| Author | Message | ||
     Jaimec |
I had one FINAL insult to what has already been the worst year of my life. On Thursday, December 9th, as I was returning to my office after lunch I was hit by a truck! I was heading east on Mercedes Way after just making the turn from Rodeo Drive approaching my office’s west parking lot. Exiting the parking lot was a large Dodge pickup truck that came to a full stop at the end of the driveway. I proceeded past the truck and started to make my left turn into the parking lot when inexplicably the truck pulled straight out of the driveway and slammed into me. I couldn’t believe it. Three years since my last motorcycle accident and AGAIN I’m hit on my left leg! The pain was excruciating and I lay in the roadway screaming in pain. When my mind cleared I started testing out my leg and I had full range of motion without any pain so I THOUGHT maybe I’d gotten lucky. The bike itself looked like a total loss (I don’t know for sure, the insurance adjuster hasn’t had a chance to look at it yet). I stood up as our Security Guard (who witnessed the whole thing) came over to see how I was doing. The driver of the truck stepped out of his truck and the first thing I noticed was a patch over his right eye! The police showed up (Security had called them) and the police woman also called for an ambulance. By now I was up and walking around and I THOUGHT I was okay. The guard commented that he could see me coming up the road a MILE away thanks to my Hi-Viz neon yellow helmet and couldn’t believe the truck driver hadn’t seen me. That’s when the driver admitted to everyone in earshot that he never looked to his right before pulling out of the driveway! While I was answering the police woman’s questions, I started to feel my lower left leg swelling. As a former Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCoach and long time follower of motorcycle racing I was familiar with “Compartment Syndrome.” I had a bad feeling that was what was happening and sad to say, I wasn’t wrong. I had just finished signing the waiver to tell the EMTs that I wasn’t going to need a ride to the hospital. I called them over and asked if it was too late to change my mind since they were still there. They assured me it was not, so I said “Good, as soon as I’m done with the police, please get me to the hospital ASAP, as I think I might have a case of compartment syndrome where I got hit.” We pushed the bike off the road and the police woman informed me they’d be towing it to their impound yard. I read, and signed off on her report, then got into the ambulance for the ride down to the nearest hospital in Bay Shore, NY. Once we arrived in the trauma center and the personnel were informed of what happened, they started to explain to me what might be going on. That’s when I stopped them and told them if they were trying to explain “Compartment Syndrome” there is no need, that is PRECISELY why I came to the hospital in the first place. Now to back up a bit. There are parts of your body that are surrounded with a tissue called “fascia.” This tissue is flexible, but does NOT stretch. The areas surrounded by the fascia are called “compartments.” You can look up the specifics online if you like, but the limbs are comprised of these compartments of muscle, tendons, blood vessels, and nerves surrounded by fascia. “Compartment Syndrome” is caused when a deep tissue injury causes the body to start pumping fluid to assist in the healing of the area (normally when this occurs near the surface, the swelling is apparent as the skin IS elastic and will stretch). Unfortunately, in a deep tissue injury, the fascia prevents this swelling from happening, but the body will continue to pump fluid into the injury site. Eventually the pressure will build to the point that nerves get damaged, and the blood vessels can no longer flow blood into your extremities. If this isn’t treated quickly, you could end up losing the limb or (even worse) dying. The doctors used a VERY painful needle gauge to measure the pressure inside my leg and determined that was indeed what was happening. They got me prepared for surgery and I went in for a “fasciotomy.” This is a procedure where they actually cut open the fascia so the underlying tissue can swell. I was warned I was going to have two VERY long and ugly scars on my lower leg… but at least I’d HAVE the leg. The surgery was a success and I woke up to see my lower left leg completely encased in gauze and bandaging. It looked more than twice the size of my lower right leg. My first thought was that the extra girth was the bandaging but I’ve since learned that it was all the swelling that made it so big. In a couple of days it was time for them to replace the bandaging. They actually attempted to do this WITHOUT anesthesia! Remember when you were a kid, how painful it was to remove a bandaid that had stuck to your scab? Well imagine that scab was about a foot long and almost two inches wide! And you had TWO of them! They gave me dilaudid intravenously and it dulled the pain enough that they were able to proceed with minimal screaming on my part. This remains the most PAINFUL experience I can ever remember. The next day it was time to hook me up to a wound vac. I’d never heard of this thing but several of my friends were familiar with it. They pack the wound with a sterile foam and the vac sucks the air and liquid out. This supposedly speeds up the healing and creation of new, healthy tissue. Once again, they gave me the dilaudid, and removed the bandaging. The nurse who packed the wounds with the foam and taped it up was VERY gentle and I could barely feel what was happening. That is, until they turned on the wound vac. Once it sucked out all the air, it proceeded to JAM the foam deep into the wounds. Yes, it was ALMOST as painful as that experience of changing the bandaging the other day. Once the foam was all fully packed, the pain lessened until it was just a dull (but bearable) ache. After a couple of days the wound on the right side of my leg had closed up enough that they could remove the foam and suture it closed. This was done under general anesthesia (THANK GOD) and when I woke up in recovery the wound vac was only attached to the incision on the left side of the leg. Unfortunately, since that is the side that took the direct brunt of the impact, it was swollen much much worse than the right side. I was discharged a week and a day after I was admitted, still with the wound vac. A nurse shows up at the house every three days to change the packing around the wound. She gives me an hour “Head’s Up” before she arrives so I can pop a percoset before she arrives to dull the pain. Earlier this week I had a follow up appointment with the surgeon who removed the sutures from the right side and evaluated how the left side was healing. He’s satisfied with the progress but it looks like we’re talking about skin graft surgery to close it up; he thinks it’ll be MONTHS before the swelling goes down enough to suture it otherwise. Thanks to the pandemic, operating rooms for “elective surgeries” are in short supply so he was unable to give me a firm date. Most likely two or three weeks. In the mean time I’m to continue with at-home physical therapy and the nurse coming to change the dressing on my leg every few days. My cat is upset because he’d gotten used to sleeping with me, but I’ve had to lock him out of the room at night because I can’t risk him jumping up onto the bed and landing directly on my injured leg. I do miss his comforting purring at night though. At least he can keep me company during the day. I sure hope everyone else’s 2021 didn’t suck as badly as mine. My only wish is that 2022 doesn’t suck as bad as this past year. I’m beyond thinking of “Happy New Year.” | ||
| Wcbrracing |
Holy shit, you got rammed by a pirate! ARRRGGHHH! Definitely awesome that you knew what was going on and knew you needed attention and quick! Be thankful that it wasn’t worse, and that you are still alive to tell the story! Get better, it’s gotta be better one of these years! Hope it’s 2022! | ||
| Damnut |
As the old saying goes.......... it CAN'T get any worse! Hopefully you heal up well and next year is a much better one for you. Happy New Year my friend. -Jim | ||
| Ratbuell |
Good luck to you. I know very well how calf-lower-leg trauma goes. My compound fracture tib-fib in '08 still gets my attention all the time. Muscle wrap, Ti rod from knee to ankle, graft...much fun. But...I have my leg and even though it only hurts when I walk...it means I am walking. When mine was done, 95% of my graft did not take so I had to - daily - remove the bandage, clean all the medication and muck out, wipe it all clean (good thing there's no feeling there!), reapply medication, and re-bandage. Whisky helped. Even with no surface feeling, it wasn't the most favoritist activity. Approximately 15 square inches of uncovered muscle...yeah. Good times. Glad you're OK, and glad you got the care you needed! Hopefully '22 will be less of a dumpster fire for ALL of us!! | ||
| 86129squids |
Well... $hit on a shingle. Damn glad you came out of that OK... and YES, yesyesyes- let's ALL get into this New Year and flush this one! Be safe out there, friends. I'm riding more than ever, and around here... I keep seeing Fin new license plates from everyfrigginwhere. Not to mention the base carelessness of a LOT more a-hole drivers than ever! I hope to use my jon boat more in the new year... dunno if I'll ever stop rolling on the street though. Joe- I'm doing my best to work from your playbook, and go ATGATT. My Klim pants are more and more comfy nowadays, and I picked up a sweet new Sedici brain bucket. A new jacket will be next. A dual-sport is still on my radar... one of these days.  Heal well, Jaime. Get the kitteh some fresh catnip, and some new toys. And by all means, get yerself a good New 2022! | ||
| Jaimec |
I'll spare you all the hi-res detailed photos. This is what the left side of my leg looks like right now. The black foam is cut to the exact size of the opening behind it and that tube is connected to the wound vac which I get to carry around with me wherever I got:  This is the sutured wound on the right side of my leg with a measuring tape showing the length. The sutures are out now, but my leg is going to look like a football from now on...  | ||
| Jaimec |
Right? When I related that story to a friend of mine, she said "Why didn't his parrot warn him??" | ||
| 86129squids |
Craptastic. SO glad you are on the mend. It's like you went to the damn zoo and a whole troupe of baboons threw all their shizzniot atcha. Top it all off for 2021- Betty White and Bishop Desmond Tutu, gone. | ||
| Hootowl |
Jaime, Glad you pulled through, and had the presence of mind to know what was happening. Hope 2022 is better to you.  | ||
| 86129squids |
Danny Barnes and Thee Old Codgers. "Things I done Wrong"... just go get it. | ||
| Two_seasons |
Wow, can't imagine the pain, anger, you are experiencing. I'll pray for a full recovery Jaime. Let the day to day stuff happen as it will. Concentrate on your health. Make sure you are keeping your immune system healthy too! Steve VT | ||
| 86129squids |
Sage advice. Prayers also. I joke a lot... no joke man, let's get you a better year. Get healed, and when you are good to ride again, come see me! | ||
| Rick_a |
Well, to be fair, you are alive. Was this the perpetrator?  In my younger days my calf got wrapped between a dirt bike tire and the swingarm. It became a hard, solid mass that slowly turned normal. People who knew anything about medicine were amazed that I didn't stroke out or die of a blood clot. My last accident has me disfigured and in daily pain (class 3 shoulder separation). I think that recovery should go better. | ||
| Jaimec |
Nah, that guy has two working eyes. The guy who hit me did not. | ||
| 86129squids |
Dammit... I guess I should post this here... Jane got horny. WAIT for it... NSFW NOR any Badwebbers... nopers.   | ||
| Zac4mac |
Thank God your foot is still attached to your hip via tissue and pain. I just blew coffee and snot after the parrot line, hang on to your sense of humor… I’ll be praying for you regularly for a full recovery. I can’t imagine having to deal with what you seem to take in stride so well. Ironman!! Stay strong and kick the opiates ASAP. Z | ||
| Oldog |
GET WELL SOONEST!  | ||
| Jaimec |
I only take the percoset when the nurse is coming to change the dressing on my leg. Other than that, I don't touch it at all. I do pop a couple of Tylenols in the morning as when I first swing my legs from the bed to the floor and the blood rushes into my lower left leg the pain is EXCRUCIATING. Eventually it hits an "equilibrium" of sorts and it is just a dull discomfort for most of the day. | ||
| 86129squids |
Dammit man! M is still dealing with sporadic on/off/waning effects from the Fkkin shingles. I hate it 10,000%, not only for what she's feeling, but also for me NOT being able to tell when she's feeling it. A demonic disease. Plus, insult to injury, she can't get her 3rd Pfizer booster until at least March, April, until the shitingles goes dormant... otherwise it COULD come back!!! And then... YOUR dang turkey leg. Wow and wow. Here's me hoping, praying, plugging that we all have a MUCH healthier and happier New Year. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Yep. Jaime: "Ironman", Indeed. Kinda feel like sending you a package of kittens or sumthin'. | ||
| Jaimec |
Don't. Harry wouldn't take it well. | ||
| 86129squids |
Meowwwell. | ||
| Jaimec |
The nurse confirmed the wound on the right left side of my leg is shrinking. Probably the only time I'm ever going to be happy about a woman telling me about shrinkage. | ||
| Ourdee |
Slow down on the percosets when the nurse is coming. Check to see if she has facial hair. Get better! | ||
| Jaimec |
The nurse who comes to change the dressing on my leg has confirmed that the wound is steadily shrinking. It is actually a half centimeter smaller today than it was two days ago on Monday. On Monday she reported it had shrunk from the previous week as well (but I don't remember the exact amount). It's healing; just not fast enough for me. Still don't know when I might go in for the skin graft surgery though. Waiting for a call back from the hospital. I also heard from the insurance adjuster. From his preliminary inspection at the tow yard, he believes the bike MAY be repairable and NOT a total loss! That's GREAT because I really can't replace that bike properly. Zero now only sells the "S" model in the US with the smaller 7.2kWh battery (Europeans can get it with either that battery or the larger capacity 14.4kWh battery). Naturally the bike with the 7.2kWh battery is a LOT cheaper but it doesn't have anywhere NEAR the range I'd like. The only way to get a bike with the larger 14.4kWh battery is to get one of the newer, high-performance models which not only costs thousands more, but is also more expensive to insure. In order to confirm this, we need to have the bike towed to the closest servicing dealership. Sadly, Gold Coast (in New Hyde Park, NY) dropped Zero when the new owners took over so the next closest dealership is Filipacchi in downtown Manhattan. No worries about the tow, though... I have towing coverage from Progressive so they'll handle that themselves. Anyway, that's where we are now. I'll keep everyone posted! | ||
| Oldog |
 Probably the only time I'm ever going to be happy about a woman telling me about shrinkage. Thanks for the giggle ! It sounds like you are mending well! | ||
| Jaimec |
Been awhile since I've updated everyone. I had a skin graft surgery performed last Wednesday. They took a patch of skin off of my upper thigh to cover the gaping hole in my lower leg. The hole has shrunk quite a bit since the original fasciotomy, but not enough that it could be simply sutured closed. I was told the area where the skin was removed would feel like a case of road rash (which, unfortunately, I am familiar with). However, after the surgery the surgeon told me it was more like a second degree burn! I don't mind telling you, that part of my leg hurts like a SON OF A BITCH!! They kept me in the hospital and bedridden for three days using the wound vac to insure the skin graft took. Two days of walking around and then Sunday they removed the wound vac and just wrapped it with gauze. I was discharged yesterday. I was told I could resume my normal activities as soon as I felt comfortable although I should avoid lifting any heavy weights. I'll probably start out riding my lightweight Yamaha XMAX 300 before I feel brave enough to get on my 850 lbs K1200LT. But I do have ONE thing I need to wait for before either can happen... my left leg swelling has to shrink down enough that I can get my boot on over it! At least right now I don't have nearly as much gauze wrapped around the injury. I was told I'd probably have to keep it wrapped for at least two more weeks. Now that the warmer weather seems to be finally here, it's KILLING me... | ||
| Jaimec |
I forgot to mention: The insurance company decided my 2018 Zero was a total loss. I have a line on a very low-mileage 2021 SR whose owner has already equipped it with every accessory that I had. He's waiting on delivery of a 2022 Energica Ribelle before he wants to ship the bike to me. The SR has a shit-ton more power than I really need but just because it has it doesn't mean I have to use it. I just hope the insurance company doesn't decide to rape me with the premiums... | ||
| Tootal |
When I had heal surgery,after I shattered it, I found that 500mg of ibuprofen worked better than the oxy whatever did. I was glad to find that out! That oxy will plug you up big time!!  | ||
| Crusty |
When my ankle got crushed, I found the same thing. The Percs would put me out in space, but the ankle still hurt. 800 mg Ibuprofen left my mind pretty clear (as much as is normal), but it really dimmed the pain. And of course the Insurance company is going to rape you. That's what they do. | ||
| Jaimec |
Due to my reduced kidney function, the doctors want me to use Tylenol for pain (ibuprofen stresses the kidneys, acetaminophen stresses the liver). When the pain becomes intolerable, it's enough to take the edge off. |
