Friend crashed today :(

[Jiffer]

I was at about mile 13 of a 55 mile ride today with my two girlfriends and a guy we met along the way, who was pulling us at the time at a pretty good pace, when my friend, Jenny, went down. She had apparently clipped the back of my other friend's tire, lost control and crashed. I was right behind her and am amazed I didn't go down with her. Somehow, I managed to get around her.

She was unconscious at first and breathing strangely. I thought we'd have to struggle to get her feet unclipped from her bike, but they were both unclipped. I immediately called 911 and, as it turned out, the guy we were with was an EMT. She was only unconscious for about a minute or two and was able to answer the basic questions the guy asked her, but was obviously dazed and confused. She couldn't remember what happened.

The ambulance came and, luckily, my friend and I were able to ride with her to the hospital. The police had said they might not let us. Some guy had stopped during the chaos of it all and offered to let us keep our bikes at his house, which we did. At little strange leaving three nice bikes at a stranger's house, but we had to be with our friend!!! Jenny had just previously been squeezing my friend's hand in tears telling her not to leave her. (Bikes have been picked up and are fine, so no worries!)

We couldn't get a hold of her husband or hardly anyone else. Finally a friend answered the phone, who called the prayer chain at church, and the news spread like wild fire with our Pastor saying he'd have the congregation pray for her during church (like 3,000 people!). A couple of guys from church went by the husband's house and told him what was going on.

She had a CAT scan and it was fine. She is at home now and in good spirits with some pretty good road rash and a head ache. She insists she's still doing the Amtrak Century next Saturday! The doc said that was probably fine if she was feeling okay, but no major activity that could result in another head injury for a week, so she'll have to ride a stationary bike and/or spin class to finish preparing.

She had JUST bought a new helmet a few weeks ago that fits her much better than her old one, which tipped up too much on her forhead. She wonders what would have happened if she had had the old helmet on. The new one is cracked pretty good. Saved her life.

[andtckrtoo]

Oh, how scary! I'm glad your friend will be okay! I'll keep her in my thoughts and prayers.

[Crankin]

Sounds like it all worked out well. Two of the three crashes I have had were resulting from clipping someone's wheel because they or the person in front of them, stopped/slowed without signaling. Luckily, I only had road rash and bruises.
It was very nice of you to go in the ambulance.

[Fredwina]

I'll put her on my prayer list, too:(

[firenze11]

That's so scary. How amazing that she just bought a new, better helmet. I hope she feels better soon and does well in the century if she's feeling up to it.

[sundial]

The new one is cracked pretty good. Saved her life.

It is so good to hear your friend is okay and that you both were able to be with her. Now you'll have to surprise her with a new helmet and a bike tune-up.

[Mr. Bloom]

Wow! Given all that could have happened, it sounds like she already had some divine protection!:cool:

Will add to our prayer list.

Encourage her to turn this accident into a testimony and a campaign for safe riding;) From all bad, something good inevitably results:)

[blueskies]

I also have a friend who crashed this week & was fortunate to crack her helmet & not her head. Make sure your helmets fit properly, ladies-- firmly over your foreheads. Let's keep safe out there.

Jiffer - glad to hear that your friend also had a fortunate outcome!

[pardes]

Jiffer, what a shame for your friend. You go out for a ride, are having a good time, and disaster raises its head. I'm so glad the outcome was good.

[DDH]

I'm glad to hear that she is okay. It's good that she had such great friends with her. I hope you all were able to retrieve your bikes without any troubles and I hope her bike is okay.

[Jiffer]

Thanks everyone. I've heard from her via email a few times today. She's been watching girlie movies and eating chocolate. :) We're having a Labor Day pool party here tomorrow and are planning on playing volleyball in the pool. She's SO excited about volleyball, which amazes my friend and I. I wonder if she'll decide the pool isn't the best place to be with her road rashes.

DDH - All of the bikes are fine, even the "fallen" one. My husband picked them up after his Disney Half Marathon (67th out of over 4,000!).

Fredwina - the accident happened on Baseline (or 16th) just before Benson. Next time I call 911 I'll remember that it's called 16th there, because they couldn't figure out where we were at first! But there won't be a next time. ;)

[lph]

oh, poor girl! But she does want to be careful - being unconscious sounds like she could have had a concussion. When my dh got a concussion he was ordered flat on his back for a week with no reading, no computer and no tv, at the risk of getting permanent headaches. Tell her to not ignore any symptoms like queasiness!

[OakLeaf]

Wow Jiffer, glad your friend's going to be okay. That's definitely an easy way to crash.

[Grog]

I'm glad she's okay and also that you successfully avoided her.

My thoughts are with her...

[Fujichants]

Jiffer, I hope your friend is ok. That is pretty scary.

I also asked you this question on my new bike thread, but were you riding the Santa Ana Trail today? I saw a bike exactly like yours with the pink handlebar tape and saddle over by the rest stop at the ocean...

[luvmypwds]

I'm so glad your friend is ok. What a scare.

[DebTX]

What a blessing that she's all right!

Just last week I read an article online that reviewed how a helmet "should fit" -

Turns out I was wearing mine too loose. The website said to wear it low on your forehead and tight enough that you can't push it up. I had to tighten it because mine pushed up easily. My chin strap was also too loose. I was an idiot - wasn't even thinking that the helmet serves no purpose if it's not in place when you fall!

So glad your friend is recovering well.

[Mr. Bloom]

Turns out I was wearing mine too loose. The website said to wear it low on your forehead and tight enough that you can't push it up. I had to tighten it because mine pushed up easily.


Properly fitted, it should not fall off if you bend over before you snap the chin strap.

[spindizzy]

oh, poor girl! But she does want to be careful - being unconscious sounds like she could have had a concussion. When my dh got a concussion he was ordered flat on his back for a week with no reading, no computer and no tv

Lph raises some good points about concussion. My DH, a physio, is big into sports medicine and recently was at a conference by one of Canada's leading experts on concussion, Dr. Karen Johnston. Health professionals used to grade concussions on severity of fall, length of unconciousness etc. Current theory relies on symptomology (dizziness, headaches, nausea etc.) post injury, and there does not need to be a loss of consciousness. If the symptoms are persistent, the brain needs to be protected against further insults by totally resting the brain..and that means no TV, no computer, no reading.

http://athletics.mcgill.ca/sportsmed_interest_details.ch2?article_id=2756

[bikerchic]

Oh how scary for all of you!

I'm glad your friend is alright and it's a darn good thing she had her new helmet on they don't call 'em brain buckets for nothing.:eek:

Sorry for the visual but please everyone remember to check your helmets and wear them correctly!

Consumer's Guide (http://www.helmets.org/guide.htm)

Be safe out there!

[Jiffer]

Jiffer, I hope your friend is ok. That is pretty scary.

I also asked you this question on my new bike thread, but were you riding the Santa Ana Trail today? I saw a bike exactly like yours with the pink handlebar tape and saddle over by the rest stop at the ocean...

Yes, that was me. :) I posted on your thread.

[Jiffer]

Thanks so much for all your replies everyone. Jenny was just here for our Labor Day party. She is DEFINITELY feeling the reality of what happened to her yesterday. In a lot more pain and definitely realized getting in the pool would be so not good for her road rash (right arm, knee and hip area, and left hand). She was in great spirits, though, so thrilled to be alive and well. She refereed our volleyball game. Brought a pink whistle and everything!

I sent her the link to this thread last night, but she didn't get a chance to read it yet, so I read all your posts to her (and her husband and other friends). She thought you were all so sweet and took your advice to heart.

We looked over her bike more thoroughly (because it was here from dh picking up the bikes). The only obvious scrape is on the right brake and a teeny bit on the front fork, but amazingly, it looks great. I told her that her bike is okay because she broke its fall with her body! She's SO glad the bike is okay. :)