My hands felt just like two balloons

December 29, 2007 was an unremarkable day.  I woke around 8AM, feeling entirely uninterested in the day ahead of me.  I felt rather rotten, so I asked for the option to go back to sleep.  Unfortunately my request was denied and I sauntered out of my room and made my way to the kitchen.

I dropped some toast into the toaster and threw two eggs in a pan.  Eating quickly, I got dressed in baggy snow pants and a large winter jacket.  After piling all of my gear into the car, I left my home in South Burlington, and began the 45 minute drive to Smuggler' Notch where my family and I had a great day of skiing ahead of us.  As my father pulled out of the driveway I, being a college freshman, turned my iPod on and selected the song "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd.  As I listened to Roger Waters sing I couldn't help but think how this song resonated with me.

"Hello, is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me.  Is there anyone home?"

As it was still early morning, and I was a bit ill, it felt as though Roger Waters was talking directly to me, asking if I was still alive.  Feeling tired, I took out my earbuds, turned off my iPod, and slept for the remainder of the drive.

Fast forward about nine hours, I was on the slopes, feeling like a God.  Skiing is a truly fluid activity which generates the most euphoric feeling.  Unfortunately, during my last run of the day, I payed to much attention to how happy I was, and not enough attention, to the heavier snow caused by warmer temperatures at the bottom of the mountain.  I hit a heavy patch of snow and landed directly on my right shoulder.  I stood up embarrassed and reached for my poles, which I had dropped.  I immediately realized I was in trouble when I couldn't lift my arm.  I skied down the remainder of the mountain and went directly to ski patrol who phoned my father and informed him that I needed to go to a hospital.

After the most painful drive of my entire life (cobblestones are an injured person's worst nightmare), I arrived at Burlington Hospital and was immediately taken for an x-ray.


The doctor explained that I had one of the worst broken collar bones he had ever seen, and immediately handed me two horse-pills, which should stop the pain.

As I left the hospital, things began to change.  I turned my iPod back on, and all of my pain began to disappear.  It was as though Roger Waters was speaking directly to me.


"O.K. just a little pinprick, there'll be no more aaaaaaah!"  Everything felt so surreal.  There was no pain, I was merely receding.  Everyone's lips were moving, but I couldn't hear what they were saying.

I had truly become, "Comfortably Numb"