Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Home again

As a few of you may know, I feel off my bicycle a week ago yesterday and broke my left femur, the big bone in one's thigh. I'm typing slowly because I also dislocated my left middle finger. I'm glad to be home after eight days in Denver Health, a super good trauma hospital only a mile from our place.

I tire really easily at this point after some major surgery and trying to relearn how to do most everything. I'll write a series of posts about the crash and the subsequent EMT and ambulance experience, the ER, pre-op and hospital room, and my thoughts on getting hurt so badly in a single vehicle, bike path, not especially fast or demanding riding situation.

I didn't get run over. I didn't get hit by a bike path trainer-terrorist. I did it all myself.

This is no-doubt the worst injury I've sustained in a lifetime of moderate risk. My left leg is non-weight bearing for seven more weeks. I get around behind a walker or in a wheelchair.

Look for further posts as the energy and focus come to me. I had lots of visitors in the hospital and Tamar stayed in email contact with many of you. Thank you for thinking of me in what was most definitely my hour of need...

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maynard,

Ouch! Get well soon!

I have three friends who were injured in similar tumbles as yours - two falling after riding across a small patch of ice at slow speed and the other after striking a small stump on a bike trail - and it is hard to make sense of the severity of the resulting injury. Be gentle with yourself, these things happen.

Steve Courtright

Tom said...

Man, sorry to hear about your accident. Take care of yourself and recover right. Best wishes..

Khal said...

Get well soon, Maynard. And, thanks to Tamar and Will Handsfield for keeping us in the loop.

I've not yet broken a bone that big (I have the signature "cyclist's clavicle" and A/C separation), and can't imagine what you have been going through. Take it easy.

Pete LaVerghetta said...

Get well soon, and keep writing.

Anonymous said...

That's too bad. I've been reading your posts for a while and noticed you hadn't added any for a while. Hang in there...

Chris said...

Maynard,
Hadn't heard from you in a while, now I know why - hope you're on the mend. Keep your head up.

Chris

Unknown said...

Hi Maynard

The fatigue after such a major injury / surgery is huge. However, it will soon begin to improve and you'll shortly find yourself crutching to get coffee and trying to figure out how to carry the cup (with both crutches required to walk!). Sleep a lot and heal up -- hoping to see you on the road before too much longer.

Nick said...

Oh, bah, that's not good. Recover quickly - and completely please.

Anonymous said...

Wow.

I'm hopelessly addicted to your blog. For me it rivals coffee. I've been going through withdrawals and now I know the reason behind the absence of new posts.

We hope you heal quickly!! Rest up and take care.

Ben, Julia and Quinn

Peace Nique said...

Glad you are home and on the mend. The important part is to get yourself healthy again. We will look forward to hearing about your experiences when you are able.