Quote Originally Posted by gobles View Post
At the end of August, I had a mountain bike accident that caused a broken collarbone, sprained neck, crushed brachial plexus, cuts, bruises and a mild concussion. People told me I should give up riding and I just laughed at them. Eleven weeks after that accident, I had a road bike accident that only caused road rash (bad thing to have on your legs in the wintertime), and a very bad concussion. Now, all my friends, doctors and complete strangers laugh at me and tell me I have fallen on my head one to many times if I get back on a bike. Well, I was on the road bike three days after the accident and I will not give it up. I argued with the physical therapist today because see insist I give up riding and I said NO. What can I say to these people that will make them understand that if you take my bike away, you take my soul away?
In the span of less than three years, I experienced the following bike accidents:
1. Broke my pelvis in a pace line accident (My fault.)
2. Suffered concussion and mild road rash when hit by another bike and knocked into ditch. (NOT my fault.)
3. Major road rash on face (my Dr. compared it to third degree burns) and mild concussion. ( Run-in with a car - NOT my fault.)
4. Another mild concussion and much bruising and swelling of left ankle when struck by hit-and-run driver on RAGBRAI 2004.

After each accident, I was back on my bike AS SOON AS MEDICALLY POSSIBLE! Can you imagine the comments I got from people who didn't get it?? I guess I could almost understand their point of view even when they didn't understand mine. You said it, exactly and precisely, gobles!!
What can I say to these people that will make them understand that if you take my bike away, you take my soul away? There really is very little you can say to them to make them understand. I asked them what it was that they were passionate about and how would they feel if others told them they should give it up. Sometimes that worked, usually not. So I would just laugh, thank them for their concern, inform them that if I couldn't bike, they might as well shoot me, and then I'd change the topic of conversation.

Does your PT have a sound reason for insisting you give up riding? Does she just want you to take a break till you heal? That's reasonable. But I would insist on a valid medical explanation first. Good luck. Keep us posted.

annie