So, I'm barrelling along a lovely country road on my way to work - long straight followed by tight right-hander, so lots of beans being applied. This is a nice road and I'm enjoying the ride in, but somehow I get sucked into it. Mistake #1. Approaching the bend I leave it a little bit too late before applying the anchors, and as I get closer and closer I realise that I'm not going to make it. Mistake #2. I've got _way_ too much brakes on to even think about tipping into the bend, which is probably a 40mph job. Dunno what speed I'm doing, but somewhat more than that. So I'm now at what would be the apex point and still going straight and trying to scrub off speed, and I realise that although there's nothing coming in the opposite lane there's still not enough road to stop in and I'm going to go straight across the other side. The far verge consists of a low ditch and a ****-off Armco barrier, which I don't fancy smashing into (mistake #3) so I instinctively pull a bit harder on the brake. Mistake #4 and last. Trouble is, the brakes and tyres (Diablo Corsas) are too bloody good, so instead of washing out and lowsiding me, which would have been nasty but relatively survivable, the damn thing stoppies, dead straight, and flips me straight over the top. So I'm flying through the air upside down and backwards, watching the bike come to an undignified stop on the road, amidst a spray of splintering plastic (mainly from the seat and rear area); I feel my head dragging on the grass and then I connect with the Armco. Flat on my back. Ow. Ow Ow and treble Ow. I'm still fully conscious, but now unable to breathe. Not sure if my eyes are open but I don't remember any visual input from this time, just the pain and inability to breathe. I say to myself "you're just winded, relax, let it come, it'll get there eventually". On the third of fourth attempt I managed to get my chest to move enough to get some air into my lungs. It's only at this point that I realise that the pain I'd subsequently felt was but a taster, a gentle preview of what was to come. You know how some accounts of accidents will say that the victims "passed out" due to to pain? Well I've never quite believed them, but it's at this stage that I wish it were true. Sadly I'm still fully conscious and aware of every last screaming nerve. So I then start to think it might be better is I wasn't lying on my obviously broken ribcage, so I attempt to stand, taking a couple of minutes to extricate my boot from under the crash barrier and finally managing to get upright. At about this time a couple of passers-by have appeared and start asking if I'm OK, then send someone else off to call an ambulance (cell-phone dead-spot, apparently). I'm now standing but rapidly realising than not only does in hurt no less, but I'm in danger of falling over which would clearly hurt even more, so I get them to help me to the ground. There then follows the most excruciating period of waiting while first one, then two ambulances arrive, neither of which has paramedics on board, so are unable to offer any pain relief. They do move me to a flat board, at which point I'm able to get them to help remove my jacket, as the hump would not allow me to lie flat. This is done without too much trauma and I'm moved to the stretcher with a neck brace on, although I'm confident that there's no neck damage. Finally a doctor gets there, maybe 30-40 minutes after the crash, and I think she gives me some morphine at this point, which helps the breathing somewhat and dulls the awareness of what's happening. A helicopter arrives shortly afterwards, by which time I've got a drip in and I'm moved into it and hooked up to various monitors (blood pressure, Blood oxygen conc., ecg, etc.). A chat about destination ensues and it's resolved to take me to Basle, as it's a) the closest, b) the best and c) the easiest (admin-wise) of the available options. I'll skip the gory details, much of which I didn't notice, being out of my head on morphine by this time, but I do remember them cutting off my leather trousers, the bastards, which they could have very easily have pulled off. Would the listen? Would the bollocks. The diagnosis is as follows, badly translated by me: - multiple BWS and LWS(?) fractures (to the spine) without neurological damage, extension injury to Thorax9 ventral and traumatic inflammation to Thorax12 - rib fractures right side ribs 2-9 ( at the front, next to the sternum, although at least one is fractured further round as well) - haematopnumothorax right side (bleeding into the chest cavity, from the broken bones and surrounding tissue). - Pleuraerguss left ( fluid into the left chest cavity, not spotted until several days later) - fractured sternum - blunt abdominal injuries - Liver haematoma segment 7 Treatment entailed a cright-side chest drain on arrival, a left-side one a week later[1], and the insertion of two foot-long titanium rods, screwed into the spine together with bits of bone graft from the back of the pelvis, using 4 inch long screws. This goes between the thorassic 8 and lumbar 2 vertabrae, all but tow of which (the lumbar ones) are immobile by middle-age anyway, so this shouldn't impar future mobility very much. The Swiss health system seems pretty good, although there were one or two bad experiences, like the pain nurse who was unable to understand that my need for morphine had increased massively after the second chest drain. Finally, at the second call-out, she got the message and increased the backgound level on the PCA[4] machine. But the pain got worse, so I called them out again - different person this time, who discovered that the previous one had 'forgotten' to switch the machine on after changing the settings. I think she'd missed her vocation as a torturer and was just taking it out on me. All bills will be born ny my company's accident insurance, which is pretty damned good, covering any sort of accident, Martini-style[5]. Apparently not all companies statutory insurance is anything like this comprehensive. Prognosis is good, got to wear a 'corset' for three months while the back heals (and keep on the painkillers for a while yet), and the rods will stay put for 10-11 months, presumably to allow total stability and strength to be regained before removal. So overall I'm quite lucky to have survived, but quite unlucky to have hit the armco. OTOH I could have hit it with my head which could have been a lot worse, so who knows. I'm also left with a profound gratitude toward the manufacturers[2] of my leathers, together with their non EC-approved back protectors, which seem to have done exactly what they're supposed to, transferring most of the impact from the spine around the chest cavity to the ribs, where, painful as they are, the damage is much more survivable. Not suer if the armadillo-like one in my Dainese winter jacket would have been better, but I'm 100% certain that the EC-approved, 1cm thick foam back protection in my older Belstaff jacket would have had almost no effect. I'm glad I made the choice I did. Thanks again for all the GWSs, on here and elsewhere. It does make a difference to know that folk are rooting for you, and nearly all the comments here have been positive and make me glad to be back. I'll try not to bore y'all too much while I'm sat at home ;-) [1] The single most painful experience of all. They cut a hole between you ribs using a pair of scissors, under local so it's not too bad, then force six inches of 1/2" hosepipe between the ribs and into the chest, for wich no anaesthetic is useful. I'm sure they cracked a rib putting it in[3]. Internal pressure was such that blood spurted all over the surgeon, bed and floor. [2] Schwabenleder. [3] Although later x-rays don't show this, but it still hurts more than the broken ones on the RHS. [4] Patient controlled analgaesia. Push a button to get more morphine, with a 12-minute delay between doses. [5] Any time, any place, anywhere. -- _______ ..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom) \`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 (slightly broken, currently missing) `\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `\|/` `
If this is the way you ride a bike, i would strongly advise you to give it up now, before you get killed! k
Yupp. After 30 years of "It'll never happen to me" I've become aware of just how easy it can be. Or possible, just how lucky I've been to get away with it for so long.
No idea. Don't even know where it is. Looked like it was just plastic and the rear end, so probably repairable. But I don't really GAF, to be perfectly honest. -- _______ ..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom) \`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 (slightly broken, currently missing) `\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `\|/` `
and as porl pointed out, a little ironic to happen the day after you made your "I ride on the road as if it were a racetrack" comment...
FFS you don't do things by half's They used gold taps I hope. Anyway glad to see you're back, take it easy.
Don't think I'm not aware of the irony. -- _______ ..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom) \`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 (slightly broken, currently missing) `\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `\|/` `
Too slow on dialup[1] from home, but approx 7deg26minE 47deg31.3minN from the map. Between Bettlach and Hagenthal. [1] Broadband should be arriving next week. -- _______ ..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom) \`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 (slightly broken, currently missing) `\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `\|/` `
s'wot Jude said too. -- _______ ..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom) \`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 (slightly broken, currently missing) `\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `\|/` `
OK, you just arrange it all with the insurance. As long as they pay me market rate you're welcome to it.
