ridethecliche

Went for a ride with the lbs. Legs weren't feeling all that great so I was working harder.

Decided to throw in a hill during the ride and one of the riders takes us on a road that I am unfamiliar with to get around to it. Big mistake...

Turns out that the road is filled with potholes, is sandy, and has some sharp turns, which is fine other than the fact that it's mostly a descent and the turns are unmarked.

I don't remember much, but I do remember trying to slow down before everything went black. Maybe I was trying to correct my line and avoid a pothole on a sharp turn. A friend said there was sand in the way, but I don't remember.

The last thing I do remember is flying over my bars, and then it all goes black till I came to at the ER...

I just got out of the hospital yesterday and I thought I'd give everyone here a heads up. I have multiple facial fractures, broken jaw that might need surgery to be fixed if it isn't aligned, 4 broken/fractured teeth that will need to be surgically replaced in two weeks once the surgery.

Looks like I'm out of my first season already, not to mention trying to make up and catch up with school work so I can finish sophomore year of college without incompletes...

Take care you guys and stay safe... Lith, I feel you bro. I really do...

Frunkin

Sucks man.
Heal up and try to stay positive.

esammuli

Damn that sucks.

CastIron

You must be local. That royally sucks.

RacerJRP

Wow, I feel for for you man. Heal up quick!!

Second Mouse

Nasty! Here's hoping everything heals up quick and straight.

ridethecliche

I go to School at Wesleyan University in Middletown CT and live in the burbs of Philly which is where I am now after being discharged.

I was taken to trauma at Yale Hospital in New Haven and I have to go back there on friday for plastic surgery to look at me again. I'm really hoping that we can find someone at UPenn to take my case over quick because the 3+ hour drive home from the hospital was excruciating...

I had a sweet internship lined up abroad for the summer, but I doubt that's going to happen anymore because it's going to be atleast 3-4 weeks before I'll be done all the surgeries required, if all goes well.

I can't even begin to tell you how amazing it felt to see my friends at the ER when they visited. It took me about 2 days before the swelling in my left eye decreased enough so I could actually open it. I called up the LBS that I rode with and let them know that I was beat up but it could have been worse. Turns out that one of their racers got a concussion over the weekend as well.

I have some sweet looking road rash, and I was pretty glad that I'd shaved my legs...
I'll spare you the pictures. My face literally looks like I'm a zombie from a cheesy horror flick.

CastIron

The upshot is you're at a point in life where you can recover pretty quickly. Slim pickin's, I know.

ridethecliche

Yeah, that's what the staff at the hospital were saying as well. I should hopefully be able to get on the trainder in the next week or two and atleast keep some fitness going, as well as not lose my muscle mass/strength due to bed rest.

Lithuania

holy **** dude! now i feel like a wuss feeling bad after my crash. Heel up fast man and try to stay sane. The first few days are really bad.

slim_77

Jeez...that sucks. I'm happy you will recover and have had good care so far.

Keep your head up, at least your cognition seems fine!

Lithuania

try not to worry much about your cycling fitness and all that jazz. Get feeling back to normal first. recovery alone is a tough road without stressing over what you are missing.

ridethecliche

Thanks. I'll keep the advice in mind!

cmh

Sad to hear about your fall ridethecliche. Like Lith said - your riding fitness is the last thing to worry about. I hope your recovery goes well.

zimbo

I feel for you man; boy can I ever relate. I was out riding along one morning on the Outer Banks of NC last summer and the next thing I knew I woke up in an ambulance with a morphine drip, a broken collar bone, and a rung Bell helmet.

It took me a while to figure out who I was let alone where I was. When I was finally conscious enough to survey the scene, my bike wasn't in the ambulance with me and the ERPs had cut me out of my team jersey and bib shorts with scissors. They told me I had been in a crash with a passing car. It could have very easily resulted in a Zimbo dirt nap special.

--Steve

michaelmc

I doubt you'll have a problem finding someone at HUP to take over.

As to the internship, talk to them. Explain what's going on, tell them that you'll be ready by X date at the latest. Convince them that it's worth it to keep you on board. Hopefully, if you make a human connection, they'll let it go.

Good luck.

Snuffleupagus

Don't get too down man. As soon as the doc will let you, get back on the trainer, if nothing else just to spin and keep your spirits up knowing you're moving on the road to recovery.

You'll heal up, and be faster than ever

MarkSch

Heal quicly and get back on the bike when you can. Which side of Philly? I grew up out in Chester County...now up here in MA. I'm sure you can find capable docs at Penn.

revolator

Wishing you a speedy recovery! Thank goodness you're able to write about it.

garysol1 

Get better soon. We'll be thinking of ya!!

Lithuania

hope you are feeling ok today

kensuf

Heal.

cslone

Damn Rish! Heal up quickly!

waterrockets 

Speedy recovery. I woke up in the hospital during my first season too (car hit me).

Don't waste energy looking back. Just look forward. You are where you are, you can't change it, so stay healty, listen to the Drs. and therapists, and get back on the bike.

I was off for three months, missed all the spring racing -- including my scheduled first race. Once I got the green light to train, I hit it HARD. I was a Cat 3 after 12 races.

Come back strong.

MDcatV

I hope you heal and recover fully, and that you find enthusiasm for the sport when you're back in business.

Best to you.