Hi, lkrider

thanks for sharing! lessee...I've had plenty of bruises, scratches and more, usually from less than heroic crashes. It seems the full-tilt crazy stunt crashes don't leave a lasting imprint....

so here are a few, in no particular order:

the 4" long, 1/2" wide scar on my right shin from not thinking about the trail. It's my reminder to always think about the trail when I'm riding my bike!

the bursitis in my left hip. caused by a failed wheelie drop off a curb. buckled the front wheel and landed right on the hip socket. silly me, I had a friend over that night and we drank wine and sat in the hot tub. turns out that's the exact opposite of what I should have done!! ice and ibuprofen. so now it flares up from various things...including my new favourite pastime - kickboxing

the broken shoulder from trying to get to work faster than my husband did. dont' brake for the corner, don't worry about the death wobble, don't touch the brakes, why am I flying through the air?? a bicep tendon that tends to get a bit inflamed easily.

and the bruises....well the funniest one was that my pedal (before the candies...I love the candies!!), was a bit too tight, so there I was thinking I was loosening the bolt while I turned it saying turn it counter clockwise to loosen it, but in my blondeness I was turning it to the right.....that's when I learned rightie tightie, leftie loosie. heehee

what I learned from the bruise, and several others I've had, is that as soon as it is possible, and you'll have to grit your teeth the first few times you try this, you have to massage a bruise to heal it properly. there's a bunch of blood pooled there and the healing doesn't happen until the blood circulates better. the massage also tends to lessen those horrible spider veins that happen after a wollop of bruise, too! hey, a doctor told me that one, and my physiotherapist backed the story up. massage. ouch, yes, massage!!

hope you're feeling better! don't be sad. turn it into a puzzle, a challenge, a learning experience and make yourself well!!!

namaste,
~T~