Attitude keeps outdoorsman from emotional flop

With the snap of a branch, in an instant, a life changed.

One minute Craig Fischenich was climbing a sycamore tree in the woods near his hunting camp. The next, he was on his back on the ground.

“I knew right away that it was bad,” Fischenich said. “My legs didn’t work.”

A well-known Vicksburg soccer coach, referee and scorekeeper, Fischenich, 45, had been an outdoorsman all his life. He’s been married for 23 years to Lisa, 43, and they have three children: Jacob, 19, Kristine, 18, and Alex, 16.

On Feb. 2, Fischenich went with friend and co-worker Mike Channel to survey stands and maintain trails at his hunting camp near Fitler, about 40 miles north of Vicksburg in Issaquena County.

The two had hiked several miles into the woods when Fischenich began climbing the tree. About 20 feet up, he grabbed two branches. Both broke.

“I did a back flop out of the tree and landed square on my back,” Fischenich said.

Forty or 50 yards away, Channel heard the crash. He ran over to his friend, gave him some water and tried to make him comfortable, but had to leave Fischenich alone while he drove a four-wheeler back to camp to call for help.

“A mini-army of guys came out there — game wardens, Mississippi wildlife people,” Fischenich said. “They loaded me onto a backboard and put me in the back of a pickup truck to ride me out of there. It was not pleasant.”

An ambulance from Rolling Fork was waiting at the Mississippi Mainline Levee, and Fischenich was taken to Sharkey-Issaquena Community Hospital in Rolling Fork, and then airlifted to University Medical Center in Jackson.

Doctors found that his L1 vertebrae had “exploded like a grenade.” He had also fractured his L3 vertebrae. Both are part of the lumbar region of the spine, at a level just above the belly button.

He spent several days in intensive care before undergoing surgery. One of his ribs was removed, ground up and packed into a small titanium frame that supports the shattered area of his spine. After several weeks he was transferred to Methodist Rehabilitation Center, where he remained for about a month.

“A lot of it’s a blur,” Fisch-enich said of those first weeks. “Part of that, I’m sure, was because of the medication, and part from the trauma, but also I think, just because of the way I and many other people cope with that kind of thing, I just partially shut down.”

He was convinced he was going to walk again.

“There are several different adjustment processes that people go through,” he said. “One is learning to accept that you’re not going to get better and you need to figure out how you’re going to get through it.”

“He has incredible drive,” said daughter Kristine. “When people tell him, ‘you won’t be able to do this,’ that in itself pushes him even more.”

“He doesn’t give up on anything,” hunting buddy Channel said.

With the snap of a branch, in an instant, a person changed.

Or not.

Even in those early days, Fischenich was trying to maintain his life. “I never really stopped working,” he said. “Even while I was in the hospital I was making phone calls. I’d be pulling it together to work for 45 minutes, and then collapse exhausted afterward.”

“Out of the entire family, I was probably the least worried,” said Kristine. “I knew from the beginning that if the worst became true — which it did — he was still going to get done what he needed and wanted to.”

Fischenich has been an environmental engineer at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineering Research and Development Center since 1992. A native of South Dakota, he holds undergraduate degrees in civil and environmental engineering and a doctorate in hydraulics. He specializes in aquatic ecosystems and the restoration of rivers.

“Craig’s an extremely energetic person,” Channel said. “He really dedicates himself to his work. He puts a lot of effort into it and takes a lot of pride in his work.”

When he came home in May,     Fischenich began working fulltime, putting in about half the hours from home.

He’s grateful to the Army’s Engineering Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, his employer, for doing so much to help his transition. “After the accident, the accommodations they’ve made have been a big part of how easy it’s been for me to remain an important part of the work force.” Installing ramps, automatic doors and other handicapped features has been a critical part of Fischenich’s self-sufficiency.

He also praised the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, which has been “unbelievable” in how they’ve helped him modify his home, create wheelchair access and outfit his truck.

“It would be a lie to say I didn’t go through the angry stage. Even two or three months ago I was still angry about things, at least periodically. But I go to physical therapy and see people that are so much worse off than me. You’re going to be mad but hopefully you can get past that part and be thankful for what you do have.”

His therapy sessions are two to three times a week, depending on his work schedule. “A lot of what we’re doing is pretty advanced for someone with that injury,” said Michael Hedrick, the licensed physical therapy assistant who works with Fischenich.

The two work on stretching      Fischenich’s thigh muscles and hip flexors, strengthening them and building endurance. They’ve found that Fischenich is able to move and exert force in areas where he has no feeling.

Fischenich’s therapy includes time standing, supporting himself on parallel bars and with Hedrick bracing his knees.

“Through therapy we’ve found a way to get some nerves and muscle groups to fire,” he said, grunting from the exertion. “We’re way ahead of the game.”

The goal is to have Fischenich in leg braces that will allow him to stand alone and “maybe by February be wobbling around” with canes, though he will not have feeling or normal function in those areas.

He used to spend 60 to 70 percent of his work time in the field, which he’s had to reduce. But he hopes as he continues rehabilitation and is cleared for being able to survive in water, he’ll be able to get out in kayaks and canoes again, both for work and to fish.

And he’s found a way to keep hunting, rigging up a four-wheeler and getting out in the woods with Channel or son Jacob.

“He’s determined, bad as the situation is, to make the best of it the best way he can,” said Channel. “I’ve never seen him down about it. It’s an inspiration to see this happen to somebody and see them bounce back the way Craig has.”

Fischenich plans to carve the turkey today and enjoy his family.

“More than anything else it’s been a humbling experience,” he said. “The recognition of how good people are, how giving. I feel very much indebted to people here, to all of our friends here who helped my family get through this. I haven’t been able to thank all of them. It’s just too overwhelming to think about.”

“He lost the ability to do some of those athletic things he used to do,” said Kristine. “But he’s still able to hang out with us kids, and do stuff with us. His attitude is fabulous. He’s done extraordinarily well with that.”

About six months after the accident, Fischenich recalled something his wife told him a long time ago when they were living in Omaha, which he hated at the time.

“You can decide you like where you live or you can decide you hate it,” he said. “It really is just a choice that you make. You can decide what your attitude is going to be.”

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Contact Pamela Hitchins at phitchins@vicksburgpost.com