Sometimes even all the gear isn't quite enough: Difference between revisions

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I took a cab to the local ER to get the finger looked at. The doctor wasn't too concerned, and neither was I. This was my third experience with finger injuries; I'd dislocated the same finger and also the left thumb before. It was actually broken this time. Make an appointment with your local hospital, he said, and I went on my way. Just another minor accident.

~~It wasn't until after~~ I got home ~~that~~ I figured out that the finger ~~was the least of my worries~~. ~~When I got back to the house~~ I felt my left ear plug up, and I tried to hold my nose and blow it out. Excruciating pain went all through the front half of my head. My wife and I decided that a trip to the hospital about 20 blocks away would be a good idea.

After I got home I figured out that there was more going on than just the finger. I felt my left ear plug up, and I tried to hold my nose and blow it out. Excruciating pain went all through the front half of my head. My wife and I decided that a trip to the hospital about 20 blocks away would be a good idea.

The CT scan showed a hematoma, or what is basically a bruise, on my brain~~, and the~~ swelling in my face showed that, although it had quit bleeding almost as soon as it started, the blood had to go somewhere. Again, the doctor wasn't that worried. The scan looked fine, but they kept me in a hospital room for two days to monitor me. Hospitals are never fun.

The CT scan showed a hematoma, or what is basically a bruise, on my brain. The swelling on my face showed that, although it had quit bleeding almost as soon as it started, the blood had to go somewhere. Again, the doctor wasn't that worried. The scan looked fine, but they kept me in a hospital room for two days to monitor me. Hospitals are never fun.

So, how did the wreck happen? I don't know. The bike landed left front first, and, being a scooter, received very little damage, just a few scrapes and a broken left (rear) brake lever. I'm pretty sure I somehow lost the front. I'm also pretty sure I landed on my head and left hand. I can't say anything beyond that.

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*Might still be in the hospital.

*Wouldn't have 1/2 my face.

*Would have had some abrasions. My only bleeding was internal.

It was a bit of an emotional time. That's the hardest part to deal with; at one point I was even contemplating selling the bikes because my life was finally going well, and I didn't want to screw it up. But not being on a motorcycle would take away a large piece of why life ~~was~~ good in the first place.

It was a bit of an emotional time. That was the hardest part to deal with; at one point I was even contemplating selling the bikes because my life was finally going well and I didn't want to screw it up. But not being on a motorcycle would take away a large piece of why life is good in the first place.

The point of all this? Yes, it can happen to you. Yes, you should be prepared. Yes, you should buy the best gear you can afford. Yes, motorcycling is dangerous.

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 I took a cab to the local ER to get the finger looked at. The doctor wasn't too concerned, and neither was I. This was my third experience with finger injuries; I'd dislocated the same finger and also the left thumb before. It was actually broken this time. Make an appointment with your local hospital, he said, and I went on my way. Just another minor accident.
-It wasn't until after I got home that I figured out that the finger was the least of my worries. When I got back to the house I felt my left ear plug up, and I tried to hold my nose and blow it out. Excruciating pain went all through the front half of my head. My wife and I decided that a trip to the hospital about 20 blocks away would be a good idea.
+After I got home I figured out that there was more going on than just the finger. I felt my left ear plug up, and I tried to hold my nose and blow it out. Excruciating pain went all through the front half of my head. My wife and I decided that a trip to the hospital about 20 blocks away would be a good idea.
-The CT scan showed a hematoma, or what is basically a bruise, on my brain, and the swelling in my face showed that, although it had quit bleeding almost as soon as it started, the blood had to go somewhere. Again, the doctor wasn't that worried. The scan looked fine, but they kept me in a hospital room for two days to monitor me. Hospitals are never fun.
+The CT scan showed a hematoma, or what is basically a bruise, on my brain. The swelling on my face showed that, although it had quit bleeding almost as soon as it started, the blood had to go somewhere. Again, the doctor wasn't that worried. The scan looked fine, but they kept me in a hospital room for two days to monitor me. Hospitals are never fun.
 So, how did the wreck happen? I don't know. The bike landed left front first, and, being a scooter, received very little damage, just a few scrapes and a broken left (rear) brake lever. I'm pretty sure I somehow lost the front. I'm also pretty sure I landed on my head and left hand. I can't say anything beyond that.
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 *Might still be in the hospital.
 *Wouldn't have 1/2 my face.
 *Would have had some abrasions. My only bleeding was internal.
-It was a bit of an emotional time. That's the hardest part to deal with; at one point I was even contemplating selling the bikes because my life was finally going well, and I didn't want to screw it up. But not being on a motorcycle would take away a large piece of why life was good in the first place.
+It was a bit of an emotional time. That was the hardest part to deal with; at one point I was even contemplating selling the bikes because my life was finally going well and I didn't want to screw it up. But not being on a motorcycle would take away a large piece of why life is good in the first place.
 The point of all this? Yes, it can happen to you. Yes, you should be prepared. Yes, you should buy the best gear you can afford. Yes, motorcycling is dangerous.