[nowlan]

So I was in Golden B.C, had a very high speed crash into some rocks. Right away I knew I wasnt getting up from this one. I cracked my TLD D2, seperated and fractured my wrist and had some back/knee issues.

Long story short I had surgery to repair my wrist and 8 hours later things went very very downhill. I got a bad case of compartment syndrome and my wrist and hand grew very big and the pain was unreal. In fact no medication could manage the pain. I was rushed to emergency surgery where i had a "fasciotomy"
Google it, its unreal.

Here are some pics.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=188516&id=512388926&l=b2a7383e27

 

[Biffff]

Chris..............That his horrific dude. I was wondering why a skin graft was necessary for a broken wrist.
Now I know.
Get well soon buddy. We'll keep the trails nice and buff for ya when you're ready.

cheers

 

[CBJ]

Nasty - I hope everything works out for you.

 

[Racebike]

Damn! That is going leave the coolest scar.

On a serious note: Hope you heal up alright!

 

[RayB]

Damnit.
I did not need to see that.


(Glad your ok!)

 

[Floor Tom]

Compartment syndrome is seriously nasty, looks like you got away with a nasty scar and story, not lucky but it could have been worse.
Good luck with the recovery.

 

[nowlan]

Compartment syndrome is seriously nasty, looks like you got away with a nasty scar and story, not lucky but it could have been worse.
Good luck with the recovery.

My Leatte and Lid saved my life hands down. The compartment syndrome was scary **** and your right im lucky with what I got.

Thanks Dave see ya soon man.

 

[chillindrdude]

you can die from compartment syndrome. glad it got caught and addressed. best wishes to a fast recovery.

 

[TheTruth]

There is only one word that can be used to describe the severity of your injury. "Redonk" I hope you heal well and do not have another redonk injury like this again.

 

[PepperJester]

Chris man that is some scary stuff. Your one tuff dude and I know you'll come out of this as good as ever.

Sending healing vibes man.

 

[nowlan]

Thanks Ryan, man I didnt even ride once with u this season thats not right.

 

[KleinGuy]

Wow...glad you're ok man. Sending healing thoughts your way!

 

[Tomasis]

oh it is natsy, separated wrist? ouch

I wish you fast recovery!

 

[jonKranked]

brutal.


heal up yo

 

[Total Heckler]

So gnarly.

Glad you are ok.

 

[nowlan]

Thanks for all the kind words. I think the hardest part of recovery is going to be getting the muscles going again. Right now my hand is permenently stuck in the side ways position.

 

[buildyourown]

I've got 3 identical scares on my leg. Big ones. All the way up.
Aren't skin grafts awesome? I know that donor sight feels sweet right now. My entire right thigh was stripped as the donor.
This will be a conversation piece your entire life. I can't wear shorts to work without making my boss nauseous. To this day, I still keep getting rotor burns on my calf because I have no feeling.
Keep a lookout for lost staples. They will migrate under as it heals and then pop up a year later. I had some turn sideways. Those are sweet to pull out.

How long did they leave it open for?

Heal up bro!

 

[DBR X6 RIDER]

That's nuts - speedy recovery for sure!

 

[tacubaya]

H-O-L-Y C-R-A-P

Get well soon

 

[nowlan]

I've got 3 identical scares on my leg. Big ones. All the way up.
Aren't skin grafts awesome? I know that donor sight feels sweet right now. My entire right thigh was stripped as the donor.
This will be a conversation piece your entire life. I can't wear shorts to work without making my boss nauseous. To this day, I still keep getting rotor burns on my calf because I have no feeling.
Keep a lookout for lost staples. They will migrate under as it heals and then pop up a year later. I had some turn sideways. Those are sweet to pull out.

How long did they leave it open for?

Heal up bro!

They took the skin from my thigh, and its brutal. Did the muscles under the donor site get super sore, mine seize up.
I think it was open for about 4 hours, they couldnt find where the issue was.

Im super curios to see hoe the graph is gonna heal up.

 

[nowlan]

Just a little update.
ITs been aprox 4 months since the accident. I have about 85% range of motion in my wrist in all areas and about 20% strength. I still require another surgery to have a pin taken out sometime in Jan. Been a long few months.
Cheers.

 

[-BB-]

good luck!!

 

[Whoops]

motion in your wrist is a good thing.


no - not for that reason.... I mean it will allow you to build strength again with some physio.

good luck

 

[PepperJester]

keep it up Chris. Looking forward to seeing you back on the trails this spring.

 

[bullcrew]

Good luck man and those pics made my balls go hide.....damn..... healing vibes for sure....

 

[cableguy]

Take rehab seriously and keep us updated!

 

[nowlan]

Its pretty much all up to me now. I have to get a pin removed where a bone was dislocated, its causing some restriction due to Tendons popping over it when I move my wrist. Cant for the life of me get in the push up position and any forward motion on my palm is agony.
Thing is with the procedure I had is its impossible to tell how much muscle damage there actually was, but its looking like a fair bit. They didnt have to cut any out though so thats a good thing.
Thanks for the kind words.

 

[bizutch]

Ouch. I remember this thread. Good to hear an update. As an FYI, which I'm sure your doc has told you, the push-up position is the worst straing you can put on your wrist.

After my scaphoid surgery, my doc told me to only ever do push ups with a pair of dumbbells or those "Perfect Push-up" style bars. It helps dramatically.

Are you busting out lots of road miles to accelerate the healing?

 

[nowlan]

See the problem with this pushup thing is that I need to do a certain amount combined with hand grip strength exercises to do my job.
My hand grip strength is getting better by the week though. And I only recently could grip the bars on a non staionary bike so I was doing some easy going crush gravel path stuff. Any suspension impact right now just isnt happening. Looking back at what I could do 2 months ago its amazing how far ive progressed.
The surgery im getting in Jan should help out with the range of motion alot. Theres a pin causing a huge issue.

 

[nowlan]

Just an update. A positive one.
So this accident happened July 18th 2010. Last Tuesday I had 1 large pin and tension wire that was causing some movement issues removed last week. Very painful recovery from that and a massive build up of scar tissue.
However, the Doc told me today that he can not believe how much strength I have back due to the muscle damage that occured in the first operation and the Compartment syndrome. He actually wants to remove the scar as well using a new plastic surgery method which is mildly risky but it would basically leave me like it never happened. Pretty good news for me considering in August I couldnt move any of my fingers and didnt know if Id ever be able to fully use my left hand and wrist again.

Cant wait to shred this year.

 

[rayhaan]

wow, that is an unreal amount of damage and an amazing recovery! that's great news, hope you get full motion back in your wrist. I had a crash 18 months ago, stage 3 separation of my right shoulder, but it pales in comparison to your ordeal! It is always awesome to hear a good recovery story. As bizutch said earlier bust out a load of road miles and you'll be in good shape when you get back on your mountain bike. best of luck.

 

[nowlan]

I actually seperated/dislocated my right shoulder, sprained my neck and broke all my ribs on my right side 10 months before this happened. Nottttt fun.

 

[Arkayne]

 

[nowlan]

^ hahahahahah WTF.

 

[nowlan]

Just another update.
Ive been in the gym solid for about 3 months on a pretty decent program rebuilding my strength and flexibility. Hoped on the M6 yesterday for a few runs on the local trails and I must say I was extremely happy with the outcome. Didnt do one drop or jump, just rolled and seen how my joints handled the impact for a few runs. Looks like im gonna make a pretty solid full recovery.
/Stoked.

 

[Nick]

Just another update.
.....
/Stoked.

Stoked for you.

 

[Biffff]

Just another update.
Ive been in the gym solid for about 3 months on a pretty decent program rebuilding my strength and flexibility. Hoped on the M6 yesterday for a few runs on the local trails and I must say I was extremely happy with the outcome. Didnt do one drop or jump, just rolled and seen how my joints handled the impact for a few runs. Looks like im gonna make a pretty solid full recovery.
/Stoked.

good to see ya out the other day man!!!!!! Thats pretty fvckin epic to get that many runs in when you weren't sure you'd even be able to ride. Build the speed up slow and stay healthy!!!

 

[Vrock]

I don't understand why the doctors cant do whatever they do and then suture your arm a little bit nicely???

 

[Sandwich]

nice dude! get back in the game!

 

[richgardiner]

I got so close to having to get my leg drained for compartment syndrome but luckily it began to die down the next day (they were going to see if it would get any bigger over one more day and if it did they would operate)
Absolutely horrible experience, I got mine from a dead leg playing rugby, I tried to massage it out myself the morning after, only to burst a load of blood vessels in my thigh, and my leg properly ballooned up, the circumference was 17cm bigger than my other leg!
Glad to see you're recovered though dude, I was unable to move my leg without being in massive amounts of pain for just over 10 weeks, it was torture!