Accident

[grey]

We got hubby a bike for Christmas, and with the sunny day yesterday we aired up, suited up, and decided to go on our first ride together. We picked the Chickamauga battlefield since there isn't much traffic, and what traffic is there is much used to seeing cyclists.
Hubby's never had a road bike before, so we spent some time in the parking lot making adjustments to the saddle ... and I decided to let him go in front, since I had the safety light. First mistake. I also should have gone over signals with him - that's the second mistake. But I felt I have been riding for years and thought it better this way.
Anyway - we wanted to turn left, and I was signaling and there wasn't traffic behind us - so was going to wait in the median. To his perspective, there was traffic so he turned right on a little side street. I thought "ok, we'll go right instead, that's cool" and started to ride up alongside him to his left so we could talk. And then he turned left suddenly (so we could wait and cross the street) - right into me.
I know why it happened, I know it's both our faults. I should have realized he was thinking it would be safer to cross the street by waiting on one with less traffic, or should have remained single-file for a little longer. But anyway. I crashed into him, and that's the last I remember until there were sirens. Apparently I was out for 20-25 seconds, he couldn't wake me and it was HARD for me to come to. I'm also a martial artist, I've been knocked out before and seen plenty, but usually someone is down for 2-5 seconds, so it must have been quite the hit.
Without the helmet I think I might not be alive. Or maybe a vegetable. It took a beating, it's crushed on the rear left and heavily dented in the back.
I took a beating. I am bruised all over, other than the concussion and two sizable lumps on my head, I am ok. Just still dizzy and headache today. They took CT scans and X-rays - so I can say I have had my head examined and it's fine.

The bikes - I think the frames are ok. DH's left brake is crooked and my front wheel is not true. Those are pretty minor. I'll take the bikes into the shop and get them checked out.

Upside: I need a new helmet. Suggestions? :D

[indysteel]

Oh, grey. I'm so sorry. Take it easy and give yourself plenty of time to heal. Hugs!

[ny biker]

It's probably a good sign that you remember so much about what happened before you fell. I hope you feel better soon.

RE: the new helmet, if you liked the way the old one fit I would start by looking into others by that company.

[PamNY]

Yikes! So sorry you had an accident. Take care of yourself and heal up fast.

[Anelia]

Get well soon! Rest a lot.

[Chile Pepper]

Yikes! Hope you heal quickly!

[Catrin]

Oh my, glad you noggin is ok! I concur that you should stick with that brand of helmet for sure! Rest well...

[OakLeaf]

Oh man. Heal quick. Remember that recovering from a head injury takes a LOT of energy, and you will be much more fatigued than you expect. Give yourself the time to rest. ((((grey)))))

[grey]

Thanks all. I hope this doesn't kill DH's desire to take up riding. :(

It was a Giro - but anymore I don't know WHICH version it was. Anybody have a favorite? :D

[murielalex]

Very scary! I'm glad you're okay enough to heal from the bruises. Helmets are good. I know too many people (mostly the patients I work with that commute daily) that absolutely refuse to wear them. Heal fast!

[pll]

Grey,

Glad to hear you are OK. Bikes can be fixed and helmets replaced. I cannot imagine your husband's panic while you were unconscious. Allow your brain time to recover (don't risk another hit right now).

Team Estrogen has a couple of Giro helmets in high visibility yellow (see here (http://www.teamestrogen.com/product/gear/on-your-body/helmets/high-visibility/c0-c60-c70-c991-atspecialty_14.html?sorter=brandName-asc)). They look nice!

[hirakukibou]

That's scary. Take good care of yourself.

[goldfinch]

Team Estrogen has a couple of Giro helmets in high visibility yellow (see here (http://www.teamestrogen.com/product/gear/on-your-body/helmets/high-visibility/c0-c60-c70-c991-atspecialty_14.html?sorter=brandName-asc)). They look nice!

I have the Aeon in the high viz yellow. It is a very comfortable helmet, light weight and bright.
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodGO_2030473.html

Take care of yourself!

[Eden]

Ouch - hope you feel better.

I can personally vouch for the Specialized Prevail helmet.... earlier this week I did some damage that sound a lot like yours to my helmet, but not to my head... I hit something on my commute - I'm not sure what, it was dark and my light didn't pick it up. It was on a street I'm quite familiar with - only about a block from my house, and I think it was either a small pothole or a small icy spot, but the affect was a rather long slide mostly on the top of my head... I crunched the back of the helmet pretty good. The whole left hand back side was shattered and the retention system was torn out on that side too, but I only had a bit of a headache for about 2 hours and certainly suffered no loss of consciousness. I've never cracked a helmet so dramatically.... I feel quite lucky to be undamaged - other than the headache I only got a tiny raspberry on my left elbow and a few scattered minor bruises. I'm sticking with that helmet. Until now I had some 2nd thoughts about the retention system - it's not as adjustable as all of my previous helmets and I wondered a bit about it, but I'm convinced it works now.

[spokewench]

Sorry about your accident - hope you heal quickly

[grey]

I think the worst at this point is the dizziness and mental fog! Trying to find out how long this goes on for but it seems it varies to the individual. I've spent the past 2 days trying to get my marketing plan put together and... I've not progressed very far.
I haven't heard of the retention system for a bike helmet before?

[radacrider]

Wowser! Do take things slow and maybe check back in with your doctor. I have to be careful, even to the point of how far the dentist tips me back. Too far and the inner ear goes whacko and I have to do exercises to reset it, otherwise it is major vertigo issues. Head hits are rough for sure.

[grey]

Really? I'm hoping not to have any long-term issues. This is not my first (but definitely worst) concussion. Overall it looks like 6 weeks before resuming everything, so I may hold off on sparring and throws for that long (bummer). But I'd think I can get back on the bike in a week or two.

[OakLeaf]

You know that every concussion you have puts you at greater risk for permanent damage from the next one... Please see a neurologist. Please follow their recommendations about returning to martial arts.


Importantly, even if the effects of the initial brain injury have already resolved (6-18 mo post injury), the effect of multiple concussions over time remains significant and can result in long-term neurologic and functional deficits.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/92189-overview

[Bike Writer]

Oh my goodness Grey! Thank God you are OK, relatively speaking. Take care of yourself while you are healing, be kind to yourself, that's quite an accident you had.

[Eden]

I haven't heard of the retention system for a bike helmet before?

The plastic framework inside the helmet that generally has an adjustment at the back, plus the straps is what I mean by retention system.

[Owlie]

You know that every concussion you have puts you at greater risk for permanent damage from the next one... Please see a neurologist. Please follow their recommendations about returning to martial arts.



http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/92189-overview

This. A friend of mine suffered multiple concussions playing hockey (and one falling out of a dorm room bunk bed in an awkward manner) and the consequences were pretty nasty.

I'm glad you're mostly okay. Rest up and feel better!

[smilingcat]

YOUSERS!!!

+1 what Oak says about multiple concussion.

Grey, if you've had other ones in the past and this was the worst, this is a very strong indication that you have accumulated enough injury that you really should have it checked by a neurologist. It's the reason why I am NOT supposed to be riding. And to avoid or minimize my risk of hitting my head again. Next one may be light or minor to an average person, it may be my last and be a fatal one. That was the jist from my neurologist over 10 years ago.

If you suffer a concussion or suffer a headache after an accident, please please do the following. First 12 to 24 hours are really important!! Stay awake and every hour or two engage in a conversation with someone you know well. listening for slurred speech, out of character response, hostile attitude or behavior, sick to the stomach feeling and anything out of norm and you should be taken immediately to an ER for head scan.

After more than 10 years since my last crash, my short term memory is not as good as it used to be. My attention span is not as good as it used to be. I get distracted bit easier. Your brain is resilient and it can cover up and compensate for the damage to a point. The important thing here is "TO A POINT" I know I've gone over so I know where I stand. Yes be grateful that you've "recovered" and didn't suffer a visibly irreversible effects of head trauma.

Next time any of you hit your head and damage your helmet, please do the check for the 12 to 24 hours period after the accident.

I say these things not because I'm angry at your laisseze faire attitude. I just don't want to see you not getting the medical attention in timely manner.

peace to all and be safe,

smilingcat

[Eden]

I think you may be mixing me up with Grey - she did go to the ER and did get a head CT as she was unconscious. I didn't lose consciousness and did not visit the ER, but was certainly careful to watch myself for any signs of a head injury (and I had none other than a headache that cleared up in only a few hours). I've also never, as far as I can recall, unless I was very small and don't remember have had a concussion before.

[OakLeaf]

? I guess I didn't mention a name but I knew I was referring to Grey. Just like anything else, the ER is not a substitute for follow-up with a specialist.

CT scanning can't detect chronic traumatic encephalopathy (nor can MRI). At this point it can only be diagnosed clinically or posthumously, though there was just something in today's news about how they're investigating PET scans to find CTE.