I have now made good progress in recovering from my catastrophic tumble on May 24th and am able to work on my computer to complete the details of that week and report on my progress since.
Before that fateful Sunday ride I had completed two other rides on the Friday and Saturday so here are the details of those, both on the same map.
Before the accident, I had ridden with Jo from Alresford to the "party" where we had joined in the celebrations for Bel's 90th Birthday. Here is our route:-
I have no recollection of the cause of my tumble. I remember going into the curve around the mini roundabout the next moment I was laying on the floor hurting very badly. Fortunately, I was with Jo, Paul & Margaret who looked after me, called the emergency services and kept me protected from passing traffic as I was laying in the middle of the road.
On Tuesday 26th I was allowed to leave the hospital after two nights being well looked after by the doctors and nursing staff. My injuries were multiple grazes (road rash), broken bones and two bad lacerations in my left hand and a broken thumb in my right hand. I think I probably had cracked ribs too as they have been very painful and are still troubling me a bit. For three weeks I could only sleep half-sitting up in bed.
I had to have stitches for the two lacerations which were done under full anesthetic. I remember coming round as the nurse whizzed me down the corridor back from theatre and not understanding what she was saying. I thought I was watching a video and tried to rewind then realized it was real life!!!!
All of the staff were brilliant, looking after me extremely well and kindly and in a strange way, I enjoyed my stay there. (Being the centre of attention). I was particularly moved by the kindness of two Polish nursing assistants, one male & the other female, and by the visit of the paramedic who had driven me to the hospital to see if I was OK.
I am now at home after three visits to the Royal South Hants Hospital for dressings and plaster cast to be changed and nearly three weeks of being cared for by my daughter Sarah. I was very well looked after by her and the others in the family.
It was a good job I was wearing a helmet as I would have been more seriously hurt or even dead had I not been doing so.
What a way to end a week in which I rode over 160 miles!
It will be another 10 days before my plaster cast is removed from my right hand and the last dressing removed from my left elbow. The grazes and other injuries are healing well. I can use my left hand quite a lot now and I am doing regular exercises with it so that it doesn't go stiff and prevent me from making a tight fist.
On the whole, apart from the first two very painful days, part of which I was on morphine, I have not had to resort much to pain killers only taking paracetamol at night to enable me to sleep more easily.
It will be a while before I can even consider driving or riding again, luckily I am not going anywhere much because of lockdown!
Thankful to have survived,
Gridironman.
