Worst pain of your life...uncensored.

I had a lot of jobs in Alaska, I started out as a cannery worker on the "slime line" (don't ask), then went to bait sales/longshoreman, was a deckhand on a few boats, and finally as a diver for shipyards and pier construction companies. The worst pain of my life was without question, January 2003.

I was working on a crab boat during Opilio season. This was one of the last seasons of the Alaska crab "derby" fishery, which were only days, at most two weeks windows to catch what you can. Now, as shown on Deadliest Catch the boats have IFQ's, and months to drop pots in the water. It's much safer.

On the second day of Opi season I was hit by a swinging crab pot, imagine a Volkswagen being thrown at your chest. I later found out I had broken my collarbone, cracked a rib, but the worst and most obvious pain was a bruised coccyx when I was knocked on my a$$ to the deck.

We're on Bristol Bay, Alaska, at best, two days back to port or even a few lost hours to medevac me during the derby cost everyone money. Tough it out. In a calm January on the Bay waves average 8-12 feet. Ever ride a horse with a bruised tailbone for 24 hours let alone 10-14 days? Standing was uncomfortable, sitting was not an option, and laying down hurt everywhere.

It was the longest two weeks of my life, but we killed that season. The owner gave me a double share, and wrote a glowing letter of recommendation that got me into diving school. Not likely to ever forget that.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by pariah1107

I had a lot of jobs in Alaska, I started out as a cannery worker on the "slime line" (don't ask), then went to bait sales/longshoreman, was a deckhand on a few boats, and finally as a diver for shipyards and pier construction companies. The worst pain of my life was without question, January 2003.

I was working on a crab boat during Opilio season. This was one of the last seasons of the Alaska crab "derby" fishery, which were only days, at most two weeks windows to catch what you can. Now, as shown on Deadliest Catch the boats have IFQ's, and months to drop pots in the water. It's much safer.

On the second day of Opi season I was hit by a swinging crab pot, imagine a Volkswagen being thrown at your chest. I later found out I had broken my collarbone, cracked a rib, but the worst and most obvious pain was a bruised coccyx when I was knocked on my a$$ to the deck.

We're on Bristol Bay, Alaska, at best, two days back to port or even a few lost hours to medevac me during the derby cost everyone money. Tough it out. In a calm January on the Bay waves average 8-12 feet. Ever ride a horse with a bruised tailbone for 24 hours let alone 10-14 days? Standing was uncomfortable, sitting was not an option, and laying down hurt everywhere.

It was the longest two weeks of my life, but we killed that season. The owner gave me a double share, and wrote a glowing letter of recommendation that got me into diving school. Not likely to ever forget that.

Nice story. "Deadliest Catch" is one of my favorite shows ever. I always missed that first seasons drama, when quotas weren't much of an issue and they would just pile up the crab on the deck if they couldn't fit it in the tanks anymore.

Wondered why they never did that again, and you kind of cleared it up for me.

[D. Bergin]

Worst pain for me was probably a burn. Went to jump start one of our cars with cheap jumper cables and the process melted the rubber sheath right off the handles. I didn't notice and when I went to grab the handles to remove them I instantly seared my fingertips. It happened so fast I thought I got electrocuted at first.

I didn't even feel it at first, but when the feeling started coming back it was so intense it made me want to vomit. I was told by the paramedics that was actually a good sign I was getting pain.......meant I didn't kill the nerves off and it would most likely heal, which it did.

I've had worse injuries, but that was the worst pain.

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Nice story. "Deadliest Catch" is one of my favorite shows ever. I always missed that first seasons drama, when quotas weren't much of an issue and they would just pile up the crab on the deck if they couldn't fit it in the tanks anymore.

Wondered why they never did that again, and you kind of cleared it up for me.

Ugh, tough to say this but the crab that was piled on boat decks was what fishermen call "dead loss". Crab cannot live without circulated seawater tanks, and must be delivered live to the processing facility. Dead loss is piled on boat decks during off-loading by the beach gang. This happens frequently, but has probably been censored by producers of the show

To avoid controversy: Since the IFQ system has been implemented fishermen lives have been saved or at less risk, and the amount of "wasted fishery" has diminished. There is always room for improvement.

Very sorry Pete, don't mean to derail the thread.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Nice story. "Deadliest Catch" is one of my favorite shows ever. I always missed that first seasons drama, when quotas weren't much of an issue and they would just pile up the crab on the deck if they couldn't fit it in the tanks anymore.

Wondered why they never did that again, and you kind of cleared it up for me.

I am also a "Deadliest Catch" fan. Over Christmas and New Year's, I read Scott Campbell Jr.'s book "Giving the Finger: Risking it All to Fish the World's Deadliest Sea." The book is a quick read at around 250 pages, but he really gets into what it is like to work on a crab boat as a greenhorn or a full-share deckhand.

Campbell also talks about the "Derby" style fishing of the old days and how dangerous it made the fishing because captains never wanted their crew to sleep because any time spent sleeping was time that other boats were catching crab. Now that each boat has a fixed quota of how much crab they can catch, captains are more willing to allow the crew to get at least some sleep.

Campbell talked hauling/setting gear for 36 hours straight, sleeping four hours, then hauling/setting gear for another 36 hours straight in the days of "Derby" fishing.

http://www.amazon.com/Giving-Finger-...tt+campbell+jr

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by pariah1107

I had a lot of jobs in Alaska, I started out as a cannery worker on the "slime line" (don't ask), then went to bait sales/longshoreman, was a deckhand on a few boats, and finally as a diver for shipyards and pier construction companies. The worst pain of my life was without question, January 2003.

I was working on a crab boat during Opilio season. This was one of the last seasons of the Alaska crab "derby" fishery, which were only days, at most two weeks windows to catch what you can. Now, as shown on Deadliest Catch the boats have IFQ's, and months to drop pots in the water. It's much safer.

On the second day of Opi season I was hit by a swinging crab pot, imagine a Volkswagen being thrown at your chest. I later found out I had broken my collarbone, cracked a rib, but the worst and most obvious pain was a bruised coccyx when I was knocked on my a$$ to the deck.

We're on Bristol Bay, Alaska, at best, two days back to port or even a few lost hours to medevac me during the derby cost everyone money. Tough it out. In a calm January on the Bay waves average 8-12 feet. Ever ride a horse with a bruised tailbone for 24 hours let alone 10-14 days? Standing was uncomfortable, sitting was not an option, and laying down hurt everywhere.

It was the longest two weeks of my life, but we killed that season. The owner gave me a double share, and wrote a glowing letter of recommendation that got me into diving school. Not likely to ever forget that.

Agreed...good story...you are a gamer...I can only imagine how that'd been?

[Exhibitman]

Rectal surgery. Three days out, taking the maximum dose of vikes, I couldn't sit up for more than a few minutes. And using the toilet...looked like when Captain Kirk gets hit with the brain ray on Star Trek.

Honorable Mention: when the novocaine wore off during a vasectomy.

[Beatles Guy]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Honorable Mention: when the novocaine wore off during a vasectomy.

Don't tell me that, I'm due for that surgery this year.

[DHogan]

I have a bad history of small bowel obstructions. Ten times in the past 7 years. Three surgeries. Grown men do cry. The last time I spent 6 weeks after the surgery waiting and hoping my bowels would start working. Pain meds were good !

[CardboardCollector]

This thread is like an auto accident. I could not help but slow down and look.

[nebboy]

Last year I was told I have 5 kidney stones, I've only have 4 more to go now. YA for me something to look forward to.

[Cliff Bowman]

When the Seahawks screwed up at the one yard line because I would have won the Net54 Playoff Pool if they had scored. Seriously, I would have to go with the day before I had my appendix removed.

[frankbmd]

No PAIN
No GAIN
(for me)

I feel like I'm eavesdropping on my patients reading this thread.

[HappyJack41]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Rectal surgery. Three days out, taking the maximum dose of vikes, I couldn't sit up for more than a few minutes. And using the toilet...looked like when Captain Kirk gets hit with the brain ray on Star Trek.

Honorable Mention: when the novocaine wore off during a vasectomy.

Jesus Christ, you've been violated in both front and rear

And I thought having my shoulder pop out and reset multiple times was bad...