CliffordK

Glad you've been making progress.

Hopefully things will be back to normal by the new year... (well, the middle of the summer).

Machka 

The New Year is the middle of summer.


Rowan (and I) have made it out to the end of the Cycleway a couple times recently ... 27 km!

That was a milestone for Rowan because he's been wanting to do that since back in May.

It was a gradual progression building up to that, consisting of Zwift rides and rides on the Cycleway. We'll likely keep building up gradually.

Right now, we're riding our Bike Fridays outside because they're step throughs and a little easier to get on and off. But Rowan has also been on his Touring bicycle for a short distance and that was OK, so we may start using them in November.

CliffordK

I didn't realize that you had Bike Fridays until your previous post. Made in Eugene, Oregon.

But, they make sense for the amount of cycle traveling you do.

Anyway, glad to hear you're getting out.

Machka 

Yes, we ordered them and went there to pick them up there several years ago.

Hondo Gravel

Rowan

I am doing OK. Thanks for asking.

I saw a neuro specialist today more about the effect of my left leg issues. X-rays have shown that my back is not to blame for the effect, and that (a) the nerve output from the back is slightly worse for my right leg which has no issues like the left and (b) the spine developments are more common for people of my age, and really aren't that bad.

He did also have a full set of the head x-rays taken hours after my admission to hospital back in March, and indicated that I had made what can only regarded as an incredible recovery.

It would seem my issues with the left leg and foot may be more to do with amazing range of stay-alive drugs I had for quite some time as treatment that Machka knows all about, but I know nothing. Included is a transfer of the drug application from my right arm because of DVT occurring, to the upper part of my left leg.

Basically, I need to exercise the muscles supporting my lower back, and manage movement of my left leg to ensure I don't fall or damage it or my foot. Fortunately, riding bikes, especially the Bike Friday, has been good. The surgeon seemed very impressed with me being able to do one of around 27km out and back on our local cycleway.

I am not permitted from a medical perspective to go back to work until 27 January which will be about 10 months off, which also is much better than some of the alternatives of dying or having permanent care for rest of my life. Much will depend on the return of my driver's licence based on medical clearance.. but hey, that's in 2019 which hopefully will be a much better year that 2018 for me Machka, who has been the absolute god-send in my life with her patience, understanding and care.

Dan Burkhart 

Thanks for the update. Great to read of your continuing recovery.

Biker395 

^ Master of the understatement!

Here's to nothing but progress and good things in 2019.

(BTW ... since you're off alcohol, those are Martinellis)

Rowan

Thanks guys. Sorry that my typing isn't still up to proper scratch, especially how the last sentence isn't quite as it should be; Of course, it should read in part "me and Machka", and "than 2018".

79pmooney

Rowan, we haven't talked directly but I have read your and Machka's posts for years. I am a 41 year member of the club you joined last winter. Bike crash wearing the 1st generation Bell helmet. Lambert fork break. Headfirst slam @ ~30 mph going downhill. 5 day coma with my right side in seizure from the bruising of the base of my motor nerves due to my brain being thrown back. Also a blood clot on my hypothalamus which lead to some odd lingering effects like no appetite for months. (I got to be seen by one of the really early CAT scanners.) I received little in the way of drugs. I was mostly just monitored and deprived of fluids to minimize water on the brain. And strapped down to my bed with beautiful felt padded, brass buckled leather straps. I had no idea what they were for, but being such high quality, I was keeping them! My mom saw them with horror and they disappeared fast! Lost 15 pounds from barely over my racing weight to what I weighed in 6 grade. Overall, I was very lucky and had many fewer complication than you. Still, my life boils down to a life I know a lot about but isn't really mine before the accident and my life after. The life I know started when I came out of the coma. I walked out of the hospital 3 weeks later a 5 year old in a 24 yo body with weird assorted facts in his brain that could only be acquired by an engineer. I had no idea how to navigate a sidewalk with its cracks, curbs, store walls and randomly moving people. I also had to reteach my right side everything. How to button my shirt, tie my shoelaces, hold silverware and on and on. 11 months later I was seeing a grade school writing tutor to learn how to hold a pen. And teaching myself to type from a book. Just so I could communicate beyond the spoken word.

So, a formal welcome! (Yeah, I know, the entry requirements for this exclusive club kinda suck, but oh well.)

Ben

Juan Foote

I can relate to this statement in a significant way myself.

Where my injuries were not as significant in an obvious way to my head, I lost huge portions of my memories and events I had been involved in. I have issues now with memory and have to write myself notes regarding details I have to know, and even then sometimes look back at them like a story someone is telling. It's a weird thing not being able to count on your brain's memory banks.

BobbyG

@Rowan @79pmooney @Juan Foote
and to anyone else who has shown the fortitude, courage and strength to triumph over such injuries,
I salute you and rejoice in your victories.

go, Go, GO!

Rowan

Thanks again for the efforts by three more people to post.

Ben, you have posted bits and pieces before about your experience, and it still remains remarkable to me that you did recover so well. Maybe you are one of the patients that back then shows brain injury is not something necessarily permanent, and instead of taking just six months to fix, maybe takes between two and three years or longer.

Juan Foote, I didn't know about your case. Yes, that memory thing really can be a bug. I can be talking to someone, and instead of long delays that I have ended with an admission I can't say anything else -- even what I am supposed to remember -- I can stop and think of a way around it with an alternative description, or a plain simple admission that I can't think of it right now. If the latter two cases, often the person I am talking to will come up with the right thing.

There are things I won't remember, including the circumstances of the incident that injured me and the first 5-1/2 weeks in hospital getting the vital treatment. But talking to Machka has been about what she saw, and discussed with hospital staff, and it all can be quite entertaining and daunting at the same time.

I didn't cry that often before, but I do now. I spent last weekend watching a helicopter flying several times over my home, but later found out it was a Westpac Rescue similar to or the same as the one that moved me from the workplace to the hospital. Looking up at it does tend to make eyes fill with water, and more so last weekend when it was revealed it was part of a search for a small plane that crashed in the Tasmanian wilderness and killed the lovely young female pilot on the way to pick up four bush walkers on the coast.

I felt hugely sorry for her and her family up in Queensland. Some of us make it through, some don't.

tmac100

I saw an interesting sayjng in a book about fluency. Paraphrased it says:

When starting "something" new, you may really suck!
But that is the 1st step to becoming kinda good at "something".

Bless you both, Rowan and Machka, in this journey toward "something". A symbiotic relationship if I ever saw one - and going from strength to strength 👏

h2oxtc

I hope this thread is one of those that sticks around for years. It's encouraging to hear about the victories, as small as they might be some days, and look forward to re-reading this post again in the future as a reminder of the examples of strength and courage to take another step day after day.

Juan Foote

Long story short, I had a moto accident at high speed. Hit head hard, broken appendages, loss of left foot.
I had originally intended to try and go back to the work I was doing. In order to avoid possible issues from claiming a head injury I think I diminished the symptoms in order to avoid a prognosis there. Probably pretty foolish of me in retrospect. At the time I was more focused on getting on my feet again.
My largest lasting issue is that I now have very bad ringing in the ears. My brain turns it into crickets, so I hear them chirping even in the dead of winter. I have issue recalling words that I know I should know. As mentioned my memory is sketchy. There are bit of my life clear as they ever were, others gone entirely. I have no recollection of about a mile-ish up the road before my accident right to the moment of the accident. The portion where I went off the road, through the air, and until I was knocked unconscious by a curb (thank you quality helmet) are very clear and seemingly very long, time wise, in my memory.
It was hard to discern between the medications and the head injury as to my emotions, but yes was and remain very emotional in regard to certain triggers. Perhaps a form of PTSD. Life flight helicopters get me every time. I have a lasting bit of an aggression issue as well, but I tend to try and just vent, leave me alone for a bit and it resolves. I don't get violent, just mad.

In regards to my injuries lasting effects, well, that is harder to call. My accident happened right at the cusp of my late 30's. A lot of the other things I experience are hard to separate from the extent of my injuries and natural aging process. I have found a "new normal" in regards to most of it, coping mechanisms for some of it.
I would say that in my own case getting off narcotics was among the best choices. I still have a tendency to 'self medicate' with the occasional drink, of which a goal next year is to stop. I have used cannabis for pain as well, but it is sadly not legal here and will have to wait that situation out, or move...that is another subject.

I wish you all the best on your continued recovery. It is great to see you posting again, to hear you are riding, and on track to get back to work this new year. Kudos to you, sir.

rando_couche

And I'm glad that you're one of the ones making it through, Rowan. Please keep sharing your journey with us.

SP
OC, OR

LuckySailor

Glad to see Rowan (and Machka) that you are out on bikes! It took me over an hour to read all the pages that I have missed over the months. Rowan, I wish you continued success in getting your health back to an acceptable standard. You may not end up at a 100% of where you were pre-accident, but since you are lucky to be alive, and I see you're on a bike again, things are definitely moving in the right direction. You have wonderful support and Machka's undying, and unending love. You're a very lucky guy-and she's a lucky lady. God Bless you both. All the best this year, and beyond!

Machka 

Thanks again to all of you! Your support has helped as well.


Specialists have told us that Rowan has made a remarkable recovery. He still has some recovering to do, but so far, he has surpassed expectations.


Rowan and I were able to take a much-needed holiday this Christmas ... away from appointments etc. ... and we spent some of the time walking and cycling in quiet parts of Tasmania. It was really nice to be in the midst of rainforests and on peaceful idyllic country roads. We were also fortunate to stay in some very nice, out of the way places ... best of all was probably a 4 night farm stay on a historic property. We were surrounded by fields and farm animals ... and were adopted by the property owner: Mr Higgins. Mr Higgins is the property cat.


We actually did a 40 km bicycle ride one of the days which is the most either of us have done in one ride since Rowan's accident!! That was something of a milestone.


I got some action shots of us trying to pose by "The Big Tree" in one of the rainforests ...















There are more photos of our trip here in this album ... https://www.flickr.com/photos/machka...57701105222642

Hondo Gravel

noglider 

I've been reading this without much commenting. I'm also following on facebook. I love these pictures. Thanks for sharing them!

Dan Burkhart 

Also following with interest, but not chiming in much. Great to see the progress. Thank you for all the reports.

Dave Cutter

That's one big tree. But nothing compared to you two's accomplishment. It is heart warming to see things work out so well for you two.

JanMM

Rowan

Thank you to everyone who has posted their comments. I know BFs can be a tiny bit ratty sometimes, but the support posted by many members -- which means friends -- has been inspirational for me and Machka, and especially for us doing the thing we both enjoy -- cycling