I surveyed for 14 years in NJ and enjoyed just about every minute. Even the lyme disease 3 times and my arm turning purple from the poison ivy. I did have good times, Most of them great. You know what i'm saying outdoors, someplace new every day until the oversized manhole on route 22 in Branchburg by the greasy burger place in the old diner. I lifted the manhole and herniated a disc. Next week I got downsized but had to train a replacement. What ever.
One year for the doctor to believe I wasn't making up the pain. He even had the MRI. I went out of state to get operated on because the doctor wanted me to do more physical therapy. The pt told me to stop coming there was nothing he could do . 2nd week still in bed cant walk more than ten minutes.
I miss surveying every second. I love reading the hand written deeds, the old maps, digging 3 feet down for a pin or space junk. By the time i'll be better and can try to rejoin what I love I'll be so outdated. We were outdated before I got injured they stuck with sokkia , I'll never get hired anywhere.
Sorry to be a downer but be careful out there and take in a sight for me. If you don't love it you could be in a fluorescent hell in an office instead so you better love it.
And what I always told the new guys cars are more afraid of you then you are of them.
Keep safe.
Wow, I've been lucky enough not to have back problems so far. A know surveyor in my are who dropped one of those lids on his foot and broke it in two places. He was out of commission for a while.
I flipped one of those reinforced Memphis manhole lids (thick, deep reinforcing web on the underside)onto the inside edge of my foot. Nothing broke but I limped for a couple of weeks.
I hate those and the ones with the watertight hatch under the lid.
Some days you are the windshield, some days you are the bug.
Most days are pretty good out in the field. But, as you so eloquently put it, it only takes one little mistake to be a life changer. We all need this type of reminder to keep us from doing things we should not do.
I had lower hernia surgery almost 3 months ago...
I spent yesterday popping SS manhole lids...
This AM, I'm not sure it was a good idea, I'm very sore... but that's nothing compared to your situation...
Take Care
An explanation for you younger fellas
You USED to carry 100 LB sacks of animal feed.
The key word is USED.
You are older now. Your body will break somewhere, if you try it now.
So, go just a bit slower, and BE AWARE that you can break something, if you act like the young stud you think you are now.
Or you will be howling about broken parts.
N
An explanation for you younger fellas
> You USED to carry 100 LB sacks of animal feed.
In 2002 I built a play structure with a sandbox in the bottom for my son. I phoned in an order for 3500 pounds of sand, specifying 50-lb sacks, to be delivered that day, and then I left for work. Imagine my dismay when I arrived home to find 35 each 100-lb sacks of sand stacked in my driveway...
I feel for you.
Don't give up. An office job may sound like pure hell, but get one and tough it out. In time you may be able to resume the field work you now enjoy.
I was only 5 years into surveying and was told that my leg would probably come off when I stabilized, and for sure would never walk on two legs again. Wrong! 10 months and I was walking with a assistance, back in the field in 15 months. It still hurts every day but it changed my life for the better. That was June 1975, I am retired now after mare than 40 years in surveying. No regrets!
Some on made a good point when you hit 30 lift half as much as you use to.
I could probably do it again against the doctors and wife's wishes. The main problem would be all the equipment I used is too far out dated. Sdr 33 by sokkia data collector and Topcon total stations. The autocad was a bad blend of autocad lt and land desktop. All it could do is download and up load points. IF I did drawing on it they would delete them saying they were wrong. I wanted to do a drawing once, I had already done the field work and the manager was out for a week. 2 days drew the survey/ Fronted on the Hudson It had docks, riparian lines, dork right of way. It was an active shipyard. DOne and approved by the end of the week. Owner of the company wanted final prints on Monday to sign and send. Manager came back and deleted it. Some how it was still my fault for I guess for breathing.
Maybe some day I'll be able to do survey again and maybe one of you who wants to give 120% will give me a chance.
