Todd Palin is really in bad shape.

[leftyladyfrommo]

I just read on TMZ that he is still in ICU and on a ventilator. He has had several surgeries and has metal bands holding his ribs together and the ventilator is keeping his collapsed lung inflated. He also has a broken shoulder. He still needs surgery on his broken knees. And he has a bunch of bruised internal organs.

They said he was alone on a trip into the back country but are not saying much more about what caused the accident.

Poor guy. It's awful to be that hurt and it takes forever to get healed up again.

[liberal N proud]

1. That's terrible

Hope he can recover.

[braddy]

59. He was very fit, but he is also older than he looks for such a collection

of injuries, this is tough for such an athlete and terrible for old age pain.

[-none]

2. And Sarah was making the public rounds, in a good mood, AFTER the accident?

I don't think my time line is messed up either.

[Warpy]

3. He aint gonna die = he's just fine

I suppose that's how that fleabrained twit thinks about things. I do hope the ICU nurses are whispering "divorce lawyer" into his shell like ears.

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. I kinda wonder about that marriage.

They might not be all that close.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

45. She flirted with the whole world....

I'd like to ask her how all that "winky winky" is workin' out for her.

[Nitram]

61. Got her McCains Voice President pick.

I really wonder how far Palin went to play McCain.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

79. Covered it....

[KentuckyWoman]

93. Playing with his wedding ring too.

Yep, he was thinking about it.

Wow that's creepy.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

98. You just KNOW he was looking forward to long consultations at Camp David.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

32. Money TRUMPS all for The Klondike Kardashian

Grifter gotta grift.

[Uhmercan Irishman]

89. No, not money: ATTENTION

In that regard, she is exactly like the Kardashians.

[LiberalArkie]

33. I wonder it that was Sarahs alibi?

[-none]

41. Never thought of that.

Does make sense though.

[leftyladyfrommo]

4. She was joking about it.

Said he was her bionic man. But sometimes people joke to cover up how scared they are.

I wonder who found him? I would think it would be a real no no to go up into the back country all alone like that.

[Hekate]

14. Yeah, my family of origin does that a lot. Took my husband forever to get used to it.

People react differently to things. Some of the stuff I read here is a real eye-opener for me, like everybody deciding that someone accused of murder must be guilty because they don't weep on the witness stand. Remind me if ever (gods forbid entirely) I should have to be on a witness stand to try NOT to be brave and suck it up, lest there should be DUers on the jury.

[Iris]

18. good, Lord, I'm glad I missed that

Convicted for not crying on the stand? Sounds like a bad 70s Obie starring Cheryl Ladd or Jacquelyn Smith.

Or that terrible story about the family who lost their baby to a dingo on a camping trip.

I'm just not so sure about DU these days.

[Hekate]

21. Also remind me to not slip up at a funeral and say something nice about the deceased...

...that was not fully vetted by the DU cognoscenti (Nancy Reagan). Or be caught smiling at a funeral (I smiled at people at the reception after my granddaughter's funeral, I know I did. I wonder if anyone took a picture to prove how heartless I was?).

Yeah, this is DU. So caught up in politics that sometimes they forget to be caught up in humanity for just a small space of time.

[closeupready]

31. Get out more, because the Nancy Reagan thing wasn't DU.

If you were liberal and had an interest in politics that day she said that, you'd also likely have been talking about it.

[Hekate]

42. Trying to parse your statement to make sense. It was ALL OVER DU.

I know the history of the Reagans -- I was in California when Ronnie was elected governor, and as I told a younger guy once who questioned my recollections about his governorship: I was sentient at the time. I didn't like either one of them, and I have a long and accurate memory.

But someone's funeral is not the place for gotcha politics, and that is surely what was going on here on freaking DU.

The current FLOTUS and all the former ones (except maybe Barbara Bush, who looked pretty frail the last time I saw her on camera stumping for Jeb) attended. I even saw Roslyn Carter in the brief time I tuned in, and if she can be gracious enough to do that, I think the rest of us can try to do the same for one freaking day.

[dembotoz]

58. would still love to piss on their graves if u r offended too damn bad

guess i am just a low life

[Kelvin Mace]

34. Smiling and saying nice things about the dead is one thing

Lying to make them look good and cuddling a war criminal, something else entirely.

[Nitram]

62. I'm glad you said that, Hekate.

My reaction entirely.

[liberal from boston]

69. Sarah Palin

I agree--I have family members who joke about medical emergencies but the reality is that they are terrified. Positive thoughts to Todd & family & best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[6chars]

76. Amen

[KentuckyWoman]

94. My family as well.

When my dad got the diagnosis of kidney cancer my brother said very dryly - "Guess I better mark you off my list to donate a kidney." and we all laughed including Dad. Got us through that initial shock.

[redstatebluegirl]

5. If that were my husband I would have asked Mr. Trump to spend some of his millions and get me home

ASAP. This woman is a nit wit.

[leftyladyfrommo]

7. That was weird. nt

[mnhtnbb]

60. I suspect there is not much left of this marriage.

Caribou Barbie is a narcissist--just like her buddy, Trump. It wouldn't surprise me
if she was ticked off at her husband for trying to steal her limelight.

It's a sick family.

It's going to be a long, tough recovery for him.

[Mike Nelson]

8. Wish him the best...

...hope he heals well. Also wish he and the entire Palin family would retire from public life.

[cwydro]

9. I've broken a knee quite badly (still wired together).

And I've got a shoulder that has a steel plate and 18 screws in it.

I feel sorry for the poor guy. I had those two injuries 40 years apart, and both were awful.

That's some serious pain.

[leftyladyfrommo]

11. I had a friend that was all busted up in a car wreck.

Her recovery was just awful. Months in painful therapy.

Palin has plates in his shoulder, too. They said every breath hurts.

[cwydro]

15. Yeah, the ribs are the worst as far as breathing.

He really is broken to pieces.

I hope he'll recover enough to pursue his outdoor activities. Even though I'm not a fan of hunting or snow machine use.

[leftyladyfrommo]

17. He had 14 fractured ribs

A broken clavicle and a broken shoulder.

Man, he is a mess. He will live in pain the rest of his life.

[MissDeeds]

28. 14 fractured ribs!

Wow. I really feel for him. I tripped over our dogs' bed in the tv room last June and landed on my left side on the edge of a glass coffee table and broke five ribs. It hurt so bad I thought I'd die, and then was afraid I wouldn't.

It took six weeks before I could even do the most mundane things, and almost four months before I could drive. It still hurts daily, but is bearable.

I can't imagine the pain from all the injuries he sustained. Poor guy....

Sending best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[Surya Gayatri]

54. 14?????? My god, I had 3 and I was in agony.

Sending healing thoughts his way. I hope Baracuda is enough of a "Good Wife" to stay at his side for the duration, and not go cavorting on the campaign trail again.

[cwydro]

55. God, that makes me hurt just thinking about it.

My shoulder is aching right now because of all the spring planting I'm working on.

Ugh. However, my shoulder doc told me I could not do this or that in the future.

I've done this and that - again and again lol!

[greymouse]

71. Especially with the new rules about pain meds.

[CanonRay]

74. Broke two ribs as a kid

and still remember how bad it hurt. My older brother ran over me with his bike while I was laying on the lawn watching the clouds. That'll teach me!

[Kelvin Mace]

37. Hell, I just BRUISED my ribs in a fall

and it hurt like hell for a week to breath. And a sneeze or a cough? Agony. I can't imagine broken ribs. Though I can imagine a shoulder injury since I tore all sorts of things in my shoulder in the same fall. About the time my ribs felt better, my shoulder became a problem that needed surgery and six months rehab.

[Hekate]

10. I am sorry to hear that. I don't like the family, but this is awful.

[leftyladyfrommo]

12. He kind of stays out of the limelight. nt

[hamsterjill]

26. My sentiments exactly.

I don't like them, but I don't wish suffering on anyone. I hope he recovers as quickly and painlessly as possible.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

13. My Dad was riding on top of a coal train in the mine and got crushed,

under the roof, he was never right after that!

[In_The_Wind]

16. I'm sorry.

[lunatica]

19. I guess I'm not as hateful as I thought I might be

I really feel bad for Todd and Sarah. I wish it hadn't happened. And I hope he gets better as fast as is possible. They've got a very tough time ahead.

[edhopper]

20. I feel bad

he was a regular Joe with a screwy wife. His politics were bollocks, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't have a safe and healthy life.

[Raine1967]

22. This is sad.

I cannot stand thier politics, and I do not like his wife.

This guy was just doing something he loved to do.

He's still a father and grandfather. I hope he recovers and finds himself healthy again.

[tammywammy]

23. +1

[840high]

104. Yes. I wish him

a speedy recovery.

[jpak]

24. High performance snow machines have massive acceleration and speed

There are no air bags or seat belts.

Even with a helmet, they are extremely dangerous to operate.

[jwirr]

48. A lot of them are very dangerous because they now go too

fast to control.

[Auggie]

50. I have no use for recreational snowmobiles. In fact, I hate them.

In instances of rescue or when weather conditions or terrain warrant basic transportation needs, sure.

[jpak]

57. I'm with you - here in Maine we have a fatality just about every week

speed and/or alcohol the most common denominator.

When I see the guys doing 50-60 mph - or more- I think, WTF?

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

72. The worst of the snow machine "sports" is called "high-marking"

You find a nice, untouched snow covered mountain and then head straight up as far as your machine will carry you before it's out of power. The only problem comes in the spring when the conditions are more than ripe for avalanches. More than one snow machine driver has died covered with tons of snow.

There's been a big push on forever to let snow machines into Denali National Park during the winter. "We won't chase the animals (mostly moose)," they claim as they chase moose outside the Park. They've even tried the "it's for our disable veterans" ruse. Everyone knows that all these yahoos want is to be the first to high-mark Denali (previously known as Mt. Mckinley).

[KentuckyWoman]

95. ER nurse I know has "joke"

What do you call people that ride motorcycles....

"Organ donors"


I would expect in snow country the ER nurses have the same "joke" about snowmobiles.

[laundry_queen]

85. Yep

As a teenager, my brother lost his best friend due to an accident with one of those machines. Poor kid was going too fast to see an obstacle and essentially was decapitated.

In another instance, one of my daughters was ran over in our own backyard by some 7 year old driving one. Yes, a 7 year old. My daughter was fine (snow was deep, it was just her leg and she was well padded, so just bruising). The dad of said 7 year old made HIM APOLOGIZE. I said maybe he was a bit young to be driving a snowmobile. "oh, no," says the dad, "He knows better than to be reckless, he's a good driver, but he needs to apologize for his mistake" What-in-the-ever-living-FUCK.

Too many people see them as 'toys'. In one town I lived in, I'm certain we lost a teen or 2 every year to a snowmobile or quad accident. And usually an adult every 2 years. Usually they crash going to fast, or flip it or something. I wish people would come to see them as vehicles and not toys.

[stevenleser]

25. I had no idea it was that bad. I hope they give him whatever pain meds he needs and that

he gets better soon.

[jtuck004]

27. I wonder how much other taxpayer's labor is paying to fix this ass clown? n/t

[jtuck004]

90. The people in my family don't go out trying to hurt others, or pal around with white

supremacists.

Your mileage must vary.

[SheilaT]

29. Do the snow mobiles have seatl belts these days?

I believe that when they first started becoming popular, they didn't, and I seem to recall any number of very nasty accidents and injuries.

[Submariner]

65. Palin races snowmobiles that do north of 100 mph

And when those heavy machines get squirrelly and are about to go out of control, it is best to bail off and crash yourself separately from the chunk of iron your riding, so no seat belts.

[bluedigger]

92. I had to do that once.

Chasing my friend across a lake at night and hit an ice ridge. The machine spun into the air and I just pushed myself away from it and slid about 150 yards across the ice. My friend was also my boss, and owned both sleds. He looked back over his shoulder and just saw the headlight tumbling in the dark. He wasn't too happy about the sled, which took some damage, but I walked away okay. I think that was the last time I rode, too. About 30 years ago, now.

And you are right, seat belts make no more sense on sleds than they do on a motorcycle, or a horse, for that matter. Your best chance is usually to throw yourself free.

[Mary Mac]

30. wishing him the best.

Sounds awful.

[liberalnarb]

35. WTF happened?

[brewens]

36. Well, the way Sarah kills brain cells, what he has left have to be indestructible!

So, if they can pull him though the other injuries, he should recover okay. No need to worry about any further mental impairment.

[Shrike47]

38. This sounds awful. I have no wish to see him suffer. I hope they give him enough pain meds.

[rocktivity]

39. Sarah spent 12 hours on a plane after allegedly going into premature labor

with a child she knew would have Down syndrome. Why expect her to immediately cancel her plans and return home after learning her husband had sustained ICU-inducing injuries?


rocktivity

[ColesCountyDem]

40. Poor guy!

I hope he heals well.

[jimmil]

43. I was in a helicopter crash in VN

and broke everywhere except one arm. I was in a cast from head to foot and it sucked real bad. Half a dozen surgeries and 10 months in hospital to get me back to reasonable shape. The best therapy after I got out was riding my bicycle across US and Canada. Very interesting to say the least.

Having experienced something like Todd I can tell you for a fact he is in for some serious pain over the next few months and he will never be out of pain. Plus, the older he gets the more pain he will suffer due to those injuries. His life is gonna suck from here on.

[Hortensis]

63. I wish no one had your perspective, Jimmil.

Biking across the nation would be a wonderful story and impressive without it.

[malaise]

44. I suspect that his pain threshold is way higher than most of ours

given that he has been living with that screeching word salad grifter for many years.

That said - that's serious damage.

[Major Nikon]

46. I don't wish any pain or suffering on either of the Palins

However, I'll save my sympathy for people who get into serious accidents and lose everything due to the lack of universal health insurance the Palins are fighting against.

[area51]

86. +1

When those med bills start rollin' in, you'd think psycho Sarah would get a clue that the Canadian health care system, that she used to use, is actually superior to ours.

[struggle4progress]

47. Coverage has been quite limited and perhaps inconsistent

... Palin was out on a recreational ride with family but was found by a bystander at the time of the accident ...

... Scott Davis ... who raced for years with Todd Palin in Alaska’s annual 2,000-mile Iron Dog snowmobile race, said the accident “didn’t sound life-threatening” but had no additional details ...

... "Your care for Todd is more appreciated than I can express," <Sarah Palin> wrote on Facebook. "Thank you. And thank you to the still-mysterious snowmachiner(s) who came upon the wreck and provided critical help that night" ...

So he was out snowmobiling with family, had an accident, was found and saved by some mysterious person(s) who happened to find him, and was in intensive care with a number of broken rib and shoulder bones plus two collapsed lungs, and his former racing partner thinks the injuries aren't life-threatening but has no details

[sufrommich]

49. Modern snowmobiles are way too fast. I worked with

a guy who crashed into a tree and died while snowmobiling,he was drunk and they think he was going over 50mph.

[lpbk2713]

51. This ought to give Sarah something to write a new book about.

Ghost written of course.




Look for it soon on the clearance rack at your local Dollar Store.

[Divernan]

52. Should have life-flighted him into Anchorage

He's in the Mat-Su regional health care facility.

Alaska has 27 hospitals. None are nationally ranked or meet national high performing standards.
http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/ak

[WheelWalker]

53. He must have hit a tree.

[SylviaD]

56. I will say a prayer for him and his family.

Political friends, political foes, it doesn't matter.

No one deserves to be seriously injured.

[SylviaD]

100. I'm not dignifying this with a response. Go troll elsewhere. nt

[JackRiddler]

106. JURY RESULTS

(posting here since it's the nearest spot)

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sat Mar 19, 2016, 11:52 PM, and the Jury voted 4-3 to HIDE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Oh enough. Now we're getting alerts about primary fist-fights in threads inspired by TMZ pieces about Palin relatives? Everyone who posted in this thread or who admits to watching TMZ should be tombstoned. =
Juror #2 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Off Tpoic, in the wrong forum, and completely over-the-top.

This kind of thing has to stop.
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Maybe a fair comment in another thread, but really disruptive, I think, in a thread about Palin's husband's health status. As in disrupting a discussion by bringing in an inflammatory, off-topic comment.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Skinner was clear. Some of us have moved into GE mode. People are welcome to continue supporting alternative candidates, but attacks aimed at undermining the likely nominee need to be shut down.
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: The Hillary hate is out of control on DU. I'm going to do my own small part to bring in under control by voting to hide this post.

[perdita9]

64. I hope he has Obamacare

Or some other kind of insurance.

[bluedigger]

66. There are few snowmobilers more experienced than Todd Palin.

I guess sooner or later you're luck runs out, though. He must have crashed at high speed to sustain such extensive injuries. I guess it's a lot like flying. "There are old pilots, and bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots". Hope he has a full recovery.

[Ilsa]

67. I hope and pray he survives and that

Caribou Barbie will stay home and help him with his rehab.

[OldRedneck]

68. He was drunk and on a beer run

The Palin's have a cabin about an hour's drive away from their home on a dead lake in Wasilla.

Last week, Bristol Palin posted a series of photos on her Instagram page.
#1: With the caption "On our way to the lake." Photo of pickup with a snowmobile sled in the back and a trailer hitched to the truck. Same trailer Todd uses for his snowmobiles.
#2. Todd inside the cabin with his youngest son, Trig (the Down Syndrome child) and Bristol's 4-month-old daughter Sailor.
#3. Bristol's son Tripp all decked out in snowmobiling gear.

It appears that Todd's accident occurred only minutes after #3 was posted. The claim was the he was alone, wrecked, was found by other snowmobilers who took him to "Chubby's Market," a grocery, beer, bait, and ammo place a few minutes from their cabin.

The next picture posted to Bristol's IG page was a photo of her holding a "weight loss shake" that she is trying to sell. She has NEVER posted a pic of her busted-up father.

Now -- here's the best part. Their cabin is accessible ONLY by snowmobile. Which means Todd hooked up the sled to his snowmobile, Bristol and three children (Tripp, Trig, Sailor) piled into the sled, and off they went across country to the cabin.

Todd's wreck was around 8:00 PM -- it's dark in Alaska at 8:00 PM. Most observers believe Todd was shit-faced drunk, having tanked up on beer after arriving at the cabin (in photo #2 he looks very mellow), and he was on a beer run to Chubby's when he crashed.

There also are questions about Bristol's son,Tripp -- was he with Todd when the wreck occurred? Bristol -- who constantly posts pics of Tripp to her IG account -- has said nothing about Tripp since photo #3.

[Tanuki]

83. Interesting, especially since Bristol is embroiled in ongoing custody battles with both of her

baby daddies. Maybe the family feels it is in their best interest to keep some of the details of this incident "mysterious." That said, I hope Todd recovers and returns to a functional life without pain.

[Blue_In_AK]

70. I feel really bad for Todd.

He's going to have a long, slow recovery.

[LisaM]

73. I've just strained my ribs and it was almost unbearable

Every movement hurt. I wish him the best in his recovery.

[JanMichael]

75. honestly why should one care? he is not an elected official...

....nor is his spouse and the only reason you know his name is because of said spouse and McCain. he is not known really for any accomplishment.

this is celebrity due to nothing worship. and a member of an enemy family of all things progressive.

i hate the fact that i have to say this - who the fuck cares?????

[saturnsring]

77. im with you why does this keep popping up. who else is in the hospital?

[Algernon Moncrieff]

82. I care in the sense that he's a human being that's been greviously injured

Every night, on your local news and mine, we hear about people neither of us know that get hurt in car wrecks, farm accidents, fires, and robberies. I think it's OK to feel some sympathy for these folks -- even if you've never met them and aren't likely to ever do so.

[Reter]

99. Everybody in this thread so far cares but you

You say "he is not an elected official." So you only care about elected officials?

[whereisjustice]

80. Lol... I can think of miilions suffering at the hands of the policies

He represents. Fuck him. Seriously, why is this relavent to Democratic Underground,?

[Greybnk48]

81. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. n/t

[leftyladyfrommo]

84. He isn't out of the woods.

He gets pneumonia he could die. Or some other infection.

He probably won't be riding any more snowmobiles very soon.

Being all broken up like that is kind of my worst nightmare.

[mnmoderatedem]

91. as long as he's in the hopital

he should consider having a wifectomy

[book_worm]

96. At least he usually keeps out of the media eye

I wish him well.

[mercuryblues]

97. What I am

not hearing is the chance of a brain injury. Most of his injuries were to the upper body, was he wearing a helmet? I am not hearing anyone saying "thank God he was wearing a helmet." Especially when they have given out a very detailed list of his injuries.

On her FB she thanked "the mysterious" people who found him. Makes no sense. The accident occurred 70 miles from their home. I doubt that he was that far from home alone. I suspect that the people who found him were friends that Sarah doesn't want the public to know about.

[Sunlei]

101. That was a harsh accident. I hope his family is staying with him. Get well soon, Mr. Palin.

[Jitter65]

102. Hoping he has a more speedy and complete recovery. nt

[Hokie]

103. Has Caribou Barbie blamed Obama yet?

We all know it's only a matter of time.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

105. Alaskan wildlife will sleep better tonight

wolf killers should all be in icu

[ashling]

107. My mil divorced my fil after an atv accident

He went hunting and flipped his atv. No one knew wher he. was until he turned up itn the hospital.

Hospitals are very good at documenting stuff including,as it turns out, who brought the asshole in. In his case it was the "sweet young thing" who was riding on the atv with him .. well, not so sweet, really. But she was young enough to be his daughter, in fact she had been in the same High s hool class as my wife.

I wonder if the same sort of recording is wh. caused Sarah to change her mind about canceling her appearance at the Drumpf rally.