I had the exact same experience--I was conscious the entire time and had similar thoughts when I
heard the sound that my body was making as it bounced off the car both times. The investigating
police and the hospital's trauma team both said that they couldn't figure out how I lived through
the accident, other than the fact that I was really fit from training. Also, this fitness has done
me well in rehab. Originally, it was projected that I wouldn't even be walking with assistance 'til
Labor Day; here I am now riding indoors and walking unassisted (and even able to keyboard on my PC,
for that matter).
I think that the hard part will be riding on the roads again. In eastern Massachusetts, there's lots
of cars around....
Take care-
Don
"psycholist" <psycholist@wctel.net> wrote in message news:bghu20$9lbd$1@news3.infoave.net...
> My chain of events was actually quite similar to yours. I hit her right front fender at the wheel
> well. That broke my hip and pelvis and the edge of the wheel well caused the lacerations to my
> leg. Then I went into the windshield. Eye witnesses said I glanced off the windshield and went way
up
> in the air. I also landed squarely on my head -- causing the compression fracture to my spine. I
> was in the air for a long enough time to have two thoughts: 1) God, that first impact really hurt
> and 2) God, is this second impact going to kill me? It didn't. But I came to rest laying squarely
on
> the hip that was all but fractured clear through. Naturally, nobody would move me despite my
> begging. It was absolutely brutal. But I wouldn't
have
> moved me if I were them, either.
>
> In the emergency room, the doctor said, "If you weren't in such great
shape,
> that crash would have killed you ..." I replied, "I owe my condition to
the
> bike." ;-)
>
> Bob C. "don vescio" <don.vescio@digitalinspirations.com> wrote in message
> news:viojkeq5r8csf1@corp.supernews.com...
> > On June 10 of this year, I was hit by a car that attempted to turn left
in
> > front of me while I was on a training ride. I was hit twice--the first
> time
> > by the car's bumper, which dislocated my left hip, fractured the ball of
> the
> > femur and resulted in ~30% loss of the hip socket. This threw me into
> the
> > air as the car continued forward. The windshield then struck my left shoulder, which dislocated
> > it and resulted in the loss of ~45% of the glenoid (shoulder socket). This blow knocked me
> > completely over the
car,
> > and I landed on my head (was wearing a helmet, fortunately), and I broke
> my
> > nose and lost a huge amount of skin on my left arm.
> >
> > I was hospitalized for three and a half weeks, had shoulder surgery
five
> > weeks ago (no repair was possible--the missing bone was crushed to
powder)
> > and was wheelchair bound up to nine days ago, when I was cleared to
begin
> > walking again. I also was cleared to ride my Computrainer, which I've
been
> > doing every day for light 1/2 hour sessions. I had to rotate the
> handlebars
> > on my bike upward to take the pressure off of my shoulder, but the
riding
> > feels really good, both mentally and physically. Each day, I find
> myself
> > more comfortable on the bike and I look forward to riding and racing
> during
> > the upcoming season. I'm also confident that if I continue to pursue my rehab and work slowly
> > and carefully at this time, there won't be a
> negative
> > impact on my future racing (other than I won't be field sprinting
anymore
> > because of the risk of additional shoulder damage in the event of a
> crash).
> >
> > I have to agree with Bob C., who posted above--it's hard to stay
> optimistic
> > and motivated each day when there's so much pain associated with
recovery.
> > I just keep thinking of how far I've come and how I've managed to beat a
> lot
> > of serious odds. Keep in mind that there has been a lot of cyclists who were seriously injured
> > and still came back to race successfully--Floyd Landis broke his hip last January, for instance,
> > and he just finished a successful tour.
> >
> > Good luck on your recovery.
> >
> > Don
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "psycholist" <psycholist@wctel.net> wrote in message news:bghhlj$9dr9$1@news3.infoave.net...
> > > This probably isn't the proper forum for this discussion, and my crash
> > isn't
> > > that similar to yours except with respect to broken bones.
> > >
> > > I got hit by a car last October. Teenager talking on a cell phone
made
> a
> > > left hand turn across my path/right-of-way. I hit her head-on on a
> > descent.
> > > I'm guessing we were each going somewhere in the upper 20s (mph).
Broke
> > my
> > > pelvis, hip, ankle, fractured my spine and had severe lacerations of
my
> > > lower left leg. I now have five permanent titanium screws holding my
> left
> > > leg together.
> > >
> > > By December I was doing roller and trainer rides indoors. By late
> January
> > I
> > > was outdoors and doing 200+ miles per week. This past Spring I had my
> > best
> > > season ever and personal best times in a number of the big centuries I
> do.
> > >
> > > My point? Don't be defeated by it. Do everything you CAN do to stay
> fit
> > > while you're convalescing. After I got out of the hospital, I was
> > basically
> > > confined to this reclining chair and I was non-weight bearing on the
> left
> > > leg for a long time. But in the recliner, I could bicycle my legs in
> the
> > > air and do all sorts of other exercises. My wife thought I was a
> complete
> > > lunatic, but people were shocked at how quickly I bounced back from a
> > crash
> > > the doctors said should have killed me.
> > >
> > > Best of luck in your recovery!
> > >
> > > Bob C. "NEPTUNIUM" <neptunium@aol.com> wrote in message
> > > news:20030802170825.00688.00001190@mb-m25.aol.com...
> > > > I had a similar crash like beloki 2 days ago. (similar to his I was going down hill about 35
> > > > mph. It had just rained lightly. I was going around a turn when my rear tire started to
> > > > slide out. Then I braked and the rear went sideways on me. I saw that I was
> heading
> > > off
> > > > the road and into the trees, then released brakes. By this time, I
was
> > off
> > > the
> > > > pavement and in the dirt/gravel of the pull out. I tried to roll
with
> > the
> > > > direction of the turn, but there was too much momentum heading off
the
> > > road. I
> > > > braked both brakes and laid the bike down. I got hurt this time. My
> left
> > > colar
> > > > bone - broke in 2 (an AC break/closest to the shoulder), left lung
> > > slightly
> > > > collapsed. I didn't notice at first but there was a lump on my head
> too,
> > > left
> > > > side. I checked my Bell helmet yesterday and it is fractured
thoughout
> > the
> > > > inside. I really belive the helmet saved me serious head injury. Can someone relate their
> > > > experience, maybe if it was an injury like
> > this.
> > > > greg
> > >
> > >
> >
>
