Category: skiiing

At the conclusion of my second season (first full season) of skiing, I executed a magnificent yard sale on Hugh’s Heaven at Blackcomb mountain. I tumbled over my skis, falling down the slope onto my right shoulder and head. The hit to the head dazed me (get a MIPS helmet folks!), and I knew something was wrong with my shoulder as I gathered myself.

I don’t know what happened, but there’s a theory that it had something to do with my hard-charging style…

I have my doubts about the accuracy of GPS-based speed in these apps. But I am known to go pretty fast, especially when a cloudy day opens up on a nice smooth groomer. It may also not help that I recently switched to long-for-my-height (173 cm) carver skis that grip pretty hard.

The damage report from the MRI:

1. Redemonstrated fracture involving the anterior greater tuberosity.
2. Low-grade interstitial tear of the distal supraspinatus tendon at the foot plate insertion.
3. Mild subacromial-subdeltoid bursitis.
4. Edema within the axillary recess with indistinctness of the joint capsule which is nonspecific and may reflect a capsular tear in the setting of recent trauma versus sequelae of adhesive capsulitis.

Well, you broke your shoulder but in the best way possible.

Orthopedics surgeon

Further instructions from orthopedics:

1. Lift nothing heavier than a coffee mug for 6 weeks
2. We need to watch it week by week to see if it displaces. It should not, but if it does, we’ll need to operate to align it.
3. If it’s good after 4 weeks, can begin physical therapy.
4. No contact sports or skiing for 6 months
5. Probably will not feel fully healed until 1 year

Alas! There’s no question the injury has been impactful. As of writing this post, it’s three weeks after the fall. I can’t even dream of playing the violin and have missed two concerts. I have trouble with daily tasks like eating, driving, using a computer, showering, etc. And I still do not know if I’ll need surgery, since the bone did displace by 3 mm as of the last appointment.

What lifts my spirit though is knowing I wouldn’t change anything. Skiing has been such a joy in my life, and I look forward to hitting the slopes right at the 6 month mark in November!

I got into skiing late in the 2021-22 season at the age of 36. It’s become an obsession actually, and I never saw it coming. In February 2022, I would have said that tropical people like myself don’t belong on snowy mountains. We’d just get cold.

It started with a 4-day weekend trip to Whistler, Canada. My close friends, Roy, Vishal and Pooja, were set on going. Vishal and Pooja got into skiing last season. They struggled with it, but it became their primary winter pastime. Roy skied ages ago but hadn’t gone recently. All wanted to take a 3-day lesson, so I figured it was an excellent chance to dip my toes into it.

I picked it up quickly thanks to the excellent instruction and bunny hill at Whistler along with a healthy dose of aptitude. By the third day, I was skiing with my friends at around the same level.

Another trip a few weeks later to Mount Baker solidified my love for the sport. It’s breathtakingly beautiful up high on these mountains, the daredevil in me loves to YOLO down at high speeds, it’s a rewarding feeling to carve a perfect parallel turn, and one always goes down the mountain – never up!

Before I knew it I had all the gear: skis, boots (heat molded), poles, jacket, pants, goggles, helmet, layers. And all with end-of-season sales to boot!

Thanks to a La Nina year, the PNW stayed cold and got lots of snow late into spring. Thanks to that, we even got to ski at Mission Ridge near Cheryl and Won’s place!

I don’t see myself or the squad slowing down next season. And I couldn’t be more thrilled!