On Oct 1st I was heading home after a good leg/shoulder day at the gym and was thinking about making some skyline chili for a tasty protein & carb refill. I took a curvy road that headed toward out of town, because you know, curves are fun. Well, on the last one it Ts into another road and those cars turning from it tend to pull right into the middle of this one, so I usually take that last curve a bit wide, since I don't like the idea of being a hood ornament.
So as I took it wide, I saw that my line was going to take me over a manhole cover, not the greatest thing to ride over on a curve, so I went wider still.
That's where the shit started hitting the fan, for some damn reason I can't explain, I target fixated on the outside of the curve. I knew it would lead to bad things and tried to look toward the inside of the turn, but just couldn't.
I ended up catching a mailbox or two on the right side that swung my left side forward just in time to hit a lamppost dead square sideways and smashed my leg between the bike & post. I remember looking left and seeing the post getting closer in almost slow motion and thinking "this isn't good..it's gonna hurt" and remember knowing as soon as I hit that my leg was broken. I went flying toward a driveway and the edge of it ripped off my visor.....it's a weird feeling to see concrete moving rapidly less than 2" from your eyes.
I ended up in a pile on the driveway and looked down and saw the left leg in 3 different directions, not good. That's about the time the pain started kicking in. A lady that heard the commotion dialed 911 and got the rescue squad on the way, whoever you are, thanks.
The squad got there and did their thing, asking me my name, cutting off the gear...I didn't know there was anything wrong with my arm until one of them said it's a compound...great. They rolled me onto the stretcher and transported the mess to Wilson hospital in what seemed like a couple of days with all the bumps jarring all the broken bones, but was only a few minutes.
They took x-rays and found I'd broken the tibia in multiple places, the fibula once, the femur once, the ulna and radius in multiple places and separated the pelvis. They didn't have the facilities to treat the pelvis so I got a carefilght to Miami Valley Hospital. You know, I always though riding in that helicopter would be kind of neat, flying low and looking out the window. Nope, it viberates like a mofo and each break felt every viberation, I'm just glad they shot my full of morphine before the ride.
At MVH, they took more x-rays then sent me in for on operation. They put a pair of plates and bunch of screws in the forearm, a rod in the femur & screws, and a rod and plate in/on the tibia with screws, they left the fibula alone, most of this went through the knee.
The second operation on the 6th cut into the abdomen & put a plate & screws on the pelvis.
Morphine is pretty good at keeping the pain down and they gave me a button for it, and I made sure to use it.
Well after a week and a half at the hospital, the insurance said I needed to go, so I was transferred to the "care facility"(aka old folks home) at Upper Valley in Troy. A damn depressing place if there ever was one. Old people using one good foot to scoot past at 1/4mph while wheezing, coulghing or crying, stroke victims that could only say "NANANA!" and the food....
But the physical therapy people were good, they got me to do transfers from the wheelchair to the bed, stand on one foot for minutes at a time, and grab things while almost off balance, just trying to get me ready for home life.
After a week and a half there the insurance company said no more and I got to go home!!! Ahh, I'm telling you what, there's nothing quite like getting to lay in your own bed after something like that.
So, I've been home for a while now, physical and occupational therapy have been doing the home visits and we've been making progress, the wrist is going to need a lot of work, though as there's not much motion in it.
I asked the Dr. when he thought I'd be able to go back to work and he said probably Feb., oh well. It could be worse I guess, at least I have the short term disability insurance for a paycheck, but that's only half of my regular pay, things may get tight.
Final thoughts;
the Dr said my gear saved my life, there's a good chance of it. I know my head hit the post and if it weren't for the helmet, my face would be gone. My JR riding pants along with the muscle mass from being in shape(yay big squats & deadlifts) may have saved my leg. I'm sure the pants & jacket kept me from getting road rash. The closest thing I got to that was from smacking the inside of the left boot & glove hard enough to scab up all the knuckles of the foot & hand.
The bike came out better than I did....since my leg was the cushion. I guess it'll take about $400 to get it back to street condition as long as the frame's ok. KLR plastic is pretty cheap.
So you don't end up like me, wear your gear and watch where you want to go, please.
Ah, the gratuitus x-ray porn..
Glad you're alive and wish you the speediest recovery.
Just messin' cause you're obviously over the worst now. What the hell took you a month & half to post about this anyways?!? Glad you're still here with us!
