I wish I could say 2008 ended with a bang and not a snap.
But, good news is I can go home today, with my surgery scheduled for Jan. 8th.
Everyone have a Happy (and safe) New Years and the rest of 2009 as well.
P.S. the next couple of months are going to be filled with boring healing/recovery stories and not the traditional exciting biking adventures of Don-o, sorry...
Bad news...
I decided to test the CX trail early Sunday morning before my family would sit down to a nice meal and then we would open our Christmas gifts, possibly a movie, and then some beers and board games.
But, all of those plans were scraped by what happened in the first 1/2 mile of my "short" ride.
As I got to the trail I noticed lots of icy patches, so I was glad I had put on the studded front tire. After just a short distance I came to a very flat frozen chunk of snowmelt and I decided to head to the snowpack on the edge, when the bike went out from underneath me. I had enough time to stick my right foot out to try and catch me, when I hit something hard. My foot bent back toward my face and I heard a loud snap. Needless to say I hit the ice and when I looked down at my foot, it was pointed way too far to the right. Broken! Oh crap!
So I laid there for a few seconds trying to make sure I wasn't dreaming, but nope this was really happening. I knew I was going to start to feel the pain very shortly, so I decided I needed to get back to the warmth of the car (which I could see but was about 1/2 mile of trail to get back there).
I used my bike (as best I could) as a crutch, and slowly made my way back. At one point the bike slide out a bit and I had to step down on my right foot to retain my balance. The pain was terrible and I really thought I was going to faint. I could feel my face heat up as I went light-headed for a moment. As I got to more snowpack and less ice, I swung my right leg up over the main tube of the bike and used my left leg to "scoot" back to the car. I threw the bike in (standing on one foot), hoped in and started it up to stay warm.
This is were I called my wife to come and get me (yes, she was mad I didn't call right away), but how do you explain, "I'm on the ice sheet, just past the second big oak tree on the east side of the trail heading toward Douglas"?
Anyway, I waited for her to arrive and off we went to the ER. But not before I got the "I knew something like this was going to happen" speech. Jeeze, sounds like my mom.
The ER staff did a good job of getting my biking gear off (boots, socks, and bibs) without cutting them all up. I think the begging and the tears helped.
After a series of X-rays, a CT scan, and then more X-rays of my knee, they told me the news. "You have a high ankle break on your right leg" and "You really know how to break 'em".
You can see the Tibia break, but can you find the Fibula break? That is the one that the Orthopedic Surgeons are worried about, because it has moved into the range of motion for the ankle joint.
So after they put the soft cast on, I stayed overnight while they watched for something called "compartment syndrome". Nasty nerve and muscle damage if you get this stuff.
Today (Tuesday) I had my consult with the Orthopedic Surgeons and it looks like surgery for the small bone and natural healing for the bigger bone. But they need to wait a week or so for the swelling to go down. "That's what she said".
Anyway, my entire right foot is a pretty color of blue-purple and pumped up nicely.
So after about 6 weeks of no weight, I might be in a walking cast.
I'm asking them for a Look cleat to be installed in the bottom of the walking cast...
But, all of those plans were scraped by what happened in the first 1/2 mile of my "short" ride.
As I got to the trail I noticed lots of icy patches, so I was glad I had put on the studded front tire. After just a short distance I came to a very flat frozen chunk of snowmelt and I decided to head to the snowpack on the edge, when the bike went out from underneath me. I had enough time to stick my right foot out to try and catch me, when I hit something hard. My foot bent back toward my face and I heard a loud snap. Needless to say I hit the ice and when I looked down at my foot, it was pointed way too far to the right. Broken! Oh crap!
So I laid there for a few seconds trying to make sure I wasn't dreaming, but nope this was really happening. I knew I was going to start to feel the pain very shortly, so I decided I needed to get back to the warmth of the car (which I could see but was about 1/2 mile of trail to get back there).
I used my bike (as best I could) as a crutch, and slowly made my way back. At one point the bike slide out a bit and I had to step down on my right foot to retain my balance. The pain was terrible and I really thought I was going to faint. I could feel my face heat up as I went light-headed for a moment. As I got to more snowpack and less ice, I swung my right leg up over the main tube of the bike and used my left leg to "scoot" back to the car. I threw the bike in (standing on one foot), hoped in and started it up to stay warm.
This is were I called my wife to come and get me (yes, she was mad I didn't call right away), but how do you explain, "I'm on the ice sheet, just past the second big oak tree on the east side of the trail heading toward Douglas"?
Anyway, I waited for her to arrive and off we went to the ER. But not before I got the "I knew something like this was going to happen" speech. Jeeze, sounds like my mom.
The ER staff did a good job of getting my biking gear off (boots, socks, and bibs) without cutting them all up. I think the begging and the tears helped.
After a series of X-rays, a CT scan, and then more X-rays of my knee, they told me the news. "You have a high ankle break on your right leg" and "You really know how to break 'em".
You can see the Tibia break, but can you find the Fibula break? That is the one that the Orthopedic Surgeons are worried about, because it has moved into the range of motion for the ankle joint.
So after they put the soft cast on, I stayed overnight while they watched for something called "compartment syndrome". Nasty nerve and muscle damage if you get this stuff.
Today (Tuesday) I had my consult with the Orthopedic Surgeons and it looks like surgery for the small bone and natural healing for the bigger bone. But they need to wait a week or so for the swelling to go down. "That's what she said".
Anyway, my entire right foot is a pretty color of blue-purple and pumped up nicely.
So after about 6 weeks of no weight, I might be in a walking cast.
I'm asking them for a Look cleat to be installed in the bottom of the walking cast...
Sat. 12/6/08
Big Jeff and I headed out from the Condos for a snowy ride on the CX trail. There was only one set of snowmobile tracks, so nothing was packed down very well. This led to some tough going as we headed to Douglas. About half-way there we heard the familar voice of Big Jim yelling to us from the trail. So we waited up as he doubled back and caught us.
The three of us headed north (into a nice cool stiff wind) hitting sections of the CX trail and other sections of the paved trail. At Douglas, Jim found a pair of doggie booties and he mentioned that he had spotted a couple and their dog earlier up the trail. So he stuck them in his pocket and we headed north. And sure enough here were the skiiers and their dog and they were wondering where the pooch had shed the booties. They were very thankful as we continued north.
Up the trail further we encountered some vehicle tire tracks and thought it was kids goofing around, but as we went further it became clear that the person in the vehicle was cutting firewood. About this time, Jim got too near the edge of the trail and the blacktop edge took him down, unfortunately I was too close behind and when I tried to avoid him, I too went down (with my bike landing on Jim's head). After we brushed off and made sure the bikes were OK, we headed continued north.
We passed the woodcutter (yes, he was still out there). And at the end of the wooded section, we turned around. Jim's water was starting to freeze and mine was starting to show signs of slush. As we got back to Douglas, Jeff decided he needed a closer look at the snow. Jim did not run him over, though.
About this time, Jim headed back to his home and Jeff and I continued to the Condos and the nice warm cars.
What fun.
The three of us headed north (into a nice cool stiff wind) hitting sections of the CX trail and other sections of the paved trail. At Douglas, Jim found a pair of doggie booties and he mentioned that he had spotted a couple and their dog earlier up the trail. So he stuck them in his pocket and we headed north. And sure enough here were the skiiers and their dog and they were wondering where the pooch had shed the booties. They were very thankful as we continued north.
Up the trail further we encountered some vehicle tire tracks and thought it was kids goofing around, but as we went further it became clear that the person in the vehicle was cutting firewood. About this time, Jim got too near the edge of the trail and the blacktop edge took him down, unfortunately I was too close behind and when I tried to avoid him, I too went down (with my bike landing on Jim's head). After we brushed off and made sure the bikes were OK, we headed continued north.
We passed the woodcutter (yes, he was still out there). And at the end of the wooded section, we turned around. Jim's water was starting to freeze and mine was starting to show signs of slush. As we got back to Douglas, Jeff decided he needed a closer look at the snow. Jim did not run him over, though.
About this time, Jim headed back to his home and Jeff and I continued to the Condos and the nice warm cars.
What fun.
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