Cattleman in no hurry to get back in the saddle
Teemburra Dam cattleman Wayne Ware: ““They do awesome work and there would be a lot of people who wouldn't survive and make it to hospital without the service.”
As a cattle man, Wayne Ware is built tough and been hardened by the challenges of life on the land.
But he admits the horrific injuries he sustained in a serious accident on his Pioneer Valley property earlier this year challenged his views on conserving resources and getting back in the saddle.
The owner of Teemburra Grazing and his crew were preparing to muster a paddock of heifers for vaccination near Pinnacle about 2.45pm on June 2.
“I had saddled the mare I was going to ride that afternoon in the shed at the stables. I hadn't ridden that particular mare before, but both my sons and daughter had and although she was relatively green, she was normally quiet,” Wayne said.
He stepped up and into the saddle when the horse unexpectedly began “bucking madly”.
“She is a big strong mare and because we were under the shed, I was worried about her breaking my neck on the roof as she was bucking really high and hard,” he said.
Leaning forward in the saddle resulted in his body weight smashing directly onto the saddle pommel, shattering his pelvis in two places. He was then thrown off by the horse, slamming into a shed post, fracturing his lower back and breaking ribs.
Wayne said he initially didn’t think his injuries were serious.
“I knew that there was something wrong with my lower back though because when I went to get up, I could feel the bone grating in my back and my legs had no strength. The pain was pretty ordinary also,” he said.
“I admit I wasn’t real happy about the helicopter being called as I don't believe in wasting resources like that unless things are really dire.
“I quickly realized when the paramedics went to move me that I was in a pretty bad way. I was OK about using the chopper after that!”
RACQ CQ Rescue was tasked to Pinnacle by Queensland Health at 3.30pm and landed in the deserted car park at the boat ramp at Teemburra Dam.
The onboard medical team, including a doctor, Critical Care Paramedic and rescue crew officer, were then transported to Wayne and the accident scene nearby by his son Tyler.
Within an hour of arrival on scene, Wayne was treated, stabilised and prepared for transport in the waiting chopper. He was flown to Mackay Base Hospital in a stable condition although he admits he remembers little of the flight due to the high dosage of pain killers.
He does recall telling his son Tyler that he “needed to grade the bitumen in the carpark at the boat ramp because the trolley (stretcher) felt like they were wheeling me over Cape York corrugations”.
“Some of the ladies in the mustering party thought the crew and the paramedic were hot property too,” he said.
“I thought the crew did a great job. My son said they did. The ladies couldn't remember apparently,” he joked.
Wayne was in Mackay Base Hospital for two weeks before he could move his right leg enough to use crutches. He was discharged two days after that.
“I am self employed and not one to sit around much, so I went back to work driving dozers and excavators three weeks after the accident,” he said.
“My recovery has been fairly straight forward and I am pretty happy with the progress. I still get quite a bit of nerve pain in my pelvis but that will gradually subside.
“I am not in a hurry to get back on a horse for a while and a motorbike still gives me a bit of grief,” he said.
It was actually the second time Wayne had been a passenger on board RACQ CQ Rescue. He was airlifted from a Coppabella mine site in 1998 after a large pipe in a wash plant broke his leg.
“I really did appreciate not having to ride all that way in an ambulance to Mackay at that time,” he said.
“My dad used it (the chopper) after a wild bull smashed him up about seven years ago and my ex-father-in-law was airlifted out of Mt Adder Station at Nebo after a horse accident about 15 years ago. I was there also and he had life-threatening head injuries,” he said.
He describes the Mackay-based rescue helicopter service as invaluable to the region and one very worthy of community support.
“They do awesome work and there would be a lot of people who wouldn't survive and make it to hospital without the service,” he said.
“There would be a lot more who would have to suffer long painful road trips via ambulance from remote areas if it wasn't for this service.
“I would sincerely like to thank all people involved who assisted with my care.”