No Recollection....

[catseye]

While on a group Sunday ride through the countryside, going through a series of twisties, I'm told that I just drifted across the centerline into the ditch on the opposite side when the bike suddenly stopped, people say I sailed through the bars and head-planted like a lawn dart at about 30mph. The group said they knew I was alive because they could hear me gurgling..
I have vague recollections of someone saying "Stay with me, John, the ambulance is on the way." I also remember someone saying "Take his helmet off." and thinking "no, don't" I was told later it was me that said that...

I remember the ambulance ride and them cutting my brand new $200 jaket off of me.

I suffered a broken clavicle, 7 fractured ribs, collapsed lung, Bleeding on the brain, but worse was 3 compressed vertebrae. I was very close to being a Christopher Reeves.



Took almost 2 months to get out of the hospital, I had to start from learning to tap my foot. PT was awful, but let's say I am a fan of ATGATT...my helmet did it's job, and the jacket was a mess.

I am back riding again, but the family is on record with their position that if this ever happens again, expect no sympathy whatsoever. I have no idea whether I made an error in steering and tried to "ride it out" or if I experienced a mini-stroke (I've had 1 prior and 1 since). I try to limit my exposure by riding infrequently (relatively speaking), but I am just not ready to hang it up. I also found riding as a great short term motivation to get better.

[dcj13]

Holy crap! Glad to hear you can walk and function after that, let alone ride.

You have much to be thankful for: Happy Thanksgiving!

Does the hardware in your neck affect your ability to swallow or talk?

[csmith12]

Oh damn!!!! Glad your still with us. I have heard that from family before, it normally doesn't hold water. But best of luck to you and hope you fully recover.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by catseye

While on a group Sunday ride through the countryside, going through a series of twisties, I'm told that I just drifted across the centerline into the ditch on the opposite side when the bike suddenly stopped, people say I sailed through the bars and head-planted like a lawn dart at about 30mph............

That was a terrible accident !!!

Were you riding the new Ninjette or the bigger bike?

How much riding experience you have?

[flitecontrol]

Glad you are here with us. You may want to reevaluate operating motor vehicles as long as you are having mini-strokes. The life you save may not be just your own.

[catseye]

Originally Posted by flitecontrol

...You may want to reevaluate operating motor vehicles as long as you are having mini-strokes. The life you save may not be just your own.

I agree, and am always conscious of how my actions may affect others. I have been cleared to continue normal activities. I have decades of riding experience...

This is what I was riding at the time:


loved that bike....

Originally Posted by dcj13

.......
You have much to be thankful for: Happy Thanksgiving!

Does the hardware in your neck affect your ability to swallow or talk?

man, don't I know it! I'm EXTREMELY grateful. I sometimes get flashbacks when there are hospital sounds on TV and I will smell the smells of a hospital. I really feel for people w/ PTSD, it must be horrible...

[cbinker]

so did you just pass out on the bike before the crash? its odd that you would just drift across the centerline into the opposite ditch.

[snot]

I am glad you have recovered, thank you for sharing your story.

What brand gear did you have on?

[akima]

@catseye - That's incredible. What a horrible thing to go through. I'm glad you're alive to tell us your tale. It's nice to hear you're still riding after that.

Also: your CB750 looked beautiful! Sorry to hear that's gone. Did you have the front fairing put on after market or do they come like that?

It's a real shame you don't know what caused the accident. If it was a stroke, then maybe a few years down the line you can get a 2017 BMW 1000RR with full auto-pilot to steer you to safety if it was to happen again

[Racer x]

Glad you made it through that. Damn that is awful.

[greenaero]

@catseye, very sorry this happened to you but I'm glad you survived and are recovering.

[catseye]

Originally Posted by snot

I am glad you have recovered, thank you for sharing your story.

What brand gear did you have on?

seven-zero-seven helmet, tourmaster mesh jacket

Originally Posted by akima

@catseye - That's incredible. What a horrible thing to go through. I'm glad you're alive to tell us your tale. It's nice to hear you're still riding after that.

Also: your CB750 looked beautiful! Sorry to hear that's gone. Did you have the front fairing put on after market or do they come like that?

It's a real shame you don't know what caused the accident. If it was a stroke, then maybe a few years down the line you can get a 2017 BMW 1000RR with full auto-pilot to steer you to safety if it was to happen again

fairing was aftermarket, nothing special. I lost the Nighthawk, but was able to replace it with the KZ900, so I'm okay with that...

[subxero]

glad it wasn't worse, wish you all the best with your recovery

[LittleRedNinjette]

Sorry to hear this.

Happy to hear you're recovering though.

[alex.s]

count yourself as one of the luckiest mother ****ers on the planet. and remember without modern medicine you would be dead right now. thank your doctors. send them flowers and cookies.

[catseye]

Originally Posted by cbinker

so did you just pass out on the bike before the crash? its odd that you would just drift across the centerline into the opposite ditch.

Very odd indeed. It may have been that I just lost the memory of what happened, and that I actually got in trouble and either let off the trottle, straightened up, or whatever, but the folks behind me did not indicate any sign of that. I'll never know, and that bugs the **** out of me.

Originally Posted by alex.s

count yourself as one of the luckiest mother ****ers on the planet. and remember without modern medicine you would be dead right now. thank your doctors. send them flowers and cookies.

without a doubt, I am fortunate. Unlucky to have whacked the melon, but it could have been worse...

[FrugalNinja250]

The process to convert short term memories to long-term memories involves the hippocampus and these two little doohickies called amygdala. It's not uncommon in head injuries for the process to be disrupted and thus create a form of amnesia. It's not that you can't remember that period of time, it's that the memories of that time never got made permanent. You'd likely remember up to around ~7 minutes before the head impact, then wouldn't start remembering well until a while after it, after things got settled down in there. Some forms of anesthesia cause the same thing, and it's indeed very freaky.

[Ninjinsky]

Mini strokes as far as I am aware,let you know they are coming there is kind of wierdness and drooping one sided numbness.
( I know you wont like this, but..)You might want to discuss the possibility of an epileptic seizure with your physician. The petite mal absence seizure fits the bill
http://www.webmd.boots.com/a-to-z-gu...izure-symptoms
If this sounds right you need to know and get it under control with a few lifestyle changes.
(Web doctors are obsessed with children but these things affect adults also )

[catseye]

Originally Posted by Ninjinsky

Mini strokes as far as I am aware,let you know they are coming there is kind of wierdness and drooping one sided numbness.
( I know you wont like this, but..)You might want to discuss the possibility of an epileptic seizure with your physician. The petite mal absence seizure fits the bill
http://www.webmd.boots.com/a-to-z-gu...izure-symptoms
If this sounds right you need to know and get it under control with a few lifestyle changes.
(Web doctors are obsessed with children but these things affect adults also )

I didn't expect this discussion to turn this direction, but what actually happened about 3 years ago I had a TIA. The wreck was 2 years ago, then about 6 months ago, I had the stroke, which manifested itself in that I was only unable to speak, or to form words. My daughter was driving, (a neuropsych major) and knew what was happening) and we were about a mile from the emergency room. I've made a nearly complete recovery.
There is actually a third factor that could play into this:
I may have had an Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo episode. I did have that arise after the wreck, and it is possible that I had that prior to the wreck, however it is most likely having been a result of the shot to the noggin.....
I will research your idea and see if it could fit. I am familiar with petite mal, one of my daughters had them on occasion, she has Trisomy 18 (another story).....

[JohnnyBravo]

You have a whale of a story to tell glad your still around an kickin

[ally99]

As a rider who is healing from a recent compression fracture of ONE of my vertebrae, I can relate somewhat. I can't imagine your pain! I'm so glad you've come out of it and are still walking. I like to think I'll always ride no matter what, and I feel strongly that I will, but putting myself in your shoes, that might be Ally's "pussy out" line. Props to you for getting back on the horse.

[catseye]

Originally Posted by ally99

.... Props to you for getting back on the horse.

well, I'll take the props, but I'm not sure that's what's really due.....

[crazymadbastard]

you got some kind of luck dude!
Be safe out there!

[catseye]

Originally Posted by crazymadbastard

you got some kind of luck dude!
Be safe out there!

Thanks, and I will do my very best.

[Old_Six_Fitty]

Every rider has to come to terms with the risks of riding and its clearly not for everyone. No sin in getting off the bike, and giving up a thing of joy is not to be taken lightly.

Over the past few years I've thinned the heard and down to just two bikes (hey ... its a disease, okay). I ride much less than I used to, before the metal hip replacement and plate along the clavicle.

I may have to settle for a ninjette and a trail 90, but I hope to live to be an old man, and still get in the occasional biking fix.

Live long and live well!

[nickjpass]

Heal up man.

[catseye]

Originally Posted by Old_Six_Fitty

Every rider has to come to terms with the risks of riding and its clearly not for everyone. No sin in getting off the bike, and giving up a thing of joy is not to be taken lightly.

Over the past few years I've thinned the heard and down to just two bikes (hey ... its a disease, okay). I ride much less than I used to, before the metal hip replacement and plate along the clavicle.

I may have to settle for a ninjette and a trail 90, but I hope to live to be an old man, and still get in the occasional biking fix.

Live long and live well!

I feel the same way. I am still playing with wrenches, but I'm probably more in the "on occasion" mindset. I think I'm going to try to keep the KZ as a toy, and cut and chop on the ninjette to get my fill of grinding hipsterness. My problem is that I see these bikes on CL (Just came across a KZ 650 w/low miles, original and running, for $500!! It would be STUPID not to buy that!

Anyway, yes, I feel the need to slow down an take a step back. I have also become reminded that being killed on a bike is NOT the worst thing that could happen to me. There are things more horrific than that.