Deck collapse injuries are worse than first estimated

POLSON - Two weeks after the deck collapse at the Diamond Horseshoe Lounge and Grill, several people are still suffering from injuries they sustained in the incident. At least one person has been told he will most likely suffer life-long complications.

Four young adults from Polson were particularly hurt.

Lindsay Duckworth suffered a shattered fifth metatarsal (pinky toe) and a broken scapula.

Doctors have told Lindsay that the impact pushed her toe bone forward and then shattered it.

She underwent surgery in Ronan last Thursday to have her toe bone (which extends through the foot) put back together.

She has seven screws in her foot and a metal rod that extends along her foot to keep a tendon from ripping. All of this hardware goes with a cast she was fitted in that comes up to her knee.

She wears a sling for her broken scapula.

An avid runner, Lindsay misses both running and kayaking and the research work she had been doing for the forest service on the grizzly DNA project.

She commented that the incident wasn't as frightening as it is frustrating.

"It wasn't that scarey," she said, "It's just depressing. I hate this. I hate sitting around."

Lindsay has also postponed a study abroad trip she was scheduled to start this fall in Peru.

Becky Owen, a college athlete spending time at home before she went back to school, has fractures in her back and in her neck, in vertebrae L1 and C7.

According to her mother Sandy, Becky is under strict orders not to do many things. She is not to ride a bike, or in a boat or even drive a car as she still has trouble turning her head.

"I'm not supposed to bounce around at all or do anything that would put pressure on my back," Becky said.

"I'm doing fine now, I think it could've been a lot worse," she said.

Becky has a scholarship to play softball for Cansius College in Buffalo, N.Y., where she has been attending school. She won't be able to play this fall, but doctors have told her she should be able to play again next spring.

One of Becky's friend's who was visiting from Arizona had a serious compound fracture. The girl broke her heel, her fibula and her tibia in one leg. She was fitted with an eight-inch rod and 11 screws to hold her leg together before she left to go home.

Becky's mom said she is just glad that nothing worse happened during the accident.

Ronni Boyce, was released from Community Medical Center in Missoula on Wednesday of last week. She's recuperating at the home of her parents, Ron and Lori Boyce, in Polson.

Ronni told the Leader that she underwent surgery for four fractures of the pelvis and a dislocated elbow.

She said she recalled hearing a crack and the deck fell and someone yelling "get off the deck." Deputy Sheriff Dave Alexander tended to her at the scene until the ambulance crew could transport her to St Joseph Hospital where X-rays were taken.

She was then transported by ground ambulance to Missoula.

Tyson Dupuis was also significantly injured. He sustained several compression fractures in his back. Vertebrae T12, L1 and L2 are all fractured.

One of his vertebra was so damaged it looks to be half the size it should be on an X-ray, his wife Andrea explained.

Tyson has seen five different doctors and is yet scheduled to see more. He cannot lift anything, or twist. He is supposed to try and always sit upright and wear a back brace to keep him from bending over.

"I walk like an old man," he said, "I'm in pain constantly. I've kind of become used to it."

He added that he can only stand and sit for a certain amount of time and that he often has trouble sleeping. Tyson was scheduled to be back to work in California by Aug. 4 and is supposed to be back to aviation school by Aug. 23. He had made the trip to Polson to be the best man in his friend's wedding.

He has been staying with his parents between doctor visits.

Tyson admits that he is angry his life has changed and that he is fearful he won't be able to pursue his career goal of piloting commercial planes.

"The only thing I've heard is that I will have complications for the rest of my life," he said.

He's just not sure to what degree those complications will affect him.

"My biggest concern is that something positive happens from this," he said, "I think there's a definite lesson to be learned. (And) I hope we're used as an example statewide."

He said he hopes that building codes will be more strictly enforced so that this type of an accident never has to happen again. Or if there was a lack of building codes

Tyson was scheduled to see an orthopedic doctor last Tuesday to discuss his options. He said he won't know the final verdict on his back until he sees the specialist.

"Right now I'm kind of just sitting in the dark," he said, "Tomorrow (Tuesday) he's pretty much going to lay out what the rest of my life is going to be like."