Presents!

I received a new Powertap Wheelset today from my good friend there to use for my recovery. So excited to get this new lighter G3 hub on my bike and track my power!
Oh, I was able to get out Monday after work for a quick spin to the beach. It was a very short ride, but for my first ride outside since February, I'll take it!

Cleared

I had a doctor's appointment on Friday for another follow up x ray. It was good news as I was given the go ahead to start the real physical therapy. It also turns out that I really didn't know just how bad the "fractures" were. For the first time, I really looked at the x rays, and saw that there was a clean long break on the top of mu femur. The worst one of the 4 fractures. It really turned out that the bone broke and was folded behind my femur. That's why the bar going across my pelvis is there.  Guess I blocked it out because I really didn't wan to know. But now that I can start PT, I'm more interested in what's going on.
So with the good news, I started walking a bit without the crutches too. Not much, but as long as there isn't pain, the doc said it was fine. I also will be heading out on my first ride outside on the bike by the end of the month with my One Way Cycling team. Looking forward to seeing them, and sharing that moment with them, since they have all been so supportive through this whole thing. I think the July 6th date of trying to do 100 miles might actually happen.

This Is Getting Fun

I'm happy to report that I have made some major improvements over the last few weeks. Last week I received the "ok" to start driving again, yes! I was so excited to be able to get behind the wheel again. I also have switched to using one crutch too. The doc said that I can do things as long as I'm not in pain, so I'm trying a bunch of things to test out the leg.
On Saturday I was able to ride the trainer for 15 minutes or so and actually work up a sweat. I even clipped in and out AND turned the crank with my "bad" leg a few times too. All this progress is leading up to my next doctors visit this Friday for an x ray to check out the amount of bone growth and if I can start actual PT for the muscle. I think I'm on the path to recover sooner than later, and I'm stoked to be doing the things I am!

Major Progress

 Over the last few days I have noticed that my leg has become a lot more flexible. Yesterday while Morgan was out in the garage in our new workout area, I hobbled out there and climbed up on the trainer again. Unlike last time though, I was able to peddle faster and without much pain either. It's a good sign for sure. I was able to get on it again this morning. Getting a lot more revolutions in before my leg gets tired. But it's coming back, I'm happy about that.  I had a video of it, but I'm having trouble uploading here.

Moving Along

Well yesterday I got the ok from my doctor to start riding the trainer. I thought this day would never come. Last night I went out to set up the bike and get it ready for this morning to get out there and try it out before I hobbled my way into the shower for work.
It was nice to put on a kit, even though I really didn't need to, but old habits die hard. I used my Felt cross bike that my buddy Q loaned to me. It has Crank Brother Candy pedals, which are super easy in and out, so easy that it didn't cause any pain to use them. Morgan was out there to help me get on and off the bike, which wasn't too awkward. I had to swing my leg over and behind the saddle to get on, but I managed.
Once I was on, I sat there for a second, not believing that I was on a bike again! I started to pedal, very slowly. I've done enough PT to get my leg comfortable to bend sitting down like it normally would, but the motion of pedaling proved that I still have some work to do on that. I was on the bike for maybe ten minutes, and was able to make a dozen revolutions before it started to get uncomfortable, but it was 10 minutes more than the prior month and a half. So I'll take it. More to come as this progression keeps moving along.

Moving Day

Well, today Morgan and I are moving into a new place. Luckily we have great friends and got some help with the move. But on our way to get some coffee I had Morgan shoot a picture of the scar. Seems weird the they could do such gnarly things, with a relatively small incision.
Again, I'm lucky to have the friends I do, my good friend Matt from Saris was kind enough to lend me a powertap wheel to track my progress with power, which will be a very tangible thing to see, and keep me motivated. My other good friend Q from Felt is loaning me a mountain bike long term to help get me back on the dirt for a different type of workout for the leg, once I get strong enough to pedal up hill.

From The Beginning

So I decided to give this Blogger thing another run, this time with the thought of going through the process of recovering from my racing accident, which was fracturing my femur. I ended up injuring myself on February 10th, 2013. I was so excited to be racing a road race with my new team One Way Cycling that day, which turned out to be more than a mere cycling team. We had a tentative plan for the race depending how it unfolded.
 The race was a pretty flat 10 mile loop that we were doing 5 laps around. The only real elevation change was a real short dog leg left sweeper into a sharp right hand, almost 180 degree turn. The started out like we expected, guys taking ridiculous diggers off the front, trying to get away. In the Masters racing, there's not too many times that would work. Everyone was back in the fold by the end of the first lap.
 Now this is where things are kind of fuzzy for me, because I don't remember what lap I ended up crashing on, either the second or third. But this is how it unfolded before the crash. The group was pretty small at this point, I think around 20 riders out of 40 or so. About three quarters through the lap I remember we were single file, fighting to stay on the wheel of the guy in front of you, because the wind was whipping from a headwind to one that was coming at an angle. As we turned right, onto what was the front stretch, it turned to a tailwind, and I ended up at the back. I sat there and tried to recover from all the efforts I made to stay with the lead group.
 The pace started to increase even more at this point to shake off all the tired guys. Which is when my unfortunate accident happened. As the pace started to get faster, I had to pass a few guys that let small gaps form. I managed to get by a few guys, but after a few hard efforts, it was time to conserve energy and just ride my own pace. By this time I was dangling off the back with a few guys chasing me as we came to the dog leg turn. Then you make pretty hard right hander, which I was executing when my rear wheel washed out from underneath me. It happened so fast that I couldn't get my foot out of my pedal and landed on my hip. As soon as I hit the ground, I felt my leg snap. Here's where my faith in humanity was restored and was glad that I am a part of the One Way Cycling team.
 I was fortunate enough to go down in front of a guy who was/is an EMT. He immediately stopped and and knew what had happened, just by seeing my leg in such a way. He grabbed my leg and said "dude, this going to hurt, but it's good for the long run." and proceeded to put my leg in traction. I screamed with more pain than when I hit the ground. By this time, few more guys that were behind me, stopped and were somehow able to get word back to the start area and my girlfriend, Morgan, what had happened. By the time Morgan arrived, all my team had stopped and either gave me reassurance or was holding my hand and letting me squeeze to help with the ebb and flow of the pain that was coming and going. At some point Morgan arrived, and took over on the hand holding. I felt bad, because I think she was freaked out more than I was.But I so glad she was there.
After about what I think was thirty minutes, the local fire dept arrived and was able to get my leg in a traction board. But they really couldn't do anything else, so we waited a bit longer for an ambulance to arrive, so I could finally get some relief from the pain.
After a some what short ride, we arrived to the hospital in Santa Maria, I was grateful to see my teammate Shayne and friend Tyler there too. They sat with us all the way until I was able to get into surgery. While I was out under the knife, Shane and Tyler took Morgan back to SLO to get things for my overnights at the hospital and for her, because she ended up staying with Shayne and his awesome family down there. We were fortunate enough that their house was only a few blocks from the hospital.
I went into surgery, in the evening, and woke up, I think, around 10:30. There was Morgan, Tyler, and Shayne waiting for me to wake up. I have to say that it felt good to have these people there, since my family is all back in Minnesota. I was thankful that Morgan had someone else to lean on at that moment too.
So with out making this longer than it needs to be, the first week and a half were very difficult. Not only on me, but Morgan. She was so fantastic at taking care of me. Up at all hours of the morning, making sure I was taking my medication and helping me to the bathroom, not mention preparing food for me. As the time went on, I was able to get up and start moving around the house, with the help of a walker. With the little bit of PT moves I had to do, it helped get some decent flexibility back.
Now at just over a month out, I'm back at work and can get around with some relative ease on my crutches. In the last week I have been able to get in and out of the shower without help and also the car.  After my follow up visit for x rays this last week, the Doc said I can start putting a little weight on my leg, which has been a real boost for me. It means I'm healing better than expected. In three weeks I go back for another x ray, and if it's all good, I can actually start the real therapy on the leg, full weight bearing.
Stay tuned in for updates, I have little victories everyday. That keeps me motivated to get better and get out on the bike again. I have a goal to do 100 miles on the 6th of July. I know with my support system that I can achieve this goal.