| Author |
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Ratbuell
| | Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008 - 05:45 pm: | 
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Took it out for my first post-injury ride today. The leg-swing over the passenger seat is the most graceless part - once I'm on, I'm great. All my new titanium (in my legs) says thanks to Buell for putting such an awesome seat-to-peg-height on the Uly. I'm 6'4" with 2 legs I broke less than 3 months ago and the bike is an 06 with stock seat - the position is perfect, metal legs or no metal legs  |
Froggy
| | Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008 - 05:47 pm: |
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Awesome, when are you getting back to work? I was near your dealer a few days ago on my voyage home, but didn't bother to stop in because you weren't around. |
M_singer
| | Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008 - 05:58 pm: |
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Glad that you are back riding again. I love the leg room on the '06 tall Uly seat too. |
Johnboy777
| | Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008 - 06:01 pm: |
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Titanium neck plate here - glad you're back. I'm 6'3" on an '07 and an '06 seat... i love it.
. |
Firstbatch
| | Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008 - 07:51 pm: |
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Good-on you guys for jumpin' on with all that high tech metal inside.......nothing quite like the boost you get from riding a bike! |
Ulynut
| | Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008 - 08:06 pm: |
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Titanium screws in my wrist and I can ride mine all day too. Lasted 10 min. on a CR. |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008 - 08:43 pm: |
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Yah, the only effects the titanium is going to have on me (aside from it allowing me to have started walking again, lol) is 1: I'm gonna be fun at airports, 2: I'm gonna be one hell of a weathervane and 3: I got all these COOL scars now! LOL. One thing I've definitely learned - life's too short to waste time being afraid of something you love.
As to being back to work...that's still up in the air. <shrug> More time for me to actually go on ....gasp!....SOCIAL RIDES. For a change |
Johnboy777
| | Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008 - 09:15 pm: |
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Hey Ratbuell,
I've been through a lot of airports, but my Titanium neck plates have never triggered anything. On the other hand, a co-worker of mine had both hips (maybe knees) done and he triggers those things like crazy...very funny
Maybe he has stainless steel, but IIRC, TI doesn't trigger the airport detectors, or maybe my plates just aren't large enough to trigger them.
Cheers.
. |
Hooper
| | Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008 - 11:58 pm: |
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Wow! I had no idea you'd be back in the saddle so soon, based on what I'd read about your incident (don't know what actually happened)! It really is good to hear that you're back on two wheels. I T-boned that f'ing deer earlier this year and some of my best friends (and all of my family) still don't know. I wasn't sure how it would feel to get back on the bike.
It felt pretty good.
Keep on... |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2008 - 11:09 am: |
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Well, I've been blessed/cursed with not remembering the actual wreck. My brain figured "there's enough pain here, we don't need to remember it" and blocked out 12 days.
I'm good with that now.
Initially I wanted to remember so I could avoid whatever-it-was that caused it. That, and I'm the type who just wants to know stuff like that. Now, though, I realize that if I remembered whatever the bike did right before, and if one of my bikes had the same twitch or whatever going down the road I'd just freeze. That, and they say I was trying to stand and walk when the EMTs arrived, with bones sticking out of my R leg. So I'm OK without it.
Aside from the healing injuries (shattered L femur - titanium; cracked L hip, plate; shattered R fibia, titanium; graft on R calf from external compound fracture of tib/fib, healed but funky looking (lol); collapsed R lung, healed; bruised heart, healed; lacerated liver, healed; cracked 2 vertebrae, healed; fractured 3 ribs, healed; small right frontal bleed and small stem bleed, healed; torn R rotator cuff, still working on that one - stiff and reduced range, but totally functional), it might as well have been an accident that I heard about someone else having. Absolutely no recollection of injury pain (just recovery / PT pain from learning to walk again - like working out too much is all), no recollection of terror or "this is gonna hurt" right before the accident...and for the mental note file, don't make a fence out of telephone poles. They don't move when stuff (or people) hits them.
Riding yesterday felt awesome. Gonna have to do it some more today, might try the S2 if it doesn't fold my legs up too much. It'll be easier to mount/dismount, anyway.
My guess is, the sheer amount of TI (I'm thinking a couple pounds total) will set *something* off. TI itself is non-ferrous, so it *shouldn't* set stuff off on its own in smaller quantities, but I'm gonna go to the courthouse and get wand-ed as an experiment. Many times, though, a version of stainless is used for the hardware (screws and stuff). Since I was "lucky" enough to go to Maryland's dedicated shock-trauma center, I got all "good stuff" - TI screws, plates, rods, the works.
My first thought looking at the x-rays (swear to god)? "Hm, wonder what color loctite they used on those screws?"
I'm a goofball. A very LUCKY goofball.
Every day counts, folks. Get out there, and do it right.
(Message edited by ratbuell on October 11, 2008) |
Froggy
| | Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2008 - 11:23 am: |
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It will be awesome dragging knee, leaving a trail of sparks, and when you come to a stop, the people watching will realize you didn't have knee pucks |
Etennuly
| | Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2008 - 11:51 am: |
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It will be awesome dragging knee, leaving a trail of sparks, and when you come to a stop, the people watching will realize you didn't have knee pucks
Now that there is funny! owww |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2008 - 01:18 pm: |
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Yeah, I asked them why they couldn't put a couple threaded studs out the top of my left thigh, so I could bolt on a tank bag, or a GPS mount, or something goofy like that. LOL. |
Hooper
| | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 01:11 am: |
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This is getting funny (in both ways).
Thanks, Joe, for the extra info. I don't know about the folks who haven't had a big get-off, but I have a strange yen to hear what happened to other riders who have had an incident. I want to learn. Do you think - or do you care if - it was someone/something else's fault? Another car? Road conditions?
I'm sorry to carry on - you are apparently kicking ass. The brain is weird...I ABSOLUTELY remember my deer strike. I saw the bastard leap into the road, slip on its hooves, lie down in front my my Uly, the front tire hit the animal's side, and then I realized I was cooked and felt the impact. That was when MY brain went on hiatus.
The next thing I knew, I was slowing down, sliding on my back on the pavement. Reading your story makes me glad that I went straight forward down the road and didn't have any other cars bearing down on me.
Funny thing we do...expose ourselves to this risk. I think we all know why. |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 10:12 am: |
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I'm 50/50 on wanting to know. Part of me - the rational, "learning" half - wants to know exactly what happened beforehand so it can react properly next time that set of inputs comes along. Maybe *avoid* the telephone-pole fenceposts next time.
The side of me that's driving me through PT - looking only ahead, trying to get my mobility, flexibility, endurance and quality of life back - could care less. It's done, be more cautious on the whole, and get on with life. Don't do it again, dummy. lol.
As for what the conditions were...according to all accounts, it was clear, dry, sunny, still air. No traffic citation issued. No other vehicle involved; passerby saw a dude trying to walk around with bones sticking out of his leg and a bike in a fence, and called it in (all this from reports I've gotten).
Road I'm familiar with (ride weekly as a demo route). Bike I'm familiar with (done track days on the model; put hundreds of miles on that exact bike). If it was sand in the road, or the bike acted up, or I screwed the pooch myself, or someone backed out of a driveway, or crossed the line, or an animal came at me....<shrug> no idea. And I really *am* OK with that. I just have to ride like it was my fault, and it doesn't matter that I strongly doubt that's the case. With not-knowing, everyone has to assume the worst, myself included.
As for my learning-stuff:
1. learning to walk (again) in your 30s SUCKS. Definitely not recommended, but if you have to do it, DO it. Don't get bitter, angry, depressed or any of that BS. Save all that energy and do something useful with it - HEAL. Treat it like your job, get it done...and move on to a normal lifestyle again.
2. Ride carefully, don't get cocky. Blink of an eye is all it takes.
3. Every. Single. Day. Counts. Don't give up, don't be afraid...but if you're gonna do it, take time to make sure you do it (whatever "it" is) right. No half-assing allowed.
4. Don't sweat the petty shit. 40 seconds longer in a checkout line is NOT worth getting torqued over (and the clerk will be *thrilled* to hear that, when they apologize to you and you say "no problem" and smile). Treat people better, be patient, and reassess your priorities. It's eye-opening, to say the least.
5. Don't be afraid of something you love, even if it *is* the same thing that bit you in the ass. See #3 - keep doing it, just take the time to make sure you're doing it right. |
Bertotti
| | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 11:14 am: |
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I think your bike needs a paint job that looks like your x-rays! Or a zombie dude with the broke leg walking around with your face on it! Something to reflect your success survival. And just kick ass. |
Froggy
| | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 02:40 pm: |
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Is it possible for you to get the Xrays and put them online? I tried to steal mine from my Dr, but he was a commie. Just needed 50 seconds on his computer! 
(Message edited by froggy on October 12, 2008) |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 05:08 pm: |
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I have a CD with my right leg (tib/fib) on it, and another with my R shoulder. Both of those exhibited issues during PT that worried us, so we had them re-shot at the PT place and I got CDs. The L femur...hasn't acted up, so no new shots of that. I go back to the bone doc 'round new years, gonna have to get one of the wallet-size ones for travel
I'd have to see if I can convert them to .jpg or something normal. They're on some funky dedicated app. Gotta get a new hard drive first though - for some reason when I rebuilt after a crash, my 60gb drive thinks it's a 4.69gb drive and is "full". I think it lost it's partitions, but kept the smaller of the 2 as "the drive". Got a brand new 100gb on the way (it's a laptop, don't need anything super-huge) so I can start totally fresh.... |
Johnboy777
| | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 05:09 pm: |
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""I tried to steal mine from my Dr, but he was a commie. Just needed 50 seconds on his computer.""
FWIW, everyone has the right to 'all' of their medical records - I keep all of my X-ray, PET and MRI records at home.
. |
Muppet
| | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 06:58 pm: |
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Ratbuell, you have an inspirational outlook considering the injuries you have sustained. SO glad to hear you're back on a bike and enjoying it. You have my total respect. |
Jphish
| | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 08:41 pm: |
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Hey Ratbuell - I'm inspired. Great out look and a life lesson about not sweating the small stuff - all of us should benefit from a like minded approach. Makes all my petty insignificant trials & tribulations seem...well, petty and insignificant. Take your time in recovery so it's a lasting & durable one. I pushed the limits on mine a few years back after a highspeed dismount on my KLR - learned renewed patience was tantamount to healing. Welcome back ! If you drag that knee at night, folks will be calling NASA asking about the meteor shower. 'chow' j |
Nevrenuf
| | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 09:53 pm: |
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glad to see your back at it rat. hope your doing alright. |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Monday, October 13, 2008 - 10:10 am: |
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Thanks everybody. Not trying to be inspirational or anything...just trying to keep at 'er
Progress continues - cleaned the garage this weekend, put the S2 on a battery tender (not even enough juice for a neutral light; now showing green on the tender, time to ride!), rejetted my S1W, and finished color-match painting the silver saddlebag pieces for my UlyX in "barricade orange" (aka Testors "Ford Grabber Orange" from the local hobby shop). Been on both the Uly and the S1W now - boy, those low bars on the S1W (Buell 0 degree 'race' clipons) put some pressure on the blown shoulder, but DAMN that bike is fun!
Now, to dial the Works rear on the S2 down from 2-up to solo weight range (still set from Homecoming so both of us could ride), and take it for a spin. <sigh> So much to do...lol |
Mark_weiss
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - 01:17 pm: |
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Ti parts are not a problem at airports. I had to fly with my new Ti tibia soon after it's insertion. I was still using a walker, so I had to go through the 'special' line. Even the hand-held wands did not ping on the Ti leg.
Mark
in Arizona |
Johnboy777
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - 01:57 pm: |
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We need a 'Buell Ti Club'
. |
Hooper
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - 04:47 pm: |
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I don't wanna' join that club, but you guys can have at it! |
Froggy
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - 05:16 pm: |
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Does that mean you can put a "Ti Force" sticker on your bike with the stock pipe? |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - 05:48 pm: |
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Nah, I'm gonna get a "Ti Force" tat on the skin graft that's on top of my Ti tibia Either that, or the grim reaper's head with "better luck next time" under it, LOL.
Mark - interesting (and good) to know you didn't ping the wand. I figured the sheer amount of it would send some sort of a signal... |
Hooper
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - 09:47 pm: |
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I'd get a Ti Fighter tat with a Buell logo. |
Sekalilgai
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - 09:18 pm: |
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Hey Ratbuell
Good to hear you're moving right along! |
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