Bike Accident

I used to bike a lot. Everyday after school during my 8th grade year, I would change into my cycling outfit and hit the trail. A 15 mile ride was pretty average. I wore glasses to protect my eyes from little gnats and stuff but I never wore a helmet to protect my head. I had a little bike computer that told me how fast I was going and how many miles I had covered. I used my dad's old 10 speed road bike so I could get going pretty quick, especially in this one part of the trail where there was a long downhill section. It was a nice bike, even if it was old: quick release front wheel, quick adjust bike seat, racing handlebars, etc.

It was a typical summer day before my freshman year in high school. It was just me and my younger brother home at the time. I told him I was going for a ride and I'd be back later. I hopped on my bike and headed out like I always did. Biking shorts, biking jersey, sunglasses, pass on the helmet. I headed out on my typical route. I was feeling good and picked up some pretty good speed on the downhill section this time. I had gotten my computer to peak at 30 mph at this section before but today I didn't dare look down at the computer screen. I saw some raised cracks coming up ahead of me. When the trees lining the trail got big, their roots would lift up the asphalt, forming little speed bumps and that's what I was looking at. I pulled up on the handlebars to get over them instead of riding right into them and experiencing a sharp jouncing. Unfortunately, when I pulled up, the front wheel didn't come with me. I guess I hadn't closed the quick release tight enough on the front wheel. When I came back down, the wheel axle didn't meet the fork right and the wheel seized up. My bike went from 30 to 0 but I didn't. I flipped over the handlebars....and that's where things start to get fuzzy.

I've had a few concussions in my life. Probably more than is healthy. But this experience was the most severe. I really don't remember getting home at all. I'm pretty sure I can remember pushing off the pavement and touching my face and then pulling away a bloody hand. The next thing I remember clearly was sitting on the floor in the downstairs guest bathroom. My younger brother was on the phone with someone. He seemed scared. He handed me the phone and told me it was my sister, who's an athletic trainer so she was trained to deal with concussions. She started asking questions to see how I was doing. I knew my name, that was easy, but when I couldn't remember my address or where my mom or dad were at the time I was getting scared. I knew that was bad. 

"I want you to remember these words okay?"

"okay"

"duck, house, boot"

"duck, house, boot"

"yeah."

She kept talking and asking questions and after a couple minutes, asked me if I could remember those words she had just told me. I couldn't. I remember being pretty scared right then.

My older brother came home from work and came in to see what was going on. I was sitting in front of the toilet with my injured side facing away from the door. He asked if I was okay and I told him I fell off my bike. 

"Well you look okay."

"Really?" I turned to look at him and then he saw my scraped up side.

"Holy crap!"

He then proceeded to whip out his phone and get a couple pictures of my fresh wounds. I hadn't looked in the mirror because my nausea was preventing me from standing up. My dad came home from work when he heard I had an accident and as soon as he saw my face and tried talking to me, he knew he needed to take me to the hospital. He helped me up and I stole a glance into the mirror. I looked bad and another wave of "oh shit" washed over me. 

We got to the hospital with all of the contents of my stomach remaining in my stomach. I got admitted and received a cool bracelet with my name and some other stuff on it. I got some scans and some stitches in my face(the first of a couple times I've had stitches in my face). I had a pretty good gash in my right eyebrow where the lens of my sunglasses cut me. I was lucky it didn't go in me eye. They cleaned the asphalt out of my road rash and rubbed some ointment on all of my abrasions.  

Recovery sucked because most of the right side of my face and neck was all scabby. I couldn't turn my head or the scabs on my neck would crack and bleed. I couldn't lay on my right side (my favorite side to lay on) because it hurt my face and it would leave the pillow all bloody and gross. The gauze bandages would stick and I'd start burning and bleeding all over again. Conveniently, I received my injuries right before the the trip to see all of my extended family. Every aunt and uncle and cousin got a chance to say "wow what happened?!" and "well you should've been wearing a helmet!" Lesson learned. 


-Me, the Biker

A few days after my accident