crashed!

[caligurl]

OMIGOSH! how awful! but i'm glad to hear you are on the mend and that the bike is doing good too!!!!

take care of that road rash!

[fixedgeargirl]

AG: So glad to hear you're okay. And the bike ! And you get to replace the knickers !! This is a scary event, lesson learned Dang-am-I-lucky type of thing. It sounded very like the slide I took just a few blocks from my house this past winter - chilling.

Some other options for post-crash healing:

*Rescue Remedy. Most effective immediately post-trauma to help calm nerves and get rid of the shakes.

*Arnica montana, topically and/or orally. Topical preparations (on unbroken skin only) help the body process the waste products associated with bruising/hematoma. Orally, I know homepathic arnica is available. When I lived in the mountains I made my own Arnica tincture and used it sparingly to deal with the bruising, achy feeling associated with crashing a mountain bike. Not that I had to use it that often .

[latelatebloomer]

We use arnica rub & homeopathic drops. It's a great help. Gotta get some Resuce remedy, thanks for the reminder!

[pkq]

Now that sounds nasty. Glad you are OK. Tegaderm bandages work wonders. They are expensive but well worth the price. Put them on and leave them for a couple of weeks and you've got fresh new skin without the scabbing, itching, oozing, etc.

People around here call me the fearless descender but I do have fear on descents I am unfamiliar with. I won't bomb down unfamiliar hills unless I can see far, far ahead. I use road signs, too, to gauge what needs to be done.

Take care of yourself!

[Bike Goddess]

Found some antibacterial handiwipes at the drugstore the other day to carry with me just in case. Learned about them as a neighbor had bad road rash after a fall and a passing motorist gave us some to clean him up right there on the spot! Made a difference in his healing.

Glad to hear you are back on the bike. Yes, as PKQ says, watch yourself descending hills. I too take caution when I'm not familiar with the corners, etc.

[RoadRaven]

We use arnica rub & homeopathic drops. It's a great help. Gotta get some Resuce remedy, thanks for the reminder!

For those of you new to using arnica...

Remember when using arnica creams, oils and rubs, that arnica should never be applied to open wounds/scratches/grazes etc.

You can get pillules to eat or drops to add to water for bruising too, particulalrly good when you cannot apply it toically.

[On_yer_left!]

allez, sending good healing mojo your way. ...

I'm also sending your story to a couple of idiot-but-well-loved friends who still refuse to wear helmets when they ride (they do the racing cap turned backwards. so cool.) Just imagine what would have happened if you hadn't had a helmet. Crashes happen to every rider, expert and novice alike, so I get a little hot about the helmet thing...

and you do have someone looking out for you. THAT'S so cool...

[AllezGirl]

Well, yesterday was my first road ride since my wreck. We went 68 miles and all was well (except for a wicked headwind). There were two long descents to go down and by the time we got to the bottom, my hands hurt from squeezing the breaks! But at least I'm getting my confidence back. I also couldn't help but notice that my riding buddy, who I have a HUGE crush on and who normaly FLYS downhill ahead of me (he's topped 50 mph) and who was the only witness to my slide (he heard the crash and turned around to see me flying across the pavement) stayed behind me anytime we went down a hill...even the small ones. Now, I'm normally not a sappy girl, but I thought that was very sweet. There could be a little romance blooming there too...last Friday he took me out dancing and we had a great time...but I guess that will be another thread

Thank you for all of your tips! The tegederm worked wonders...I can hardly tell where the road rash was. Am Ex promptly reimbursed me for the clothes I ruined. I had forgotten all about Rescue Remedy and Arnica Ointment. I have both, a friend from Europe turned me on to them, so I started putting arnica on my bruised shoulder and it did help. And I do keep antiseptic wipes in my seat bag now. One of the girls I was with that day had some and I was able to clean up right away, which I'm sure was beneficial in the long run! This forum and the women who post on it are just awesome!!!!

I know that if I had not been wearing a helmet the outcome would have been very different. When I first sat up, I could not recall where I was (I did know everyone that I was with), where my car was, and who was watching my son...it was a really scary feeling to be that disoriented, but luckily it was only for a moment. I would never consider riding without a helmet now.

Thanks again to you all and Happy Halloween!