A trekking pole pierced a nurse through the torso; he then hiked 10 miles for...

Nurse impaled by pole during hike forced to trek 10 miles for help: 'A freak thing' A 32-year-old nurse walked more than 10 miles down a rocky mountain with a metal trekking pole stuck through his side after a fall near the top of Granite Peak in Montana. David Cifaldi, who lives in Billings, spent six and a half hours walking over rough ground to get help while the pole stayed in his body.The accident happened on July 20 while Cifaldi and two friends, Jesse Ross and Brad Reich, were climbing the 12,799-foot mountain. The group was 10 miles into the walk, near an height of 12,000 feet, when Cifaldi slipped on loose rocks."It was just kind of a freak thing," Cifaldi told local television station KTMF. "As I rolled over, I noticed one of my trekking poles laying on the ground. As I kind of sat up, I realized that the other one was stuck in my side."Medical check on the mountainUsing his medical background, Cifaldi checked his body on the spot before trying to move."I think my nurse brain kicked on pretty quick. I was able to feel the trekking pole through my skin," Cifaldi told Backpacker magazine. He took a few deep breaths to make sure the pole had not hit his chest or lungs.To hel...