Sharing my experience, but before I do, just want to mention that I saw the crash in the Hamburg IM. That is a major tragedy and I hope the cyclist and cameraman are okay. I can't imagine the pain the cyclist is in. Prayers for recovery and survival.
I went for a typical ride on Saturday and I don't remember anything about the day except for waking up in the trauma center with my wife there. I don't remember getting my water bottles together, attaching my bottle cages to my bike (had a race 2 weeks prior), getting dressed and set up etc.
I got about 15 miles away and was heading down a hill ready to return home and apparently hit a large branch on the road and wiped out. A passerby saw me wipe out and stopped. I had enough mental capacity to give him my wife's number before passing out and being airlifted to a trauma center. My phone was destroyed in crash, and I may not have known it was still in my pocket. He called my wife and she claims she was told by him that I hit a tree...thankfully not the case. I can only imagine her fear and fright as she tries getting my 7 yo in the car to get to me. I am not sure why my Garmin crash detection alarm didn't go off. I had my watch and head unit on.
I ended up having a brain bleed, breaking my collarbone, lacerations on my face and have road rash on my back, knuckles, fingers, elbows, ankle, knees and right butt. I am grateful to be alive and want to give a shout out to Rudy Project for making a great helmet (the Wing). I typically don't like wearing aero helmets on training rides but have switched this past year due not having to deal with the bridge of sunglasses when in aero. Makes looking up the road much easier. I honestly feel that if I was wearing my typical road helmet that I probably would have either torn off a good portion of my ear and suffered far worse road rash to my entire left side of my face and possibly damaged my eye.
In trying to piece together what happened, it looks like I went from aero bars to base bars and then went down on my left side probably hitting head first-due to my face shield and helmet marks. My knuckles are a mess and the worst of the road rash is on my left shoulder-where I have the broken collar bone. I think the momentum must have carried me over in and I must have tumbled over onto my right side, likely clipped into my pedals still and slammed my head, right ankle bone, hip and other shoulder on the ground as well. But the worst of the damage was to my left side.
I took my bike to be checked at bike store and it has a cracked right side seat stay. I was crushed when I saw the guy doing the flashlight test and see the light shine right through at me. It was clear as day. Obviously I am grateful it was found, as the rest of the bike seemed to be in the clear minus the ripped off rear der. hanger and derailleur. Waiting to hear what happens from dealer. Guessing nothing, and I will be sending it off to Calfee or someone else. I am on East Coast so, if anyone has any great experience with carbon repair and paint work near me please let me know. I reached out to Calfee based on previous posts here with their experience. I can also buy the same bike on Ebay right now, but it is a more costly situation, although a faster solution. So, hoping the carbon repair and paint works out based on what I know.
Now I am home and working on the recovery. It's amazing how the collarbone is tied into almost every movement that I make. Never would have guessed. I was able to defer one race, but my 70.3 in NC in October may or may not happen.
Curious what others have experienced with collarbone issues and return to cycling. I know it obviously individual, but I am hoping to get back on the trainer and at least start spinning again soon. Any advice would be appreciated-especially if you have learned what not to do in a situation like this.
HOSPITAL PART
I stayed in the hospital from Sat. afternoon until Wednesday late afternoon. Hospital food was great and bed was amazing. I am seriously considering getting a new bed that lifts at feet and head. So comfortable.
I didn't realize how poor my handling was there until I got home and spoke with friends. The funny thing was that the staff were very friendly and I had about 25 people I was working with from trauma doctors, PAs, nurses, data techs etc. It was kinda weird. But, they left me naked in bed for 3 days and I didn't realize it until I got up to pee. I must have had a cath at one point. I also never had my wounds cleaned. Not my face, not my back, nothing. I also had to request new bedding and padding for back as I was sticking to the sheets. On top of that, I was also being giving medication that should not have been used with a brain bleed. They also kept talking about a sling, which I got the day I was sent home. When I got out of the hospital and did a follow up with my doctor the next day she found my back wounds to be infected as well as my knuckles. She cleaned me up, redid my meds and expressed shock to my lack of care physically while in the hospital. I doubt its worth pursuing with the hospital, but pretty sad that no one stepped up to clean me off. I finally requested some stuff to use so that my wife and I could do it. They gave us thicker versions of baby wipes. It helped, but no antibacterial meds or infection fighting meds or creams etc.
Anyway. I am home, safe and grateful to God that my injuries were not worse. Lots of people from our church and friends are helping out too. Meals, yardwork etc. It's great to have caring friends and family in my life. I'm hoping to get back to the crash seen next week to see if there is anything that stands out.
Take care and stay safe.
I went for a typical ride on Saturday and I don't remember anything about the day except for waking up in the trauma center with my wife there. I don't remember getting my water bottles together, attaching my bottle cages to my bike (had a race 2 weeks prior), getting dressed and set up etc.
I got about 15 miles away and was heading down a hill ready to return home and apparently hit a large branch on the road and wiped out. A passerby saw me wipe out and stopped. I had enough mental capacity to give him my wife's number before passing out and being airlifted to a trauma center. My phone was destroyed in crash, and I may not have known it was still in my pocket. He called my wife and she claims she was told by him that I hit a tree...thankfully not the case. I can only imagine her fear and fright as she tries getting my 7 yo in the car to get to me. I am not sure why my Garmin crash detection alarm didn't go off. I had my watch and head unit on.
I ended up having a brain bleed, breaking my collarbone, lacerations on my face and have road rash on my back, knuckles, fingers, elbows, ankle, knees and right butt. I am grateful to be alive and want to give a shout out to Rudy Project for making a great helmet (the Wing). I typically don't like wearing aero helmets on training rides but have switched this past year due not having to deal with the bridge of sunglasses when in aero. Makes looking up the road much easier. I honestly feel that if I was wearing my typical road helmet that I probably would have either torn off a good portion of my ear and suffered far worse road rash to my entire left side of my face and possibly damaged my eye.
In trying to piece together what happened, it looks like I went from aero bars to base bars and then went down on my left side probably hitting head first-due to my face shield and helmet marks. My knuckles are a mess and the worst of the road rash is on my left shoulder-where I have the broken collar bone. I think the momentum must have carried me over in and I must have tumbled over onto my right side, likely clipped into my pedals still and slammed my head, right ankle bone, hip and other shoulder on the ground as well. But the worst of the damage was to my left side.
I took my bike to be checked at bike store and it has a cracked right side seat stay. I was crushed when I saw the guy doing the flashlight test and see the light shine right through at me. It was clear as day. Obviously I am grateful it was found, as the rest of the bike seemed to be in the clear minus the ripped off rear der. hanger and derailleur. Waiting to hear what happens from dealer. Guessing nothing, and I will be sending it off to Calfee or someone else. I am on East Coast so, if anyone has any great experience with carbon repair and paint work near me please let me know. I reached out to Calfee based on previous posts here with their experience. I can also buy the same bike on Ebay right now, but it is a more costly situation, although a faster solution. So, hoping the carbon repair and paint works out based on what I know.
Now I am home and working on the recovery. It's amazing how the collarbone is tied into almost every movement that I make. Never would have guessed. I was able to defer one race, but my 70.3 in NC in October may or may not happen.
Curious what others have experienced with collarbone issues and return to cycling. I know it obviously individual, but I am hoping to get back on the trainer and at least start spinning again soon. Any advice would be appreciated-especially if you have learned what not to do in a situation like this.
HOSPITAL PART
I stayed in the hospital from Sat. afternoon until Wednesday late afternoon. Hospital food was great and bed was amazing. I am seriously considering getting a new bed that lifts at feet and head. So comfortable.
I didn't realize how poor my handling was there until I got home and spoke with friends. The funny thing was that the staff were very friendly and I had about 25 people I was working with from trauma doctors, PAs, nurses, data techs etc. It was kinda weird. But, they left me naked in bed for 3 days and I didn't realize it until I got up to pee. I must have had a cath at one point. I also never had my wounds cleaned. Not my face, not my back, nothing. I also had to request new bedding and padding for back as I was sticking to the sheets. On top of that, I was also being giving medication that should not have been used with a brain bleed. They also kept talking about a sling, which I got the day I was sent home. When I got out of the hospital and did a follow up with my doctor the next day she found my back wounds to be infected as well as my knuckles. She cleaned me up, redid my meds and expressed shock to my lack of care physically while in the hospital. I doubt its worth pursuing with the hospital, but pretty sad that no one stepped up to clean me off. I finally requested some stuff to use so that my wife and I could do it. They gave us thicker versions of baby wipes. It helped, but no antibacterial meds or infection fighting meds or creams etc.
Anyway. I am home, safe and grateful to God that my injuries were not worse. Lots of people from our church and friends are helping out too. Meals, yardwork etc. It's great to have caring friends and family in my life. I'm hoping to get back to the crash seen next week to see if there is anything that stands out.
Take care and stay safe.