Endo!!

[kimba]

Yep- it finally happened. A classic textbook endo. Man- did I catch air!!

Have a look at the aftermath- I wish somebody had a camera when it happened...

http://members.rogers.com/thetruthisoutthere/endo.htm



I got a major contusion on my leg - the swelling is intense!
Not to mention my face..
well- it's mostly cosmetic. Fortunately no major damage.

I tried to write up a description- then my browser froze and I lost everything - so I thought I'd let you look and see for yourself.

But hey- I got back on, and rode the rest of the trail...stopped off for a little shock induced hyperventilation and cryfest..then continued on with a renewed passion, more confidence- less fear- the worst had already happened you see...

and I'm going again next week!!
Kimba

[annie]

You go, Kimba! What an upbeat attitude.

I hope you iced that swelling as soon as you were able.. You could be one sore puppy the next few days. Keep the leg moving to help blood flow.

The face will heal just fine. For awhile, you'll have some marks to show off! Might as well be proud of it.

annie

[jobob]

Yowza! You're right up there with Adventure Girl Were your eyeglasses damaged (or were you wearing sunglasses / goggles at the time? ).
Annie's right - brava for getting back up and back into it !

[pedalfaster]

Have to ask....

How's the bike ???





Heal quickly!

[bounceswoosh]

Ouch!

Yay for protective eyewear!

Speaking of which, you might consider getting some lenses that cover more of your eye area. After seeing the nasty results of a friend's bunny hop gone wild (her eyes would have been a mess if not for the sunglasses), I'm a big believer. There may be a shop similar to Tom's Sportique Eyewear ( http://www.sportiqueeyewear.com/ ) in your area ... these guys are absolutely great. A good eyewear shop should have a wide variety of sunglasses for which they can make prescription lenses or inserts. Yes, high-quality sunglasses are expensive, but your eyes are priceless ...

(I keep saying sunglasses, but you can get clear lenses, too.)

[Adventure Girl]

Great Job!!

I used purple in honor of your bruises! Hey, endos happen. Do you know why? (We're supposed to learn from our mistakes). Did you hit your front brake as a panic reaction? Or did you hit a large object without lifting your front wheel? How fast were you going?

The next couple of days will be fun. At the LBS or with your biking pals you're the star. Everyone wants to look at the damage and talk about the crash. But out in the real world (bank, grocery store, and work) uh... a big hat and sunglasses might help. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but I think my face looked a little worse than yours. There was no way for me to hide the big bruise on my chin.

Did you hit your head / helmet? How old is your helmet? Most "helmet authorities" suggest that you replace your helmet after a big crash even if it doesn't show any obvious damage. There may be damage or weakening inside the foam that you can't see.

Glad see you're going to be ok. Get right back there and ride! Oh, and about this:

stopped off for a little shock induced hyperventilation and cryfest

There's now crying in moutain biking!

[kimba]

Originally posted by annie
You go, Kimba! What an upbeat attitude.

I hope you iced that swelling as soon as you were able.. You could be one sore puppy the next few days. Keep the leg moving to help blood flow.

annie

Thank you!
My knicks kept the leg compressed- YAY! KNICKS! until we got back. Then I iced it til I left for home- and I iced more when I got home. Iodine ointment was the order of the day til I could get the gravel picked out of my chin...then I used an astringent and got neosporin with antibiotics creme on there-
Now it's drying out. Scabfest!!

I also went to the doctor about the leg- can't do anything- can't drain it- it'll just resorb on its own...but the doc says it'll probably drain into my calf first...

I'm probably sorer today than yesterday. I have to work today so that'll be interesting...


Kimba

[kimba]

Originally posted by jobob
Yowza! You're right up there with Adventure Girl Were your eyeglasses damaged (or were you wearing sunglasses / goggles at the time? ).

Up there with Adventure Girl- WOW! That's great praise indeed!


I was wearing my prescription glasses- bent the arm right back- we were able to bend it far enough that I can wear therm and they aren't too wonky !

I was reading with interest another thread about eyewear- but I need something with my prescription. Since I turned 40 I've had to have bifocals!
I want to see if I can get prescription sports goggles - they'd stay on my head if - sorry when- I endo again...
I am a bit concerned- there is a gash right under my eye- and had it been a half inch higher- I could be looking at some eye damage.

All told- I got off extremely easy.
No broken bones.
Just some soreness- and this damn UGLY leg- which is now blossoming into a rainbow coalition of colours!!!

Kimba

[kimba]

Originally posted by pedalfaster
How's the bike ???

Heheheheh!
I was waiting for somebody to ask!!!

Fine- I was riding Ted- gotta love him. Got right back on and he was fine. A bit of a chain rub occasionally- but nope- no damage!
He was encrusted with dirt though!

He now sports a sticker that says Chicks Rule!!!


He'll be all cleaned up and lubed with love....til next time.
Though- if my seat post comes in, I might ride Elvira.

Kimba

[Adventure Girl]

Originally posted by kimba
then I used an astringent and got neosporin with antibiotics creme on there-
Now it's drying out. Scabfest!!

I use this salve called "Brave Soldier Ointment". Basically it's neosporin, but I like the name. We call it "Crybaby Cream". Keeping salve on the rash is a good idea.

Originally posted by kimba
Up there with Adventure Girl- WOW! That's great praise indeed!

I don't know about that being praise....

[annie]

Kimba,

"Scabfest" is not good.......... you don't want it to scab over. You want to keep ointment on it all the time so it doesn't dry out. Use neosporin, use a vitamin E ointment (V E is VERY good for skin) but don't let it get dry and scabby. Healing takes longer that way and can easily leave a scar. I had a bad crash last fall, where I slid on my face on a cement sidewalk. Road rash on the face is not pretty! My Dr. said its just like a burn, destroys the outer layers of skin. He gave me a burn ointment, Silvadene, to put on it. I also used neosporin and switched to vitamin E ointment and oil as it improved. I only have one small scar, where the most damage ocurred, and even that should fade in time. But I can tell you this, it never got a scab. I think if it had, I would look a lot worse!

Oooooo, that swollen leg must hurt. Here's hoping it reabsorbs quickly.

annie

[kimba]

Ohmigod- you should see my leg now...
the fluid is looking for the path of least resistance- and I had to work tonight - which means I'm on my feet for 7 hours.
During break I lay on the couch with my leg in the air, propped on a garbage can, the ice pack jammed down my shorts. Attractive!

anyway- all that fluid has now moved down outside my knee and the blood is riding to the surface. It looks like I have a purple racing stripe. A THICK purple racing stripe.
<shudders>
ewwwwwwwww!
and I thought my face looked bad!
Actually- I'm getting a green shiner...weird.
And I am keeping the neosporin on my chin...I don't want ithe scab to crack when I smile...

Kimba

[kimba]

Originally posted by bounceswoosh
Ouch!

A good eyewear shop should have a wide variety of sunglasses for which they can make prescription lenses or inserts. Yes, high-quality sunglasses are expensive, but your eyes are priceless ...

I'm looking into those sports goggle type things.. That gash was a little too close to my eye for comfort!

Kimba

[kimba]

Originally posted by Adventure Girl
I use this salve called "Brave Soldier Ointment". Basically it's neosporin, but I like the name. We call it "Crybaby Cream". Keeping salve on the rash is a good idea.
I don't know about that being praise....

Hey- Crybaby Cream! I like it!

seriously I kept saying I'm okay- I'm okay- I didn't cry...then suddenly- man it just welled up.
Okay- I'm a suck!



Kimba

it is praise- that was a nice bruise you were sporting not too long ago!!

[kimba]

Originally posted by Adventure Girl
Great Job!!

I used purple in honor of your bruises!
Thank you



Hey, endos happen. Do you know why? (We're supposed to learn from our mistakes). Did you hit your front brake as a panic reaction? Or did you hit a large object without lifting your front wheel? How fast were you going?

[COLOR=crimson]Pretty fast! I was coming down a hill- I was riding with the women's group I joined called the FlyGurlz- members of the team host the local chapters- and they'd been giving me tips all day. I think 4 or 5 of the team were with us.Just prior there was a really technical drop that I was afraid I couldn't make. We walked it- they rode it for me...I visualized it- and I still had to bail at the last minute. They were really supportive and said not to worry- we'd be riding this trail a lot- and I'd feel really confident after I made it. I'd been riding crappy all day- my energy level was low- I couldn't make any hills, and I could not believe this- I left my chain on the big sprocket and couldn't figure out why I wasn't climbing the hills! Nothing was going right. And I'd had to bail to boot!
Anyway - So now it's farther along the trail and we're going down a pretty big hill. And I'm feathering the brakes being a bit cautious- and I have a mantra running through my head "right brake...right brake...right brake..." ( Cause I'd grabbed with both hands when I'd bailed earlier. I didn't want this to happen again- so I actually at one point hand my left hand behind my back. )The trail got a bit rocky- so I put my left hand back on the bar... but I was getting confident- maybe a little cocky-started picking up speed- started to pedal a bit...feeling aggressive...I was looking where I wanted to go, like I'd been taught - looking up around the curve...when I looked down in front of me- and saw this honkin' big rock right in the middle of the trail - comin' right for me! Before my rational brain could react- try to go around, hop over- not that my bunny hopping skills were THAT good- or just hit the damn thing...my irrational panic stricken brain just took over- and before I could think about it- though the rational brain was screaming noooooooooooooooooooooo!
I grabbed the front brake- and I was launched. I remember thinking " Well- it's too late now". I saw the ground passing underneath me- and I also remember thinking " Am I never going to land?
When I did land- I was skidding on my upper thighs- my back must have been curved up- The pain was intense! Like a flamethrower aimed right at my legs! It hurt so much, I must have rounded my back to get the friction off my legs- and that's when my face hit the ground. Fortunately my visor on my helmet hit first, absorbing the shock and flying off..my face didn't get really carved. My arms/hands hit last- but with enough force to knock my watch off and flying about 6 feet away - parts of my hydration pack were found 9 feet away. Immediately 3 of the Gurlz who were behind me were on the scene- they knew it could be serious as soon as they saw my face - one is keeping my head still and immobilized just in case . I didn't want to move my legs- they were burning so badly- until one of the Gurlz yelled- for God's sake, move your legs! Jolted me right out of it. I raised them up, mumbling I'm okay...I'm okay....I'm glad they were there though - I knew I was riding with the best!
afterward I felt stuoid- I KNEW not to do that- but like you said- it's a learning curve- it was gonna happen eventually. And after it did- I could start to ride and have fun...I wasn't scared- if anything I was even more determined to ride well. And I did- only had problems with one hill- I was so intent on pedalling through the rocky outcrop- I was screaming Kepp pedalling! Keep pedalling! That I forgot to change gears! :COLOR]


The next couple of days will be fun. At the LBS or with your biking pals you're the star. Everyone wants to look at the damage and talk about the crash.
[COLOR=crimson] Yep- I found that out! The Gurlz said I really grabbed air- one looked at me and said- well- I'll say one thing- you go large, or you go home, huh? Man- it was apparently spectacular!:COLOR]
But out in the real world (bank, grocery store, and work) uh... a big hat and sunglasses might help. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but I think my face looked a little worse than yours. There was no way for me to hide the big bruise on my chin.
[COLOR=crimson] No- I can'r hide this at all! IT's really come up- I have a "green" eye- my chin and nose are really scratched up. However- I presently work in a Sports department of a retail store - and it's provoked quite a few conversations- one guy figured I'd endo'd and then next thing we were discussing the merits of hardtails vs. FS and talking the finer details of suspension forks!!! :COLOR]

Did you hit your head / helmet? How old is your helmet? Most "helmet authorities" suggest that you replace your helmet after a big crash even if it doesn't show any obvious damage. There may be damage or weakening inside the foam that you can't see.
[COLOR=crimson] I asked the Gurlz that same question- since they'd seen the crash . They said not to worry- I'd not hit my head/helmet- just knocked off the visor. So I figure my helmet is good - I just got it last fall. It's a good helmet- a Bell Nemesis Pro 2- but I can pick them up for about 10 bucks US from a liquidator- so I'm going to get a couple of them for the crashes that are sure to follow!:COLOR]
Glad see you're going to be ok. Get right back there and ride! Oh, and about this:

There's now crying in moutain biking!

[COLOR=crimson]There's just no crying in baseball! A League Of Their Own:COLOR]

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