Temporarily on the DL

So, as mentioned in previous blog posts, I've been pushing through shoulder/arm pain following my MTB wipeout a few weeks ago. I've been riding, (indoors and out), and snowboarding, believing it was just a sore muscle that would eventually get better -- but the soreness actually increased, not decreased, over the last few weeks, and I've been doing all the wrong things to make it better. Another wipeout on the bike Monday sent me to the doctor with craaaazy pain. Ouch.

I've seen two MDs -- both indicating I may have a torn rotator cuff based on their initial exam -- although I won't really know for certain until after the MRI. Right now I'm to treat it as such, icing 3x a day and taking ibuprofen, until I get the MRI results. The pain is making me nauseous.

Crossing my fingers it's a minor thing that will heal quickly. I have 30 Days of Biking coming up and the NEBC race clinic in mid April. I have no time for this.

Stefan's Race

Stefan chills out before the race. His crew is ready to go.

Post-RAAM talk continues as racers and crew begin to tell their stories of the race. For me, looking back, I have many memories and experiences that I'll fondly remember. One was connecting with other riders and their teams as we crossed the country together, including my Instagram pal Florian Oeser and solo male racer Stefan Schlegel. What a fun team!

Stefan was expected to do well in the race, with speculation he could finish a close second to Christoph Strasser, so I didn't expect to see him or Florian after the start of the race. On day two, after I ended my follow shift and drove ahead down the course in the errand vehicle, we passed Stefan on a climb. I was shocked to see him! I truly expected he'd be further along in the race. I yelled out to him and his crew as we passed, and they gave me a wave and a smile and a thumbs up. I thought all was o.k.

I later learned, while Ingrid and I were swapping shifts, that Stefan took a brutal fall coming down the glass elevator into the Borrego Springs desert. My heart just sank. I was scared and concerned and just sick with worry. (Ingrid ran into Stefan's crew at the Congress time station -- I was ahead in Prescott -- and Florian told her about the crash.) At that point, he had serious road rash and abrasions, and they weren't sure how the rest of the race would go. It would be another 2 days before I heard from Florian that Stefan was o.k.

The crash was caught on video, and I promised myself that I wouldn't watch it until I got home. I just couldn't bear to think about how close he came to serious injury. I've since seen the video, (part of which is posted below), and it's just gut wrenching to me. What's missing in that video is the death drop on the other side of the guard rail he slammed into. You also don't get a sense of the astonishing speed he was travelling as he made that descent, or the violent impact he made on that rail when he crashed. It makes me sick just thinking about it, and I'm so, so grateful he's o.k.

Stefan, Florian and their team continued on after the crash. No doubt they had ups and downs and a very tough journey, but at the end of the race, they came in 5th place -- 10 days, 14 hours, 32 minutes. Less than 36 hours after second place finisher Mark Pattinson. Astonishing. Congrats to my German friends. You are amazing.

RAAM Media One video - Stefan's Crash

Ummmm... I just want to say...

...that YES, technically Will beat me to the finish on PMC weekend.

Whenever someone asks, "How was the PMC?" the first thing that pops out of his mouth is "I beat my mom." Arrrrgghhhhh!!!!!!! Can I just remind you all that I rode with a broken hand?! And I was off my bike for a month before the PMC with a concussion and a cast? And I rode every one of those miles in a splint? Grumble... grumble...

Next year, NO MERCY ON THE KID. He is TOAST!!

Back in action!

Will, Sheldon and I were up at dawn today for an early morning ride -- it was a gorgeous morning to start the day! (Will was still half asleep for most of the ride. Wake up, Will!) It felt great to be back on the bike and I did o.k. for my first time out since the crash. The cast/splint Dr. Barker made for me to ride in works well to support and protect my injury, though I do find I'm adding more stress on my thumb and forefinger to make up for the loss of having my full hand. Achy. Hopefully it'll just be a passing thing. Just 10 days left until the PMC!

Looking Good

It's pretty awesome having a doctor for a neighbor. Yesterday, Dr. Barker took an x-ray of my hand and all looks good! No displacement. It still hurts like a bugger when I put any weight on it, but it should be o.k. for the PMC.... and yes, perhaps riding a PMC is asking for a lot, but we have a plan! Dr. Barker fashioned a fiberglass cast/splint formed in the hand position I'll be riding in for the PMC! It fits under a hard brace and will give me more support for the ride!

Marblehead Cycle is adding a gel padding under my bar tape to absorb some of the road vibration. Unfortunately, I needed crash repairs, a new set of tires, tubes and a brake tune-up, too. (Crash=Cash, ca-ching, ca-ching...) I hope to be back on the bike with my new riding cast this week! (Just waiting to get the call that my bike is ready.)

Moody Blues

Its been almost 3 weeks since the crash and I have good days and bad days. I'm trying not to get too down on myself, but my days feel oddly empty without being able to get out and ride. The blues creep in and I get moody. I still have craptastic headaches which don't seem to be easing up. My friend Matt gave me a call after hearing about the crash and clearly got me at a bad time -- He's a military guy and has no patience for "poor me" attitudes. (Just my luck that he called when he did). He crudely told me to pull myself together and get back on the bike... which is exactly what Manny and Sam said to me after I crashed and flipped over a car a few years ago... only they used nicer words.

Matt asked me to ride for the Wounded EOD Warrior Foundation next year if I can. He reminded me that I'm going to be able to get back on the bike at some point... and he can name a half dozen guys who can't. That gave me a sobering dose of perspective… and I promised to look into it. (Matty, if you're reading this, I heard you. The only easy day was yesterday.)

Monday Morning Ride - Ethan and Will

Perseverance

"Fall down 7 times, Stand up 8." -- Japanese proverb

Random Musings

Soon after my crash, I learned that I've acquired a sketchy reputation with the Beverly EMTs. ;-) When Mike picked my bike up from the Beverly police station, they mentioned they went to log the accident into their system and discovered I was already in it... and that perhaps I should find a new hobby. (I've had only two major crashes requiring an ambulance ... unfortunately, both in Beverly.)

I have also discovered that there's this wacky tendency for my cycling brethren to share their crash stories, x-rays, and pictures of road rash with me. I say brethren because the sisterhood has not felt compelled to compare war wounds with me. O.K., guys. You're all nuts. But thanks for the laughs. (And yes.. I promise to post my x-ray if I can get it.)

I'm having good days and bad days. After talking with Keli Howe about putting a training plan into action, I spent an hour on the recumbent bike at the Y Wednesday. And because I only did 10 miles on the bike, I went back to the Y at 3:00 for another hour. (I can hear the lectures now... I know... I know... ) Thursday I felt like crap. I had a pounding headache for most of the day, which no amount of Tylenol, Motrin, or lemon ginger would help. Ya. Concussions suck.

Ordering a Replacement Helmet Today

I promise this isn't going to become an endless rehashing of my crash but I did want to acknowledge that my bike helmet definitely saved me from major injuries. My head smashed hard into the pavement. (I was told one of the first things I said after the crash was, "I hit my head". Though I don't remember that. I've lost all memory of the four hours proceeding the crash.)

The EMTs were especially interested in my helmet and pointed out the cracks and damage to Will. Those cracks in the helmet very easily could have been my skull. Yikes. Always, always, wear a helmet. (And make sure it fits!) I'll be ordering a replacement today.

No Concussions in Swimming

It's been almost a week since the crash and I'm still dealing with the remnants of my concussion. The fog has cleared and the headaches aren't as intense as they were in the early days of the accident, but I'm still fighting off lingering low-grade headaches. I'm going to try a lemon-ginger water that Drew has suggested to ease the pain.

All of this -- the headaches, memory loss, difficulty concentrating -- have me rethinking the contact sports my boys play -- football and lacrosse. I know neither will give up the sports they love, but I wouldn't mind if they spent more time on the sidelines than they do in the game! (Perhaps Coach Quigley could lure the boys into joining swim team year-round. No injuries there.)

Training is on hold for now. Hoping to get something going next week with the Y spin bikes -- where I don't need the use of my hand. Will hopes to hook up with Ethan for a ride next week before heading off to Patrick Chung Football Academy (with Chip). Concussion, broken hand?... No excuses. We have a PMC on the horizon!

Recovery

Having a hard time this week. I know it's only been a few days since my crash but the headaches are wearing me down. I was in a fog, feeling lightheaded for 2 days and just tried to suck it up and pretend all was well... but It's not working any more. Three days after my concussion and I feel like crap. The headaches linger. I feel like I just took a header into a concrete sidewalk. (Oh, wait... I DID!) It's taking longer to rebound than I expected. If I could just get rid of the headache and fog...

The orthopedic visit went o.k. -- The doctor wrapped my hand well and kept it in the cast the ER formed. He chose a fashionable ace bandage that matched the shirt I was wearing, which can be removed for showers as long as I keep in mind that I'm nursing a fracture. He kept three fingers free, which gives me a little more mobility with my right hand as long as I don't put any weight or pressure on it. Unfortunately, I'll spend 4 weeks in the splint/cast, which brings me right up to PMC weekend. Grumble, grumble...

YES... I WILL RIDE THE PMC. I will figure out a way to keep my training going and keep Will on track, too. It just might take a few days before my head clears and I can get a plan together.

Crash and Burn (Road Burn)

We had a terrific day for a ride yesterday. 10 Cyclopaths plus friend, Joe, joining us for the first time. Steve-Bob and Drew lead us up back roads from Larch Row through Beverly, Hamilton and Wenham to Ipswich. It was a fantastic route! In Ipswich, Ethan headed back for his Mhead Cycle gig while Jeff and Joe ventured on for more miles. The rest of the gang headed to breakfast at Stone Soup, delicious as always. (Arlene got a single pancake and sat next to me. See... my memory is coming back!)

THE CRASH... So, after breakfast, Arlene and Steve Bob continued up to Rowley while Drew, Gail, Will, Donna and I took the Mill Road route out of Ipswich through Wenham, with the group separating in Beverly. Near the Cummings Center, (I remember the fountain!), I motioned for Will to get between me and Donna... And then I remember my head slamming the pavement. Hard. I also remember an ambulance... and wondering where Steve Bob* came from (?)... and Donna giving me a hot blanket in the ER... Fortunately, Will filled me in on the rest... and Arlene* took pictures! (THAT just makes me smile.)

Except for the concussion, memory loss, bruises, pavement burn and a broken hand (!), it was a pretty awesome ride and a glorious summer day! LOL

*Apparently Steve-Bob and Arlene caught up to the crash scene while heading back from Rowley.