So this happened yesterday...

Saturday was an awesome day to be on the bike. I had the pleasure of riding with a choice few of my fellow Evolution teammates. As advertised, it was pretty much a 'Real' zone 2 ride, for real. In my opinion, that's where we should be riding in December. Let the measuring contests and the ego efforts  dominate later in the training season, not in December! In my world, the saying goes 'hero in December, zero in June'. I dunno, maybe I've got it all wrong but Saturdays ride was just right for me.

With about 20 minutes left in the ride, we were more or less single file on Loudoun County Parkway, rolling along around 25-27mph (based on reports I've heard). I remember seeing the rider in front of me swerve to the right; I was already to the right to I assumed I was ok. Then I wasn't. It happened in a split second. My bike abruptly stopped, throwing me off the saddle onto the top-tube. For a second I thought I was going to save it but then I was flying to the left, still attached to my bike. I remember the feeling of my face hitting asphalt, my head hitting the ground and then my shoulder finally stopping the movement.

I did not lose consciousness but I was definitely in shock. I couldn't really see straight and I just wanted to go to sleep. My teammates were there before I opened my eyes. I don't remember the sequence of events - I knew it was bad when I heard someone calling 911. I remember Tania saying she hit a piece of wood, someone asking for The Boy's number, I think Brian noticed that I had a Road ID and asked if it was the interactive version. I heard Chaz leaving a message for The Boy, I heard a lady talking to my teammates, I think she gave someone her card in case we needed to get back in touch. I was shivering, so cold. Someone laid (what I later found out was a shirt) over me.I don't remember who took off my helmet but I do remember hearing that it was a miracle that my glasses were unscathed. At some point someone took off my shoes.

The ambulance was there quickly, I heard the sirens coming. According to team reports, several vehicles stopped and the woman I heard was blocking traffic for us. The EMTs kept asking my name and my birthdate. I heard teammates already making arrangements for my bike and my car. I just wanted to go to sleep. They rolled me onto the backboard and pushed me into the ambulance. It took them forever to get moving, they kept asking questions but I was having trouble speaking (probably something to do with the fantastic swollen lip I was sporting).

The ambulance ride wasn't long but I swear they hit every pothole on the way. The EMT tried to push an IV but after several tries she old me I have 'bad veins'. I distinctly recall mumbling "don't judge" after her comment. They asked me what hurt and i was too out of it to shoot back "what doesn't" ... they cut my jersey to get a look at my shoulder when I pointed to it. And I didn't care.

The Boy was out riding and doesn't answer numbers he doesn't recognize. I apparently told someone this fact before I got in the ambulance but I don't remember it. That set off another chain of events to try to get someone in contact with him.

I had a teammate at the hospital before I got there. Thank you, Jeff, I can't tell you how much it meant to see a friendly face as I was starting to come around and take in what was happening. Tania had the wonderful foresight to grab my race bag and purse out of my car and drop it at the hospital. I was shivering like I was naked in the arctic so they kept throwing more and more blankets on me.

The nurses took a long time cleaning all the blood off my face. They pumped me full of morphine and ordered X-rays. A woman came in to stitch the gash over my left eye - I made a comment about her being the best since this IS my face and she declared that she loved to sew. X-rays came next and she wanted me to stand for them. They ordered for my shoulder, my chest and my eye. I stood for the first and nearly passed out. The X-ray tech declared, oh I see the problem. I thought "sigh, there's a real problem". She showed me where the plate in my collarbone held up but the piece of bone at the end looked like it had fractured - very faint but need to see an ortho.

Me and my cool nurse

Then it was the waiting ... By now I was starving, the morphine was wearing off and I felt pretty gross. I always say "chamois time is not saddle time" and by now I was hitting all-time records for chamois time. Plus, after a decent 3+ hour ride and then sitting in sweaty, clammy bike clothes (and no, the piece that was ripped off my arse did not provide ventilation), I'm sure I was smelling like roses.

The Boy arrived, quite stressed after getting bits of info but not knowing the full story. My nurse came back, said the obligatory nice things about how much better I looked but still took pity on me and sent me off with my first dose of Percocet and a goodie bag of supplies to get me started. The Boy had the joyous task of washing wounds, doing a sponge bath (and not the sexy kind), and trying to forage food. He did a splendid job, especially given the circumstances.

Jeff and Phil returned my car and bike today. Thank you both, it was an extra effort and very much appreciated. I saw my helmet for the first time. To quote Jeff, who has seen many a mangled helmet "This was the most damage done to a helmet that I've seen" ...apologies if I misquoted but you get the drift.

 Thank you to each one of my teammates on that ride: Brian, Chaz, Phil, Tania, Dave, David, Rick, Tods...please forgive me if I missed someone; I did just recently hit my head. You were all there and you all played a part in helping a fallen teammate and friend. I can't tell you how much that means but I'm going to say thank you for now and offer up a nice dinner together when I am healed up.

Let me say this - and I will say it again with every post regarding this injury and the recovery to come:

Wear your god-damn helmet. I won't be a drama queen and say it saved my life but it definitely saved my noggin from much more severe damage, possibly debilitating or fatal.

Get a Road ID or carry easily accessible info at all times. If I had been alone and on the pavement, at least they know my name and up to 3 contact numbers.

Now...recovery begins.