Well, I went and did it again. I've put myself on the injured list, but probably for a lot longer than I can comprehend right now. I was up at schweitzer last weekend (weekend before the national) riding with a couple of the PNW pro gals. Things were going great. We were hitting alter boy, helping out a girl that had just upgraded when I ate it. At the time I didn't know why I crashed, or cared why for that matter as I couldn't breath or move.
I was told later that I dropped into the alter boy, hit the drop line perfect, but there was a big rock that had rolled down into the rut of the landing. I guess I landed about a foot in front of it and I plowed into it, flipped, and landed at the bottom of the alter boy on my face and hand. I didn't tumble or roll or even touch the ground until I hit the bottom of the alter boy. All that momentum came to an abrupte stop on my hand and face.
If I had not been wearing my O'neal moto helmet, I'm sure I would not be the same person right now, physically or mentally. I don't want to turn this into a helmet speech but, my head was okay. My face plate didn't crack and I still have a brain and a face, so please wear a quality helmet. You don't know when a rock is going to jump up and bit you. I hadn't intended on racing in a motorcycle helmet this year,but when the season started I didn't have the $$ to buy a new bike helmet so I just started wearing my moto helmet. I'm glad I did now.
Well, my friends were pretty well freaked out. Two of them went down and got help while the third stayed with me. Luckily the organisers of the national were on site, and happen to be the same people who put on the WIM series in the PNW. We all know them quite well and as soon as they heard they sent a moto up to check me out fast and a truck up right after to haul me out. From the time they heard about it, I was on my way to the ER in under an hour. For those of you who don't know the mountain and were alter boy is on the mountain, it was an incredible feat. Big thanks to Wendy Zupan and her crew at round and round productions, and to my girls that were there with me and took care of me the following 24 hours.
Well, a trip to the ER and a consult with one of the best (so I'm told) wrist specialists in Oregon has landed me in reconstructive surgery tomorrow to try and put my wrist and hand back together again. Other than the shattered wrist, I got two black eyes (from a rock coming into the opening in my helmet and smashing my goggles into my face) and bruises head to toe (literally). I've got some great pictures. I'll post them as soon as I figure out how to download my new camera to my computer.
I've been told the damage to my wrist and hand could take 4 months to heal or 12 months to heal. They just can't tell. I've also been told, thats if it heals at all. It's possible that one of the bones may die and I will have to fuse the whole lower portion of my hand into one peice. That's worst case scenario,but it was possible enough the surgeon wanted to warn me in advance. I am having bone grafts done to help the bones grow faster. Its supposed to increase the chances of all the bones remaining viable. Aside from that, their pinning my radius to my ulna temporarily to help it stabalize and heal straight. They are also screwing my Schapoid back together, which will be permenant. There are other bones in the base of the hand that arent broken but need to be put back in place. I will most likely be in a cast until the end of the year. The clincher is that it is also my right wrist and i am right handed. So my newest venture is to try and teach myself to write left handed.
I'm sorry this is so long. I've been sitting around for a week now processisng this info and thinking about what is ahead for me and I really just needed to write it all out and unload. At this point, I can only hope that I will be able to keep riding bikes and moto's, and will be back riding them within a year. My doctors have told me to be positive but realistic. They have implied,but not outright said, that these injuries may make continuing to race downhill impossible, especially at the pro level.
So here I sit. My bikes sit in the garage. I will most likely sell my DH bike soon, because I know that I won't be able to ride it for at least 6-12 months (if the surgical reconstruction is successful). And by then I'll want the new Mono anyways!! Sorry to spam but if anybody knows anybody that wants a 4 month old Foes mono send them my way! I will most likely be able start riding XC before anything else so I'm going to hang on to that one for now, just in case I happen to defy the odds and become a medical miricle.
Well, sine this took me a really long time to type I think I'm going to go take a nap! I'll let you all know how the surgery goes and post my black eye pictures as soon as I can.
I was told later that I dropped into the alter boy, hit the drop line perfect, but there was a big rock that had rolled down into the rut of the landing. I guess I landed about a foot in front of it and I plowed into it, flipped, and landed at the bottom of the alter boy on my face and hand. I didn't tumble or roll or even touch the ground until I hit the bottom of the alter boy. All that momentum came to an abrupte stop on my hand and face.
If I had not been wearing my O'neal moto helmet, I'm sure I would not be the same person right now, physically or mentally. I don't want to turn this into a helmet speech but, my head was okay. My face plate didn't crack and I still have a brain and a face, so please wear a quality helmet. You don't know when a rock is going to jump up and bit you. I hadn't intended on racing in a motorcycle helmet this year,but when the season started I didn't have the $$ to buy a new bike helmet so I just started wearing my moto helmet. I'm glad I did now.
Well, my friends were pretty well freaked out. Two of them went down and got help while the third stayed with me. Luckily the organisers of the national were on site, and happen to be the same people who put on the WIM series in the PNW. We all know them quite well and as soon as they heard they sent a moto up to check me out fast and a truck up right after to haul me out. From the time they heard about it, I was on my way to the ER in under an hour. For those of you who don't know the mountain and were alter boy is on the mountain, it was an incredible feat. Big thanks to Wendy Zupan and her crew at round and round productions, and to my girls that were there with me and took care of me the following 24 hours.
Well, a trip to the ER and a consult with one of the best (so I'm told) wrist specialists in Oregon has landed me in reconstructive surgery tomorrow to try and put my wrist and hand back together again. Other than the shattered wrist, I got two black eyes (from a rock coming into the opening in my helmet and smashing my goggles into my face) and bruises head to toe (literally). I've got some great pictures. I'll post them as soon as I figure out how to download my new camera to my computer.
I've been told the damage to my wrist and hand could take 4 months to heal or 12 months to heal. They just can't tell. I've also been told, thats if it heals at all. It's possible that one of the bones may die and I will have to fuse the whole lower portion of my hand into one peice. That's worst case scenario,but it was possible enough the surgeon wanted to warn me in advance. I am having bone grafts done to help the bones grow faster. Its supposed to increase the chances of all the bones remaining viable. Aside from that, their pinning my radius to my ulna temporarily to help it stabalize and heal straight. They are also screwing my Schapoid back together, which will be permenant. There are other bones in the base of the hand that arent broken but need to be put back in place. I will most likely be in a cast until the end of the year. The clincher is that it is also my right wrist and i am right handed. So my newest venture is to try and teach myself to write left handed.
I'm sorry this is so long. I've been sitting around for a week now processisng this info and thinking about what is ahead for me and I really just needed to write it all out and unload. At this point, I can only hope that I will be able to keep riding bikes and moto's, and will be back riding them within a year. My doctors have told me to be positive but realistic. They have implied,but not outright said, that these injuries may make continuing to race downhill impossible, especially at the pro level.
So here I sit. My bikes sit in the garage. I will most likely sell my DH bike soon, because I know that I won't be able to ride it for at least 6-12 months (if the surgical reconstruction is successful). And by then I'll want the new Mono anyways!! Sorry to spam but if anybody knows anybody that wants a 4 month old Foes mono send them my way! I will most likely be able start riding XC before anything else so I'm going to hang on to that one for now, just in case I happen to defy the odds and become a medical miricle.
Well, sine this took me a really long time to type I think I'm going to go take a nap! I'll let you all know how the surgery goes and post my black eye pictures as soon as I can.
MX/MTB helmet debate
No thanks....I will pass on a helmet designed for the small stuff. When dhing I need to sweat the big stuff.
With that attitude and your dedication, I'm sure you'll be fully recovered and kicking butt again before you know it!
dead
