berner

Your first post about how a series of events can come together to create a bad situation is oh so true. By 5 seconds I missed seeing a traffic accident in front on me on a club ride Sunday. I heard the loud bang and immediately came up on a car with a smashed front end and just down the road another vehicle was upside down. People in the cars were moving and a cop with first aid equipment was there almost in seconds and an ambulance within minutes. With the situation under professional attention, I was able to visually survey the scene. I don't think either driver did anything wrong but the intersection is one that requires a very careful approach.

From several other incidents in the course of my life, I have come to see that life is fragile and each of us may be close to a deadly situation a fraction of a second away. Over the years I've learned to slow down so as to appreciate what I have. This does not mean I don't enjoy a fast descent but I'm more vigilant.

You have a long climb ahead. As cyclists we all know the secret of uphill traveling to to find the right cadence. Best wishes on that road.

bruce19

I just had a motorcycle buddy drop by to check in on me. He's about 40 yrs. younger than me but has done weekend rides with me for the past 5yrs. He's out of motorcycling now because he's doing ER rotations on his way to his MD. Next month he goes to Johannesburg South Africa for a 6 week rotation. In any event we hung out and he kept saying that I saved my own life by not allowing people to take my helmet off. He was amazed that I am doing so well and he kept saying that it was all about the cycling we do.

Cougrrcj

'Positive waves' sent! Here's to your complete and full recovery!

It really is amazing how quickly things can change in life - the blink of an eye, or in some cases the crack of a bone. It could have been much worse. Christopher Reeves comes to mind.

I did the 'wiggle test' myself once - after a motorcycle accident with a car that found me flying through the air for over a hundred feet and landing on the pavement. A witness said when he saw the body flying through the air thought to himself "There goes a dead guy". I was numb and in shock from the hit, but once I saw the fingers and toes move - what a relief! The people who rushed to may aid wanted to roll me over and take off my helmet but I flat-out told them to not touch me at all and to wait for the paramedics. But as it turned out, I didn't have any broken bones and not so much as a scratch or scrape anywhere - my clothes weren't even torn. Don't ask me how that happened.

Now I'm thankful for the little things in life and don't sweat the other stuff.

You WILL get better.

Tony N.

Bruce, So sorry to hear of your accident and glad you are on the way back. Sure hope the pain goes away soon. Somebody has to say it so may as well be me, I'm so glad you had on a helmet or it could have been much worse. Was it damaged? Have only seen endovers on tv at pro events like the TDF and seen the damage that can be done to a face. Just wonder how they survived. Do keep posting as many here that know you and many more that don't are praying for you. You and your support team are in my prayers. Do let your BF family know if there is any thing you need. Since I don't know you, are you employed and if so have medical coverage or sick leave? Keep posting. Oh and glad to see you have your since of humor.

bruce19

Thanks. My helmet did not take a direct hit but a glancing blow across the brow and off to the side a bit. It is, of course, totally trashed. It is not scraped as much as it is cracked right through the styrofoam and some of the plastic cover. I think what it did was save me from a concussion but nothing would have stopped the whiplash that displaced and fratured C2. It was an amazingly hard slam of a face plant on the road surface. Everyone here at BF has been wonderful and I appreciate the community we have here.

bruce19

My helmet was a Specialized S3 that I liked very much. Specialized has offered me a 20% discount on any helmet but I'm going to wait until the sale season for cycling gear really starts. So, I'm starting to do some research about the various helmets.

Doohickie

Wow... horrific. Glad you're on the mend.

When I first started riding again in 2008, I did a face plant crash. I think about it now and I realize how fortunate I was to walk away with very little road rash, a few bruises, and an underbite that lasted a week due to swelling at my jaw pivot. Then this past April I fell and broke my arm, which relates directly back to the title of your thread; as much of a fuss as those around me made about it, I realized that it wasn't, in fact, a life-changing moment. Very thankful for that. I had a few days of pain; during those days I was thinking I'd never be able to ride again because my arm hurt so much. I can only imagine how much worse your neck and the rest of you feels.

Get well, and be well.

CrankyFranky

It's great to hear that you remain whole. Wings on your wheels, friend.

a77impala

I have had a fractured cheek bone, right shoulder and two concussions, I think how lucky I am to still be riding and enjoying every minute.
Hope you have a speedy recovery and get back on two wheels soon! It's thing like this that give us a real appreciation of normal life.

Steve Sawyer

Bruce - sorry to read about the crash, but glad things weren't worse. I think you're correct about our fitness level giving us a leg-up in the recovery process. I had a doctor once mention that surgeons much prefer to work on patients that are not overweight and that good muscle tone makes everything heal faster and respond well to most therapeutic interventions.

Every time I read about someone's mishap I get that "there but for the grace of God" feeling. I don't think that a week goes by that something minor doesn't happen during a ride that could, at another time and in other circumstances, end up being a disaster; that little bit of squirrelliness going over a little gravel, or my hands getting a little too "light" on the handlebars when hitting an unseen pothole or speed bump in the trail.

Anyway, glad to see you're already making plans to get back on the saddle!

Reynolds 

Very sorry about your injuries. I admire your positive attitude, surely it will help to your complete recovery.

bruce19

It's been about 2 1/2 wks since my accident and I have noticed something interesting. (At least to me) When I went into the hospital on the day of the accident I weighed 192 lbs and today I weigh 180 lbs. My calorie intake has declined considerably of course but, thanks to the stitches in my mouth, I have eaten more ice cream in a week than I normally do in a year. Easy to eat and nice and cold. Also been eating a lot of oatmeal and some pizza for similar reason. Just easier. I am not dieting. Here's the big change....zero alcohol and (aside from pizza) almost no bread. No grinders (New Englanders know what I mean), subs, hero's type sandwiches. I may have to be done with that stuff from here on out. Feeling pretty damned good too. Next Tues. is my first post-op visit with my neurosurgeon and I'm hoping to get the staples out of my neck and maybe into a soft neck brace. Can't wait to find out what I can do.

One other thing I learned. We all know smoking is bad for you. What I didn't know is that it actually works against bones healing. Vaso constrictor or something. Never knew that.

otg 

Really sounds like you are making a nice recovery Bruce. I wish I could eat ice cream and lose weight. There is a place about 5 miles from my house called Buttonwood Farms, maybe you've heard of it? Great farm made ice cream, you should give it a try one day. I never heard about the smoking and bone healing connection, interesting. I gave them up about 15 years back when the price rose to 2 bucks a pack! When you feel you are ready to try a short ride, I'd be happy to go along. Take care. Here's an interesting side note. The word "grinder" comes from a small deli in Groton that made sandwiches for the folks working at Electric Boat, a lot of them worked as metal grinders.

bruce19

What a great post. I never knew the origin of the term "grinder." I know Buttonwood Farms and have stopped there on bike rides. What surprised me about the smoking thing was that it is not limited to cigarettes. I don't smoke them and never have. But, I am fond of a good cigar. My neurosurgeon, who cycles Tuscany every year, says cigars are out too. And an MD friend of mine says most cosmetic surgeons will not operate on you if you're a smoker. That was all news to me. Will definitely take you up on a ride once I'm back in the saddle. Thanks.

Blues Frog

Hope you have a full recovery. And glad to see a sense of humor. I would like to get a sense of humor some day. When I get out of prison. (RETIRE)

Rowan

I get a strong feeling that a lot of people in the Training and Nutrition forum and the C&A forum overlook their alcohol intake as a cause for being overweight. Beer bellies aren't called beer bellies for no good reason.

I think that one of the real advantages fit cyclists like you have is that their cardiovascular systems are so well developed, that the delivery of oxygen and other nutrients is already much better than in a sedentary person, and that the healing times are much faster.

I can imagine that you want to be exercising at least in rehab as quickly as you can to maintain some level of aerobic fitness.

Loose Chain

Is your eye going to be Okay?

Three years ago, dogs attacked me and I went down hard at speed snapping my femur in three places and jamming it through my skin. I also redefined pain. It was a life changing moment and I still wake up in a fit fighting off dogs in my nightmares, screaming. I also wound up having a small neurological event as a result.

Please get well and take care of yourself.

LC

bruce19

It turned out that my eye was fine but filled with blood from injuries to my eyebrow. I also had a cosmetic surgeon put sutures in my nose and lip for over an hour. He did a great job. You can barely see any marks. Your event sounds scary as hell to me. I'm so sorry that you still relive that. I am trying to do what the neurosurgeon told me to do and will find out this Tuesday where I stand. Thanks for the good wishes.

qcpmsame 

Found this one out from a neurosurgeon when I had the 2 level PLIF, he asked if I smoked, I replied that I had quit smoking my pipe in 1999 and hadn't smoked since. He said that if he found nicotine in my blood work the operation was off, the bone grafts may fail from smoking's effects on bones' healing and any blood flow that was supposed to develop in the grafts. No problems as I was truthing with him, never touched any tobacco after I had quit. Grafts took perfectly and the PLIFs were successful in stabilizing a very poor lumbar spine and giving me back use of the right leg after 11 years of paralysis.

Bill

Steve Sawyer

Re alcohol, a 12-oz beer has as many or more calories as a 12-oz soda, and some cocktails (like my favorite, a top-shelf margarita) can easily top 300 calories depending...

3 oz Tequila - 193 cals
1 1/2 oz Cointreau - 141 cals
1 1/2 oz lime juice 0 - cals
Ice - 0 cals

Total 334 calories!!

For comparison, 6 oz of Ben & Jerry's chocolate fudge brownie ice cream is 390 calories.

Life is all about choices!

bruce19

Had my first post-op appt. with the neurosurgeon who did my fusion. He checked out the staples in the back of my neck. He said he usually takes them out at three weeks after the last surgery (it's been two weeks) but "You heal really well so I'm taking them out today. It all looks good." He wants me to wear this neck brace for a month and then an MRI to make sure we're good. Says I can drive and that's big.

CrankyFranky

Great news! I hope this trend continues.

qcpmsame 

That is great news Bruce, I knew that driving was your short term goal last week and making it early must feel good to you. Glad you had some good news for a change, you've earned it.

Bill

bruce19

Thanks Bill. I am, of course, quite pleased that things are moving along well. But, the Cosmos apparently decided I needed another kick in the butt so.....I got a letter in the mail telling me that TD Bank is foreclosing on a house I own (thanks to professional squatters costing me a year's rent) and on our ride home from dinner (my first night out) the relatively new timing belt in my Audi shredded itself and my car is now trash. So, I have to sell my Ducati to buy a car. There must be a lesson in all of this somewhere. Aside from the obvious one that I'm still among us. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

qcpmsame 

Jeese, when it rains it is a cat5 hurricane sometimes. Continued prayers and god thoughts for you.

Bill