Originally Posted by
jfan
I took a spill last night and conked my head really good. My helmet cracked and I received 6 stitches on the left side of my head. I don't remember anything about the ride, not even starting it. The accident happened about 4 miles into the ride. I remember putting some chicken in the oven, and then nothing until being in the neuro unit at the hospital. My wife said that I was asking questions repeatedly and was very disoriented, and I don't remember any of that. ...
I had a crash a few years ago shortly after I first started riding again. I was 58 at the time. Memory gone, broken ribs, punctured lung, bruised or broken tailbone, blacked out, woke in a hospital, repeatedly asked the same questions. Many of the same things you had. Broken ribs are no treat but they did mask some of the effects of the concussion at first. Eventually I realized my right foot dragged a little when I walked and I tended to walk into the left sides of door frames when I walked through them. Got an appointment with a neurologist, gathered all the x-rays, etc that he wanted, waited the long wait to for my appointment to come up, and then the morning of my appointment his office calls me at work to tell me he decided to skip town that day instead to attend some conference. By then the symptoms had disappeared so I just told them don't bother when they wanted to reschedule me. For the record I was wearing a helmet at the time, otherwise I'd likely not be here to tell the tale, or as much of it as I remember anyway! I'm a big fan of helmets, now and before. And if you continue to have concussion related effects do see a neurologist, like I say I only opted out because he ditched me and my symptoms were gone.
Got back on the bike as soon as the ribs would let me. Got clipless pedals for the first time ever shortly after, I switched to platforms last year but that's a whole 'nuther story. A year later I rode my first century. A year after that some buddies convinced me to try the last three days of RAGBRAI and I've been hooked ever since. Life got back to normal for me pretty quickly, I hope it does for you as well.