I had the distinct feeling I was falling

I started on the Familyroom roof on Wednesday and got a third of the roof done that day after starting at 11 am and doing all the tear off. I was able to get some reprieve from work stuff to get up there again yesterday after lunch and got to the row of vents at the ridge, except for maybe about 4 feet right next to the valley before it got too dark to see what I was doing, around 5:00 pm. I was trying to finish up before Aimee got home with Sam, which was going to be around 5:30.

I will preface this for those I haven't told that I am fine.

That said... prepare yourself, Mom... I fell/jumped off the roof from the top of the ladder as I was trying to climb up with two flashlights so I could see to finish that last little bit of the valley. I lost my balance as I was taking the last step from the ladder to the roof and the ladder kicked out to the side ever so slightly. In trying to correct from that I started falling back but was able to somehow turn myself around and jump away from the ladder and over the concrete pad to land in the thin layer of leaves under the cherry tree.

As the Willamette Pass commercial on the radio describes, I pulled a serious lawn chair, and kinda folded up, when I hit the ground. I find it a little strange that I don't really remember falling all that much, after the fact. I know I didn't hit my head so it probably isn't a concussion, and probably can be explained by some biological response to the fall trauma.

I layed there for a short time trying to figure out how bad it was and started moving joints and testing limbs. To my surprise everything worked and nothing really hurt, considering. So I got up, found the flashlights both had busted bulbs, figured I was done for the night with out any light and then climbed the ladder and got the tools off the roof. It was as I was coming back down the ladder that I realized I was getting a little shaky.

Thank you, God, for your protection and guidance in that split second between roof and ground.

I figured out it only took me half a second to make the trip... landing at about 22 feet per second, with a force of about 700Newtons (for those scienve guys out there). You can seriously find calculators for everything on the internet.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5