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Post by r0b1et on Jul 21, 2017 11:25:23 GMT
So for those who don't know, on 10th May (2017 if this is now in the deep dark past!) I was hit by a van, approximately 350m into a 70km ride. I had been filtering on the right of a queue of traffic (with other cyclists) as the highway code suggests. Unfortunately a car in teh queue decided to flash out a van from a side road, who promptly turned right without looking... bang! the reconstruction my emergency services from the damage, my position and the 7 eye witness reports suggest I hit the corner of the van, having not even had time to brake, the front wheel buckled and I flipped up hitting my left side of the back against the roll cage/side of windscreen, I rolled across the windscreen (smashing through it) and was then thrown from the van's momentum into the road on the other side (towards oncoming traffic). I smashed likely head and right shoulder first into the tarmac, fortunately the oncoming car stopped about a foot short of me. I wasn't a pretty sight - I was unconscious for an estimated 2 minutes - during this time I was lying face down in the wrong side of the road, with a puddle of blood forming around my head - most of the witnesses said they assumed I was dead. My ride mate Jonny was a star here, he's only young (23) and often quite immature, but his actions likely saved my life. There was apparently a lot of panic, Jonny kept calm, he apparently took the phone off the driver that had flashed who had asked for police rather than ambulance - told them that the most important thing was an ambulance ASAP, but that the road was now blocked. The van driver was hysterical (TBH, I give him no blame here, and while he made an error, I blame the flashing car at least as much). Police sent 3 cars at once from different directions, and ambulance too - the traffic would be chaos as I was on a main artery in Reading, the motorway cops got there first, about 10 minutes after the accident. Ambulance took about 20 minutes... I still remember none of this, first I remember I've been moved out of the road, and am on the pavement, hand being held by a complete stranger (I could pick that lady from a line up - I have no idea who she was, but if I ever see her, she'll get drinks and a huge amount of thanks, she was comforting when all I remember was pain and fear. I was put onto the spinal board and sat in the ambulance for a long time before they took me to hospital (which was 5 minutes away!) because there was no space in the A&E... I was safe and stable (and on vast amounts of morphine). Jonny had rung Steph (my GF) and she walked to the scene - she got there while I was in the ambulance... that was amazing... I didn't see her for over an hour, but I could hear her and hold her hand... which again was reassuring - plus she could scratch my itchy nose.
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Post by r0b1et on Jul 21, 2017 11:41:38 GMT
I guess the next post has to be my injury list... I wasn't a pretty sight. I spent 6 hours on the spinal board having CT scans etc. but eventually they decided that the paramedics were right, I had no spinal injury. The blood at the scene had been caused by some deep cut either side of my eyes, where my sunnies had been shoved into my face (my 97p chinese sun glasses didn't break - definitely seem better value than Oakley's now), but they were really just superficial, and I had a little road rash on my right thigh, but not much else. Unfortunately the internals had fared much worse. Where I'd hit the van, I had broken my left shoulder blade - cracking off the bottom corner - fortunately my core strength and TT training had held the pieces in place. Really I needed my arm in a sling - but that wasn't an option... nothing to sling it too! Where I'd been thrown into the road I'd done a lot of damage. I had serious concussion, I was always confused for 3 or 4 weeks and regularly became "sea sick". I'd broken my top rib, again this hadn't displaced but has a 3 month recovery time. But my worst injury was my right shoulder. At the end of the day of the accident, they know the collar bone was broken (with several pieces) and my shoulder misshapen. The exact cause was unknown, but hoped that it would recover. I was told there and then if everything healed perfectly and as quick as possible that was 6 weeks of no bike, and 3 months of no racing. Season over.
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Post by Rocket on Jul 21, 2017 11:50:27 GMT
I would say you are doing well to just document this let alone be riding a bike again already. I take issue with motorists flashing lights to give way to others and regularly advise them of their stupid actions when they can see me approaching. Said motorist may well have set you up for the accident but it doesn't excuse the van driver from making sure it was safe to proceed before pulling out. I'm sure your insurance will be going after the van driver too and not the motorist flashing lights. X-ray scans are cool and chicks dig scars as you know
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Post by r0b1et on Jul 21, 2017 12:03:13 GMT
After 3 weeks my left shoulder was healing well, I was still suffering from the concussion - but my hospital check up showed the right hadn't healed at all, the attempts to bear the weight of my right arm were all failures, just agony. The consultant was called - he was actually not at the hospital, but speaking to the doctor and me agreed it needed operating. I went in for the op on June 2nd - saw the consultant and surgeon there, they explained what they intended to do, and why, they knew my shoulder was badly ruined, but were not sure how bad... they could see on the scans 1 of 3 ligaments was torn apart, but couldn't see the other 2 at all, they didn't know if they were fine, damaged or missing... it turned out once I was opened, all 3 were torn... this explained my arm weight issues, my arm's bones weren't attached to my body at all, my arm was head entirely by skin and muscles. I had a titanium plate, with 7 screws to hold the collarbone back together, then had a bone below drilled out and a pin placed through it to tie my shoulder back together. Picture below... black is bone (with my break now held back in place) - blue is metal and ties - green ligaments... all 3 of the longer ones were broken. OP all went well, and I was told I'd be non-weight bearing for 6 weeks, no heavy weights for 12 and 12 or so to be riding a bike. They forgot to account for how fit I was. But that's a story for the next post - when I have some time.
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Post by ChrisD on Jul 21, 2017 12:33:01 GMT
I'm not going to like these posts r0b1et, and the details are making my toes curl, but I'm sure glad you're here to tell the tale.
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Post by utriban on Jul 21, 2017 13:02:23 GMT
Hi man, thank you for detailing all this out. Especially the details of the accident - that must be bringing some hard stuff back. Anyhow, it did imprint in my mind another scenario to keep playing while riding. I mean, I face those flashing driver situations from time to time, but it takes a real world event to see how bad it can turn in a second. They both effectively give something which is not their to give and take something which is not their to take - your right of way. Still, I think that van, in your case, is legally responsible, not a flashing car. Hope all gets better in your next write-up. Like, you heal faster and new bike shows on your doorstep next very morning and you all live happily ever after
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Post by r0b1et on Jul 21, 2017 13:44:19 GMT
I'd certainly not say that.
With a long time of work (7 weeks completely, and 4 part time - today is my last day before I go full time) the university want to claim my salary back (they intend to extend my contract the other end. a written off bike, nearly everything I was wearing wrecked (either by blood - tears - or having been cut off) and hopefully some compensation, my British cycling provided solicitors are looking at a very large claim which means it has to be done all with post and the slow way(lawyer tells me there's a Β£25,000 limit for quick method claims). So far, the insurance company have not accepted responsibility, and are "investigating" (stalling I'd say, there's 7 eye witnesses). No sign of me getting a penny yet.
Anyhow - to continue the story.
The first fortnight after the accident I was essentially helpless, I stayed in the hospital the first night, and they wanted rid of me from there. I was totally incapable, I couldn't use either shoulder at all. Fortunately my retired mum was able to come and stay with me, and look after me.
I was really hurting, all the time. But, morphine was having nasty effects on me, made me incredibly short tempered, and I just didn't care who's feelings I hurt... my Mum and GF put up with a lot for a few days before I decided that I'd rather be in huge pain than take the morphine. I was then onto a very high does of codeine... that's still horrid, though the most famous side effect is beneficial when you can't use either arm. I spent about 20 hours a day in bed, lying on my back as neither side was possible - this didn't help with the not sleeping. I could still walk, and I did, I was using those 4 hrs a day I was out of bed to just walk and walk... it was about the only thing I could do to keep from going mad.
After 2 weeks I went back to hospital - the pain was reducing, I still hurt all the time though, they gave the ok to mobilise the left arm (the shoulder blade break), which made me less incapable - but I was about to lose my mum - she was going on holiday. Steph started coming in most days... to just sort things, and my mum while she was with me had cooked food that I could just take from the freezer to microwave... I have had a LOT of "microwave surprise" meals for the last 6 weeks. As said above the right wasn't improving.
Another week and I was back in hospital (getting the bus there was absolutely the worst pain other than sneezing). this was the time it was decided to do the op.
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Post by r0b1et on Jul 21, 2017 14:08:05 GMT
Post op, I was told I would be looking at 12 weeks to be load bearing... but I lived in hope I'd be faster.
The op itself was smooth, I'd never had any op at all, it was an interesting experience and Steph was with me before and after. Post op, the pain didn't seem so bad, but it turned out that was because the local anaesthetic (they do local as well as general) hadn't worn off. the op was at 9am, I was back in the ward by 11:30, but given I live alone, I was in overnight again. I first asked for painkillers at 6pm, I got given codeine and paracetamol... but they barely touched it... I had made clear I didn't even want to be offered the morphine again, they gave me gabapentin... that worked enough to help me rest - though I didn't sleep that night, my ward mates were not conducive to sleep, but that's another moan.
Op on the Friday, home Saturday lunch time - with a large pile of codeine... and by Monday morning, I wasn't coping at all. I rang the GP and asked for more gabapentin... they basically couldn't believe the hospital had given it too me, but offered me a different codeine delivery that was slower release... meant I no longer had waves of ecstasy and agony, just permanent pain - but this was manageable. I stayed on those tablets for 2 weeks, getting slowly better, and at the hospital check up, was given the go ahead to start doing pendulum exercise with the arm (and to use the left arm as I liked).
I started backing off the does of codeine... it was still not doing nice things to my brain. I was coping with the pain better and could now sleep on my left side, which meant I got much more sleep. 4 weeks in and I was going nuts - I was off the codeine completely, though living on max paracetamol. But I was now not really in pain so much as discomfort... I was coping now and able to actually live life - this meant I was bored rigid and getting very lonely stuck at home on my own - and Steph was about to go away for 3.5 weeks to Brazil (she gets home today) - which meant my main human contact was not here. At my hospital appointment I was told I could go to work if I needed, but I had to be given the OK by occupational health - and was referred a physio appointment the next week.
Made my appointment with OH for the Monday, 2 hours after the physio, so I went in with all the info. Physio gave me the OK to drive now as I had the range of motion and enough strength - though was limited to 5 miles max... enough though to get about and have a social life. OH saw that I was still signed off work for 3 weeks, but when listening to me agreed that I could restart, on a slow phased return... with the knowledge that I can stop if I have to, with options to just skip a day... and knowing that any time done was more than expected - and could be used for a long phasing period. I did 3 days of 4 hrs that week. then 5 days of 4 the week after. follow that by 5x5 and this week 5x6... back to full time next week.
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Post by r0b1et on Jul 21, 2017 14:20:33 GMT
The what could I do post. So at that first physio appointment - only 4 weeks post op - I was given the ok to start using my arm - no weight and only below the shoulder level... but I could use it. BUT, still no load bearing at all... that meant even indoor bike was out, though I could ride a recumbent in the gym. But I was given the ok to do some jogging, but with the warning the impact was liable to jar the shoulder and hurt it... go easy on it. I was desperate to get out... just desperate, I tried running just about 100m... far too painful... but then tried a few days later and it was OK, I did 1 mile that day, it wasn't fast, but I ran it and it was very manageable... I decided I'd try to do park run (I had been helping out the last 2 weeks), my local is a 3 lap course, so I knew I could pull out if it was too much, but it wasn't and I ran it in just under 25 minutes... not bad for someone just over 5 weeks post shoulder reconstruction. I was also once a week riding the gym recumbent. I've since run 2 more park runs (26:02 with my 8yo and 22:32 on my own) and they are fine, I struggle a bit with the pacing as I can't sustain the pace that feel comfortable because of the broken rib starting to hurt. This week I had a hospital and physio appointment and both were fabulous. orthopaedics discharged me from their care, my bone is healing and the metal work is sound - they gave me the OK for above the shoulder movement and light load bearing. Physio on Wednesday was huge though. I was tested to see my range of motion, which was estimated to already be back to about 95% of the left arm's (which is basically completely healed) - was also told I'm likely hyper-mobile, my right is already more flexible than many people with no issues. I had managed to do 30 minutes on a wattbike without a great deal of pain, and hence the physio OK'd me starting to do resistance work - lifting a little more weight - and RIDING A BIKE - his rules were "not to far, not too fast, and don't get far from home". I of course was out in the evening doing laps of the local business park with Jonny for company as I was worried how nervous I'd get (it was absolutely fine). So there I was, 70 days without riding a bike outside and I was back. Power was down and breathing if I pushed wasn't great, but I'm back.
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Post by r0b1et on Jul 21, 2017 14:27:27 GMT
When I got home, I was proud, I was happy and mostly I wasn't particularly sore. I wanted to try hills, see how they went - Jonny was free yesterday too, so we went on a local loop with 2 hills - I could cope, out of the saddle rocking Bertie style hurt (not uncomfortable, it hurt), but I was OK... I wouldn't do a hilly route, but local routes with small hills will be fine. I also put in some effort, I'm surprised how little I've lost... I guess my determination to walk all the time really did help. I decided yesterday evening that this summer was riding for fun only... I may do a TT at the end of the season, but entirely on if I feel like it. I'll try to ride a few times a week - do some running - and given Steph's back this evening, and likes swimming I'll try and do that too. It feel good to be back out there.
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Post by Scott M on Jul 21, 2017 21:30:55 GMT
Nightmare scenario, but sounds like you're recovering well. Best of luck.
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Post by robertsims on Jul 22, 2017 9:40:25 GMT
Sounds total nightmare mate but good to see on the mend a bit. Hope insurance gets sorted soon
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tack4
Peloton Rider
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Post by tack4 on Jul 22, 2017 11:01:21 GMT
Chapeau r0b1et
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whozthis
Peloton Rider
Being watched (o)(o)
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Post by whozthis on Jul 25, 2017 10:54:27 GMT
Mucho kudos must have been a horrific period of time but pleased you are back on the pedals hope all gets back to proper normal before too long. Chapeau
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Post by beatnik69 on Jul 25, 2017 13:17:37 GMT
Just got round to reading this rob1et. Glad you are healing well. Nice one.
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