TH3_FRB cycling accident (Page 7)

I am really sorry to hear this news..... I hope your recovery is full and speedy.

Hey guys!  Finally..and update!  Joel's surgery was very successful!  They put a screw in his hip and that basically pulled the two separate parts back together.  They are keeping an eye on him tonight and will let me know tomorrow when he can come home.  He's in good spirits...just getting sore from laying on his back for so long.  He's already talking about maybe doing the NYC marathon at the end of the year...so he's got the right attitude.   You've all helped SOOOO much in the 'good attitude' department! 

Thank you to everyone who has responded.  As far as the insurance, etc goes... I'm not sure if our homeowners insurance will cover his bike...and I haven't figured out yet what the virginia insurance laws are with a hit and run.  Joel likes to research (anyone suprised??) so, he'll get that all figured out.  I think it's great what you are all doing for him. 

I'll be sure to give more updates tomorrow as they become available!

Katie

Wow - I am just checking in while being away.  This sucks!  My prayers are with you Joel.

Katie, as a fellow Norfolk resident please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.  I will also help you go after the bit~ch that hit him if you find her. 

Give Joel my best wishes for a speedy recovery! 

Katie, I'm very glad to hear the surgery went well.

I hope they used a titanium screw!

Now I have to ask a question though, is Joel going to use this as a lame excuse not to break 2:50 at the NYC Marathon? 

 Hope the weekend goes OK.

Jim

I'm a frequent reader but not as frequent a poster.  I always read Joel's posts because of his dedication.  So hearing about this happening to someone I feel I owe something to because I have learned from him makes this all seem more unfair.

 Best wishes and I really think there is truth in Joel's excellent fitness providing for a faster recovery.

That a relief, not that we didn't expect it.

See? he's already getting better.

That would be great!  Joel vs. Lance!

Glad the surgery went well and his spirts are up.  Maybe he can use the "downtime" to do some work/research on his coaching aspirations too.  Lemons into lemonade and all.

As a fellow Hampton Roads resident my thoughts and best wishes go out to you.  I will go out with Captntony and hunt down that lady if you want.

My money is on Joel beating lance in the Marathon. 

Glad to hear the surgery went well.  Given the tenacity you've shown for training, I'm sure you'll be back to new faster than anyone the Docs & Nurses have ever seen.  You wanna know the cool thing?  You've got people nationwide keeping you in their prayers and thinking of you when they train.  Get well soon!!

If I was in Joel's shoes I could just imagine yelling at the physical therapist to work me harder just so I could keep eating 3,000 calories a day. 

I haven't found aero-crutches yet, we may have to have those custom made.  I did find these, which might be the equivalent substitute of putting aero bars on a road bike. 

 http://www.crutches.net/

The detail in the partial description below is something Joel would appreciate.

 IMPROVES SPEED AND RANGE
Gait analysis studies show ambulation on conventional axillary crutches is customarily at 50% the speed of a slow walk. When SCBU 80% the speed of a slow walk is the norm. This is made possible by the increase in length of stride, overall smoothness of gait, and the use of only the larger muscles. The length of each stride is increased by two to three inches as a result of a six inch longer lever created by SCBU.

Joel, this is something I fear every time i ride a open course... I am soo sorry to see you season come to a early end. I was just looking at that pic of you with the Hoyts the other day thinking what a couple of studs! It just proves none of us are invincible.

I hope they catch the @****** that did it! People like that really me off!

Joel you will be in my prayers for a speedy recovery and that justice will be served!

Hi all-

I just got home from the hospital. I got hit Wed about 6:45pm and was stuck on a stretcher in the hall of the ER till about 2am when they finally found me a corner with a curtain to wait for an actual room (which I didn't get till noon the next day). The X-rays showed a fracture of my acetabulum (the "socket" part of the hip joint). A CAT scan showed that there were actuallt several fractures but the pieces hadn't moved and were more or less in perfect position to heal. The trick is to keep them from moving for 6+ weeks while the bone heals. The surgeon decided that we should try a screw or two to hold things together rather than peel away all of the musculature to repair it with plates...which would obviously be a much more serious operation and involve a lot more recovery/rehab. I got into surgery Thursday around 7pm and was out and waking up by 9pm. I was eating solid food and drinking within a hour and went through the night without using my pain button even once. I wasn't trying to impress anyone but it just didn't hurt very much. Honestly, the road rash hurts more than my hip does now. So they ended up making a single incision about an inch long and using one long screw (5" from front to back to hold everything in place. I spent most of today laying there waiting for the doc to come back around...I was ready to go home. Around 1pm I got my crutches and had my first practice session and worked a mini set of stairs (I live on the 3rd floor and we don't have an elevator). Doc finally showed up around 3pm and gave me the "okay" to go home. Good thing because I was about ready to grab my crutches and walk out the damn hospital regardless

Although I was riding my bike, this didn't really have anything to do with cars not respecting bikes.  This girl simply wasn't watching where she was going and didn't yield the right of way.  I was going straight through the intersection and she was on-coming traffic making a left so we both had green lights but it was my right of way.  As I entered the intersection I relaized that she was pulling through and looking out her passenger side.  If I had been driving my car she would have hit me just the same.  She was well into the intersection before her head turned in the direction she was driving.  I had enough time to yell once or twice, she turned her head just before impact, and then I was on the ground.  I never heard any tires squeel so I don't think she ever touched the brakes.  I slammed the blacktop and my first reaction was to jump up and shake it off but I couldn't get up.  I was probably in a bit of shock from the impact but within a few seconds I was taking inventory of my body.  I could feel my arms and legs, my head seemed fine, and I could understand the people talking to me.  Only problem was that my right side hurt...A LOT.  I couldn't move my leg because of the pain.  There just hapened to be an ambulance a few cars back at the same intersection so I had EMTs there in under a minute.  I always carry my ID and insurance card along with my cell phone so they got me taken care of quickly...on a back board and loaded into the ambulance.  I answered a few questions for the police and off we went to the ER.  The cop took my bike to my apartment for me and then came to the ER to ask some more questions.

Once we track down the b*tch that hit me she'll be needing a lawyer. At the very least I'll have some medical bills left over after my insurance and my bike will need some new parts if not complete replacement.  Maybe I'll get that Kuota sooner that I planned

I really appreciate all the support...it's amazing how many posts are on this thread in only 2 days.  You guys ROCK!

It's time to move on to the recovery:  Longest marathon recovery ever!