Ouch (possible NSFW pictures of my rear to follow)

[defblade]

More nice work there! Remember - bones heal (eventually) and chicks dig scars... so you'll be fighting them off with the poo-y pole

[Dibble]

defblade said:

More nice work there! Remember - bones heal (eventually) and chicks dig scars... so you'll be fighting them off with the poo-y pole

Partially right... my femur just wasn’t healing at all, because of the amount of damage, traumatic nature of the mechanism of injury and infection. It should (fingers crossed) eventually be all good with this latest round of surgeries.

Luckily, I’ve got a belting GF anyway. She has been an absolute superstar through all of this - and continues to be. I’d really be on my arse without her. I would have probably lost my dog, struggled to get moved out of my house, into my flat and to/from loads of hospital appointments.

[Tango13]

Dibble said:

Cheers for the well wishes.

Not a clue about where I got the damage, whether it was hitting the car, my bike or the road. I hit the car with my front wheel, between the car’s rear number plate and the indicator (guesstimate) and not quite at a right angle. I was braking and trying to steer to the left. So I was pointing slightly left, which is why the majority of the damage was to my right hand side. I think my badly bruised and swollen knackers came from hitting the tank just before I came off... fortunately, there are no photos of them!

I’m not sure whether or not I rolled, but I do know the front/right hand side of me hit the back of the car fairly upright. When I came to rest, I was lying on my back/left hand side, in the outside lane with my feet pointing down the carriageway, roughly parallel to the white lines between the two lanes. My feet were furthest forward, my head furthest back.

Had my 50 plus clips out today and the “pin sites” redressed - that’s where the metal pins go through my skin/muscle. All good, no infection still. It’s nice to get the dressing off the incision and get some air to it. Unfortunately, I’ve got to have the whole clip removal thing done again after the next two surgeries. It doesn’t hurt as such, some needed a bit of a “tug” to get out, but it’s no worse than being stung by an ant.

Try having a subcuticular suture or two removed from a foot long incision Jesus H titty fking Christ in a sidecar was it painful, the first one was bad but I knew what was coming for the second one which made it even worse.

A few clips? Pfft I had a load removed from an injury when I was 7 FFS!!


Ps,

I got to keep my metal work

[Biker's Nemesis]

Tango13 said:

Try having a subcuticular suture or two removed from a foot long incision Jesus H titty fking Christ in a sidecar was it painful, the first one was bad but I knew what was coming for the second one which made it even worse.

A few clips? Pfft I had a load removed from an injury when I was 7 FFS!!


Ps,

I got to keep my metal work

Was that a splint for your willy?

[Gavia]

Dibble said:

Everything surgical has been on the NHS. I’ve had some “private” physio sort of through work - I pay in monthly to what are known as the Police Treatment Centres and you can get a couple of weeks physio there (if you Google Police Treatment Centres, you can see what they offer, but they’re very good). I’ve paid in over 20 years, so about time I used them really! I was due back for another fortnight because of the severity of the injury, but the setback meant that’s all on hold. Once the rail eventually comes off, some time after the end of August (I think) I’ll be back for at least another two weeks, probably followed by a further two weeks after another month or two. The PTCs have qualified physios and gym staff, gyms, hydro pool, swimming pool, lots of specific classes (arm, leg, shoulder) as well as circuits, spinning, Pilates. The centres are registered charities and of course, a lot of Police officers pay in monthly as well.

Insurance wise, I’ve been paid on on my bike policy as I was fully comp. my personal injury claim is ongoing but is nowhere near being setttled yet, as I’m still not recovered. I’ve no idea what (if any) settlement I get and there’s honestly no point worrying about it at this stage. My main aim is to get better, get back to walking, then build my fitness, get a bike and get back to work ASAP. Once I can weight bear, I’ll be able to drive, even with the fixator still attached. That will be a huge help to me and I’ll also be able to walk my dog - good for me and for him.

It took a long time to get a referral to the limb reconstruction specialists and really, looking back, I should have pushed for this much harder and much earlier on, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. I’ve lost a few months I guess, but I can’t ever get that time back, so I’m just having to be as philosophical/pragmatic about that as I can. I’m feeling more positive now that things are finally moving in the right direction. I’m still a long way from fixed, but at least stuff is finally happening.

The only other downside is from May I’ll be on half pay. I’ve got cover, which takes me back up to about 90% and I’m spending a lot less on buying lunch at work/fuel, so I shouldn’t really be any worse off and it will hopefully only be for a couple or three months. I’m appealing the half pay decision, but will just have to,wait and see on that score. I’ve also asked about the possibility of doing some working from home, but again, having to wait and see about that.

Oh, and here’s my new wheels. Very liberating being able to get food and drink from the kitchen to the dining table!

Just picking up on the half pay / insurance situation. Have the other side accepted liability? If so your solicitor should be pressing them for an interim payment to cover the loss of income for the next n months, somthat you’re not placed in financial hardship. It’s not down to you to appeal work decisions when the accident wasn’t your fault.

[defblade]

Dibble said:

Luckily, I’ve got a belting GF anyway. She has been an absolute superstar through all of this - and continues to be. I’d really be on my arse without her. I would have probably lost my dog, struggled to get moved out of my house, into my flat and to/from loads of hospital appointments.

Absolutely! My lovely better half was a star when I got knocked off and broke my wrist, a little over 3 years ago... and I've not been back on a bike since, and won't be until our daughter learns to drive and can run herself around. Mine was only a little accident and small injury, but the hassle it caused and the effort my wife put in doing all the running after daughter and me because of it was just too much to justify more riding.


(Daughter is 17 in just over 6 months, bike gear is in vacuum bags in the attic ).

[Iang84]

defblade said:

bike gear is in vacuum bags in the attic ).

Hopefully it hasn't shrunk when you do pull it back out

[Dibble]

Gavia said:

Just picking up on the half pay / insurance situation. Have the other side accepted liability? If so your solicitor should be pressing them for an interim payment to cover the loss of income for the next n months, somthat you’re not placed in financial hardship. It’s not down to you to appeal work decisions when the accident wasn’t your fault.

The personal injury side of things is ongoing. I’ve lost sight of the insurance side of things really, as I’ve been concentrating on everything else. But I will chase up my solicitor, so thanks for the reminder.

The half pay thing is automatic after 6 months. I don’t think the decision will be overturned, but it definitely won’t if I don’t appeal it, so I’ve nothing to lose by appealing. Putting in the appeal that it wasn’t my fault can only help as well, I guess.

If all continues to go to plan, I should be back after a couple more months anyway. I’ve got insurance to cover me up to about 90% and as I’m not spending a fiver a day on meals, I’ve cut right back on the booze, I should probably just about break even!

[Dibble]

Tango13 said:

Try having a subcuticular suture or two removed from a foot long incision Jesus H titty fking Christ in a sidecar was it painful, the first one was bad but I knew what was coming for the second one which made it even worse.

A few clips? Pfft I had a load removed from an injury when I was 7 FFS!!


Ps,

I got to keep my metal work

That sounds much more painful! I’m glad I only had to have the clips out. The wound is nice and clean and has stayed closed overnight with absolutely no “seepage” as the medics say.

I did ask to keep the metal, but the consultant said they don’t allow it any more, after a previous patient injured them self on a sharp edge and sued. Whether that is a load of bks or not, I don’t know. It would have been cool, but I can live with the decision. I’ve got enough crap still to sort through from my house move, as EVERYTHING was packed up while I was in hospital. It’s frustrating that now I’m back to two crutches I can’t lift/carry anything so the sorting has had to be put on hold. Doubly annoying as I’ve got a load of time to do it now!

[Dibble]

defblade said:

Absolutely! My lovely better half was a star when I got knocked off and broke my wrist, a little over 3 years ago... and I've not been back on a bike since, and won't be until our daughter learns to drive and can run herself around. Mine was only a little accident and small injury, but the hassle it caused and the effort my wife put in doing all the running after daughter and me because of it was just too much to justify more riding.


(Daughter is 17 in just over 6 months, bike gear is in vacuum bags in the attic ).

After the accident, this was the time I’d have been new bike shopping... I’ll just put it on hold and maybe, if I’m fit enough, can think about it in six months or so. My head tells me I’ll get a better deal going into winter when sales drop off, with more choice. That’s not based on anything concrete, just what I’m thinking. I could well be wrong (wouldn’t be the first time!).

[defblade]

Iang84 said:

defblade said:

bike gear is in vacuum bags in the attic ).

Hopefully it hasn't shrunk when you do pull it back out

I did put on a stone over Christmas/winter as I had a (completely unrelated to anything bikey) interesting and complicated knee infection, but I've shifted 4 or 5lbs of that already and got back to karate (gently). And I never was a gimp suit wearer anyway

[Benni]

Dibble said:

...............I’ve got enough crap still to sort through from my house move, as EVERYTHING was packed up while I was in hospital.
It’s frustrating that now I’m back to two crutches I can’t lift/carry anything so the sorting has had to be put on hold.
Doubly annoying as I’ve got a load of time to do it now!

Good to read you are on the way up, I was lucky in never having an injury like that and cringe a little when I see those pics.

Now if I wouldn´t live on the other side of the channel, I probably would offer some help in sorting stuff out,
you take a look at "stuff" and watch it get moved to wherever it belongs.
Maybe some PHBBers want to help (if you accept that) and also bring some racing stickers to pimp your new wheels ?

[NDA]

Where are you based Dibble?

[Dibble]

Benni said:

Good to read you are on the way up, I was lucky in never having an injury like that and cringe a little when I see those pics.

Now if I wouldn´t live on the other side of the channel, I probably would offer some help in sorting stuff out,
you take a look at "stuff" and watch it get moved to wherever it belongs.
Maybe some PHBBers want to help (if you accept that) and also bring some racing stickers to pimp your new wheels ?

Thanks Benni, I appreciate the kind thoughts!

[Dibble]

NDA said:

Where are you based Dibble?

North West England - Southport.

If anyone is ever in the area and fancies a brew, drop me a pm!

[NDA]

Dibble said:

North West England - Southport.

If anyone is ever in the area and fancies a brew, drop me a pm!

5 hours away.... otherwise I would.

[Iang84]

defblade said:

I did put on a stone over Christmas/winter as I had a (completely unrelated to anything bikey) interesting and complicated knee infection, but I've shifted 4 or 5lbs of that already and got back to karate (gently). And I never was a gimp suit wearer anyway

I don't normally have to worry about sticking it on over Christmas as I work in the Food industry and we are all headless chickens then, what style do you practice I keep trying to get back to my old Dojo but my early shifts don't allow me to do the 9pm training

[defblade]

Iang84 said:

what style do you practice I keep trying to get back to my old Dojo but my early shifts don't allow me to do the 9pm training

I do Wado Ryu. I have no belief it turns me into some sort of amazing fighter, but it does give me a reason to keep fit and also keeps my brain active with something new to learn or tweak all the time.
I've been patchy over the last year or so due to work, too, but after several months enforced rest, I've decided not to let feeling a bit drained after work and having to rush to get there stop me going - and I'm finding it perks me back up more than totally knackers me

My top tip: don't wait until you're 41 to start

[Iang84]

defblade said:

I do Wado Ryu. I have no belief it turns me into some sort of amazing fighter, but it does give me a reason to keep fit and also keeps my brain active with something new to learn or tweak all the time.
I've been patchy over the last year or so due to work, too, but after several months enforced rest, I've decided not to let feeling a bit drained after work and having to rush to get there stop me going - and I'm finding it perks me back up more than totally knackers me

My top tip: don't wait until you're 41 to start

I did Okinawan Goju Ryu from 11yrs to 23yrs and like yourself I always found that it was great for perking me back up after bad day as you had to concentrate properly or you ended up out of time or off balance on the Katas. I studied with George Andrews at the Marble Factory before it was burnt down which is a shame as hes has been forced to go for ever smaller Dojo's due to increases in rents/rates as he wants to stay around the same area but on the plus side I've got me nieces and 2 nephews interested in Karate and they are studying with him at the moment. I've got a couple of years yet before I hit 41 but I do aim to get back into it soon as I'm trying to change shifts so that I can do stuff after 8-9pm on a weekday

[Dibble]

Had my second surgery yesterday and again, it all went to plan. I had the break to the top of my femur done, so my bone is now in three parts; one bit attached to my knee, one bit attached to my hip and the “floating” bit in the middle. All three bits are attached through my thigh to the external fixator, which is what the adjustment is done through, by “winding down” what’s basically a bottle screw. That will start in about ten days, once the new pins have had chance to “bed in” a little bit to the bone. The cement plug that was in the gap where the dead bone was also removed in the operation.

I’ve had a nerve block in my leg again, which for me is much better than being on a morphine pump. I’m sore, but the nerve block is still working. It wears off gradually over the next day or so and I’ll be taking plenty of pain relief too.

Now, onto the pictures! I know that’s your favourite bit (all leg, no arse).



Where I was at, with stylish altered jeans! They’ve gone in through the original scar again, so that’s the fourth time now. I should just have had Velcro fitted...




Never take anything for granted. I’d have thought the fixator would have been enough of a clue, but these surgical types do like their marker pens.




“Steering damper” has now been extended.




Side view.




As I’m in a hospital in Liverpool, I’m fitting right in with what looks like a fake tan... I’ve avoided the scousebrow, so far.




One of the side effects at the moment is quite a bit of bleeding from the pin sites, particularly at the top end of my leg, rather than down by my knee. I’m leaking like a 70s Triumph leaks oil!