I'm ok. Monday I wasn't so sure. I had decided to celebrate the beautiful day with a nice motorcycle ride in the country. It was a gorgeous early fall day and the miles flew by. I am a careful and cautious rider but a couple of miles from the house is the steepest curviest hill in the county. I always descend it slowly but it just didn't work this time. Heavy rains last week had washed sand onto the road and as I went around a sharp bend I started to skid. I corrected 3 times and it just started slipping again each time. Rather than hit a guard rail and maybe go down a 200 ft bank I laid her down. Then I was laying in the road with an 800 lb bike on my leg. It took some wiggling but I did manage to get my foot dislodged pull my leg out and stand up. The gasoline that was running down the hill convinced me to turn off the ignition just for good luck.My ribs hurt and my right shoulder had a kink in it but I was basically functional. I flagged down some guys who helped me get upright again. This is not easy when the rubber side is up and the shiny side is pointing down a steep hill but we managed. The bike had a scuff on the fender and a slight bend in the handlebar. I managed to get it started and limped home. After sitting for a while at home, it became apparent that I was not just going to take 2 aspirin and feel better. Tina drove me to the local ER where we spent the next 6 hours getting me poked prodded x rayed, and CT scanned. The verdict is a broken rib (maybe two) a sprained shoulder, and a pneumothorax where the rib nicked my lung a little and a couple of scrapes and bruises. They sent me home about midnight with a handful of vicodin and a referral to a trauma clinic. It could be worse. It does hurt and I may not be able to do my show this weekend or throw for a few weeks but my face is still where I left it and my head isn't broken( thank you helmet). In a few weeks I should be back to normal. I almost said good as new but that ship sailed a long time ago.
Life changes suddenly enjoy the one that you have.
YIKES! DENNIS!!!! This was scary to read. So glad that it wasn't worse, but it's bad enough. Hey, at least you got some good drugs:) careful with those though, my husband's mom is addicted to vicodin. So is his sister, she steals her mom's, haha! Glad you got home safely. Feel better
ReplyDeleteWhow...so glad to hear you're up and somewhat ok...up rather than lying on pavement. Those motorcycles have this risk, don't they? Guess you will need to take it easy now for a while. Do you have a sketch book?
ReplyDeleteGlad you survived that mishap. Those bikes are so dangerous. You can be the most careful rider, but like the story of the pot and the rock, it doesn't matter is the pot hits the rock or the rock hits the pot, it's the pot that breaks.
ReplyDeleteOur son has one of these and the thought of it terrifies me. A friend once told me that a relative of hers is a paramedic and when they hear it's been a motorcycle accident, they bring a big snow shovel to clean up the parts.
I can understand the lure of riding with the wind in your hair, but for me, the risk is just not worth it when you think about your odds of coming out a winner in any kind of accident. Glad you came out alright this time Dennis.
I wish I could bring you a pie- that would make it better.
ReplyDeleteGet better as soon as you can.
So sorry to hear of this mishap, and very glad that it wasn't worse. Good you were wearing a helmet, NH doesn't have a helmet law and I have lots of friends there who ride without one, SCARY!
ReplyDeleteRest easy and take care.
Thanks all. I appreciate your concern and good wishes. I really will be fine before long. Life is a series of risks and rewards. Some people jump out of perfectly good airplanes, climb rocks, bungee jump, or have children. My worst injury ever was from roller skating! You never know.
ReplyDeleteWow Dennis. So glad you have come out of this ok. Relax and heal!
ReplyDeleteWell that's scary. Glad to hear you are relatively O.K.
ReplyDeleteDennis! You wild and crazy biker/potter boy! Very glad that you chose the road rather than the cliff...
ReplyDeleteSeems I've finally found the secret to getting more comments on the blog.Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to know you're okay. I've just been able to ride again after a few years off the bike and I've been loving it except Saturday when I got caught in some rain. Thankfully I was able to keep the rubber on the road but it was nerve-wracking. You remind us that even on a beautiful day the road can be slick.
DeleteFeel better.
Ouch, indeed, Dennis. I ride a little, but have never had to lay it down. Not a happy occasion. On the other hand, no semi coming along behind you and no long tumble down that 200 foot hillside. So ... all's well that ends (relatively) well. Stay upright.
ReplyDelete