I didn't wake up yesterday on August 4th expecting things to go the way they did. But, life happens and you just have to take whatever comes your way. I'm putting this post online today because I'm feeling really sad and right now things seem kind of hopeless. I bet that by the time I post this online, I'll have a better outlook on life.
My day started off really good yesterday. It was a beautiful morning here in south central Kansas. I knew by the early morning forecast that the temperatures would be in the low 70s by the time I rode so at 6:30 I headed out for my usual 10 mile ride. When I went past the Medical Center "time and temperature," it read 74 degrees. NOW THAT IS A BICYCLIST'S DREAM RIDE.
It was a lot of fun riding to the south on Main Street. I passed a lot of the usual people that I see every morning as I ride. It was interesting to notice that everybody seemed to be in a much better mood yesterday. Must've been those cooler temperatures that helped make people feel "human" again. Whatever it was, it was nice.
About halfway through my ride down Main, I saw my good friend, Mike Fazio, working on putting up banners on Main for the city. I yelled "hello" and kept on riding. Because the north breeze was pushing me I found it easy to keep a steady pace at 12 mph and it felt good.
Halfway through the ride, I decided it was time to come back home because some storm clouds were appearing in the northwest. As much as I miss the moisture, I still don't really want to take a bath in it on a bicycle. I came back on Main, stopping to visit with Mike about maybe riding bikes sometime in the future and then headed home.
For some strange reason, instead of turning on 14th for home, I went on to 17th Street. There is a family on 17th that has been working really hard all summer on making a patio/fenced in garden area by their house. All summer, I kept thinking that it would be good to stop and tell them someday how nice everything was looking. So when I went past their house and saw them there on the porch, I decided that today was the day.
There I was, a total stranger on a bicycle standing there talking to people I'd never met. But after five minutes of conversation, we were strangers no more. They really acted like they appreciated the fact that ANYONE would've noticed what they were doing, especially someone they didn't know. How many times have I blown opportunities, just like THAT one, to let someone know that I appreciated their hard work and effort in doing something?
I headed on home from there at a pretty steady pace. As I rounded the corner at 14th and Elm, I remember seeing by my odometer that I was close to ten miles for the trip. Without even thinking, I started riding faster. No special reason to do so, it just felt good. By the time I made it to my house, my speedometer read about 10 mph and that's when it happened.
As I got to the point where I turn into my driveway, I realized that I was late in making my turn. Rather than go ahead to the next driveway, for some asinine reason I decided to try to jump the curb! To my friends Craig, Dennis and LeRoy, I already know what you're thinking! LOL But I did it anyway.
I knew better, but at age 55, I guess you just have to chalk it up to being an old person. It didn't work out so good and the results were catastrophic for me. The picture below shows the indentation of my handlebars and mirror in the ground. It's a wonder that I wasn't hurt any worse.
During surgery yesterday, the doctor found that my entire radius was shattered. Bones were twisted around and a few even fell out to never be found again somehow. But he did the best he could under some very dire conditions, attached an external fixator on my arm and got everything relocated. For the next 4 weeks I'll have the pins and then another 4 after that with an actual cast. My wrist will never be the same possibly as this was nearly a worst-case scenario, but all-in-all, I got off pretty easily.
I have to admit that I broke two of the cardinal rules for bicycle riding yesterday. I wasn't wearing a helmet and I was going too fast for the conditions. I was a total idiot for not wearing my helmet and I know it. So to anyone reading this who rides a bike, please take my advice and always put your helmet on. I was blessed to not have any head injuries and for that, I give thanks. I will never ride my bike again without a helmet on. And on the issue of going too fast, hopefully I will never feel this need for speed again. It's fun to go fast on a bike, but only when it's safe to do so.
I want to thank everybody for their kind wishes to get better and prayers for recovery. I have more good friends and family than I can even imagine. I'll be spending the next few days reevaluating the remaining items on my bucket list and trying to decide which one to tackle one-armed. I have been blessed even in this accident and I know it. I can at least walk and laugh and do most things normally including writing and driving as I'm right-handed. Things could have been so much worse and I know it. I've been told that I chose the best possible limb for this to happen to, so what else could I ask for?
Me-- At the scene of the crime.
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