First Crash...let's not repeat that!

[DrBadger]

so, had my first crash today...no fun.

Was doing a brick workout with my friend Amie and her boyfriend at a local park (Memorial for those that know Houston). We were riding a loop that all the local cyclists do since there aren't really any cars (it goes nowhere), one way only, and no stop signs. We were on our second to last loop before doing our 3 mile run... not quite sure exactly what happened, but I ended up touching Amie's back wheel, and well, as you can expect... that is all she wrote. It sent me flying towards the side of the road, which would have been a bit painful when I went down, but better than what followed. The road here is surrounded by wood bollards (you know the waist high wood posts to keep people from driving/parking on the grass)...well, I was going to hit them, no way around it. It all happened so fast, not entirely sure how I all went down, but I did protect the bike by absorbing most of the impact with my body and head!

Final estimate from the ER: sprained right ankle, LOTS of pretty serious bruises forming on my legs mostly, and watching the head for the next day or two. The helmet is pretty spectacular... amazing what they can do! I will attach the photos.. gives you an idea of how hard I hit... we were probably doing about 16.5 mph when I went down and don't think I had any time to break and slow down.

Bike appears fine, maybe some wheel issues, but will be taking it in to the shop for a full going over, make sure the carbon isn't damaged anywhere. And I will be picking up a new helmet at the same time.

So, I guess I was bound to crash at some point... this was a bit more dramatic that I would have hoped for, and not something I am looking to do again!

[Chile Pepper]

yikes! glad you're ok, by the sound of it.

[ekcjwc]

Wow - take a look at that helmet! Sounds like you took quite a beating in order to protect your bike :D (I would have done the same).

[sfa]

Whoa! Good helmet. I'm glad you're more or less o.k.--I hope you heal quickly from the bruises and sprain!

Sarah

[channlluv]

Does Giro have a "Hall of Fame" of photos for their helmets that have done their job? Yours obviously did. I'll bet if you send them a photo and a paragraph or two about how great their helmet performed and protected you (assuming no head injuries there - good luck!), you'll get a new one at a discount. Give them something they can use on their Website marketing.

I hope those bruises heal quickly. Crashes are scary, huh?

Roxy - No, Mom, I didn't sit in purple paint. That's a bruise. But my bike is fine!

[OakLeaf]

Phew, DrB, I'm so glad you're basically okay. Be careful with that ankle though, I was just reading what a high percentage of ankle sprains (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/health/28brod.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=ankle%20sprain&st=cse) result in long-term joint damage because people under-treat and under-rest them. And obviously take all the concussion precautions!


Does Giro have a "Hall of Fame" of photos for their helmets that have done their job?

Or you could just give it to your LBS. My LBS used my crashed helmet for probably 20 years, to demonstrate to customers what they're for. Helmets have evolved (some) since my crash in 1987, skulls haven't!

[runningteach]

I'm sorry about the crash and thank goodness you had a helmet on. Hope you heal quickly.

[Owlie]

Ouch! I hope you heal quickly!

[Tri Girl]

WOW!!!!:eek:
I'm so glad that you're OK- that could have been so much worse, I imagine.
That helmet picture is SCARY!!!!
Please rest and take good care of yourself. :)

[shootingstar]

Take easy drbadger. Monitor and treat thyself well for awhile.

Glad that you are alive and conscious.

[snapdragen]

Ouch! How noble of you to shield your bike from further damage by throwing your body in front of those posts. :rolleyes:

Hope you're feeling better soon, heal quickly!

[sundial]

Oh my word!!! :eek: :eek: Did your helmet hit the wood bollard? Glad you are ok and that your injuries weren't more serious.

[andtckrtoo]

Oh, I'm so happy to hear you weren't hurt worse. Take care of yourself.

[spazzdog]

Hey DrB! Way to lead with your head grrl!

You shall be awarded the medal of honor for protecting the bike. Definitely send the helmet & a note to Giro... could score you a new brain bucket.

I remember those wood posts (lived in Houston for a while) from tripping over them a few times.

Feel better soon!

spazzdog

[DrBadger]

Thanks for all the well wishes ladies! Pretty sore this morning, and some of these bruises are going to be pretty impressive.

Yup, we are pretty sure that I lead with my head and it went right in to the bollard (wood post)...

When my friends dropped off my car and bike last night they were able to take a better look at the bike... looks like it came out unscathed... still going in for a check up to make sure, but yup, sacraficed myself for the bike :rolleyes:

[sundial]

Yup, we are pretty sure that I lead with my head and it went right in to the bollard (wood post)...


Cripes!! :eek: :eek:

Did the ER doc ask how your bike was? :p

[owlice]

Glad you are (relatively!) okay, and yay! on the helmet!

Take pics of the bruises. And yeah, share what's left of the helmet with others, either the manufacturer or your LBS!

As much as you love your bike, it can be replaced; you cannot. Please let your bike take the brunt of any future impacts!

[Kelly728]

wow, look at that helmet! Beyond being ridiculously sore, glad you and the bike made it out ok.

[tctrek]

OWWEEEE! That sounds scary and painful. Thank goodness you are going to be ok and you had a good helmet!!

[Geonz]

Good Gravy! Um, next tme let the bike take some of the rap ;) Hope things heal up and swellings go down... and happy helmet shopping...

[Red Rock]

DrB so sorry to hear of your news/crash. I hope everything on your body and the bike are all ok. May you have health soon so you can get back on and ride again.

Red Rock

[Iris616]

Oh My! I hope you're not in too much pain today!

[DrBadger]

Hello all-
Well, time for an update I guess.... took the bike in to the shop to get looked at... appears to be fine, got a new helmet, so you would think I would be getting ready to get back into the swing of things.

Well, think again. After the ankle started healing enough that I was walking again my back started acting up. It wasn't great right after, but I was attributing it to my muscles being tight and bruised from the fall. But then it got to the point that I couldn't sit at work for very long at all, started getting pain in my ankle from my sciatic nerve, so decided it was time to make an appointment with the orthopedic doc. Was feeling decent the day I went in, so just decided to start with PT and see if it gets better. Unfortunately the next morning I was in excrutiating pain, and my big toe went numb... time for that MRI.

Had an MRI on Monday, by Wednesday morning I was in so much pain I couldn't stand or sit without being in tears, and laying down wasn't much better. Saw the Doc on Thursday for the results of the MRI... not good. I re-herniated my L4/L5 disc. I had herniated this disc in college in a fall, had surgery to fix it (microdiscectimy) and it had been great up till now.

I was in so much pain they got me in for a cortasone injection right away that day. I am doing better now, but still basiclly confined to the couch on my back. Giving it a couple more days to see if I can get back to work next week. But it is looking more and more like I am going to be doing back surgery again :-( Doc thinks that we can get away with another microdiscectomy again on this disc... but if I herniate it again in the future I will be looking at a fusion. I could do the fusion right now, but I would like to stick with the least invasive procedure for now.

So, going to be off the bike for a bit longer than anticipated. And more than likely I won't be doing the half-marathon in Jan :-( But maybe I will become a really good and strong swimmer during all of this... yeah, bright side :-)

I will update you all when I figure out what I am going to be doing. Thanks for the support!
Ellen
DrBadger

[jobob]

Oh geeeze, I'm so bummed for you Ellen ! :(

[Blueberry]

DrBadger - So, So sorry to hear that:( I'm still doing PT for my shoulder from my crash a couple of months ago...

Heal fast!

CA

[emily_in_nc]

So sorry about your crash, Ellen! I was going to post something like "thank heavens you didn't break anything" until I read your update, which sounds equally or more serious. Maybe you won't have to have surgery after all. Sure am glad your head is ok, tho...it could have been even worse, as you know - your helmet is strong testament to that. Hope the bike is ok, but that's much less important than you!

Heal well....

[jobob]

I'm still doing PT for my shoulder from my crash a couple of months ago...


I'm starting up PT on my back next week ... heh, what a healthy bunch we are! :p :rolleyes:

[OakLeaf]

Oh man... Sending my wishes for a quick recovery to Dr. B and the rest of you!

[bmccasland]

DrB - geeze, sorry to hear you'll be riding the couch for a while. Hope you get to feeling better soon. After seeing those photos of your helmet, am really happy that your head is intact. :eek: Holy cow, that's one ugly brain bucket!

Good healing juju from the Big Easy!

[Blueberry]

I'm starting up PT on my back next week ... heh, what a healthy bunch we are! :p :rolleyes:

My PT is getting really tired of "Can I (insert activity I probably shouldn't do)?"

So far it's:

Bike - Yes
Pilates - Yes, with mods (which she's teaching me)
White Water Raft - No Way
Sea Kayak - I'd rather you didn't (so I didn't go far...)

My PT rocks!

CA

[DrBadger]

Hello all,
well, it has been almost a year since the infamous crash, and I just started coming back to the forum (Thanks JoBob and Snap!), so thought you all deserved a bit of an update.

As I last posted, turns out I re-herniated my L4/L5 disc in my back in the crash. After being in more pain that I have ever been in before the doc and I decided a revision micro-discectimy was in order. I did that in early Dec (the first day it snowed in Houston this year!). The surgery went really well, and I recovered much more quickly this time than the last back surgery. Doc said, that there was very little new material herniated out, but that the scar tissue from the first herniation was causing all sorts of problems.

Pain was gone almost right away after surgery, and the feeling in my big toe started coming back pretty quickly as well. My mom stayed with me for 1 week after the surgery, then I was at my place alone for a week, then flew home for Christmas.

By mid-January I walked a 5k, and as soon as I was cleared to start running again, ran a 5k :-) Took me a bit longer to get back on the bike, mostly because I was a bit nervous to after the crash. But have now been back on the bike and riding again. Run a number of 5ks, did a duathlon a month ago, and Sunday is my first triathlon!

It's good to be back and see the old familiar faces, and lots of new ones around here! Saw there were a couple of new people in the Houston area... drop me a line if you are in the area and are looking for new biking buddies!

Ellen

[OakLeaf]

Welcome back DrB! Great to hear you're doing so well. Good luck on your tri!

[zoom-zoom]

Wow, what a saga! During a ride Tues. night a friend rubbed my rear tire and we're both amazed that neither of us went down. Luckily we were only going 13-14mph at the time. I see what you went through and am so thankful that it didn't end badly for either of us. Happy to hear that you are recovery and getting back to things. :)

[emily_in_nc]

Welcome back, Ellen! It is great to hear of your post-crash accomplishments! :)

[tctrek]

Wow! What an ordeal you had! I did the same thing in March - just tapped the back tire of the bike in front of me and believe me I know how fast and hard you go down! Lucky for me, I only fractured my wrist and am back now.

Stay safe!

[jobob]

Yay Ellen!!

(You need to post a picture of Oliver, he's too cute for words!)

[PinkBike]

great that you're back at it!! yer one tough cookie! congrats

[DrBadger]

Yay Ellen!!

(You need to post a picture of Oliver, he's too cute for words!)

Hi Jo!
Will this work for you??

[Veronica]

Hi Jo!
Will this work for you??


What a cutie! Happy to see you back on the board and that you have recovered so well.

Veronica

[buffybike]

Glad you're okay and that your helmet did it's job!