The Accident (A down and dirty)
BACKGROUND:
- I was struck by a car while riding my bicycle on the morning of 28 June 2015 @ 0830 just south of the traffic light at Mitchell and Seven Springs in New Port Richey.
- I rode through a green light at the intersection southbound and was attempting to cross a merge lane to get to the extreme right side of the road.
- I saw a white Nissan Altima coming up the merge lane that I judged to be far enough away for me to cross the single merge lane
- As I started crossing the merge lane I heard brake squeel. I turned to see the white Nissan with brakes fully locked and smoke billowing from the rear end
- Shortly afterwards I was struck broadside and launched over the hood and roof landing hard on the pavement behind the car
AFTERMATH:
- I never lost consciousness (in fact didn't realize I had even hit my head until much later)
- It seemed like I was airborne for at least twenty minutes
- I think I landed hard on my right knee and subsequently laid down on my stomach. However the abundance of road rash would suggest that I slid across the pavement for a while before that.
- Naturally colorful language ensued. Oddly I wasn't angry at myself for misjudging the distance and closing speed of the car or even angry at the woman for hitting me. I was mad that my zen time had been so rudely interrupted and I wouldn't be riding to Honeymoon Island on the Pinellas Trail that day
- Laying on my stomach in the road, the only pain I really felt was the sting of open road rash on my back, arms and left thigh
- I looked up to see the white Nissan pulled over and an elderly lady jumping out of the car completely freaked out and crying. Her eyes as as big as pie plates and she was crying hysterically. I think she initially thought she'd killed me.
- She must have said “Oh my God” several hundred times as she ran in circles around my crumpled carcass
- I kept assuring her I was OK. She asked if she should call 911 and I said probably
- I was a bit concerned that she would soon have a heart attack and probably needed 911 worse than I did (of course I'm bulletproof, you know)
I'M OUTTA HERE:
- Bystanders began to come over from the super market across the street
- Soon I had not only a blubbering hysterical woman but half a dozen looky lous to deal with the whole thing was really kind of a buzz kill
- Shock and aggravation got together in my head and said, “Bugger this! Get up, fish your bike out of the ditch and continue the ride as planned.”
- I made it as far as getting up on my hands and knees when one of the bystanders (who identified herself as a trauma nurse) asked me what I was doing. I said matter of factly, “I'm gonna get on my bike and get the hell outta here.”
- Naturally she said that was a bad idea and urged me to lay back down on my stomach until the paramedics arrived. When I attempted to do so, my body wouldn't listen to what my mind was telling it to do, it was very strange because to this point, nothing really registered as injury or pain except the road rash.
- I told the trauma nurse that I couldn't get back down on my stomach but nothing was hurting in the hands and knees position so I'd just wait for the paramedics on all fours. She made me promise to NOT try to stand up. I doubt I could have if I totally was convinced I wanted to.
HOUSTON WE HAVE APROBLEM:
- When the paramedics arrived they asked if I could stand up. I said I didn't think so.
- They helped me up and as soon as I got vertical three things were obvious
- Everything below my right knee was a huge ball of excruciating pain
- I had a second, very black and blue right knee cap just south of the one that's supposed to be there.
- There was a horrible charlie horse in my lower back that felt like I'd been stabbed
- They strapped me to a gurney and loaded me in the ambulance
- There was a hospital just a few miles down the street (which was good, Mr. Bulletproof was now seeing a tremendous need for some hard drugs)
- Before we left the scene of the accident, I called my wife and said, “Honey, don't freak out but I just got hit by a car. I'm OK. We're on the way to Trinity Hospital, we should be there in five minutes or so.” Naturally, she completely freaked out.
- Summary of injuries
- Broken right tibia just south of the kneecap. Clean break, they briefly considered surgery to apply hardware to the break but decided to let it grow back naturally
- Spinous process fractures to multiple lumbar vertebrae. Fortunately these are the “bumper bones” that protect the business parts (spinal chord, discs, etc.) Initially there were some pretty bad muscle spasms and pain in general could get pretty bad at times but these seem to have healed. My back feels a whole lot more normal than my leg at the moment.
- Lots of road rash
- Considering the nature of the accident, I count myself very blessed to have escaped with only minor injuries. How fortunate I was would only become completely clear weeks later.
HOSPITALIZATION ANDREHAB:
- Much to my surprise the did not apply a cast to my leg opting instead for a full leg splint
- After a four day hospital stay I was transferred to a rehab facility
- Four hours a day of therapy
- Discharged and sent home after two weeks
- While I've become quite proficient with the wheel chair and walker, to date I can't bear any weight on my right leg (only a touch of the toe on the ground for balance is allowed)
- The weight bearing status should change next week after my doctor's appointment.
- I expect the splint will come off and I'll be allowed to drive (hoping anyway)
PROTECTIVE GEAR:
When Igot home from rehab I took a look at my gear just to see what I couldsee. Here's what I saw.
- Camelback- Essentially a small backpack with a 2 litre water bladder inside. A drinking tube feeds out of the backpack and makes on the go hydration possible without stopping the bike or fumbling with water bottles
- Normally this is protection against mid day heat and dehydration
- At the time of the accident the bladder was full of ice cubes and water (I was only about 5 minutes into the ride.)
- This and the fact that the bottom of the Camelback was shredded in the accident suggest that the cushion of the water bladder as well as the presence of the pack in my lumbar region almost certainly saved me from more serious back injuries
- Helmet- It wasn't until I got home from rehab that I even knew that the helmet had been a factor. I never lost consciousness, felt dizzy confused or concussed and to this day have no recollection of hitting my head (either while being propelled over the car or upon landing in the road afterwards.)
- Upon inspection of the helmet the outter shell had two large cracks on the left side
- Although the styrofoam liner was not damaged there was a large flat spot with lots of scuff marks in the area where the two cracks were.
- Even though I had no recollection of it, apparently the helmet had taken a serious blow at some point in the accident
- Had the damage occurred to my skull instead of the helmet no doubt my injuries would have been much more severe.
- Gloves- No doubt my hands were spared some severe road rash because I was wearing gloves. The only damage to my hands was a bit of a scuffed off piece of skin on my left index finger (the gloves were half finger gloves)
WHAT'S NEXT?
- Obviously shedding this splint and regaining normal mobility is step 1
- I've worked out almost daily with resistance bands since the accident (upper body strength training)
- My aerobic capacity is almost certainly shot after this long without a substantial aerobic workout.
- Once I recover semi normal mobility I plan to start with low intensity, low impact aerobics (bike rides, eliptical trainer, pool work, etc.) Realistically this will probably begin with easy walks of 30-45 minutes five or six times a week to get my legs back up to speed.
- I'd very much like to do a 53 mile bike ride for my 53rd birthday in October. However I'm prepared to postpone the birthday ride if that timeline proves to be a bit aggressive for the medical situation.
- I don't plan to start running again until January 2016. This will provide lots of healing time before anything high impact.
