Thanks for not riding over me!

[SteelyDan]

It was pretty dumb, really... one of the guys ahead of me clipped a traffic cone about 300m after the start and put it into my front wheel. Lie down time! I lay down quite hard and watched a few hundred wheels go by my head at speed. My heartfelt thanks to those of you who deliberately avoided me!

 

After the dust settled, I tried to get up... Hmmmmmm. Left leg not too keen! So I lay down again. The medics got there pretty quickly, as did a friend I'd been riding with. I was loaded into the ambulance and driven back 300m to the start area. Leg not co-operating at all, but it wasn't sticking out at a funny angle either so I assumed it had just received a hard bang.

 

Sandton Medi Clinic Radiographer didn't agree. Femur fractured and pins required. My heart dropped.

 

It all happened pretty quickly, though. Overnight in the hospital. Three screws inserted yesterday afternoon and they chucked me out this morning to go and do an honest day's work. They were probably getting tired of the chirping...

 

So I'm back home learning how to drive and bath all over again. And getting a serious upper body workout from a shiny new pair of crutches.

 

Guess it could have been worse...

 

... and thanks again for not riding over me!

[slowpoke]

yeeeouch! not at all nice to happen but very glad that no-one rode over you! heal up soon!

[baie-sukkel]

Eish Nick I am so sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you recover fully and quickly from this...... good luck with the crutches.

[MichaelH]

Been there, got the pins and plate...and not too young either. Did my physio by the book...took all of 6 months, but I got back on the bike and I'm as good as new!!!

 

Bottom line: DO YOUR PHYSIO...can't emphasise that enough!!!

 

Best of luck...and don't forget...do your physio!

Edited November 9, 2010 by MichaelH

[DavidE373]

Gives new meaning to the name SteelyDan!

[SteelyDan]

Gives new meaning to the name SteelyDan!

 

Smartass! OK SteelyTitaniumDan (it was in Sandton, after all...)

[Ha Ha Kieran]

Eina! Unlucky dude Heal up soon

[DavidE373]

Smartass! OK SteelyTitaniumDan (it was in Sandton, after all...)

 

You had to have seen that coming from someone.

[marcfr]

Goodness I was wondering what happened, didn't realise it was so serious, I came past you lower down in the pack as you were attempting to get up.

 

I was hit by a drunk driver whilst on a training ride and broke both my legs. I also needed pins and was on crutches for a while so I know what you are going through.

[vinylguy]

hahah u lucky u had an excuse not to carry on riding.... i think i might have beaten you

[Andyr249]

Hope you heal quickly!

[Mojoman]

Good luck, crutches suck. If you have never broken a leg before you are in for some fun when it comes to simple things like getting a glass of water or going to the toilet! Been there, done that and you have my sympathy.

[Grebel]

Sucks dude. Good luck with the recovery. More HUB time

[De Vlaamse Leeuw]

isn't it possible to get carbon plates instead of the titanium ones? I foresee a gap in the market

[wchampion]

Also Carbon crutches? Those aluminium crutches are a bit of an eye sore, imagine a carbon finish on a pair of crutches ...

 

P.S Hope the recovery goes well

[SteelyDan]

Thanks for all the sympathetic noises! Crutches suck... After 2 days I've come up with the ten immutable laws of crutches:

 

1/. Wet bathroom floors and crutches do not combine well. Ditto wet hands.

2/. Crutches have a mind of their own in terms of direction.

3/. Toilets suddenly get at least 20cm lower when you're using crutches.

4/. Crutches are top-heavy and will always fall over - slightly out of reach - when left unattended.

5/. Cars accelerate towards you when they realise you're a cyclist on crutches.

6/. Beggars (even pissed ones) can easily keep up with you when you're on crutches.

7/. Carrying a cup of coffee in one hand simply doesn't work on crutches. (now I make it in a waterbottle and stick it in my pocket!)

8/. Crutches, combined with heavy doses on painkillers and sleep deprivation, can be devastating in a dark room at night.

9/. When you put crutches down you will always have underestimated the distance to the object you wanted to be next to.

10/. Never touch someone else's crutch without permission.