As I’ve written about several times, nearly seven weeks ago I broke six ribs while skiing at Sugarbush Resort in Vermont. I won’t talk too much about that day in this post, but you can read more about my injury and recovery here. In my first initial post about my injury, I failed to mention the Bluey sticker that was given to me the day of the accident. Yes, that Bluey.

For those unaware, Bluey is a kids cartoon. That’s about all I know, as I don’t have kids so I’ve never seen the show. How did I end up with this Bluey sticker? Well, it all goes back to me laying on a stretcher in an ambulance in immense pain in Vermont on February 2.

When I was injured at Sugarbush, I was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Berlin, Vermont. After they realized the extent of my injuries, I was transferred by ambulance to Burlington. As the paramedics wheeled me out of the hospital in Berlin and into the ambulance to head to Burlington, I let them know that I had broken six ribs. Despite being in a lot of pain, I’d been given plenty of medications and I was in a pretty good mood, so we had a funny little back and forth about it.

As the ambulance got on the interstate, I asked the paramedic what my award was for breaking so many ribs. She laughed and told me that she had stickers that she normally gave to kids for being brave. I told her that if she gave me one I’d put it in on my ski helmet once I got back to skiing, as a reminder of what I’d been through. She liked the idea and told me she only had Bluey stickers on her, so that’s what I had to choose from. I made my selection and I’ve been hanging on to it ever since, waiting for the day I finally skied again.

Photo taken at the top of Whiteface Mountain on March 19, which was my first day skiing since the accident on February 2. Photo credit: Wild Bill

While I’m not fully recovered from my injuries yet, I’m now able to get out and enjoy my usual recreational activities. I just need to take it easy. Two days ago, on March 19, I finally returned to the snow and skied at Whiteface Mountain, my home mountain, for about two hours after work. Forty-five days after breaking six ribs, having hemothorax and bruising my shoulder, I’d finally earned my Bluey sticker.

Some people think stickers on helmets are tacky, but I disagree. Aside from the Bluey sticker, and another that says ‘but did you die?’, the stickers on my helmet are all from places I’ve skied with that helmet. In the coming years, I’ll have this helmet to look back on and think about the day I got that Sunday River sticker or the day I earned my Bluey sticker. What may seem silly to some is meaningful to me and that’s all that really matters.

Never Quit Skiing,

Lincoln

EARNING MY BLUEY STICKER

SKIING CORN AND MASHED POTATOES AT WHITEFACE

BACK IN THE SADDLE