Accident report and PLEASE be careful out there!

[SS109]

I had a little accident while riding this past weekend. I was cresting a hill and, knowing that part of the trail I probably was in 4th gear (I say probably because I don't actually remember the collision at all) and moving, I had a head on with another rider. It was just a bad timing thing where neither of us could see the other. I was told I was unconscious for over 5 minutes and when I "woke up" I wasn't making sense and even got up and tried walked around for a few seconds. Don't remember much except my friend holding me in her lap and telling me not to move, getting in to a police SUV (remote location), a brief moment in the ambulance, and then parts of my hospital stay. I continued to go in and out over many hours.

The good news is I'll be fine and the other rider suffered no major injuries. I have a fractured C4 vertebrae, my whole upper back is stiff and sore, I have a deep contusion on my right shoulder, a sore spot on my left knee, a pulled right groin, and I jammed my left foot toes. Doc said I will make a full recovery but I'll be off the bike minimum 30 days. My follow up with the doc in 30 days will determine whether I get to ditch this neck brace or have to wear it another 30. Just the thought of another 30, ugh.

I'm told my bike is pretty messed up as well but I haven't been up to looking it over. Told I have bent handlebars, possibly bent forks, and a crushed expansion chamber. So, even if I'm good in 30 days it's going to be a while before I can ride my Gasser again. Thankfully I have my KDX still!

The irony of this whole situation is I just made a video about being safe by keeping your eyes up and scanning ahead. Anyway, please be careful out there and wear all your gear all the time!

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[rungrandpa]

That could have been any of us. I'm particularly worried about UTV's when I take the grand kids riding. It would be like getting hit by a car.
Glad to hear you should recover fully.

[Vossman]

Dang, glad it wasn’t worse and you are gonna be ok. Thanks for sharing and heal quick.

[KDXGarage]

MAN! I am sorry to hear that! I am glad it is no worse! Heal up, and don't rush it. Give it time.

[doakley]

Really sorry to hear and glad your injuries weren't more severe!

[John_S]

That's really scary! I'm wishing you all the best SS.

[Julien D]

Damn, man. I hate to hear that. Hoping for a speedy recovering.

[SS109]

Thanks guys. Just want no one to go through what I'm having to deal with right now. It finally has sunk in that I could have been paralyzed, or even dead, just that quick.

[jjavaman]

That’s my biggest fear when riding, heal up bro.

[TwistedRoot]

Very sorry to hear SS. Take it easy and you will be back out there soon enough. And by all means try and pass on the opioids if/when possible.

[Slick_Nick]

Damn dude sorry to hear! I broke my back a couple years ago in a snowboarding injury. Sucks bigtime. Spend time in physio and see a chiro once you’re healed up and you’ll be back on the bike in no time!

[bufftester]

Sorry to hear of your accident, and thankfully the injuries are not as bad as they could have been. Always one of my biggest fears when out riding popular spots, and have had many close calls over the years. My worst one was during a race in Florida, guy on the minute in front of me missed a turn and came back down the trail the wrong way when we met head on, each of us in 3rd or 4th. Front wheels just missed each other so we got to smack handlebars against each other and then head to head. Helmet saved my life and neck brace saved my walking. The guy I hit was like you, out for several minutes and incoherent when he came to. He ducked his head so the top of his helmet hit the front/side of mine. Shattered my left eye orbit, knocked my eye out of the socket, shattered the cheek and ended up with nearly 100 fractures in my skull. Titanium plates and screws make cool x-rays at the airport! Doc said we were both lucky to walk away alive. So like you said, ALL your Gear, ALL the time. Good luck and quick healing.

[doakley]

Having to backtrack for a missed turn scares me in races. Unfortunately it happens. You have to be super cautious riding the course backwards. The other racers aren’t expecting you and are focused on the trail. Glad your experience wasn’t worse.

[B737driver]

Sorry to hear man...Great points in the vid...sometimes s**t happens. Sorry it happened to you. Speedy recovery coming your way. FIST BUMP

[KDXGarage]

bufftester, WOW! That is rough! I am glad you recovered!

[SS109]

Very sorry to hear SS. Take it easy and you will be back out there soon enough. And by all means try and pass on the opioids if/when possible.

Believe it or not, I haven't taken even one painkiller since the accident. Not even Tylenol or ibuprofen. They tried to give me some at the hospital but I refused. As long as the pain is bearable I always choose not to take painkillers. That way I always know what is hurting.

Damn, bufftester, you had it much worse than I. Glad you're ok brother!

[bufftester]

Good to hear you are on the mend. Have you had the heart to check over the bike yet?

[Glenn]

Heal up quick buddy.

[VTMTcowboy]

Sorry to hear SS. I get pretty nervous anytime after 10am at the OHV parks here in Cali because that when all the quads, side x sides, and yahoos come out. Best of luck on the recovery mate!

[SS109]

Just an update. This freaking neck brace, and having to be fairly idle physically, is driving me crazy. The discharge instructions weren't very comprehensive and just said to get my cervical spine x-rayed in 4 to 8 weeks and if any problems arose to go back to the ER. Literally, that's it. So, I've been bitching a lot and a friend of mine, who is a nurse, told me I could go online and view all my medical records from the accident and see what it says and maybe I can get out of this brace sooner. Well, after reading my reports from the ER I have a new rule #1 when it comes to doctors and hospitals, don't trust anything they say, question everything they tell you, and read your own records!

So, what did I find out? My C4 vertebrae isn't fractured at all. It isn't mentioned anywhere in the report even though that's what I was told at the hospital and I had family there that heard them say this as well. No, the real problem is that my C1, C7, and T1 are all fractured and I have a disc bulging between C5 and C6. Plus, they discovered two other medical issues that weren't accident related but failed to mention anything to me about them. I don't know if this is just incompetence and/or they just don't care.

So it looks like my road to recovery, and how well I will actually recover, is going to take a lot longer than I thought and now I don't even know if I'll be able to ride again. Ugh. Don't trust doctors and hospitals people. Verify everything yourself!