rather hot out at Stanage and after meeting at Crow's Chin we decided to move along to a quieter buttress. I led Missing Numbers (HVS 5b) and found the top to be a bit slippy given the heat and had to take a short rest before topping out, but a very nice route.

Andy (Jane's husband) then led Exodus (HVS 5a) which was also very pleasent.

I then had a go at leading Leviticus (HVS 5b) and after placing a No. 2 rock low down went for the crux, which I was trying by som precarious lay-backing. Unfortunately a little too precarious as I started to bran-door then slipped off, ripping my gear out.

Falling from 2-2.5m I luckily managed to land in-between the boulders at the bottom, but landed on my shoulder and left-hand side of my body. It knocked a fair amount of wind out of me to say the least!!! Jane and Andy were both excellent, calming me down, helping me get my harness and shoes off ad carrying my bag down whilst I headed off with their daughters Emily and Harriet.

A trip to A&E at the Northern General Hospital and a series of x-rays confirmed that I'd fractured my left scapula (shoulder-blade), but managed to avoid any other serious injury.

So I'm sat typing with one arm as the other is immobilised in a sling. Off to see an Orthopaedic Surgeon tomorrow to find out if I need surgery, but it'll be at least a couple of months before I'm climbing again :-(

Thanks to Jane and Andy for getting me to the hospital.