If I get to five

I just recently read If I Get to Five: What Children Can Teach Us About Courage and Character. This is a book by Fred Epstein, who was basically one of the best pediatric neurosurgeons in the world, pioneering techniques for base of the brain & spinal cord surgeries.... up until one day, he was riding his bicycle, hit a depression in the road, went over the handlebars, slamming his head into the pavement, and splitting his helmet... The force of his brain slamming forward, tore some blood vessel at the back of his brain, causing a massive bleed... After months of rehab, he managed to walk again, I think he stayed partially paralyzed on one side, and of course never operated again.

This was a book that he wrote during his recovery, about all the lessons he'd learned from his child patients over the years that helped him when he was recovering.

Here's his obituary for more background information:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/12/ny...12epstein.html

It's mostly an uplifting book, even if the subject matter is sad... It's only peripherally related to cycling - but I do think there's a lesson and that is that helmets cannot completely prevent brain injuries - so everyone should be safe. I was just reading the thread on 7rider's commuting partner, which also emphasized this.

I look forward to reading the obituary, and perhaps the book.

I'm a bit confused about your helmet comment. If he had not been wearing one, he very likely would not have survived to write the book. Had I not been wearing my helmet when I went down six years ago today (it's a special day for me), I likely would not have survived or would be severely brain injured. As it was, it took me six months to relearn how to form complete sentences verbally (writing was fine).

So if you comment is that helmet's don't make one absolutely safe from injury--that is true. But the certainly go far in making those injuries less serious than they would be otherwise.

If you comment means something else, then you can just ignore all this.

Oh, it's more a - ride defensively & wear your helmet, helmets don't make you bulletproof comment. (which is probably something that doesn't need to be stated)

For all I know, he had a congenitally weak blood vessel in the back of his brain, and it didn't take much force to tear that.

I just checked the book out from the library, it is a fairly easy read. I'd just been curious because I had heard of Dr. Epstein on and off over the years from friends or doctors and about the bike accident... So I finally googled him and found the book.

Thanks for the suggestion -- just placed a hold on this title at one of the libraries we use. Looking forward to the book.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tulip

Had I not been wearing my helmet when I went down six years ago today (it's a special day for me), I likely would not have survived or would be severely brain injured.

---

Hey - happy day, Tulip! I guess. Maybe that was really inappropriate :p But kudos for being such a survivor anyways. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tulip

I'm a bit confused about your helmet comment. If he had not been wearing one, he very likely would not have survived to write the book. Had I not been wearing my helmet when I went down six years ago today (it's a special day for me), I likely would not have survived or would be severely brain injured. As it was, it took me six months to relearn how to form complete sentences verbally (writing was fine).
this.

---

I'm glad that you survived without more serious consequences - I always really admire people that can get back on theri bike or whatever after something like that. I kind of think I'd be too chicken.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Catriona

I'm glad that you survived without more serious consequences - I always really admire people that can get back on theri bike or whatever after something like that. I kind of think I'd be too chicken.

---

Sometimes, time has a great way of healing not only our bodies but of our mind. Those who live into their old age are better adapted at putting traumatic events away and without weighing them down.

A long time ago, I heard an interviewer on the radio. She said she was interviewing a woman who had made it past a 100. About a week before the scheduled interview the woman's daughter died of old age at 80-something. The interviewer out of respect and concern for the elderly ladies health, she had asked if she wanted to postpone the interview. The woman said, "its quite alright. My daughter lived a full happy and long life... and I am not broken over it. Lets just have the interview as planned".

You know, some of us can just pick our pieces up and keep on going. Sometimes against better judgement. Like tulip I've had my share of BAD accident's. Neurosurgen told my partner that there will be no nxt time for me. That last crash would have been a mild concussion to some ended up being extremely serious for me. You could say that I've used 8 of my 9 lives. Not proud, not ashamed, it just is. It was fun till each of my crash.

So do not become afraid after a bad fall. You just need to get right back on the horse as they say. You can' go on life being afraid of accidents. If you are not actively tempting fate like I was, chances are that you may go through life without a serious injury.

be happy and enjoy life,
Smilingcat

I've never had a really bad accident - falls that have scared me, but not actually serious. So what usually happens is that I ski or bike like a grandma for a few days, and then go back to riding like normal. But I'm definitely a lot more cautious in some respects once I've been hurt doing something - you sort of gain respect for what you're doing and the possibility that something really really bad could happen...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tulip

Had I not been wearing my helmet when I went down six years ago today (it's a special day for me), I likely would not have survived or would be severely brain injured. As it was, it took me six months to relearn how to form complete sentences verbally (writing was fine).

---

Wow, glad you're back from that one.

I had only very short-term effects from my concussion, but I'm sure that I too would have had severe brain injury if I hadn't been wearing a helmet. The funny thing is that I too remember the date.

I don't remember the date I met my DH. I don't remember the date my divorce from my first husband was finalized. I don't remember the dates of any of my graduations, and the only reason I remember the date I was sworn in to the Bar is that it was the day before my birthday.

But I remember the date that I regained semi-consciousness on the pavement, before there was such a thing as cell phones, with my training partner (having already checked me as best he could for spinal cord injury, he tells me) fretting about having to leave me there so he could ride back to get his truck and take me to the ER. It was July 27.

Why do we remember that???

Part of the reason I remember the date is because I was cycling on a Navy base in Maryland and nearly everyone had already evacuated the planes and taken the ships out to sea because Hurricane Isabel hit that night or the day after. So it took a while to flag someone down with a cell phone. I didn't have mine, not that I could have used it anyways, and my riding partner didn't have his. Also, there was some concern about the helicopter life flight ride and the approaching hurricane, but I wasn't privy to those details.

After a week of being at home and recovering--from my fall and from the hurricane--I did go back to work, although I was not very effective right off the bat. I remember this spiral staircase at work and I could not coordinate myself enough to use it. I laid low and focused on one task at a time. I have lost all ability to multitask, but that's okay.

A month after the accident, I got back on the bike for commuting. That very morning, I was hit by a car. Just tapped as I was crossing M Street near the Key Bridge (DC) with the walk signal...the dimwit at the wheel was talking on her cell phone and not paying attention to things like red lights. I was glad to be alive and did make it to work.

The big accident gave me a new perspective on life and a new urgency to do the things that I want to do and live life to the fullest. That has resulted in some pretty big upheavals, but here I am.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tulip

The big accident gave me a new perspective on life and a new urgency to do the things that I want to do and live life to the fullest.

---

There ya' go.

Bike lanes are just lines on pavement.

Helmets are great but they are not a force field.

My cousin's fiance was riding with traffic in the bike lane obeying all safety laws during the daytime wearing a helmet and bright jacket when she was killed by a truck. :(

OTOH you have red light running, fire engine cutting off, riding at night with no lights helmets reflectors or even a stitch of bright color or any color clothing missionaries ..... and they are safe:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=33738

A quote I recall from her memorial "A ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are for" :o

Ride lots
Ride safe, TE!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trek420

A quote I recall from her memorial "A ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are for"

---

Wow, what a wonderful statement.

Yep. She was an incredibly wonderful gal. I miss her a lot. :(

just get out there and ride :cool: