I have this thing about heights. I am not afraid of them, but I have a problem jumping from them. I feel like this might be a common problem… the whole not wanting to fling yourself into empty space seems like something a lot of people feel strongly about.
So here I am standing on rock ledge about 40 feet above a pool of beautiful blue/green water. All of my friends were jumping off the ledge and it looked so fun. A little voice in my head was saying “Hey Erica, didn’t your mother ever tell you not to go jump off a cliff just because everyone else is doing it?” Yes, she did. After debating for a while about taking the 40 foot plunge, I jumped. And it felt great.
As I fell through the air I felt my hair being swept off my shoulders and my stomach flip in that totally exhilarating way. Then I hit the water… like a cannon ball. I was not aware that when jumping from high heights you cannot just let your limbs fly, you must keep your body straight and toes pointed. I let my knees sail up towards my chest and hit the water butt first. Apparently I made a huge splash, obviously I did not see the splash, but I did feel landing.
After smacking the water at approximately eleven million miles an hour I had to climb back up the rocky cliff with a sore butt.
Turns out, I badly bruised and/or broke my tailbone, which apparently there is nothing the doctor can do for that except tell you that you will be in pain for several more months. So I have that to look forward to.
I have already learned that a bruised and/or broken tailbone hurts even more when you: sit, stand, sneeze, laugh, cough, stretch, change positions while sitting, and driving in the car.
All things considered… totally worth it.
much more muchier 
Erica did you hit your head also?….lol.. that will cut into your sex life…..lol feel better soon aunt dianna
Nope, no injuries other than my butt… and my pride of course!
The take away from this is if you are ever being chased by bad guys and find yourself running off a cliff with a handy pool of beautiful water at the base, you can take the plunge knowing to keep your arms and legs inside the ride! Now water shooting up your nose at a kagillion miles an hour might make for a natural lobotomy but your butt won’t hurt! I sure do love you.
Hopefully the bad guys will not have already learned my lesson and end up with hurt tailbones!! Love you too Aunt Kathy!!
We are so alike! My butt hurts too. Of course mine is from sitting on it all day. 🙂 Keep the stories coming. Your life is amazing.
Thanks Carmen! Sitting at work all days kills my tailbone, and I realized I had gotten too comfortable with my coworkers when I started giving them daily updates on where and how much my butt hurts!!
Hi Erica
In Canada where some of us still patronize to the Monarchy and years ago stood to attention at movie theatre’s whilst ‘God Save the Queen’ played, your sore butt may be referred to as one’s Royal butt. ‘No pain no gain’ ;say’s Duke.
We enjoy your reporting as usual.
Cheers
From: Vince
Hey, I’m almost 14 my family and i were at the lake with friends and everyone was cliff jumping of this 60 ft cliff. of course I would be be the one to slam my butt straight onto the water and this happened yesterday and I’m so sore and pretty positive it’s broken jumping was worth the experience but not the pain. I can’t even stand up without it hurting! I feel your pain!!
Oh my!!!! Hope your feeling better, I have that same feeling – I guess there might be a reason but I still enjoy it. The bum thing is no bueno… 😦
I am so glad to see a story so similar to mine!
My cliff jumping butt smacking injury happened 2 weeks ago.
I hope your tailbone is doing better!
A broken tail bone is the least of your worries. Jumping into water at that height landing on your butt compresses your discs in your back. I know because I did the same thing. This can lead to herniated discs something you may already have and not know it. The human body was not ment to take a trauma like that to your rear end. Later on in life I’m sure you will feel the agonizing effects o the day you went cliff jumping I know I do.
I just did this yesterday! Was such a cool jump n then having a sore butt I managed to do maybe 10 more jumps from a lower point. Didn’t think much of my sore backside until walking back up the hill n sat n the car when this pain just shot straight up my back! Now feeling crippled n back to work tomorrow. Google search led me to your “so familiar” story! Thanks. Now for the recovery n next time…pin!
Hi Rosina! So glad you got so many good jumps in! And thank you for stopping by my blog! Probably about a third of my visitors end up here because they are googling hurt buts so you are in good company!!