Well on April 6th while removing a 500 lb radiator on a second floor of a pretty expensive house I was working on. I drained the loop that the radiator was connected to and opened the bleeder to let the air in to allow the water to drain. The tile floor had already been removed leaving only the sub floor and the radiator feet were supported by 2x4s. So once the air stopped sucking into the bleeder I slowly opened the union on one end of the radiator to check that it was completely drained. I loosened it a bit more and still no water so I decided to disconnect it. That's when the radiator dropped onto the 2x4 (which I thought it was already resting on) and water started to run out onto the drywall ceiling. 
Now I had to lift the radiator back up to reconnect the union. I grabbed the radiator with my right hand and lifted it about an inch and turned the union with my left hand. It wasn't lining up to well and my gloves were getting wet so I pulled them off and tried again. No luck and now the customer came up because she heard the commotion and asked if I could use the help from the landscapers outside so I told her yes just to get her out of the room. So now my adrenaline was going and I tried once more and lifted the radiator again but this time I felt a sharp pain from my inside of my elbow down to the middle of my forearm. :censure: I still didn't get it connected but I had to stop any water damage so I lifted it once more and finally got it connected and tightened the union using my left arm. That's when the landscapers showed up and saw me holding my arm and asked if the radiator had fell on it. I told them no, I'm sure I just tore something though. Ugh!! :doah: So I went to my regular doctor and she told me that I either strained it severely or possibly had a slight tear. She recommended therapy and no lifting at work. I went back to work the next day with a helper doing all the work since we were extremely busy. That didn't work because my helper couldn't take direction to well and I had to show him how to do the work anyway and a couple days later I ended up aggravating it by picking something up on reflex action. I went back to my doctor and she referred me to an orthopedic doctor who then told me that I may have a more severe tear than initially thought. After an MRI it was confirmed and then one more visit to a sports medicine surgeon for his opinion on letting it heal or surgery and here I am. Surgery was yesterday morning and my arm is wrapped up and in a sling. I have to learn to do things with my left arm that I have always done with my right arm. Bathroom breaks have become a task. :laugh: I will be off of work for about a week while on pain meds then go back to continue training a new green apprentice. I was told I've got about 4-6 months of recovery time. Wish me luck guys and gals! :thumbsup:
Now I had to lift the radiator back up to reconnect the union. I grabbed the radiator with my right hand and lifted it about an inch and turned the union with my left hand. It wasn't lining up to well and my gloves were getting wet so I pulled them off and tried again. No luck and now the customer came up because she heard the commotion and asked if I could use the help from the landscapers outside so I told her yes just to get her out of the room. So now my adrenaline was going and I tried once more and lifted the radiator again but this time I felt a sharp pain from my inside of my elbow down to the middle of my forearm. :censure: I still didn't get it connected but I had to stop any water damage so I lifted it once more and finally got it connected and tightened the union using my left arm. That's when the landscapers showed up and saw me holding my arm and asked if the radiator had fell on it. I told them no, I'm sure I just tore something though. Ugh!! :doah: So I went to my regular doctor and she told me that I either strained it severely or possibly had a slight tear. She recommended therapy and no lifting at work. I went back to work the next day with a helper doing all the work since we were extremely busy. That didn't work because my helper couldn't take direction to well and I had to show him how to do the work anyway and a couple days later I ended up aggravating it by picking something up on reflex action. I went back to my doctor and she referred me to an orthopedic doctor who then told me that I may have a more severe tear than initially thought. After an MRI it was confirmed and then one more visit to a sports medicine surgeon for his opinion on letting it heal or surgery and here I am. Surgery was yesterday morning and my arm is wrapped up and in a sling. I have to learn to do things with my left arm that I have always done with my right arm. Bathroom breaks have become a task. :laugh: I will be off of work for about a week while on pain meds then go back to continue training a new green apprentice. I was told I've got about 4-6 months of recovery time. Wish me luck guys and gals! :thumbsup:
