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Old 03-27-2013, 01:11 PM   #41
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Ouch, best wishes for her recovery.

OTOH good thing on the incidental find. Taking care of that should prvent further bigger problems.
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Old 03-27-2013, 01:22 PM   #42
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Al, I'm sorry to hear of Lena's accident. Scary. I can relate since a few years ago DW was snowmobiling in front of me and rounded a corner and when I rounded the same corner I saw her snowmobile was off the trail and had hit a tree and she laying on the ground and was initially not responsive either. Luckily, she had just knocked the wind out of herself. But I still remember the initial fear of seeing a loved one in trouble.

I'm glad to hear you are expecting a full recovery. Perhaps she'll feel differently about riding again once some time has passed.

Godspeed.
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Old 03-27-2013, 01:37 PM   #43
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I can only offer yet another good thought for your and Lena.
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Old 03-27-2013, 01:39 PM   #44
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Hello T-Al,
Just remember that the accident is behind you both, and Lena is on the healing path. I send pure positive energy and visions of robust health!
Hugs
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Old 03-27-2013, 01:55 PM   #45
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Many positive thoughts for a full recovery both physically and emotionally for Lena.
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Old 03-27-2013, 02:06 PM   #46
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Sorry Al. I hope Lena gets better quickly. It is sad to see you considering quitting a fun and healthy pass-time that you both seemed to enjoy a lot. Accidents occasionally happen, if not biking then walking or driving. The odds remain as unlikely that either of you will have a serious bike accident going forward as they were before but I can see how it wouldn't feel that way after experiencing such an event.
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Old 03-27-2013, 02:33 PM   #47
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Glad to hear she is getting better. Good that she had a helmet.
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Old 03-27-2013, 02:34 PM   #48
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Lena will be in my prayers tonight. Wishing her a full and complete recovery.
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Old 03-27-2013, 02:43 PM   #49
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I wish her a speedy recovery and hope you are also OK as this is hard on you too.
As a fellow rider, good thing for the helmet that did its job, don't want to even think about what would have happened otherwise...

Blessings that the cyst was discovered, kinda weird the way a tragic event brings about important discoveries.

An earlier suggestion about a tandem bike could prove helpful to you both.
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Old 03-27-2013, 03:37 PM   #50
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I'm sorry to hear of Lena's accident. I hope she makes a full and speedy recovery.

I've had a couple of serious bicycle accidents over the years, and one of them resulted in a concussion, unconsciousness, and amnesia. Neither accident involved another vehicle. I have no recollection of the accident which resulted in unconsciousness, but I was with a friend who saw what happened (a broken fender caused the accident). When I woke up on the road in a rural area, I couldn't retain any information, like Lena apparently. My friend said I asked over and over where I was and what happened. By the time I got to the hospital, I was able to remember I had already asked the question, but I couldn't remember the answer. I thought the whole thing was a bizarre dream until I woke up the next morning and recognized my surroundings from the evening before. In fact, I had amnesia covering a period of about 3 months prior to the accident. Everything beyond 3 months in the past, I could remember. But for the 3 months in the immediate past, nothing at all. From 24 to 48 hours after the accident, those long-term memories all gradually returned. That was a very odd experience.

After 48 hours in the hospital, I was released and my friend and I got a ride back to the site of the accident where our bikes were being stored in a farmhouse. I could remember riding on the same road up to a certain point perhaps a 5 or 10 minute bike ride from where the accident took place. The memory from that point on to when I woke up on the road will never return. I have read that that is normal for a concussion like mine. I suspect the same will be true for Lena.

In my case, I wasn't afraid to get back on my bike. Indeed, I had to get back on my bike because we were in the middle of nowhere when I had the accident. Most of my visible injuries were in my face. I had stitches in several places on my face and lots of bloody scabs. Over the next few days, maybe weeks, people stared at me everywhere I went. It all eventually healed remarkably well. To this day, anytime I perceive someone near me who is disfigured in some way, I avoid staring at them out of respect.
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Old 03-27-2013, 04:05 PM   #51
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I wish her a speedy recovery & wish you all the best too.

It doesn't take much to trip on the stairs or the curb or lose control of a bicycle (especially road bikes with their aggressive geometries).

If riding is something you both enjoy, I hope you'll get back in the saddle. But if not - so what! there are plenty of other pursuits to keep you happy & fit.
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Old 03-27-2013, 04:23 PM   #52
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Sorry to read this, Al. I do hope your wife feels better when you read these lines. Take care.
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Old 03-27-2013, 04:29 PM   #53
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Very sorry to hear this, Al. I completely understand why Lena is ready to give up biking altogether at this point, and also that her feelings may change over time. In the meantime, please tell her that healing thoughts and prayers are on their way to her from lots of good folks that she's never even met!
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Old 03-27-2013, 04:47 PM   #54
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Al,

I wish you (well Lena actually) the best for a full and rapid recovery.

FYI, my DW was involved in a similar bike accident about 20 years ago. Her symptoms were very similar to Lena's. She was unconscious for a short time. After she did regain consciousness she kept on asking the same questions every couple of minutes and she still has no memory of the time from the accident to about an hour after the accident. There was a lot of blood but I recall being most alarmed because of the questions and wondering if there could be a possibility of permanent brain injury. The good news is that she made a full recovery.

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Old 03-27-2013, 04:58 PM   #55
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Sorry to hear about the crash, hope for a full recovery. Blessings to both of you.
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Old 03-27-2013, 05:26 PM   #56
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Oh my! That was a serious crash.

I can understand why she doesn't think she wants to ride again but maybe after she heals and can be confident of her balance she will be willing to try again.

The fall could have been the result of mechanical failure, road conditions or something physical. Give this a couple months, at least, check out her bike and the slope where the accident occurred.
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Old 03-27-2013, 05:31 PM   #57
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All the best to her (and you) from a fellow cyclist and admirer of your adventures.

Although you don't know what caused her accident, I am an advocate for disc brakes with everyone I talk to. The extra stopping power can, and has, meant the difference between embarrassment and injury for me. Thankfully she was wearing her helmet and had you to take care of her. Kudos on your quick thinking, level head and quick response. You did well by your wife that day.
Again all our are thoughts & prayers are with Lena. Although we don't know details of crash cause, her helmet prob prevented more serious head injury. This incident should remind all cyclists to wear a proper & well-fitting helmet. I've busted a few helmets over the years & always was grateful it was the helmet that cracked rather than my head.
And I always keep my bikes in good repair. Whether road or MTB, IMHO key with bike braking is proper adjusment/maintenance, inc good wheels & good tires. I can lock my caliper brakes in a skid, so IMHO disc vs caliper is a preference issue (except off-road in wet/sloppy conditions).
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Old 03-27-2013, 05:35 PM   #58
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Dang Al, you must have felt sick seeing her down. Best wishes to you both, maybe Lena can spend some time crocheting some safety gear - thinking Pokemon cover to protect the helmet that protects the head. You two be good to each other.
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Old 03-27-2013, 06:35 PM   #59
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Thanks for all the good wishes. It's nice to see all the old familiar faces avatars and hear your voices see your screen names.

This track from my bicycle's GPS shows the sharp curve on which the accident happened (coming downhill from the top of the photo).

CrashSiteClose.jpg

she was on the ground just above where the map scale legend is. I'm sure she just didn't realize how sharp the curve was.

She is recovering freakishly fast. As long as she isn't in the process of sitting down or standing up, you wouldn't know that she has broken ribs.

I asked a nurse friend if she thought we'd go above the $5,900 deductible. She laughed and said "You are probably already over $200,000."

Yes, the cyst is an "incidentaloma." The doctor at Mercy recommended surgery (which sounds like a big deal and involves removal of the spleen), but it may be that we can opt to wait and observe it instead.

I also found that the doctor (Brusett) was involved in a big scandal that was famous here a few years ago:

Dr. Brusett's license revoked » Redding Record Searchlight

We will definitely be getting second opinions. Since we'll be above the deductible and coinsurance maximum, even the top specialists will be "free of charge."
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Old 03-27-2013, 06:41 PM   #60
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That is a truly scary experience. Best wishes to both you and Lena.
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