I'll just keep all my recovery status entries here as one post (rather than make new entries for each), drop by daily if you're interested - won't be any ride reports for a while. Newest posts on top.
UPDATE Monday March 10
Today I let my pain meds wear off just to see what my untreated pain was like. Script says 1 pill every four hours, and by six hours I concluded this was a dumb experiment.
Doing anything in the walker is really slow... took me almost 30 minutes just to get a cup of coffee; and I had to drink it standing up in the kitchen because I can't walk and carry a cup.
JB came over after work to help me do a bike inspection and put things away. My saddle is a little scarred up, and the handlebar tape will need to be replaced, but the frame and wheels and components are all fine... that was a big relief.
I again told the story about how I had hit my helmet on the pavement but it was undamaged - he looked at the microshell and agreed there wasn't even a scuff mark. Then Diablo Wife picked it up and said "What about this big CRACK?!?!?" Sure enough, the foam was cracked even though the shell looked like new. Thank you GIRO !!! I'm going to get an exact replacement.
Looked through my bike-cam videos and the file with the crash somehow got broken - don't have anything from the descent below Junction.
Thanks for all the well-wishers on Strava, blog comments, and e-mails. Tomorrow: wheel-chairing around the neighborhood.
UPDATE Sunday March 09
Woke up in the hospital and they gave me some of the serious pain killers before Jim the PT guy came to see me. He taught me how to use a walker for my injury - no weight on the left foot; so I move the walker, move my left foot forward and just make contact with the floor, then support all my weight with my hands on the walker while I scoot the right foot forward. Jim said most pelvic fracture patients don't want to move at all, so I was doing well with two laps around the orthopedic wing. He said he'd tell the doctor I was cleared to go home from his perspective. The Ortho MD didn't show up until about 4pm and after he assessed me also cleared me to go home. Had the opportunity to enjoy one more hospital meal before they got around to releasing me though.
Those pain killers can cause constipation though, so that was starting to be a problem - my ribs are a little bruised and applying sufficient pressure to expel the intestinal solids was painful and ineffective. Had a glass of Miralax at bedtime instead of my usual Rooibos tea.
Woke up in the hospital and they gave me some of the serious pain killers before Jim the PT guy came to see me. He taught me how to use a walker for my injury - no weight on the left foot; so I move the walker, move my left foot forward and just make contact with the floor, then support all my weight with my hands on the walker while I scoot the right foot forward. Jim said most pelvic fracture patients don't want to move at all, so I was doing well with two laps around the orthopedic wing. He said he'd tell the doctor I was cleared to go home from his perspective. The Ortho MD didn't show up until about 4pm and after he assessed me also cleared me to go home. Had the opportunity to enjoy one more hospital meal before they got around to releasing me though.
Those pain killers can cause constipation though, so that was starting to be a problem - my ribs are a little bruised and applying sufficient pressure to expel the intestinal solids was painful and ineffective. Had a glass of Miralax at bedtime instead of my usual Rooibos tea.
UPDATE Saturday March 08
2014 SMR 10 was a great ride. The weather was beautiful, my first ride of 2014 in shorts, no jacket just a wind vest; felt great all the way to the Summit.
Regular Rider Recognitions: Dudley, Tuck, and Mike
Search and Rescue was having a practice drill with staging at Juniper.
AVISO- water is turned off at Junction and Juniper, plan accordingly... still available at the Summit water fountain.
Descent was pleasant as well. But then off the Mountain, off North Gate Road, at the traffic circle where Oak Grove, Walnut Avenue, and Castle Rock Road come together, I hit a patch of slippery stuff while leaning into the tight-radius left turn and BAM, went down hard on my left side. My helmet hit as well, but I didn't see any damage. The traffic circle was full of cars, but the guy behind me in his pickup was a good driver and stopped well clear of my crumpled heap of flesh.
JB saw the whole thing happen and he and the pickup guy (PG) got me loaded into the truck for a ride home... PG told me his name but I've forgotten already. I was in serious pain and couldn't even stand up without help. PG got me home and into the wheelchair I have in my garage, and wished me well. It took me about an hour in the wheelchair, and multiple failed attempts to stand up with crutches before I allowed Diablo Wife to take me to the Emergency Department at John Muir Hospital.
Triage included leg manipulation, X-rays, and CT scan; diagnosis = three cracks in my pelvis. No surgery necessary, but they admitted me as a patient and gave me a room. Diablo Wife, Diablo Daughter, and Boyfriend of Diablo Daughter all stayed with me in the patient room until lights out.
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| Approximate locations of "non-displaced pelvic fractures" |
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three pelvic fractures, night in hosp but I'll be ok... watch this spot!
