Another one down

[Bret SD]

On Friday around 5:00 p.m. I was on the way home and sitting at a traffic light getting ready to turn left. There was a sweeping left turn in a three-lane configuration, I was in the outside Lane and first in line at the traffic light. When the light turned green I hit the throttle and was banking into my turn when the rear tire hit a bump seemingly out of nowhere, the tire popped up and I began to slide.. At that point I figured okay, I can slide.. Then I believe the foot Peg mount caught on another bump and stopped the bike cold, my body slammed into the bike as both myself and the bike were launched into the air. I probably flew about 10 ft and landed on my right side. I found myself staring up at the sky and laying on the pavement, somebody came over to help and shortly after that a passing doctor showed up. I was trying to set up to try to get my bearings but could not, I felt immediate pain in the right scapula and my shoulder was numb. The doctor asked me questions about where I was, what was my date of birth Etc. He said to please lie still that the ambulance was on the way, they put a neck brace on me and threw me on the backboard getting me prepped for the ride to the hospital. They gave me Fentanyl in the ambulance and dilaudid while in the trauma room.
A scan showed that I had right side injuries, including a broken clavicle, broken scapula, four broken ribs and some trauma to the lung. During the process I also got a pavement massage on my face. Another injury was to my groin area, the adductors were smashed against the seat when the bike caught, tissues are very angry and it's extremely painful to move or try and walk.
I was admitted to the trauma unit Friday night and released on Sunday about 1:00 p.m.
Normally they don't release people with my injuries that quickly but after going through a gauntlet of several doctors and being questioned they deemed that I was physically strong enough to go home and recover. Everyday I'm getting better quickly, however I'm having difficulties at the same time. It took me literally 20 minutes to figure out how to get out of bed, I was finally able to roll over to my belly and wriggle my body to the edge of the bed where I could slide down onto my knees and get up from there.

The way I figure it, once I'm able to walk for some distance I'll be more than halfway recovered.

Ride safe everyone

[Valkorado]

Oh man I'm sorry to hear about your unplanned get off Bret.  Glad your posting about it, and on the road to recovery.  Prayers out for your continued healing.

[Bret SD]

Oh man I'm sorry to hear about your unplanned get off Bret.  Glad your posting about it, and on the road to recovery.  Prayers out for your continued healing.

Thank you Seth, I hesitated on posting but figure people ought to know. So far I'm healing quickly, though I know that progress made in recovery will not be linear.

[Jess from VA]

I'm very sorry to hear this Brett.  

Yeah, it could've been worse, but it was bad enough.

I think that your physical fitness is the reason you are home.

Best of luck with your recovery.  Laughing is probably a bad idea.

How's the bike?

Let us know if you need anything.  

[Willow]

Not good to hear you went through that.  Good to hear you're sort of on your feet.

Keep healing.  Give it the time it needs.

[Oss]

Sorry to hear this Bret, were you hard on the throttle as you hit that bump? Just curious.

Thankfully you are able to tell the tale and are on the mend

Was the bike fubared?

[Bret SD]

I'm very sorry to hear this Brett.   

Yeah, it could've been worse, but it was bad enough.

I think that your physical fitness is the reason you are home.

Best of luck with your recovery.  Laughing is probably a bad idea.

How's the bike?

Let us know if you need anything. 

Thanks Jess, I'm doing better by the hour. I'm able to do breathing exercises and can inflate about 80% so far, seems the ribs are one of the least painful. I do admit that laughing hurts like hell . They told me in the trauma unit that people with pelvic and scapular fractures seem to be the ones in the most pain.
Today I cooked my own breakfast and have been ambling about the house trying to look busy, the groin seems to be okay now but could scream at me later.

[Bret SD]

Not good to hear you went through that.  Good to hear you're sort of on your feet.

Keep healing.  Give it the time it needs.

Thanks Carl, it's been quite the adventure, I'll be updating here on progress made.

[f6john]

Sorry that you felt the hesitation about posting your own mishap. We are family after all! Fortunate for you that you have been taking care of your body as the years have gone by, I probably would not have faired as well in the same circumstances. Your descriptions of getting up models my experience some mornings depending on what I did the day before  :2funny You do have someone watching after you, right?

[Bret SD]

Sorry to hear this Bret, were you hard on the throttle as you hit that bump? Just curious.

Thankfully you are able to tell the tale and are on the mend

Was the bike fubared?

Thank you Evan, I do admit that I was twisting the wick a bit, though not excessively. In the past I have routinely leaned the bike in such situations and had no problems. If I'm being completely honest, I probably would not be injured if I had been easier on the throttle.
My guess is that the bike will likely be totaled by my insurance company, I'll be making some phone calls tomorrow when my physical and mental bandwidth improves.

[Chrisj CMA]

Hate it hate it. The healing process is slow but sure beats the alternative. Glad it wasn’t worse!!!

[98valk]

Bret, so sorry to hear this. heal quickly. God Bless.

[NewValker]

Hope you heal up in a timely manner and manage that pain.

Craig

[Bret SD]

Sorry that you felt the hesitation about posting your own mishap. We are family after all! Fortunate for you that you have been taking care of your body as the years have gone by, I probably would not have faired as well in the same circumstances. Your descriptions of getting up models my experience some mornings depending on what I did the day before  :2funny You do have someone watching after you, right?

Thank you John, yes I do have my pseudo wife here taking care of me . The reason I hesitated was because I didn't want to add to what seems to be and endless stream of bad news these days.
Man I hope you're joking about getting out of bed that way, I didn't think it was possible for me to grunt and groan that much, lol.

[Bret SD]

Hate it hate it. The healing process is slow but sure beats the alternative. Glad it wasn’t worse!!!

Thanks Jeff, I certainly am glad to be alive. If I hadn't been wearing the helmet I believe the right side of my skull would have been crushed in, judging by the scratches on the helmet.

[Bret SD]

Bret, so sorry to hear this. heal quickly. God Bless.

Thank you Cos, and God bless you too my friend.

[Bret SD]

Hope you heal up in a timely manner and manage that pain.

Craig

Thanks much Craig, healing seems to be going on pretty smoothly, the doctors have concocted a multi-level pain management plan that seems to be working well.

[Rams]

About the only thing I can say is, I'm sorry this happened and hope you recover soon.

I've been there and done that.   It's no fun.   Hopefully your fat lady is fixable, mine wasn't.

Get well and Oh BTW, don't do that again. 

Rams

[carolinarider09]

Wow....  I am glad you are home and on the path to recovery.   Wish you a speedy recovery. 

[Jess from VA]

The reason I hesitated was because I didn't want to add to what seems to be and endless stream of bad news these days.

Yeah, entirely too many with bike injuries this year. 

I dumped my bike this Spring (first fall and slide in the road since the 70s).  Slow, but still a little too fast, and leaned over, and took my eyes off the car ahead who decided to stop short.  Hard brakes and the lean had me down instantly.  My fault.  Bike scraped a guard, and I pinched a thumb and had a sore shoulder and hip where I bounced for a day.  Lucky is what I was.

My helmet got the worst injury, which is a good thing, though I really loved that helmet.  Paint was not not going to fix it. 

[Bret SD]

About the only thing I can say is, I'm sorry this happened and hope you recover soon.

I've been there and done that.   It's no fun.   Hopefully your fat lady is fixable, mine wasn't.

Get well and Oh BTW, don't do that again. 

Rams

Thanks Ron, (I think Bob was just ribbing me )
I'll find out more in the coming days, as of now I have no extra bandwidth to make calls. Future plans don't include more pavement surfing 

[Bret SD]

Wow....  I am glad you are home and on the path to recovery.   Wish you a speedy recovery. 

Thank you Bill, I shall do my best to recover quickly.. the hurt locker is no fun at all

[Bret SD]

The reason I hesitated was because I didn't want to add to what seems to be and endless stream of bad news these days.

Yeah, entirely too many with bike injuries this year. 

I dumped my bike this Spring (first fall and slide in the road since the 70s).  Slow, but still a little too fast, and leaned over, and took my eyes off the car ahead who decided to stop short.  Hard brakes and the lean had me down instantly.  My fault.  Bike scraped a guard, and I pinched a thumb and had a sore shoulder and hip where I bounced for a day.  Lucky is what I was.

My helmet got the worst injury, which is a good thing, though I really loved that helmet.  Paint was not not going to fix it. 

Man you may have dodged a bullet, it seems like the most innocent of situations can really jump up and bite us on the rear end.

Sorry your helmet took a beating, but... haha, you know the rest. My helmet was pretty beat up to begin with, now it has some real damage.

[bassman]

Sorry to hear this.  Wishing you a complete and speedy recovery.

[Jersey mike]

Hey Brett, man oh man, sorry to hear about this…what the heck is going on.

You’ve answered so many questions I had as I was reading through this so I’m not going to add on, I just hope the pain level keeps getting better and you heal up and get well real soon.

Hope things go smoothly with the insurance company, maybe she’s salvageable.

Stay positive and feel better. Don’t try too much too fast, start each day fresh and when you’re tired, achy and sore get some rest.

Best of wishes to ya 

[Skinhead]

Bad news, but glad you're OK.

[3fan4life]

Sorry to hear about your incident.

Glad that you're doing well enough to be the one posting about it.

[DIGGER]

Wow!.... those things happen in a blink of the eye.   Sorry man.    Take it easy while you recoup and dont over do it.  For best results do what the doctor orders.   Good luck with it.

[cookiedough]

if you hit a bump cornering and normal footpegs no reason your cycle woulda got hung up.  Is not your fault, but the darn road conditions.  Road construction all around me where I work is one of the reason I do not take cycle/scooter to work.  Just outside my work is torn up horribly all summer long.  I took my scooter 2nd day in a month ago and hit a HUGE near 8 inch pothole in middle of road with my front tire and  got lucky the darn near lost it.  Got home that night and wondered why my rear tire was wiggling like either flat or rear tire loose not on straight while cornering at low speeds.  YEP,  I must have drove home at least 10 miles on a slow leaking tire had a screw/nail in middle of near new tire.    It had like 10 psi in rear tire and I am cruising 60 mph on it probably at least 10 miles or so, if not more.  I touched the rear tire with my hand for 1 second and was almost hot enough to burn my hand.  Got lucky I guess made it home on a near flat tire.

do not blame yourself, was the darn poor road conditions.  NO reason why in 5 months road construction cannot be OVER with already all summer long.  Over half the time NO ONE is working on fixing the roads just barricades up all over and barrels.  DUMB..

[Ice]

Bret,

Very sorry to hear of you unfortunate rodeo ride, hope you heal fast.

[thedon]

Sorry to hear this. Sending prayers from Wisconsin for healing.

[f6john]

Sorry that you felt the hesitation about posting your own mishap. We are family after all! Fortunate for you that you have been taking care of your body as the years have gone by, I probably would not have faired as well in the same circumstances. Your descriptions of getting up models my experience some mornings depending on what I did the day before  :2funny You do have someone watching after you, right?

Thank you John, yes I do have my pseudo wife here taking care of me . The reason I hesitated was because I didn't want to add to what seems to be and endless stream of bad news these days.
Man I hope you're joking about getting out of bed that way, I didn't think it was possible for me to grunt and groan that much, lol.

Women sure do make great partners in life, at least most do! I feel obligated to warn you about getting too frisky during those sponge baths, we wouldn’t want you to have have a relapse in the healing process! 

[baldo]

Whoa, that SUCKS....

You're lucky there wasn't more speed involved, or being struck by oncoming traffic.

Take it slow, heal up and eat plenty of roughage...

There's lots of stuff to watch on TV lately......

[Valkorado]

There's lots of stuff to watch on TV lately......

Stuff like Gunsmoke and Bonanza!  Nostalgia of better days when America was brimming with promise and optimism.

[baldo]

There's lots of stuff to watch on TV lately......

Stuff like Gunsmoke and Bonanza!  Nostalgia of better days when America was brimming with promise and optimism.

Yeah, that too.

[old2soon]

       So WHAT with the groin smash new and fun adventures while urinating?  You Really oughta know the lay down club here ain't one you gotta join RIGHT?  I joined back in 16 and certain weather that left ankle lets me Know it Still ain't quite right!  Glad yer on the mend!  And as others have alluded to helmets only gotta work ONCE! And someone else already said it BUT DON'T DO DAT AGAIN! RIDE SAFE.

[f6gal]

Next time you fly through the air, wear a cape.   

[Savago]

@Bret: really sad about what happened, I hope you have a speedy recovery.

A bit too late, but an airbag vest could potentially be useful in the future:
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,101172.0.html

[Oss]

If you have seen me riding you know I have had hit-air jacket (in mesh with ce armor) for over 12 years now

Bought it after I broke a bunch of ribs on a 10mph oil spill near my home

It was under 600 (including 2 separate clips so I can use on the bmw and valk)
and
lets face it we dont bounce like we did as kids so broken ribs are almost a given in
any get off   I ride on some of the most dangerous roads in the country with trucks and
crazy drivers going to and from the Bronx

However it only works if I attach it, which most days I am lazy and forget

Knock on wood no spill in 10 yrs   The hit air inflates in .25 seconds

Figure I will be in the air longer than that if someone causes a tbone accident which is the most likely kind of crash around here  How much is that jacket?

[98valk]

I wear motoport.com jacket which has chest armor for the ribs.   my jackets and pants are their Ultra Cordura 1000  https://www.motoport.com/product/ultra-ii-cordura-jacket/

has picture of are % areas of body injured

https://www.motoport.com/motoport-an-evolution/
The study’s finding were alarming. It was revealed that the most serious injury to the body was the initial impact area. In 83.2% of cases, the initial impact was below the waist. The main initial impact was the knee/shin and full front-to-back thigh area. Over one third resulted in broken-bone injuries. Well over half of the victims (59.4%) suffered arm injuries. Other body regions that received frequent severe injuries were the shoulders, chest, and collar bone.

The chest area is a critical area of the body for protection. Broken ribs, punctures in the lung area can be fatal. Again, Motoport is the only company that has full chest armor standard in all the apparel.