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Four years ago, I was injured while working as a landscaper at a seasonal job. I loved this work because it was outside and there was never a dull moment. I did everything from weeding to laying sod. I also drove various vehicles from dump trucks to water trucks. On July 21st, 2020 I was taking a dumpster load from a construction site in Coldbrook to Walton Pit to offload the dumpster of waste. When I arrived, I removed my seat belt as I was in and out of the truck getting my position ready to dump the load. I operated the hydraulics from within the cab to remove the load from the back of the truck. The weight of the load on the back caused the front of the truck to lift off the ground at almost a 90-degree angle. I had my hand on the hydraulic controller and managed to rebalance the load. However, this caused the nose of the truck to come crashing down. As it slammed down, I came flying out of my seat, hitting my head on the roof of the cab. I collapsed back down hitting the controls and floor of the cab. Initially, I was fully aware that I shattered several teeth and after a couple of moments, I began to feel the full extent of my injuries. I couldn’t move and the pain in my back was excruciating. I called my boss for help. He arrived about thirty minutes later and after assessing my situation, he realised the severity of my situation and called an ambulance. I was taken to the Emergency Room at Windsor hospital, where I learned I had compression fractures of my L1 and L3 compressing my vertebrae. The doctor told me that I needed to be off work for eight weeks and prescribed physiotherapy for my injuries. Physiotherapy took place at CBI Kings in New Minas. It was a three-tier program where I went for therapy four to five days a week. Each session was several hours long. When the program ended, I felt there were still issues with mobility and pain. They referred me to a pain clinic, which didn’t take my situation seriously or provide me any form of care. I was handed a brochure about how to manage my pain and sent on my way. Even though I didn’t feel confident that I had fully healed, I pushed forward. I went back to work and eased myself back into the tattoo industry.

Before my injury, I was an avid hiker and waterfall explorer. I took every opportunity to explore the natural beauty of the province of Nova Scotia, where I live. I have three wonderful children, __________, Leah and Brody. They are my world! Before the accident I would take them on outings and share my love of the outdoors. My wife and I separated some years ago, but I maintained my relationship with my children by taking them on weekends, when I wasn’t working and supporting them financially. Since my separation, I would take my children on adventures to all sorts of destinations across NS. We would travel to beaches and wildlife parks. Some of my fondest memories are splashing around in the water with my kids and jumping in the waves. We spent hours outside in parks playing and running around and countless hours swimming in pools or lakes. I loved to see the wonder in their eyes as we camped under the stars after a night of sitting by the fire telling stories and eating smores. It was thrilling to enjoy my children and be the vibrant fun loving dad I always wanted to be.

My injury has limited my mobility to such a degree that I am no longer able to enjoy most of the things I was once able to do with my family. I now have a new relationship and stepchildren. My fiance has three young girls. Nothing would make me happier than to share similar experiences with them and watch my older children show them the world of adventure and exploration I had once been able to give them before my accident. I can’t commit to taking them on an outing because of my pain. I try to make it to events they are involved in, but I can only last for a short time before I must leave. It makes me feel sad that I can’t stay and share in their interests and accomplishments. My work-related injury has drastically changed my relationship with my family. I don’t feel like I am the supportive dad that I want to be when I miss out on events and can’t take part in experiences due to my pain.

Travelling on Nova Scotia roads aggravates my back. The bumpy roads wrench my spine. Making it challenging to get out and do shopping or get to appointments. I no longer have a vehicle because I don’t have steady employment and income as a result of my injury. Therefore, I must make use of public transit. My primary mode of transportation is the Kings-Transit bus with its hard plastic seats. The suspension of this vehicle is not the best. It is like driving around in a tin can, where I feel every bump and turn in my hips and back. Getting up and walking once I’ve reached my destination is challenging.

Walking has become increasingly more difficult. I must now use a cane for stability. I also wear a compression vest with rods in it to help support my back. I avoid walking on uneven ground to avoid falling hazards. This is the main reason that I don’t take my kids to the beach or playgrounds. Walking around parks or wildlife reserves is difficult. I’ve tried to go with my family to such places, thinking I could take breaks, or sit while they explore, but the hard plastic benches amplify my back pain. When the kids ask to go on an outing, it breaks my heart to tell them I am not able to go. If I choose to go out, I must take some preventative measures and medication for pain but it is never enough and I always end up suffering through.

Before my accident, I had many hobbies and interests. As an amateur drummer, I loved to mess around and jam. This activity is out of the question now. The repetitive motion of drumming would send shockwaves of pain through my spine. I’ve done mixed martial arts since I was nine. I loved this sport which challenged me physically and mentally. It provided me the opportunity to engage in competition and meet other like-minded people. There is no way I would ever be able to practise this sport with my compromised spine. I’ve tried to find other avenues to fill my free time. However, I feel like nothing really replaces the things I was most passionate about. Thankfully, I am still able to explore my artistic talents, but even drawing and sketching is something I can only do for a limited amount of time. The same is true of my career as a tattoo artist. This is the thing I am most passionate about and because of this, I will endure the pain to perform this skill.

The workplace injury I received in 2020 has changed my life so drastically that I no longer feel like the same person. I have the same desires but my injury prevents me from following through on anything. I am grateful for the support I receive from my family and friends, but it isn’t always enough to see me through the pain I experience and the limitations my injury creates. I know that if I hadn’t received this injury, I would be fully employed and continuing to experience outings with my family. I feel like the system has let me down.