Ducati Monster Forum

As some of you may already know, on a four-day group ride through Arkansas I crashed exiting a left hand corner.  Went wide and off into the gravel "shoulder" at roughly 45 mph; momentary loss of concentration thinking I'd already made the corner and was setting myself up for the next immediate bend.

I have an 11" rod, plates and screws in my left leg tibia (broken in three places).  Broken fibula.  Torn, completely demolished ACL on my left knee that will require reconstructive surgeries over the next several months.  Two compression fractures of the t5 and t6 vertebrae (no surgery necessary). Broken middle finger and index finger, left hand.  Concussion with brain bleed swelling so it's actually classified as a stroke.  

The crash happened on Sunday morning and I was in the hospital in Little Rock for three days.  Back home now recuperating.  Follow-up exam on the tibia in ten days.  I'm using a walker to get around, although 80% of the time I'm in a recliner with a pillow under my left leg, which really does suck.

I was wearing all of my gear - Dainese racing leathers, AGV Corsa helmet (destroyed); gauntlet racing gloves, and AlpineStars racing boots.  With the exception of the helmet, the rest of my gear is remarkably intact.  No real damage what so ever.  Unfortunately, as is common practice in an ER, my leathers were cut off.

Anyway, all of this to say All the Gear All the Time, crashing sucks, CareFlight rides are the bee's knees, there are not enough meds in the world for a smashed ACL, and hats off to the trauma team in Little Rock.

As far as the 999R is concerned, it will more than likely be totaled.  Most of the carbon fiber bodywork has been demolished.  The rest of the bike is relatively O.K. The claims adjuster comes on Monday so I'll know more about it then.

All of the above sucks, except two things.

First, you're alive to tell us.

Second, you mentioned no head injuries. I guess that destroyed AGV helmet did it's job.

I have a GP Tech that's shattered in the back, and I never even saw stars.

Hope you heal up completely, Lisa.

Dammit Lisa! Awful news. Heal quickly  [beer]
Arkansas does seem to get the best of us. I haven't been since 2008 or 2009. No crashes, but fastwin cut himself very badly on a license plate. Luckily we had CDC there to patch him up.

Holy cow Lisa!! I am glad you are ok enough to tell us about it. I hope you heal up quickly!!

Mark

Very sorry to hear. Glad your gear worked well to lessen the bad stuff. Heal up brave lady.

When I was recovering from a crash I did a lot of medium and long term planning I normally wouldnt have had time for.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it.  But what a long strange trip its been  [bang]  Meds seem to be able to cover 95% of the pain from the injuries so that's a plus. Started sleeping well last night.  Bruising is lessing as is the swelling (knee was the size of a football) but mobility is still a real PITA.  

Looks like my mandatory two week surgery follow-up will have to be with the attending physician in Little Rock since no doctor locally wants to be responsible for another doctor's work.  So, a five hour trip will be in my future sometime next week.  Not sure if they'll put a cast on the leg then or not - it's just been compression bandages so far, no cast.  

(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z234/n2f/blob.jpg.png) (http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z234/n2f/blob.jpg_1.png)

Once the broken leg has healed, the knee and ankle ligament damage can be operated on.  No time frame on that yet.  

At any rate, that was my last ride.  I've had three significant concussions over the last ten years and I really don't want to take any more chances so I'm looking for a new hobby - stamp collecting looks promising  [shot]  Of course, I'm open to suggestions…  ;D

Very sorry to hear that Cher. That's a real tough decision. Just discussed this with my wife and we are thinking of you.

I have found gym work to give a good rush similar to riding motorcycles. Lots of endorphine pump there. Dance like Latin or even Burlesque gives a good rush (or so one of my kids tell me). Gotta get your hit somewhere. Martial arts does too but I guess that's out.

You'll be like Barry Sheene going through airports. ;D

Good points.  I am/was a gym junkie.  I have a trainer who has worked with me now for two years.  She's awesome and I know she'll be the first one to push me through P.T. which I expect to be no fun at all  :-X  Just the way it goes.

I'm very glad to have heard your voice yesterday and most importantly there's a positive attitude in your voice.  I do hope the guys at Ortho will take you and your recovery will be swift.  My offer stands so let me know what I can do this week.  This is the first week I'm not flying....well, until Friday anyway.  I'll gladly be a delivery service for anything you need.

[thumbsup] Your history of training will mean that you will have a better recovery than those who havent. Take care.  :)

Sorry to hear of your mishap... :(  I camp up in NW Arkansas quite a bit, traveling up HWY 7 and the area around Jasper... motorcycle accidents are, unfortunately, almost commonplace up there.  Glad you came out in at least one piece!


Not necessarily.  I have a very bad back (among other things...) and I train in TaeKwon-Do.  A good instructor will allow you to work around physical limitations, and it can be another avenue to physical recovery.  TaeKwon-Do changed my life, swear to God.

 :(

Lisa--hoping for your speedy recovery!

Thanks everyone for the well wishes, I really appreciate it.

And just a breif update:  If you ever need a 999 crashed, just give it to me  [bang]  It will be toast, guaranteed. Progressive Insurance totaled the bike and wrote us a check for $11,775.00 this afternoon.  (Their cut-off for totaling the motorcycle was $7,700.00)

Here's the run down of the "big stuff":

$4,600 -  1 (one) Carbon fiber left-hand side bodywork
$2,800 -  Carbon fiber front fairing with windshield
$2,500 -  Bent swing arm
$2,300 -  Repair the original tank (not replace)

So you can see it doesn't take much to total a 999R.  It makes me so sad because it was an awesome  bike  :'(


Also I finally have my follow-up exam for the broken bones.  It will, unfortunately, be in Little Rock on Wednesday.  Once that's signed-off on,  I'll be talking with the folks at OrthoTexas for the ACL/ligament surgery.  Big fun!

get well and then get another 999

Looks like they drilled out your tibia marrow to put in the rod - no wonder you are on pain meds!  :o   [shot]

Bet you heal up well from being active your whole life [thumbsup]

Best wishes   :)

I just saw this -holy crap!

I hope you heal up 100%
Very sorry to see this.  


If you're looking for a new hobby:
Airplanes, guns, and motorcycles go together well.
you'll meet the same exact people at all three.

I bet you'd be a good F-class shooter!

Thanks, Rich.  Before Sam was born, Alan and I were regulars at the range.  We have a Glock, a Baretta, and a long barrel 22mm pistol.  It was a fun hobby but obviously not kid friendly so the guns have been put away for twenty years.

I also have experience now with compund bows and indoor target practtice.  There are competitive groups for all ages and skill levels.

Those two hobbies would certainly be interesting and fun enough to keep me interestd.  In fact, Alan was talking the other day about starting a collection of older, historic guns, so that is hobby we could do together.

Again, not necessarily... it all has to do with training, supervision, and responsibility...

This is my daughter busting caps at age 15, she's been shooting since she was 12.  TBH, she's not really a gun enthusiast, but along with her martial arts experiences, I rolled in firearms training.... all goodies in the kit bag, so to speak.

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/IMG_1336_zps1rs1pmua.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RustyRooter/media/IMG_1336_zps1rs1pmua.jpg.html)

so, good news from Doc?

No, not really.  This is shaping up to be exactly the same experience as my track day crash back in 2010 where I broke my right schaephoid and index metacarple; they want you to follow-up every week until the bones heel enough to put a cast on. Unfortunately for me,  I had the misfortune to crash out-of-state so my weekly follow-up trips involve a drive five hours each way in a big rental car to Little Rock so the doctor that did the reconstructive surgery on the tibia can properly monitor the leg's prgroess.

Yestersay's ten hour extravaganza didn't even warrant fresh x-rays. just a change of the dressings and a re-tape of the compression bandage.  Grand total of time with the Doc; less than 10 minutes. And there's still obviously way too much swelling and bruising to consider any other course of action, like a cast..

SOOOO this coming Tuesday Alan and I are already scheduled to spend another ten hours drivingin back and forth to Little Rock having the attnding physcian monitor my broken leg,  "Yep, still broken.  Let's wait another week or so and see what happens.  As you were."

On a side note I have 30 stitches -15 right above my ankle bone and fifteen one the inside of my kneecap.  Oddly enough they don't hurt, it's just the ligaments around my knee and inside of my ankle that are causing the aggravation.

ANYWAY, JUST STATING THE OBVIOUS… WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT CRASH.  BUT IF YOU DO, MAKE SURE IT'S SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO HOME, DEFINITELY NOT TEN HOURS OUT- OF-STATE.

 [beer]

Cool.  Great picture.  Something to think about.  Thanks.

Oh crap, so sorry to hear this.  If you need taxi service (locally) or anything let us know.  I will add to the don't crash part - crashing on pit bikes is much less traumatic physically.  Does pain remedy include  [shot]

Thanks!  Might be time for a pit bike… or a Big Wheel [laugh]  And, unfortunately, pain remedies in my case never end in Walker or Daniels… if only  :-X    Pretty sure my quality of life would be 1000% better.

Just don't stoop to a Harley... life can't be that bad.   ;D

 [laugh]  [laugh]  When my husband and I met 35 years ago, he rode a 1200 AMF Harley Davidson Sportster.  Yes, it was a total piece of @#&# but I sure did not mind riding on the back through the hill country surrounding Austin.  I din't ride at the time so it was all good.  

Anyway,  I've got no real issues with Harleys - in fact, our resident Harley rider Dax got me on a Wideglide about three years ago.  Not a bad ride, but it was a massive amount of work just to get it up off the kick stand.  Rode nice though once I was underway.  

Of course dressing like a pirate will be the challenge… If you've meet me, I'm more the equivalent of a pair of Birkenstocks than chaps with fringe  [laugh]  Sorry for the stereo type….  I'm going to blame the meds… of which there are many  [bang]

And just in the way of a brief update:

We FINALLY found an orthopedic surgeon locally who will do the required follow-up exams on my broken leg.  This means no more ten hour trips to Little Rock, woo-hoo!!!!!

My first appointment with the local surgeon is today at the UT Southwestern Campus in UTD - about ten minutes from my house.  Yeah!

 [thumbsup] [thumbsup] [thumbsup]

That is so much better. Glad to hear.

Last update on this mess for a while, I reckon; met with the UT Southwest orthopedic surgeon this afternoon.  All is going as planned.  Will require no further surgery.  I'll do all my physical therapy through their office twice a week.  Expected full recovery in three and a half months - mid-February or so.

Thanks for cheering me on these last few days - it really means a lot to me.  You guys rock  [thumbsup]

Glad you're getting some good news and local treatment  [thumbsup]

Yes, that is good to hear about you getting local help [thumbsup]

And no more surgeries too!

listen buddy.......... :-X

Cher smiled on her test ride and even admitted it wasn't bad at all.  I now have three converts on this board.  The pig serves it's own "unique" purpose.

I actually mean that in all humor...  I have 2 stories that go along with that comment, if you are bored someday I can share them with you over a beer...  [beer]

Mmmmm…. beer… I vaguely remember beer  :-\ 

Wouldn't it be weird if I came out of this healthier? 

Nah, get serious - what are the chances?!   [evil]

I know every 999 ever made is relieved by you being sidelined!  [laugh]

So when will you feel up to getting together and telling us the story in person?

Mark

Well, I am, shall we say, hyper-medicated at the moment but I bet in a couple of weeks I'll be able to talk intelligibly. I start my P.T. Dec 6th, so prolly somewhere along in there  [beer]

Great to hear about the local follow up.  December get together sounds good  [beer]

Thanks. It's a great situation   [thumbsup]

And a December get together sounds very do-able.  Everyday I get just a bit more mobility in my left knee and ankle.  I have a walker and a wheelchair so maybe Holy Grail mid-December would be workable.  I'm sure by then I'll capable to get out of the house!

oh not so quick my Cher........PT will require some Hydro before you go in for that ankle.  I know first hand and it aint fun but if I'm in town i can take you and bring you back should Alan be on the road....likely I will too.

Hmmm.  Hdydro, you say?  Great. But that would explain the relatively aggressive amount of time to be back functional.  

Of course the only thing I really care about is when I can use a stick shift again.  That's what really sucks.  Screw this bike thing, but cars?  DO NOT PISS ME OFF!   [evil]

I know....my sarcasm needs work.

little testy today are we?  Shit you got a much better "recovery" time line than I did.

Well, Tuesday at 10 starts the PT… yea.  Leg is a little tender, but the ankle is really flimsy. 

They'll figure it out I'm sure.

I'm too literal and stupid to read into sarcasm...   ;D

Stick shift cars - at least a little like riding a bike  ;D

My little GTI lets me pass those darn cagers too!  8)

You know what I'm talkin' about   [evil]

I miss my manual...   :'( :'( :'(  Ford dropped manuals for the F250/350's like GM did... I'll have to go to a Dodge if I want a stick.  [puke]

Dodge, don't you mean Plymouth?  [evil] :D

OK, talking trucks - we had a 1988 Chevy S-10 4x4 single cab with a manual.  We lived in Colorado at the time ('87 - '91).  That was a fun truck.  No motor to speak of but it could go anywhere.  Little mountain goat. 'Course you had to carry a dozen sacks of sand in the bed to get the whole thing to really work  [bang]

Good times  [laugh] 

It was very reliable because it was about as sophisticated as a brick so we kept it for a long time and I'm fairly certain it was one of the cheapest vehicles we've ever owned.

Sounds like my Ford/Mazda 4x4  ute.

It's funny... I was stationed at Fort Carson about the same time.  I was drooling over the S10... a stripped I-4 S-10 was $4000, a real bargain!  ...but, I knew I couldn't afford it, and I probably would have destroyed it in pretty short order trying to 4-wheel it.  As it was, I bought a used Honda XL250R and beat that to death, instead.

Oddly enough, I wound up buying a new '96 S-10... it was a fun little truck, but that gutless I-4 motor... 

The day I brought it home:

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/1996%20S10_zpslqit2ebu.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RustyRooter/media/1996%20S10_zpslqit2ebu.jpg.html)

I put a 10-speaker, 600w stereo in it... all stuffed inside that little cubicle... which is probably why my hearing isn't very good these days.

We had a 1979 F250 with a manual 4 speed.  We never used 1st gear unless we were crawling up a hill or mowing down the jungles of Venezuela.  I think we got 3-5 miles per gallon but the gas in Venezuela was 30 cents a gallon so we didn't give a shit.

Even my '99 V-10 had a pretty low 1st gear, I normally started in 2nd.  The diesels had 6-speeds in them (I think) with a true granny low.

When I drove big trucks, I would normally start out in 3rd or even sometimes 4th, unless the load called for it.  Then there were the times I would slip the clutch... starting in 5th, skip-shift to 9th and be done.   [laugh]

Alrighty then!  The bills for my Arkansas adventure keep comin' in and up until today my most favorite bill was for $4,000.00 which had just  *rented* the operating theater for my leg surgery (So, doin' the math: 4 hrs of surgery = $1,000.00/hr just for the space  [bang]  That doesn't include the surgeon, nurses, anesthesiologist, band aids or titanium).

But today we got the bill for 2 (two) Care Flight rides across the fine state of Arkansas (and yes, I could see out of the chopper and the state is fine…)   Would anyone like to guess what the cost for those two deals ran?

Let's just say I'm glad we've paid our insurance premiums all these years and we'd already met our medical deductible  [shot]



But for anyone keeping track at home, the answer to, What does two helicopter rides in Arkansas costs? is 36,000.00 USD.

 [shot]

I hope you got a first-class seat out of that, and not just a window seat.

Yiikes!!

 :o

Mark

dammit, I was gonna peg it at $20k per ride. 

^ What I had guessed also.

Well, just a quick update - it's been roughly sixteen weeks since my crash but I am happy to report that I've been able to walk without a cane now for about the last three weeks.  I have a bit of a limp but I'm working with a physical therapist two days a week and I'll be going back to the gym two days a week starting Monday. 

I can shift the clutch in my car now, yea!  (My left leg was broken so insult to injury there  [bang] )

The traumatic brain injury is still kind of a problem but I'll be going to a neurologist that specializes in rehab beginning mid March.

Overall, I'm very happy with my progress.  Thanks for all the well wishes.  I really appreciate it  [thumbsup]

 [clap]

Mark

Good to hear.