Originally Posted by
1AvidCyclistCat
Dear fellow avid +50 cycling crowd. On 11/10/19 I tried to avoid a collision with a pair of rapidly approaching barking dogs in the same shoulder, opposite direction, about 100 feet away. . I was riding in the sweet zone: speed 45 km/hr tail cross wind 5-7 mph. I chose to out run them by accelerating on my Colnago C60 to 50-51 km/hr. As I looked up, a fraction of a second later there they were, blocking my sprinting line! I chose to run over them at worst case scenario. I passed out after that, waking up on an ambulance stretcher in the ambulance with an oxygen mask and the medic placing a neck immobilizer. I was then transported to a Level 1 Trauma ER and after x rays and CT’s, a pneumothorax with a developing hemothorax was treated with a Wayne 14 Fr chest tube, helping to relief the 20-30% right middle lobe pneumothorax. I was hurting all over: right ribs #1-9 fractured, #8 displaced. Comminuted right scapula fracture, Labrum fracture.
I’m wearing a shoulder immobilizer now, ready for discharge ASAP and God willing.
Anyone else has anything to share, wether from personal experience or word of mouth? The pulmonologist and trauma surgeon have forbidden cycling in any manner indefinitely, due to my age, soon to be 60, and severity of trauma, including loosing consciousness for about 15-20 minutes, or so, as I was told.
Certainly glad you aren't any worse! PLEASE be careful with that head injury. It will take longer to recover from that, which you can't feel or see, than the obvious physical exterior wounds.
Late August of 2011, 9 months after total left knee replacement. I was back on the bike. Loving it. I was happy, at 48, to have my life back post knee replacement. On a ride with a friend. Downhill, twisty canyon road. 40-45 MPH. I crashed. Not sure if I had a flat, or hit a rock or what. But didn't make a corner. My friend was behind me, saw I had a possible neck injury. I was out cold over 5 minutes. He literally sat on my chest to keep me down when I woke up. Now, I have no memory of this... Still. Or the next few days. I earned a helicopter ride though. I had the following, cracked C1, 2 and 3 vertebra, burst fracture T9, but damage to the T7, 8 and 10. 4 broken ribs. Significant road rash on my right shoulder, and broke a pinky finger (I can't remember which one, but probably my right...). Fusion surgery the following day, T7-12. Two rods and ten screws, none in the T9. One week in the hospital, 2 weeks in physical rehab. 6 weeks in a full TLSO "turtle shell" brace with neck/head support by day, and slept in a hard cervical collar. The collar was worn full time for 3 additional months after the TLSO brace was no long needed.
It took me 2 years to even get on a bicycle. And even that was in the safety of inside a bike store. It took another year to ride outdoors. And that, was due to a gift from someone I got involved in cycling when he was 14.
I repaired the bike I crashed on, new front wheel and handle bars. New bar wrap. I did ride it a little. In the end, I cannot get comfortable on THAT bike. And if it is cursed, I can't let someone else have it. It's fate is as an indoor trainer bike. It owes me, Or, maybe I owe it something. I refurbished my older steel bike, the "Old Friend" is mostly up to date, and due to losing over 130 pounds the past 2 years, I rewarded myself with a build of a lightweight bike. I still ride the bike that was a gift, a 29er hard tail MTB. And thinking a fat bike may be next.
But to this day, on many downhill rides, I'm on the brakes. It doesn't seem to matter how fast I go in the flats. Downhill, I just can't let it roll out.