Crash-boom-bam
19 Jan
My pals, Rhonda and Rachel, and I are training for a sprint triathlon in October. We agreed to start training in January rather than April. Or August.
On Jan. 11, we hit the Mallard Creek Greenway on our bikes. Mine is an old-school cruiser. I had skinny tires on still from riding around Uptown, etc. The greenway is mostly paved with a few gravel sections.
Skinny tires + pea gravel = not a good idea.
I went to pass Rhonda’s bike and hit her back wheel. And I went down. Hard.
As I was falling, though, I started to stick my hand down to catch my fall. Images of two friends who had broken bones that way flashed through my head. I pulled my hand in and let my shoulder take the brunt of the fall.
The damage (after two doctor visits, x-rays, MRI): Severely bruised shoulder. Could have been much worse. 4-6 weeks of physical therapy.
Here’s what I learned in the week after the wreck and before the diagnosis:
1) Getting back on the bike wasn’t a big deal.
2) Knowing how to fall is crucial.
3) I don’t own any shirts that button or zip up the front.
4) MRI appointments can be scheduled for as late as 9 pm because of demand for the machines. I’m going to guess that cost justification plays a part in that, too.
5) I’m claustrophobic in coffin-like spaces. Tried to do a closed MRI on Jan. 13. Giant FAIL. Elevators, good. Coffins, bad. Good to know. The open MRI with a side of Xanax was just fine.
6) A sling can help deter people from playfully punching you on the shoulder or giving you a real pat on the back.
7) A solid friend is someone who gets up at 7 a.m. on a Saturday – and it’s 14 degrees – to take you to open MRI.
8 ) Change tires to match the kind of ride you’re going to do.
9) Always wear a helmet. *yes, i had one on.*
10) Pain management and a sense of humor are critical.
