Richard D

hi folks - just a short post as sitting at a pc isn't exactly comfortable. thanks for your support.

i had the operation on thursday and theyve let me go home. its a titanium plate holdinding my shoulder together but that should be okay it might be stiff but movement hopefully wont be restricted. the elbow was pretty much shattered so theyve wired the pieces together - from the xrays it looks like a ball of knitting. i'm in a full length cast and on pretty strong pain killers though rthey wouldnt let me take the morphine home with me which was the only thing that killed the pain completely. the op took about five hours so it was pretty major. the elbpow is the only real worry. i go back in 2 weks for staple removal on the shoulder and might know more then.

heard via colleague that girl is a student where i work and only suffered brusimng to leg. i don't feel too bitter. i keep playing accident back through my mind and cant see where i could have avoided it, she just stepped off pavement 3 feet in front of me and i couldn't do a thing - bike lane too narrow to ride any further out.

i'll look through other posts when im feeling more comfortable. apologies for typing - i guess i'll have to get the hang of one handed work.

richard - complete with expensive ti accessory built in

Chris L

Typing or not, we're all wishing you a quick recovery.

NZLcyclist

good luck with the recovery. I missed your original crash post so I did a search and found it. Sounds really bad. In the last week I reckon ive taken out nearly 5 peds.... lucky i aint riding a silent fix gear! all the best,

Brendon

L J Horton

Thanks for the update, Richard. Hope the recovery goes well, the pain subsides and you're out of that cast quickly.
Replaying the accident in your mind is a lesson in frustration. Try to put it behind you. Start planning how you're going to set up your bike again. Maybe rigging up some kind of siren to scare the hell out of the pedestrians as you go barreling by. Good luck, Richard. Keep us ionformed.

chewa

Best of luck with the recovery Richard.

georgesnatcher

Feel better. At least its winter and riding isn't at its best. You will be healed by the time good weather rolls around again.

outashape

Richard, I read the original post and didn't know what to say that everyone had not already said. Been thinking about you, though, as I often do about many of the bf family. I was wondering how you were doing. Thanks for the update. Hope you haven't started a new fade.....bone replacement for ti. Hope you have a speedy recovery and enjoy the pain pills while they last.

RonH

Sounds like the worst is behind you. I hope your recovery is speedy, pain-free, and complete.

bac

I've been thinking of you, Richard. ThanX for the update, and keep us posted!

mtessmer

We are all wishing you quick recovery, Richard. Like it was mentioned, by spring you'll be ready for a whole new season.

temp1

Good luck on a quick recovery, its nice to live during a time they can put you back together so well, before you know it you'll be in physical therapy, and back on a bike. Maybe we should start a club for those of us with internal Ti accessories.

Gordon P

Well Richard D you should have insisted that the surgeon install Reynolds 853, as it offers better fatigue strength and a stiffer shoulder for those bumpy English roads.

All the best and hope you will be back on the bike soon.

Regards
Gordon P

Richard D

Thanks folks.

Saw the GP today and he's signed me off work for a minimum of a month and is amazed that I'm up, walking around a bit, and have started gently moving the cast away from my body. I'm 100% confident the shoulder will be okay and there's no point worrying about the elbow until the cast comes off.

Thanks for everyones kind words. The pains not too bad during the day now, just the nights and mornings that are agonizing. I'll be back on two wheels as soon as I can.

Thanks again - Richard

LittleBigMan

Richard,

I'm still looking for your quick recovery!

Pete

jester69

Indeed, get well soon. Very good of you not to harbor ill will against the pedestrian as well.

Sounds like you have the right attitude, chin up and all will work out

take care,

Jester

jacob

Indeed, get well soon. Very good of you not to harbor ill will against the pedestrian as well.

Sounds like you have the right attitude, chin up and all will work out

take care,

Jester


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Frankly my dear, I just don't give a damn.



I would add something practical:
For night pains such as yours, it might be helpful to have some sort of "quiet" distraction, like a book or card game, or video game without sound, or something similar, whether at night or during the usual waking hours...

Jacob

Ed Holland

All the best Richard.

Ed

keithnordstrom

yeah, good luck and recover soon. this might help ... my brother had his knee wired after overenthusiastically slide tackling a goal post in a soccer game where pro scouts were looking at him (that goal post shattered more than his knee). the knee was in something like 100 pieces, evidently. but he made a full recovery and now rides, plays basketball, etc. so i'm betting your elbow will be ok too, especially since my brother's injury was 10 years ago and medical technology is constantly improving

btw, commend your attitude on the ped.

Richard D

A trip to the hospital yesterday for further x-rays. Everything looks good as far as the consultant is concerned and I've now got a lighter fibre glass cast. Better x-rays this time so I could clearly see the ti-plate (a cobra plate apparantly) and the stainless steel rods in the elbow. The pain is easing during the day (just agonizing in the morning). Back in three weeks...

DnvrFox

So glad to hear of your progress.

I wonder how you will be able to go through an airport metal detector??

Hope the good news continues.

Weasel

It sounds like you're on the mend. All the best.
P.S. Have you had a good ribbing from collegues, friends etc yet? There must have been loads of "armless" jokes going around? Does it hurt when you laugh?

willic

I wondered when someone would come up with that Quip...

Good luck Richard, glad to see things are looking much more positive.

Hi Weasel Good to see you back, hav`nt noiced you around for a while (if I`m not mistaken) good to see old pals returned.....

Weasel

Thanks Willic, it's good to be back and recognize a few familiar "faces". A hell of a lot has changed though.......

Sorry to hijack your post Rich, I'll bugger off now.

John E

Thanks for posting, Richard, and thanks for your periodic updates. Your friends here at BF care about you. Best wishes for a thorough recovery.

aerobat

Hi Richard, just doing some catchup here. Good luck on a continued recovery, we're all rooting for you!