Shhh...this is Silver's hubby...

[silver]

Shhh...I'm trying to not wake silver up as I type quietly...just two feet from the chair she's sleeping in...

She's in that ever so dreary time of doubt as to whether she will ever ride again...so, stealing my lead from Paul Simon's 70's hit, let's come up with the "Fifty Ways to Get You Biking". This may take some effort , so I'll start:

You just slip on the seat, Pete
Make a new map, Snap
You don't need to be sad, Tad
Just get yourself free
Hop on that bike, Mike
You don't need to discuss much
Just tighten that chain, Elaine
And get yourself free.



For the younger set who don't know what I'm talking about:
http://www.superseventies.com/sl_fiftywaystoleave.html

[mimitabby]

Well, how else will she get to show off her new bike if not by riding it?!?
sometimes depending on your vantage point, things look pretty rough. I think when she's in less pain, her ambitions will take over.

[7rider]

I agree with Mimi.
She can be dreary now. But when she is feeling better, and when she starts looking at that new ride she has that is just begging to be ridden, she can go back out there.
When you fall off the horse, you have to get back on.
Get out there and ride, Clyde.

[DeniseGoldberg]

Sorry, but I'm not very good at rhyming...

• First, be patient. I looked back through the posts about Silver's crash, and it happened back on October 29th. That's only two weeks ago, not a lot of time. (Silver's hubby: expecting Elaine to be back on a bicycle in that short a period of time after an accident like the one she had is probably not realistic.)
• Give yourself time to let the fear recede into the background. And remember that fear is normal after a crash like yours. It doesn't have to be rational, but it is very normal. I suppose that I was very lucky in my own bad crash. I had a skull fracture and a severe brain injury, neither of which feels very lucky - but my injuries caused me to lose all memory of my crash, so I didn't have to fight fear. I did have to wait for clearance from my docs though, so I was off of my bike for a good 6 weeks. Recovery time passes; if biking was a part of your life that you loved in the past, I believe that you will be able to overcome your fear in time.
• Ease back into exercise. Maybe walking will feel right to you; maybe riding your bike on a trainer or riding an exercise bike will feel right. There isn't any right or wrong here - just what feels right to you.
• Learn from what happened, and if possible change your riding style to avoid the situation that frightens you. You went off the edge of the pavement; if it were me I'd probably make sure to ride further to the left in the future (that is, away from the edge).
• When it feels right to ride again, take your bike somewhere with little traffic so you can get comfortable rolling along on two wheels again without having to deal with too many external factors. Maybe a short ride with your DH (and no one else, not a club ride!) would be a good start.
  

And remember - you didn't do anything wrong. Accidents happen; sometimes they can be avoided, sometimes they can't. But even so - just think of all of the accident-free miles that you (and all of us) have ridden.

If biking was an important part of your life in the past, if biking is something that you would like to continue to be a part of your life, I believe that you will be able to return to it. Wait, and it will feel right again.

--- Denise

[HillSlugger]

Get a new fork, Bjork

[Kathi]

When I fell off my mtn bike and broke my wrist I was really, really scared to get back on the bike. It didn't help that I was in a cast for 8 weeks then it took another 6 weeks to get my strength back enough to shift and brake.

When I did get back on I went to a quiet place with no traffic. I can remember being very hesitant and wobbly when I took off. I only rode about 5 miles that day but it broke the ice for me and brought me back.

If fear becomes a big issue that she can't overcome there is a book called "In the Yikes! Zone, a Conversation with Fear" by Mermer Blakeslee. It's geared toward skiing but applies to this situation too.

Good luck, give her time and lots of encouragement.

[margo49]

smell the flora, Dora

Patience
Life only goes forward; but sometimes slowly

[Thistle]

silver's hubby, you rock

just get a new bell, Nell

[bambu101]

Get a new stem, Clem

Hang in there Silver, and Mr Silver!

[Tri Girl]

In time, I'm sure her ambition to ride will return. When she feels better and is not in pain her thoughts may drift to riding once again.

Get on your steed, Reid.
Hop on the road, Toad (hey, it could be a name)
Clip on in, Erin,
and let the road lead.

Get out the door, Thor
Jump on your bike, Ike
Burn rubber quick, Nick
and enjoy the fun.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

So get out your pump, Gump,
and put in some air, Claire,
Slip on your chamois, Tammy,
and pedal with me...

[silver]

Oh Geez!!!!! Yes, he's sweet but I'm gonna have to change my password!!!

well, I will admit that i'm in tears reading this. yesterday was the frist day that I had seen DH since the day after the accident becuase of work logistics. And I was having a cruddy day. I've found that about every day and a half that I crash big time, both emotionally and physically. Sleep has been elusive the last two nights. I must be getting used to the pain meds since they no longer seem to make me drift off into a welcome foggy sleep like before.

And I was already teary after reading bacarver's email about the bravery that she summoned up when she had her wreck.

It was just a month and a half ago that I watched Sam's life leave his body after being cut down by a car and now two weeks since my own accident while riding a memory ride for him. My old bike has been restored to "ride-able" and the new Oh-so-lovely Madone sits in my kitchen waiting for me to take it for a ride.

I figure that what I'm experiencing is some sort of post traumatic stress response. I had accomplished my cycling goals for the years and had already turned my mind towards running through the winter.

I know that I have already recovered so much since the accident. I remember screaming at the slightest move the first few days. Now I can move about and get by without the narcotics during the days. My lung is healed. My road rashes are all nearly healed. My parents are going home after taking over for two weeks. I can drive. I've even been trying to figure out which exercises I can still do. Like calf raises.....I can do calf raises.

But the emotional part will take so much longer to heal. I had so looked forward to doing the memory ride for Sam, thinking that it would bring so much closure to the experience, then I didn't finish his "Finish His Ride"



I did go out to my workshop was happy to know that I can still work. Slowly and carefully and probably not with as much skill and force as before but knowing that I will at least be able to complete the orders that I have.

I want to ride again. But I don't watn to be fearful. It has been so helpful to read how some of you have made small modifications to your riding that have helped. to read how you have triumphed after serious injuries. you all know.... I need to be on my bike. Well, tomorrow I will try to get on my spin bike and see if I can pedal. I'll go to the gym and see what I can do. and then see where that takes me. And I'll get to meet bacarver!

I've been through injuries before and always went on and found something else to do. That's how I found the bike. I bought my bike with and rode it with a broken foot all last summer. I'd walk to the bike in my air cast, take it off and bike and put it back on. I worked so hard at weight lifting when I broke my left foot that I finally developed 6 pack abs. I know I've done this before, so why does it seem so daunting this time. I think because it hurts a lot more this time. It came closer to mortality, it came on the heels of Sam's death.

Thank you DH and others for the sweet encouragement. I'm listening. I will not give up.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Silver,
remember that crying and embracing your fears, despair, sadness, and frustration is all a good and natural part of healing and getting strong again, both physically and emotionally.

[Bad JuJu]

Well, here's my pathetically late response:
Grab hold of those bars, Lars!

But mostly, because I'm late reading this and read Silver's heart-wrenching response, I just want to send a big ol' hug {{{{{ Silver }}}}} . We're all cheering for you, pal.

[sbctwin]

Remember, always, time is is your friend. There is no need to rush to jump on your bike...maybe, after you heal some more, time on a trainer with your old "bike/friend" will help you to feel more secure on sitting on the bike...no pressure, some videos of the open road to remind you what riding outside was like, but most important, TIME....I, for one, get impatient, and then I have to remind myself that, what I can't accomplish today, I can try tomorrow. And if tomorrow is a week, a month, a few months, a year away, I can still see the possibilities, and well, at my age, I don't think of it as an excuse....I just need the TIME. I only found this site in October and I feel so wonderful just reading all of the frustrations/ celebrations/ hurddles/ accomplishments that my fellow cyclists endure, and I am encouraged that one day, I will also accomplish that which I find impossible at this time. Back in the early 80's, I took a terrible spill...I rode my bike before work every morning. The night before, it rained. I came down off this hill and took a corner too fast and I went down. I was one road rash person and, yes, even in 1982, I was wearing a helmet, it took the brunt that would have surely ended my ear as I know it...It took me awhile to get back on the bike to feel the joy and independence...but I finally got back on it, it just took me TIME.