Van Halen Concert 9/27

I purchased tickets to the Van Halen reunion kickoff concert in Charlotte about two months ago, long before my bike crash accident. I'll be damned if I was going to let a little broken pelvis keep me away from it. Little did I realize how painful going through with it was going to be.

My wife didn't want me to go, especially seeing my condition at the Wal-Mart on the previous evening. Honestly I was having second thoughts that night as well. I napped on Thursday until 11 in the morning (after getting up between 5 am and 8 am initially) and felt much better all day Thursday. I purposely limited my movement even further and sat on pillows much of the day.

That afternoon we did a recon drive to the arena to check out the handicapped drop-off and parking. I was shocked to discover no handicapped parking spaces on any of the surface lots. I didn't check any of the nearby garages however. When we got home I checked online and the arena's website did not show any handicapped parking lots either. Strange omission I thought.

Our plans were in limbo due to the parking situation all that afternoon. We finally decided to have Elizabeth's mom chauffer us to the arena and drop us off at the handicapped entrance. That turned out to work really well and minimized the distance I had to walk. We made it inside and up the escalator then discovered our section was diametrically across from where we were. Oh well, I knew I'd have to do some walking!

We made it to our section and were amazed at our fortune in that our seats were right below the entrance level. Thus we only had to step down a couple of steps to the seats. And we had the end of the row as well. It seemed like pre-destination if you ask me.

The show was awesome. Here is the set-list for those keeping score:

01. You Really Got Me
02. I'm the One
03. Runnin' With the Devil
04. Romeo Delight
05. Somebody Get Me a Doctor
06. Beautiful Girls
07. Dance the Night Away
08. Atomic Punk
09. Everybody Wants Some
10. So This Is Love?
11. Mean Street
12. Pretty Woman
13. Drum Solo
14. Unchained
15. I'll Wait
16. And the Cradle Will Rock
17. Hot for Teacher
18. Little Dreamer
19. Little Guitars
20. Jamie's Cryin'
21. Ice Cream Man
22. Panama
23. Guitar Solo (incl. "Women in Love" intro, "Cathedral", "Eruption")
24. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
------------------------
25. 1984
26. Jump

Wednesday 9/27 Report

Wednesday night I accompanied my wife on a re-supply mission to Wal-Mart. I intended to push the cart and use it for support while she loaded it. I tried that out in the parking lot but was only able to go about 20 steps before I acknowledged that wasn't going to work. It was too painful.

I switched to crutches while she pushed the cart. By the time I made it from the parking lot to inside the store I was in pain again. Most of the pain coming from the back side of my pelvis on the left.

Realizing that I was going to be more burden than help, I told her I would wait at the front of the store while she completed the mission.

I was in pretty bad pain the rest of the night, emanating from the back of my pelvis. That night I only got out of bed once to pee and went in the bottle once also.

Tuesday 9/25

Last night I went to sleep around 10:30 or so then woke up around 1 having to go to the bathroom. My lower back was so sore I couldn't get out of bed and had to use the urinal jug the hospital gave me.

That's been happening a lot lately. I'm having to go 3-4 times per night. Usually twice in the bottle and finally I get up around 5 and go, not returning to bed.

My back definitely feels more "delicate" today and yesterday. Not sure if something has broken loose. I'm being even more careful and slow than usual. Yesterday and today for the first time since the accident I can feel the bones shifting/popping inside my pelvis. It's a strange sensation, sort of like when you pop or crack your knuckles.

I also contemplated how much trouble this would be if I had a different job. I'm very fortunate to be able to work from home. In this condition, I doubt I could go to a conventional office job for various reasons:

• Can't drive a car while under the influence of the medication
• Can't really drive anyway...reaction times are off and it hurts to brace my left leg
• Can't carry anything since I need two crutches to walk.

Monday 9/24 Progress

Very difficult getting out of bed this morning. Pain flared up in my lower back and front overnight. It took several minutes to turn perpendicular and get my legs down. Getting in/out of the shower was also painful and so I went very slowly.

Took 2 LORTABS at around 6 am.

I'm trying to work in my office today and my left leg is very uncomfortable. It seems like numbness due to pressure. I got a soft bed pillow out of the house to sit on but it still feels sore inside. Other than that I feel pretty good.

Did not have a sinus headache this morning.

Progress Report

I've been walking with crutches for a few days now and am still getting the hang of them. They're more manuverable than the walker but I think more tiring.

Yesterday, Sunday, was a very active day, relatively speaking. I read the paper and sat on the couch until 11 am or so. Then we went to the new Chipotle right around the corner. A FEDEX Kinko's just opened up in that same development.

If I wasn't hurt, I would finish the small section of fence/gate that I started the week before last. I didn't get a chance to finish it due to some thunderstorms and the early onset of darkness. Instead, I, with Elizabeth's help, went through my closet culling out old or worn shirts for charity. We filled a donation bag with 2 sport coats, 1 pr of shoes, 2-3 slacks, and 4-5 shirts.

Although I can get out of bed by myself, I still need help dressing/undressing. Getting out of bed requires hooking my good leg under the bad, squirming around until I'm perpendicular to the edge of the mattress, then lowering my legs to the floor. A short stool by the bedside helps to shorten the distance. Then I can stand up on my own and use crutches or walker to get to the bathroom.

I'm able to drop my pants, etc. and get in the shower. Getting in the tub requires bracing myself on something stable (walker, wall, etc.) then lifting my bad leg behind me and stepping over the tubside backwards. Once in the tub I can pretty much stand in the same place, occassionally bracing against the enclosure walls.

Getting out of the tub is kind of the same. I go very slow and brace myself, then out with the good leg, then the bad. I cannot bring my bad leg forward yet. It is too painful in the front of my thigh and pelvis. Since I can't reach down that far, Elizabeth has to dry off my legs.

Getting dressed still requires a lot of assistance. I can't bend down far enough to reach the ground so Elizabeth has to help me put on underwear, pants, socks and shoes.

Thursday Progress 9/21

Last night I slept from about 9:30 until about 3. I laid flat on my back and could not turn onto either side. I got very uncomfortable being in that same position and so was awake from 3 am onward. Finally I got out of bed at 5 am and into the shower.

I was able to get out of bed on my own and made it to the shower with the walker. It took several minutes for the journey.

I also awoke with a sinus headache around my left eye orbit. With breakfast, which consisted of grape nuts trail mix and cheerios, I took a sudafed cold and sinus. All in all I felt achy and stuffy headed. I was also very fatigued. Around 8 am I decided to call in sick to work and notified them.

I laid on the couch and watched a DVD TV show and napped for a few minutes. Then we had lunch with Caroline.

At 12:45 pm I had an appointment with Dr Mahdav Karunakar, an orthopedist at CMC orthopedics. Due to an incompetent nurse, we sat in the lobby for 45 minutes while she searched for my chart. Once we informed her that I was a new patient, as I had already done on the phone, we got in shortly.

The main order of business was updating my xrays. They shot three angles from above, head on, and below. Each one showed the same things; three clear breaks of the pubis, ilia, and ischial bones. The doctor explained each xray and clarified the locations of each break. He indicated the breaks were complete lateral fractures and not merely longitudinal cracks or fissures.

The xray nurse told me they get about 3 of those types of fractures per month and that she can tell from the patient's faces that they are very painful.

Lastly, they set me up with a pair of crutches which I can use depending on how things feel. The crutches allow more manueverability around tight places in the house. They are more painful to use on long walks. I don't think I'm any faster on them compared to the walker.

All of the walking within CMC made my fatigued. As I get tired, the area under the pelvis gets very tight. I think it is due to the ligaments, etc. being stressed from doing the job normally done by the bones.

In summary, I did not aggravate the injuries the other day by walking. The doctor encouraged as much movement as possible. He did confirm the 3 breaks are still visible and that it would be several weeks before the healing is complete.

I got extremely tired from all of the activity and went to bed by around 10.

Wednesday 9/19, Morning report

Could not get out of bed this morning. It feels like something has changed in my back. Sort of near where the pelvis meets the sacrum. It also hurt on the outside of my left thigh. I was unable to hook my legs together, swing them off the bed and stand up. After taking 2 Lortabs, stretching and warming up for about an hour, I was finally able to get my legs off and stand up.

Walking with the walker was more painful than yesterday. Perhaps I walked too much yesterday.

The orthopedist at the hospital told me to make an appointment for a 1 week checkup. I will call them today to see if I can come in early.

The leg is still kind of numb/sore deep inside when sitting at my desk.

Tuesday 9/18

Today I think I took a step back. My lower back on the left side is starting to hurt. It feels as if something has shifted where my pelvis connects to my sacrum.

Walking seems a little more difficult today. I was having stomach problems which I suspect were caused by . Instead of taking 2 per dose I went down to one per dose. Consequently, I felt more pain. It was interesting to get a sense of how much pain there is in the absence of any painkillers. The answer is quite a bit.

I woke up around 3 am and could not get back to sleep. I ended up going to watch TV around 5 until 7 ish. Getting out of bed required laying back, supporting my bad leg with the good, and swinging both over the side of the bed simultaneously. Then I stand upright using the walker.

I took a shower today. The first one since Thursday. Elizabeth had to help me get over the tub side. I used the walker to get alongside the tub then braced myself against the walls for stability. Getting out of the tub was the same in reverse. I was only able to dry off my top half. Elizabeth had to dry my legs.

She also had to assist me with putting on my underwear, shorts, socks and shoes.

Monday 9/17

I woke up around 5-ish out of habit. Didn't get up until 6-ish. Getting up was still painful but I managed to do it on my own in a few minutes. I used the walker for support as I stood up and walked down the hall.

I sat on the padded stool in the kitchen which was a little painful. My left leg is still sore inside and on the back.

Elizabeth noticed that the veins on the back side of my knee seem to be more pronounced. She made an appointment with my family physician, Dr. Hoben, so that he could examine them.

I took at around 11 am then took another "sink shower" and washed my hair and shaved. I'm starting to feel human again.

I was able to walk with almost a normal type stride with the walker today. I still have a lot of pain getting up and sitting down though.

I missed work today and am juggling my upcoming appointments. I cancelled my flight to St Louis and Kansas City that were scheduled for this week.

I saw Dr hoben around 5 pm. He was concerned about the appearance of swelling and recommended an ultrasound immediately. We were able to be worked in to the radiology dept at Presbyterian Main.

The ultrasound came back negative for any blockages and we were sent home. He prescribed as an alternative to . was causing stomach distress.

The rest of the evening was uneventful. I was very tired by 9 pm and went to bed around 9:30.

Today's Progress

Let's see, what have I done so far today. Well, last night was OK actually. My first night at home in my own bed. I was able to sponge down and change clothes before bed. Elizabeth had to help me undress. I stood at the bathroom sink and used a washcloth.

I was able to wrap myself with a towel and get to the bed. Elizabeth had to help me put on my underwear and get into bed. The method that works best seems to be:

a.) use the walker to get perpendicular to the bed.
b.) sit down on the edge of the bed.
c.) lay back straight out
d.) hook my good leg under my bad left leg and lift up.
e.) swing both legs up onto the bed.
f.) inch my way into a comfortable position.

It is still very painful getting into bed. The most pain happens when my legs spread apart at all.

Walking around the house last night wasn't too bad. I still had to walk one step at a time; advancing the walker then stepping forward with the bad leg, then good leg. It is very slow also.

I slept from 10-ish until about 1-ish when I woke up and had to urinate. Rather than a slow painful trip to the bathroom I used the bottle from the hospital. I was able to fall back asleep until about 3 am when Mary Elizabeth came in feeling sick. After that I was unable to relax and resume sleeping.

Ironically, the baby slept all night without interruption.

2nd night, 3rd day in hospital

Last night I slept much better than the first night. I still have a lot of trouble getting in and out of bed. My left leg and hip are very painful when pressed on the edge of the bed. Once I am able to stand with my walker and can fully extend my leg, it feels a little better.

The pain feels like it is coming from my inner thigh towards the rear. It feels like soft tissue soreness lying down. When I move it hurts at certain points during the movement.

I was able to have a BM around 11 am for the first time since Thursday. One of the side effects of LORTAB is apparently constipation. I should be good for the rest of the day though.

I'm starting to wonder about being compensated for my pain and suffering, as well as the inconvenience to my family. Not to mention the impact on my job. I think I'll be unable to travel on planes for at least a few weeks. I don't want to take unfair advantage of the driver's insurance but on the other hand she was legitimately wrong for passing me and then turning across my path. If I was a car she would not have done that. I am so tired of drivers treating cyclists like inconveniences.

2nd day in hospital

This morning was very busy with nurses running in and out of my room seemingly every 15 minutes. They're been checking my vital signs every few hours.

At 4 am a nurse came in to draw blood for a CBC

I was told I don't appear to have any symptoms of internal bleeding.

A PT, Jim, came in around 8 am. He showed me how to get out of bed and stand up with the aid of crutches. He ended up setting me up with a walker instead of crutches.

Emergency Room, Xrays, CT scan 3-7pm

The ambulance took me to the emergency room at CMC. I was brought into a room and attended to immediately by several nurses. A doctor, Jane Batts, also came in and asked what happened. She inspected me for a spinal injury and determined there was none apparent.

She requested x-rays of the left thigh and hip.

The xrays were read by an orthopedic resident, Dr. Bray. He identified 2 fractures from the xray and a possible third at the rear. He stated that I sustained a Ramai fracture of the pelvis.

I was taken to a room on the orthopedic floor (11) at 6:50 pm. I spent the night in considerable discomfort, sleeping on and off through the night.

Cut off by a car while biking 2:45 pm

Yesterday, Friday September 14, I crashed my bike into the side of a Toyota 4Runner that turned right across my path. I never lost consciousness but ended up in the hospital with a fractured pelvis. The police and paramedics arrived and I filled out a police report. Here are the rest of the details as best I can recall:

• I had just started from the parking lot of the Myers Park UMC. I was riding with DAvid Frame who was behind me at the point of the accident.
• It had just started to rain. The only reason we decided to go was that we had cancelled a ride that morning due to rain and it turned out some other riders went ahead and rode. Plus, the weather forecaster had been wrong already about the whole day being a drenching. We assumed this was a brief passing shower.
• We chose to ride this route due to its popularity with the cycling community which we felt made it a safer route. Also, we were both extremely familiar with the circuit. We decided to avoid other roads in the vicinity since it was nearing rush hour on a Friday afternoon.
• We were riding on Queens Road which becomes Selwyn Avenue near Queens University. It is a two lane road with a 35 mph limit. At the point of the accident the left lane becomes a "left turn only" lane. The right lane continues straight. There was no dedicated right turn lane.
• The accident occurred at the intersection of Queens and Radcliffe.
• We were riding single file about 3 feet left of the right curb in the right lane. Our rate was about 18 mph at the accident site.
• As I approached the intersection of Queens and Radcliffe I became aware that a vehicle was overtaking me on my left side.
• I heard David call out an alarm behind me "she's turning!" and I immediately applied the brakes. Suddenly the vehicle turned across my path.
• I immediately realized that a) it was a Toyota Forerunner and b) an impact was unavoidable.
• The front wheel of my bike impacted the Forerunner at the right rear quarter panel, immediately behind the right rear wheel well.
• My bike and I slammed to the pavement, which was black asphalt.
• The brunt of my impact was borne by my left thigh, in the vicinity of the superior process of the femur (the greater trochanter.)
• I immediately felt severe pain emanating from my thigh. At that point I had come to a stop and was able to roll onto my back with my legs bent at the knees.
• I could hear David getting off of his bike. I was also aware of several bystanders who came forward with offers to help. I remember screaming loudly 4-5 times as I rolled onto my back.
• I was asked if I wanted to move and declined. I was unable to extend my left leg. I was able to extend the right leg. At that time I was more furious than anything.
• Most of my pain was in my hip. At that time I had no idea what was wrong and suspected a broken femoral neck or hip socket joint.
• When the firemen arrived they began examing my neck and spine. I had no pain in either. I stated that my head did not impact the pavement.
• The driver of the Forerunner asked me "Are you all right?" while I was lying on the pavement in obvious pain.
• A nursing student from Queens University stopped her car to block traffic and shield me until the authorities could arrive.
• Shortly thereafter, the police arrived and began asking similar questions. I again stated no head impact.
• The Medics arrived and attempted to lift me but there was too much pain on the left side of my hip. I still could not extend my left leg at the knee. They used a scoop to put me on the stretcher and load me into the ambulance.
• A different police officer came into the ambulance and asked questions while they prepared me for transport.
• The female medics name was "Maudy." I'm unsure of the spelling. She rode in the back with me and attempted to stabilize my left leg, which was still bent at the knee.