In a bad wreck over the weekend

[FkNAmerican]

Hey Kiwi biker friends,

Its FknAmerican. I was in a bad wreck over the weekend. My R-6 is totaled and I'm not much better. I remmeber I was going into a sweeping corner and, at the last second, saw a rock in the road and attempted to alter my line to avoid it but it caused my front end to just enter the edge of the road where the grass/debris build up.........

I tried to hold that line as long as I could but the traction wasnt there and I ended up running wide and low siding. Tried to hold it on the grass but there was a sharp ditch just off the road...bike just slid right out....nothing I could do at that point. When my helmet hit the ground the visor popped off and I went face first into a street sign (the sign was "sharp curves ahead".......go figure. You can guess what happened. There was a witness to the accident who said he thought I was dead on impact I hit so hard. He said it looked like my neck had just snapped when I hit the sign. He was amazed when I got up and started walking towards him. (I didnt even know I was walking towards anybody....I was just trying to get to the first house I saw). He also was worred I would bleed to death. They saved the gear they cut off me and from all the blood I have to agree. It looks like I jumped into a lake of blood. Inside my helmet it looks like somebody stuck a shotgun up in there and blew my head off. Its pretty unreal.

Anyway, somehow I managed to walk across the street and get help. I even managed to phone my mother to tell her I was "ok" before I collapsed in the grass. I dont know why I told her I was ok. I knew I wasnt. I just didnt want here to worry.

I remmember I coudnt see when they layed me down in the ambulance because all the blood pooled up in my eyes despite them wiping it. They finally just put a towel or something over my eyes and told me to keep my eyes shut and try to keep talking. I remmember listening to them work on me and warn ahead to the hospital of my condition and getting worried because it was bad. I could hear the stress increasing in thier voices and I could hear them trying to wisper the bad things so I would hear. That worried me.

My neck hurt so bad I couldnt keep my head up straight for awhile and everyone thought I had a broken neck and they took several scans. For awhile there I was really worried. I kept wiggling my toe's to reassure myself but I also knew that you can break your neck and then slowly deteriorate. Its not always a sudden lack of movement. All this time I could not see at all. I have always had a fear of going blind so it was hard. Just had to stay calm and listen to the world around me. That first day in the ER I just kept wiggling my toes like an idiot checking to see I still had movement hehe. I remmember I could feel them putting me in the scanner and getting worried because they kept taking scans over and over and over. I remmember thinking to myself "shit thats not a good sign....they shouldnt be taking so many scans unless they spotted something bad".......

Injuries include:

partially (mostly) severed tongue (reattached at hospital)

fractured face

pulverized nose (rebuilt with steel plate and surgery)

shattered jaw

missing several teeth

my face was split open from my forehead down to my upper lip. It basically looks like I got hit in the face by an axe.



As of now I've had two surgeries on my face. My jaw is wired shut, Im in unending pain, I cant speak, and Im eating through a tube and drooling all over myself. As I type this I have my little "drool cup" in front of my keyboard for the drool/blood to go in. I also have my writing pad for communicating to family and friends. Luckily they have also gotten good at interpreting my grunts and gestures when I cant be bothered to write shit out hehe.

I look in the mirror and see an alien looking back hehehe. Most of my face is bandaged up too so Im not looking forward to seeing whats under all that when it comes off in two weeks for a check up. What I can see it pretty ugly. I dont recongnize myself at all. Not one bit of my face looks the same. It even looks like my eyes have been moved. Fun times. I remmember well enough from when I walked up to the house. I could see my own reflection in his front glass door and blood was spraying out all over the door as I reached for the handle. My face wasnt so swollen then...but I remmember I could see the blood all over and I realized my teeth were gone. Thats all I really need to know until the bandages come off hehe. Its only when I lay down in the gass after people started shouting at me to lay down and not move that I lost my vision because of all the blood pooling into my eyes and all the swelling. I dont think I ever "lost" my vision. Its just the last time I could see anything for awhile because my eyes were wither covered up or covered in blood.

Right now my biggest worry (other then infection) is not throwing up because my mouth is wired shut and just before they did that I threw up all the blood I swallowed. Im a bit worried about choking to death on my own puke. That would really suck to survive this shit only to die in a pool of vomit days later!!! I've pretty much gotten used to the constant pain. Even the morphine didnt help. In the movies people get thier legs blown off and ask for morphine and then they seem alright pain wise. Well, its not really like that. Best way I can desvribe it is that it makes the pain appear "far off". Your still aware of it....just less so. Oh, and it doesnt last long at all. I remmember constantly asking for more and being told it wasnt time yet. There was always about a 45 minute to 1 hour waiting game from the time I asked for more until I actually got more. That sucked.

Oh and just to add insult to unjury. Guess whats in my fridge right now!?!?!

A huge lasagna, an entire quiche, BBQ chicken, coffee ice cream, and a cake......all of which I cant touch. Oh the torture of it!!! If I werent so happy to be alive (and able to move and still have my arms/legs/vision/etc... it would actually bother me.

Guess what I get to eat though: One cup of milk, one half scoop protien powder with vitamins/minerals, one spoonfull peanut butter, one cup water to thin it out so I can swallow it easier....all mixed up in my new best friend: the trusty blender. Yum Yum. :)

Anyway, sorry if this has gotten long. I think typing all this has helped me with the pain. My tongue hurts especially right now as do my teath. All my teeth that werent knocked out were nicely rearanged when my upper jaw shattered and the wires in my jaw are slowly forcing them back into place......so it hurts.............

One more thing: WEAR YOUR GEAR. If I hadnt been in my full face helmet the top of my head would have been cut off by the street sign. (it wasnt a nice round pole like some signs...it was shaped more like a dull blade). Also on the good side is that from the neck down Im alright. Just a little bruising and soreness. I have my leathers to thank for that. So wear them. Trust me guys (and girls).....it makes such a huge difference. I can only imagine how tough this would all be if I had mangled arms or legs to deal with on top of my face.

Anyway, please send some thought my way. I'd really appreciate it.

[sinfull]

Sad to hear man ! Well wishes to ya ! Hope all heals well and ya mother recognises ya at the end of the reconstructions !

[Stampy]

Bloody Hell, Heal Quickly Buddy:eek5::eek5:

[Donor]

FAAAAAAAARK!

Yeah... that about covers it...

Dude, lasagna should never be left in a fridge like that, you want I should come over and help with that? :D

[gunnyrob]

Glad to hear you will pull through, sounds pretty horrific. All the best for your recovery.

[Edbear]

Whoah! What can one say? Sympathies, that sounds like a biker's nightmare!

Glad you will heal, and if anyone wants a lesson in wearing gear, keep your photos of your face! I'm an ATGATT guy and I won't pillion anyone without the right gear, either!

[Winter]

Good work on staying alive through that buddy. Keep it up.

Thoughts are with you mate.

[Qkchk]

Thanks for sharing your story, Im sure some riders on here need a wake-up call to what life is like after the carnage..... :gob:

Key learnings:

1. Always wear the right gear!
2. Always expect the unexpected around the next corner!

Hope you heal soon, there plenty of bike porn on this site to keep your mind of things. :wari:

[Romeo]

Holy heck, you've got some serious fuckin' webbos man!

[jimbo600]

Harden up man. Jeez just a wee tickle that lot.

Sad to hear though bro' get well soonish

[Number One]

Crikey! Very sorry to hear dude - good sign though to see that you can post this! Good luck and best wishes for your recovery :sunny:

[ital916]

Man, I hope you heal quickly bud. SOunds like a horrific accident and I can't imagine the pain your going through. If your feeling bored and need to talk bikes feel free to drop me a pm mate.

[Deano]

Blardy hell mate - that doesn't sound nice at all.

I can see why the MotoGP boys wear mouthguards now.

All the best with a speedy recovery.

[Colapop]

FARK man!! You're doing pretty damn well (considering the trauma) to have written for that long! Take things easy for a bit and let yourself heal. You're alive and well enough to type. There's a ton of people here that'll yarn until the wee small hours (here) so you'll always have company. You may even make some friends to come visit when you're better. Hope all goes well man.

[jrandom]

Yowch, dude! Sounds like you took a beating and a half!

Best wishes for your recovery, hope you have plenty of friends and family around to look after you and keep you amused while everything grows back into one piece.

:crazy:

Keep us updated, eh?

[Dooly]

Good luck mate, hope all goes well.

Been thru trauma like that.
You'll heal eventually, but mainly keep a positive attitude, you'll be amazed how that works, and things will fall back into place.

Two positives........you'll probably lose weight due to lack of decent food (thats if you needed to)........and you can get a new bike!!!

All the best.

[marioc]

Man bad luck guy!
Almost bit my toungue off too once,never seen so much blood.

[RantyDave]

Holy shit, dude! I think I know what you mean about the street sign - using a piece of angled metal where a pole would be more appropriate? And this hit you in the face?

Shhhhheeeeeeeesshhh. Wincing a LOT over here. How've you managed to get online so fast?

Get well soon doesn't seem to cover it. Nasty shit, man. Nasty shit.

Dave

[sels1]

So is this what you Americans mean by the phrase "in yer face!?"

No? oh...

Heal well Bud

[HornetBoy]

:crazy: :gob: OUCH! Get well mate sounds like you came pretty close to meeting your maker eh ! ,Hopefully you can get back on the bike in not too long (if you've not throwen it in already ,wouldnt blame ya tho)

will your bike be able to be recovered ?

edit: now youll have an excuse to get that aprilla you were wanting lol

[Motardman]

Jeez mate thats shocking, glad you're still alive. Always wondered whether these new quick release visors are such a good idea....what brand of helmet was it?

[sunhuntin]

ouch man!! glad you are still here.

an ex of mine had an accident and ended up in similar condition to you. his jaw was wired as well. he eventually lost his teeth and has dentures. some 2 years i think, or 2 xmases he was wired. heres hoping you have a better outcome!

take care, think positive, and know theres a bunch of kiwis rootin for you.

[CookMySock]

thats nasty, bro. Remember theres the chat room if you are sitting around bored.. always a laugh there especially in the evenings.

DB

[FkNAmerican]

Thanx for all the well wishes guys. You guys have NO IDEA how much it helps. That, combined with family and friends, is whats helping me get through this in what high spirits Im able to keep up. Sometimes when I think about what Im gonna have to deal with in the next month (surgeries, pain, legal battles, being scarred for life, etc) its a little overwhelming but you guys really help.

Yeah its a real struggle to type this shit but I figure I have two options:

1. I can lay in bed staring at the wall bleeding and drooling and being in pain.
2. I can type stuff while bleeding and drooling and being in pain and read your responses.

Option two makes me feel a whole lot better!!

Condition update:

Its beginning to dawn on my what a lengthy and painfull recovery Im going to have. Im actually feeling a little down about it now. I was doing much better when I typed out the first message. Just having my jaw wired shut for the next two weeks is hard enough to deal with. Its only been a few days and sometimes I just want to rip the wire out of my jaw so I can breathe and not constantly feel like Im suffocating. Im in constant pain because my bones are still shifting and it feels like the wires are pulling my teeth out. With all the blood and shit sometimes I feel like I cant breathe and I panic a little. Also I have no apetite and I havnt had a shit since the accident. Luckily thats not a problem as of yet. I still have some time. But Im wondering whats gonna have to happen if, 4 days from now I still havnt had a shit.......... Im also having a real hard time sleeping. I'm completely exhausted but too uncomfortable to sleep. Its just too painful.

On top of that Im having allergies and every time I sneeze or cough it feels like knives being jabbed into my eyes. My sinus cavities and the orbits around my eyes were broken and they are all stuffed with blood. When I sneeze/cough (or try to) there isnt really anywhere for all the pressure to go because my mouth is wired shut. It forces the bones around my eyes to move and its extremely painfull. I cant wear contacts or glasses so I can barely see what Im typing. All this creates just one feeling: frustration.

The docs have told me to keep a 2,000 calorie per day diet minimum but Im only getting around 200 per day its so painful to eat. Also I have to watch the sugar because I cant clean my teeth properly so I have to rince my mouth out for a LONG LONG time after every feeble attempt at a meal. I have got a book called "The Practical Guide to Eating Meals Through a Straw" or something and its got lots of great info on making good food taste like shit by blending it up. Its like all they did was rip off some cook book and type: "Now put all this in a blender for 2 minutes" at the end of every recipe. Its totally useless. Also I cant actually use a straw at all. I just make meals designed for a straw and then try to slurp them through my small opening where my front teeth used to be which is painful. The reason is that the sucking action of a straw can cause pressure in my sinuses and irritate the broken orbits of my eyes....which is very painful.

Even drinking water is hard. I have to get enough in so that I can swallow it because a certain amount always goes out the side of my mouth but I cant get in too much or I choke and when I choke I cant expell the water fast enough and it makes me feel like Im going to suffocate.

I cant shower because of the risk of getting my "facial cast" thingy wet. So I take bathes which is fun because my tub sucks. Let me tell you people....... when you buy your next house and the tub is small dont think "I've been showering since I was 10.....wont need the tub anyway" because one day you just might wish you had a tub worth a damn. My tub wont hold water and its too small. This is no minor frustration when having a long warm bath is one of the best parts of your day let me tell you!!!! So instead of a long warm bath I get a really short one with my knees up to my chest (Im six feet tall.....my tub seems to have been designed for squirrels) Its still one of the better bits of my daily routine now and I look forward to it hehehe. I'd have never thought I'd look forward to a short warm bath in a small leaking tub as much as I do now.

Right now I can feel the flem and saliva building up in the back of my throat which is so thick I cant clear it with my jaw wired shut. Im guessing that within the next 5 minutes it will induce the coughing reflex and bring about more pain (like my eyes being stabbed out or exploding from the inside). Until then I have that annoying feeling of being on the edge of choking without being able to do a damn thing about it. Happens about ounce every hour. The annoying bit is the time it takes from when I sense its getting uncomfortable and building up to when I actually hack it up to the front of my mouth by forced reflex and drool it out becuase I have no control over it. I just have to sense it and then waite for it to happen.....which isnt fun. There is that period of about 30 minutes when I dont sense the flem building up in the back of my throat and, believe it or not, that time is bliss. Its what I look forward to when I know Im about to cough it up......I know that right after the extreme pain comes a good half hour of relief......which is just the general pain of the accident.

If I can only time it right so that Im taking my warm bath while at the same time not getting ready to cough and feel like my eyes are being stabbed out then I will be one happy man!!! hehehe. (I live for the little pleasures in life)

That about sums up life for me right now. (and for the next two weeks)

[blossomsowner]

Very nasty. Hope your feeling a little less pain today and a little more morphine.. Pain sucks. Glad to hear that the rest of you is not too injured though. Rest up and keep posting eh.. lots of peeps to listen over here.

[ritchtheitch]

phark, scary. best of luck with the recovery. and to the nice guy that offered to help out with the lasagne, that is just the nicest thought. :clap: it's good to have people that are willing to lend a hand when you need one..

[Mikkel]

Holy cripes, that's a bin and a half! :eek:

Main thing is you're still here and you seem to be keeping your spirits up about it! :niceone: From what you are writing it appears as if you were rather lucky to retain your life, mobility and senses. I hope you'll mend well and soon!

So what bike are you getting next? ;) I suggest something loud and obnoxious to piss off your prudish neighbours even more - you'll have to make up for the break you're giving them now... :yes:

[blossomsowner]

Dude are you at home already???!! FARK! Many kudos to ya. Try to keep your spirits up. Cant be easy keeping things together in your head but you sure sound like your doing well. Sending lots of thoughts and prayers your way.

[MIXONE]

All I can say is "OUCH!!!" mate.Still it beats the alternative.
Good luck and fast healing.Rest assured that there is a whole lot of kiwis sending positive thoughts your way.

[DingoZ]

Fook............

Glad your alive

Foookin hell......

You gunna go out and buy a lotteries ticket......?


Heal well..

[sinfull]

But Im wondering whats gonna have to happen if, 4 days from now I still havnt had a shit..........

Ya want the graphic description or the readers digest version ?

[Goblin]

Also I have no apetite and I havnt had a shit since the accident. Luckily thats not a problem as of yet. I still have some time. But Im wondering whats gonna have to happen if, 4 days from now I still havnt had a shit.......... Im also having a real hard time sleeping. I'm completely exhausted but too uncomfortable to sleep. Its just too painful.
If it's any help, I went 24 days without a poo at the begining of my second pregnancy. Although I was eating more than Ive ever eaten nothing was coming out...and I survived. :shit:

Really sorry you're in so much pain and I hope you make a full recovery. Thoughts are with you. :hug:

[FkNAmerican]

LOL (actually I cant laugh, its too painfull)

The only thing worthy enough to piss off my neighbors would be a boss hoss with the Viper V-10 engine in it. Not much else is louder stock then an R-6 you know!!! hehehe.

But yeah, Im amazingly lucky to have gone through that with as little injuries as I have. Sometime I think to myself "If I just hadnt hit that damn pole face first then I'd have walked away" I have to stop myself and think "I did hit that pole face first and I shouldnt even be alive right now....at the least I should be blind or paralyzed but Im capable of making a good recovery over time".

Then I feel really lucky,

Anyway got to go. Just had th coughing fit and it was painfull as hell.......so now Im gonna go run that bath I've been looking forward too. Then I gotta rest in bed and try to sleep.

'night all. Ride safe and put your gear on every time. Saved my life and it will save yours.

oh and my helmet was a $600 Shoei.....top of the line bit of kit......just didnt work as well as I needed it to that time.......but it still saved my life.

[Trudes]

Wow!! That really is quite horrific dude, good luck with your recovery, small steps.
Very thankful you are still with us though and you were wearing good gear that sounds like saved your life and an awful lot more pain.
Warm fuzzies and thoughts coming your way from this kiwi, keep us updated, especially as it sounds like it's helping you to get all your fustrations out, whatever helps mate. :hug:s to you.

[LilSel]

Sending you warm wishes & get well vibes :hug:

[FkNAmerican]

oh and yeah.....Im home already. Thats American style health care for you :)

I think they decide you really need "extra care" when you come back, barely clinging to life with a massive infection (that you got during your short stay at the hospital) and beg to be let back in a few days more.

ok, now its REALLY bath time. Night.

[Mikkel]

The only thing worthy enough to piss off my neighbors would be a boss hoss with the Viper V-10 engine in it. Not much else is louder stock then an R-6 you know!!! hehehe.

I see the problem there - at least if you want to go around corners ;)


But yeah, Im amazingly lucky to have gone through that with as little injuries as I have. Sometime I think to myself "If I just hadnt hit that damn pole face first then I'd have walked away" I have to stop myself and think "I did hit that pole face first and I shouldnt even be alive right now....at the least I should be blind or paralyzed but Im capable of making a good recovery over time".

Then I feel really lucky,

That the one. Shit happens - it how we deal with it that matters. :niceone:
I suspect you will be fine :yes:


oh and my helmet was a $600 Shoei.....top of the line bit of kit......just didnt work as well as I needed it to that time.......but it still saved my life.

If you come out of a, literally, head-first collision with a steel post, having the profile you described, with both your life and brains intact I think the helmet has done an impressive job. :yes:

Have a nice bath and I hope you'll get a good sleep as well!

Edit: And yes, for the record when I read your two first posts I was thinking "WTF is this guy doing out of hospital this soon?" Take care mate.

[megageoff76]

Holy crap mate. Thats was like reading a plot summary for a horror movie.
Get well soon dude.

[headlesschicken]

jeez man thats tough. you're super lucky the rest of your body is fine though. all my good vibes are going to you right now, hope you have a quick recovery:niceone:

[Skunk]

Fuck man... Hope the healing goes well and I'm glad you're still with us. Sounds like a close call.

All the best.

Does your State require helmets or was it personal choice?

[onearmedbandit]

Not much more I can say that others already haven't, but glad to see you're still in the land of the living. Here's to a speedy 100% recovery.

[DarkLord]

Far out. Dude, you are lucky to be alive. Really sorry to hear about your crash.

Take care and get better soon.

[WRT]

Really incredible reading, thanks for taking the time to write it. I think (hope) that it is both good for you to write it and for all of us as riders to read it, but obviously for different reasons.

Hope you get a full recovery, and as you say, it is a miraculous thing that not only do you have your life, but all your limbs etc are intact and working well for you. I hate to use the word "lucky" in a situation like this, but it's great that you are still capable of all the things to care for yourself (like bathing and toiletries, when they finally happen!), both now and for the rest of your life.

I'll be sending positive thoughts your way over the next little while.

[MSTRS]

What a tale! Glad you are here to tell it. Take your time and recover properly.
Remarkable similarity to BigG's off last year, except he didn't include hitting a sign, so no major injuries for him. The bike, however....
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=1198814&postcount=1801

[stify]

fark dude....what a write up, an experience i would wish upon no one...ever, hope you heal fast, all the best

Mark

[Badcat]

dude.
what a horrific situation.
a load better than losing you though, although it may not seem like that to you right now.
my dad used to say:
"you don't measure a man by the way he handles success"
i think he meant that it's when life tastes like ass, you see what you're made of.
life's definitely kicked you in the nuts, and by the sound of your posts, you're smart and strong.
having us kiwis on the other side of the world has it's advantages. if you're awake in the middle of the night feeling like shit, some of us will be online.
post here - or PM one of us (including me).
bikers will listen.
sorry to hear that you're hurting, but you'll heal.
make some good friends here while you're not riding.

Ken

[oldrider]

Good luck with the healing dude, stay in touch. :yes: Cheers John.

[Motardman]

oh and my helmet was a $600 Shoei.....top of the line bit of kit......just didnt work as well as I needed it to that time.......but it still saved my life.

Once you're well and back together, which be the sounds of your frame of mind may well be sooner rather than later as your positive attitude is amazing, then I'd be having a 'word' with a Shoei rep as no matter how hard the crash your visor shouldn't be coming off as its there to protect from protruding hazards etc....being the USA you may beable to claim some compensation...never quite trusted those Shoei quick release visors...seem just a little too easy to pop off?

But seriously.....best wishes mate, I know what its like to crash and injure yourself....stay positive and it'll help you through it :2thumbsup

[Shaun]

Heal up well man, it takes time! I am 11+ months into my healing still and doing very well

[HungusMaximist]

I have got a book called "The Practical Guide to Eating Meals Through a Straw" or something and its got lots of great info on making good food taste like shit by blending it up.


Crack up book bro, get well soon!

Hope you got a g/f that can keep you warm and look after ya! :sunny:

[klyong82]

Damn....i read halfway and it was painful to continue so I stopped but I am bloody glad you are ok:weep:. Just brings back memories on some mates who did not make it:weep::weep::weep:. Heal up properly ...and thanks for sharing the experience...

[Dooly]

I havnt had a shit since the accident. Luckily thats not a problem as of yet. I still have some time. But Im wondering whats gonna have to happen if, 4 days from now I still havnt had a shit..........

Mate, I never had one for 6 weeks after my crash.
Ok, was in a coma in ICU for 3 of those, but the next 3 were a nightmare.

When it happened after 6 or so weeks, and days and days of suppositries I cannot explain the pain, but reckon I possibly could understand how if feels for a woman giving birth!:crybaby:

Its just the meds they give you that block you up, I'm sure you'll be back to normal soon.

[BOGAR]

as some one said
FAAAAAAAARK :sick: :shit:
because that was what was going through my mind reading what you have said.
Man you are lucky to be alive. I'm hoping that you have a speedy recovery is all i can say. :doctor:
Keep us informed, you now have a lot of people keen to see you getting better.

[marty]

First up, I am really sorry to hear that you have injured yourself, but glad to hear you still have a sense of humour.

I have this mental image of a face shot of Hannibal Lector though......

Speedy recovery, our American friend

[Pwalo]

Well I see you don't believe in doing things by half! Good luck with the healing process, and compulsory weight loss regime.

[FkNAmerican]

Well, Im not exactly independent. I have to have somebody with me at all times.......

Somebody watches me while I bathe in case I faint so I wont drown in the tub.

Somebody watches me while I sleep in case I throw up or something. I also have to sleep upright so they make sure I dont actually lay down or anything. Believe me...I REALLY want to lay down and have a proper sleep.....but they wont let me. Too dangerous at this point. So I sleep proped up against the wall with a bunch of pillows on either side. No wonder I havnt slept hehehehe.

Somebody keeps an eye on my temp. to watch for fever/infection

Somebody helps me take my meds, some of which I need help with.

Im def. not out of the woods yet. Im still under constant watch.....Im just home instead of in the hospital. Rest assured if I take a downturn I will be back in the hospital within an hour.

On that note, I go back to the hospital for operation # 3 in two weeks though. Thats the big one in terms of actually fixing the look of things. They couldnt really do much until I went through a healing faze. The first two operations were just to get me stable enough to heal. I cant WAIT for that day because thats the day my mouth is suppossed to come unwired and I will actually be able to open my mouth and BREATHE. I still wont be able to eat anything but liquid food but at least I will be able to breath comfortably.

Everyone reading this post right now should open thier mouths, take in a deep breath of fresh air, and be thankfull at how easily you just did that and how it made you feel!!!! Consider that to some people out there every breath is a struggle that feals like near asphyxiation and makes the eyes sting. After that you should go to the fridge and get a nice cool glass of water and drink it. Be thankfull you could just do that!! For some every gulp of water is a painful struggle thats nearly choking. Then take out that piece of pizza and enjoy every last bite. Some people wont be eating anything that tasty for a month!!! Than go lay down in you bed and feel how comfortable that is. Think that some people cant even lay down to sleep even after they havnt slept in days because its so painfull!!!!

As for myself, Im going to think that even though Im going through all this shit...there are still people out there in the world that have it alot worse then I do so Im gonna be gratefull for what I do have even if Im busy bitching about my problems right now hehehehehe.

[WRT]

Everyone reading this post right now should open thier mouths, take in a deep breath of fresh air, and be thankfull at how easily you just did that and how it made you feel!!!!

Done.

Your attitude is amazing, and an inspiration to all. Heal fast dude.

[Forest]

Thanks for writing this up. It is really inspiring to read about your attitude towards the challenges you're facing.

[FkNAmerican]

Oh and I have another product review. This time its a review of pain meds. Remmember how I said morphine didnt work as well as I needed it to while I was in the hospital. Well now Im on something thats great. Dont know if its actually better then morphine...(in fact it could even be a derivative)...but I DO know thats it making me FEEL better then the morphine hehehehe.

Its called "Hydrocodone" and shit does this stuff work. I felt like total ass a little while ago. Pain was unbearable. Took the prescribed dosage and for awhile I felt almost good. The biggest news though. I was able to fall asleep for a little while. Maybe 45 minutes. Damn that was good.

The reason Im awake now is because Im in severe pain again......cant sleep. But guess what?? In a little over an hour I get to take some more Hydrocodone and the pain goes away for a bit. Who knows.....maybe it will go away long enough for me to fall asleep.....and maybe I will sleep a few hours in a row. That would be nice.

Another good update: Alot of the swelling in the upper part of my head (above my eyes) has gone down. Still look like I've been beat up by Mike Tyson below my eyes but above it I dont look like an alien anymore. Now Im just waiting for the bottom half of my face to play catch up with the upper part hehehehe. Also Im begining to think the huge battle axe scar I've got that runs from my forehead down between my eyes and ends at my upper lip just to the right of my nose actually looks cool. Heheheh.....nah Im sure I'll be pissed off about it again tommorrow........LOL. Jesus. Its pretty epic though.

Still drooling like a champ. I hope I dont drool like this for the rest of my life. That would get old hehehehe.

Ok now I gotta go. Sitting here typing I can literally feel the pain increasing. Cant do this anymore for now.

[Dodger]

Yeeash!
I think you just won the Hard man award for the rest of the year, that's one nasty crash. :sick:

Hope you recover quickly.

Also:

I have got a book called "The Practical Guide to Eating Meals Through a Straw" or something and its got lots of great info on making good food taste like shit by blending it up. Its like all they did was rip off some cook book and type: "Now put all this in a blender for 2 minutes" at the end of every recipe. Its totally useless.

That's the funniest thing I've read all day :laugh:

[Tony.OK]

Fark mate,bad shit,hope you mend fast.Sounds like you've got an awesome attitude to life too,take care:2thumbsup

[Capinure]

American , i'm thinking of you man. Silver lining mate theres always one think of it always. Hope you make a quick recovery.

[VS700]

Family, Friends and unknown bikers will help you through.
Hope you can aford to lose some weight,what with only being able to drink food through a straw. Lol.
ask some one to smile for you. :) ------------- see it works.

[DarkLord]

Posts like this should be recommended reading. Reading this is EXTREMELY sobering. All of us out there who have done stupid things on the road (myself included) or faced potentially disastrous situations like this, yet somehow managed to avoid any harm coming to them should sit there and realise just how lucky they are. For next time, we may not be so lucky.

I know what it is like to be suffering terribly in a hospital, not being allowed to leave and being consistently uncomfortable and in pain, being unable to sleep, and it was pure hell on earth. However fortunately for me what I went through was nothing compared to what FKNAmerican is facing. The attitude he is facing it with is very admirable indeed. Thanks for sharing with us man and wishing you a speedy recovery.

[jim.cox]

At varsity, a mate of mine walked out in front of a car and bust his jaw.

They wired it up and he carried a pair of wire cutters around in his pocket just in case.

He still cant stand yoghurt :)

Heal quick, Bro

[RC1]

not nice to hear, hope your recovery goes well

[gijoe1313]

:gob: Crikey mate ,that was one feral read there ... you got good reserves of will or cussedness or something since you are able to type such informative and humourous posts!

Thanks for reminding us to take a deep breath, I think I stopped breathing when I was reading the contents of this thread ... and damn, it sure tasted good!

I guess an important question to ask is ... hows the bike? :whistle: :msn-wink:

Do you guys get charged by the po-po-5-0 for events like this? "Careless use of a vehicle" etc. I guess its the least of your concerns for now! :sweatdrop

Sounds like you are winning small battles and getting on with getting on, hopefully you can find a better edition of "Making Straw meals more appetising" and remember that Monty Python song .. Always look on the bright side of life! (which you seem to be doing in abundance) :yes:

[jafar]

Sorry to hear your messed up. Each day as it comes fkn, there is a long road ahead.

[sinister^]

Fuck mate, I really feel for you and your family. Lucky your still alive, very lucky.


ps:
You better start smoking grass (lol)

and that was a good read.:)

[Dodger]

Another good update: Alot of the swelling in the upper part of my head (above my eyes) has gone down. Still look like I've been beat up by Mike Tyson below my eyes but above it I dont look like an alien anymore. Now Im just waiting for the bottom half of my face to play catch up with the upper part hehehehe. Also Im begining to think the huge battle axe scar I've got that runs from my forehead down between my eyes and ends at my upper lip just to the right of my nose actually looks cool. Heheheh.....nah Im sure I'll be pissed off about it again tommorrow........LOL. Jesus. Its pretty epic though.

Hope your taking photos, will be good to look back on them in a few years..

[Brett]

F&CK ME dude. SOunds like you were lucky to walk away from that one. I hope make it through ok and the healing isn't too long. Keep us updated on the progress. Thoughts definitely go out to you bro.

[Swoop]

Bloody hell! Sorry to hear of your current situation in life, but you could be worse off I guess.
As asked before, are helmets compulsory in NC or "your choice"?

Heal up well dude!

[dave_a]

heal well dude! make sure when you go in for your next surgery you ask to look like brad pitt :laugh:

Take some photos for us we wanna see!!

[nudemetalz]

Take care, dude !!!
Sorry to hear about your accident.

Get well soon, and start looking at an R6 replacement !!
Moto Guzzi's are good ya know.... :yes:

[Genestho]

Mate, in the face of what your dealing with, you have got a great sense of humour, and that helps.
Good luck with the poo.

I remember after both my bubs it was a few days till captain poo came along...

Advice: clench gently and let it go slow:eek5:..luckily your not on solids (lol).

(Sorry to take you all there...)

Seriously...goodluck bud

[PirateJafa]

Mate, you do realise you are letting your neighbours win now don't you?

You'll need to watch MotoGP a lot with the volume maxed to ensure noone forgets about the local "50km/h road-racer"!

[Street Gerbil]

Hey Kiwi biker friends,
...
Anyway, please send some thought my way. I'd really appreciate it.

Refuah shlemah. Get well soon, mate!

[Wiki Drifter]

Damn dude... glad you're still with us. Get well soon

[MVnut]

Well done to stay alive mate, you obviously took a hell beating. You gotta make a full recovery and come visit Kiwiland, I'll buy you a lasagne and a beer. :beer:

[Radar]

Horrific story. Well written though, thanks for sharing with us.

I have never been in an accident but have been in hospital a few times including cancer treatment. Based on that, plus knowing a few nurses over the years, what I can suggest to you is to pay attention to what the nurses tell you. They know a hell of a lot about how people cope and heal, physically and psychologically. Doctors can be aloof or at least short on advice. And if you can tap into their humour, nurses and even orderlies can be a great source of cutting boredom and remaining positive. I reckon the more you can laugh and get others to laugh, the faster you will heal.

Are you in a room on your own or are there others you can chat with?

[Zoolander]

Dude.... shocking to read but your sense of humour and positive mindset is an inspiration. I'm sure it will make your recovery that much quicker as well. Bling sent, hey its not much I know, but when you're healed get down to NZ and I'll shout you a cold beer or 10.

Crazy that some people in the States still wont wear helmets huh? Maybe after they see yours they might think about it.

Best of luck with everything, keep us posted on your progress.

Dave.

[Mike748]

Dude, tough break.
Glad you were able to walk away even if you still aren't out of the woods.
It's been good to get the reality check after such a bad off, it's all too easy to dismiss a bin with bravado and ignore what could have been.

Hmm ... I just got a new Shoei, so I hope it isn't a design fault that caused the visor to pop off?

Heal quick, keep posting and don't let the frustration get you after surviving everything else so far.

[beyond]

Shit mate, what a hell of a story. You seem like you have a good positive attitude. Stay with that man. What can I say? heal quick and may all your ops be as painless as possible and you come out the other side as good as you can possibly be.

Some green bling coming your way :)

[Manxman]

Yer a fuppin hero in my book. That's a very, very big life event you have had to cope with.

Keep positive:yes:

[Joliet]

Wow thats intense .. rest assured you're in lots of peoples thoughts right now. I hope the recovery isn't too long and you're not too shocked with the outcome after your bandages come off.

Get well soon :)

[saltydog]

Mate, mate, mate......
What a read.
I've started wearing my leathers more thesedays as well.....
Wish you a speedy recovery.
And dont forget to get back on that horse bro.

[CHOPPA]

Man thats terrible! good to hear your still in good spirits! Not that its the helmets fault the odds of a sign hitting you right between the visor is 1 in a billion! but what sort of helmet was it?

[Daffyd]

Shit mate, I almost feel your pain. Get well soon!

[chanceyy]

Mate there is nuffing more i can say that has not already been said, This should be compulsory reading for all riders, just shows how easily things can turn to custard.

keep us updated, in yrs to come it will be interesting reading when you come back & see the journey you have made from these dark days to when your well & pain free

Best wishes to you & we are all interested in your progress .. take care, just relieved your here to tell us about it .. Bikes can be replaced, ppl can not ..

[karla]

Amazing reading, thank you for writing it all down and for sharing it with us. The days ahead are going to be a bit of a roller coaster I imagine, as you adjust emotionally and physically. That's gotta be one hell of a shock to the system.

My thoughts are with you as are everyone's here. I don't believe in luck, I'd prefer to think that there's a good reason you survived this crash. :yeah:

Kia Kaha - stay strong; this to will pass.

Women love scars by the way! :chase:

[McJim]

Get well soon bro. You must be real good lookin' now.

[DUCATI*HARD]

heal fast,,,ride harder :rockon:

[Dave-]

fuck what do they make you blokes out of?

best wishes for a speedy recovery mate.

[Blossom]

Hope you get some sleep tonight mate. If not you can always stalk some of the guys on here to keep you company. I hope you enjoyed your bath too. :hug:

[BAD DAD]

Just hoping that each day gets better for you. Your recollection of the event is very graphic and very sobering. Did your bike fare better than yourself. Hope your insurance company treats you as nicely as those nurses will be. Good luck man.

[Jiminy]

F...........CK!!! :gob:

You made me cry, mate. I can't even near imagine what you're going through right now. It's unbelievable that you survived, and I'm shocked you managed to walk away from it and even call your mom (mind you, that alone deserves a hord of blings)!

I feel very humble when I read how positive you are about this experience. Your story is sobbering and warm at the same time. You are a courageous man! You are ahead of a long journey with many highs and lows. But remember at all time: you have all the bikers in this far away country, people you probably have never met, feeling for you and sending you good vibes. Not sure it will help you heal, but hopefully it will give you a boost when you most need it.

I'm so glad to read your story and how you're going through those events with such positive attitude. This could have been a 'Biker Down' thread, but that's an unbelievable message that you are sharing and it's great that you are with us to tell it.

I want to write a thousand words even if I don't know you - hey, it might even help you sleep reading this ;). Take it a day at a time (or maybe a bath at a time?) and one day all this will be behind you.

Heal well. I send you all the good vibes I can... :hug::hug::hug:

[TOTO]

Man you are one lucky guy. ok , Unlucky to fall off but damn lucky to have your life brother.

You have plenty of oportunity now to spend in KB and look at hot bikes and hot chickas. :whistle:

We are all with you brother. Keep in touch with whats hapening. Let us know if there is anything you need.:grouphug:

I know its pretty early at this stage but have you asked how long would the recovery time be ?

Get better, Fast :)

TOTO


P.S. Whats your street address ? Maybe we can send you some KB goodness :rolleyes:

[TygerTung]

Mate, I just don't know what to say. Reading this really did bring a tear to my eye. Stay strong and stay positive. Good think tinted visors were invented eh? Handy for when you get back on ya bike!!!!

But seriously if you ever come over to the funny land near australia, I'm sure many people will be more than happy to shout you a few full flavoured kiwi beers, myself included. I really hope that you get better soon, and I'm thinking of you.(not in a creepy way.) Your posts are real awsome and are filled with hope, even though the news is not so good.

Get well soon matey.

[FkNAmerican]

guys.....I had a rough morning. I'm going back to the hospital. Managed to read your posts and they made me smile and my eyes watered up........

Something isnt right. Feels like a really bad ear infection like a drill going into the side of my skull and I feel more then exhausted. I feel weak like I';ve never felt. Also my facial cast somehow fell off during the night so I have to get that replaced...........The good thing is I feel alot safer at the hospital. At least if I have an emergency there Im already hooked up to monitors so they can catch it and react.

Dont know when I'll be back. Maybe later today if its something small. Im thinking maybe the wires are pulling so hard on my teeth maybe a small fracture in my jaw near my ear drum is acting up or something. Thats what I hope. The last thing I need rightn ow is the pain if an ear infection. The exhaustion is what has me worried. Never felt this weak before in my life. Its a whole new level.

Cheers guys. You've been a real help. I'll stay positive.

Helmets are required by law in the state of North Carolina by the way........hehehe.

[MD]

Sorry to hear how messed up you came out. Be positive, well as positive as you can when you are hurting so much! take care and all the best
Surprised to hear you were allowed home?

Mark

[Owl]

Hospital is probably the best place for you at the moment. Like everyone here, I'm glad you're around to tell your story. Try to keep positive and please hold on to that sense of humour.
I truly wish you the best of luck with your recovery and look forward to chatting about your experience when you're feeling a lot better!

[fergie]

bad luck mate.best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[FkNAmerican]

ok Im back from the hospital. No ear infection. Doc said its most likely somethng to do with my sinuses. I have to say that today turned out to be what I would call a good day.

The doc I saw today was the same one who did the initial operation to save my nose on day one. (although today was the first time I actually saw what he looked like) When he took off the bandages he said: "I dont know what your nose looked like before the accident but it looks really good now. I like how the shape came out. You're healing much better then I expected considering the extent of your injuries".

Then he did some minor touch up on my nose. That hurt a bitch b/c they didnt put me out for it. Joked around with him and the nurse a little. When they were done I asked if they could trim my beard and shape my side burns (havnt shaved since the accident) and that got a good laugh hehehehe.

Turns out he is also a rider. He rides a BMW K-1200R (I think...dont know my BMW's) He told me he doesnt live far from where I had the accident and, literally, the same day he did my surgery he took his bike out there on that same road to check it out. Said it gave him the chills. Also turns out the guy is a track junkie. Goes out to VIR all the time. Said he has crashed there twice, both times at turn one (said its jokingly called the "collection point" or something), and walked away each time. Real cool dude overall. Glad he did the work on my nose.

Just talking to him made me want to get back on a bike as soon as possible. Also made me think how Im gonna miss the track days I had planned for the summer. Oh well. Next summer then.

Alright. Time for me to eat. I've only had about 400-500 calories in a six day period. I've lost some huge weight too. Still not hungry at all but Im forcing myself to up the calories from now on. Doc said it should speed my recovery. (duh)

Big surgery is next Wednesday. Im getting everything done but the final work on my teeth then. Cant waite for wednesday!!!!!!!!!

Oh and I also got my bike back from impound. I've decided to take some pics and post them for you guys when I feel a little better. Maybe in a few days.

Thanks again guys.

[Mikkel]

That's awesome news mate! Sounds like you are in good hands there :yes:

And yes, you need to eat more - even if you have to force it down! You wanna be fresh and perky for your date on wednesday ;)

Good luck with your recovery and hang on to that humour!

[marty]

we had an american student stay with us last year from NC - Cherokee I think she was from. Her dad rode the parkway all the time - she said it was a fantastic road that heaps of bikes used. has a 45mph speed limit for its whole 469 mile length! :)

[Swoop]

Great news!
Good to hear that your doctor is also a biker. Hopefully he will look after a fellow rider with greater interest and dedication.

[klingon]

Wow, what a story! :eek5:

I'm so glad you could come on here and tell us about it yourself. And to tell it with such humour and patience and calm is really quite incredible.


Women love scars by the way! :chase:

I have to agree with karla - women dig scars on condition there's an interesting story to go along with them. I think you might just qualify there!

Do keep eating as much as you can. It's no wonder you're feeling weak and tired with the trauma your body is going through. You really need to eat as much as you can, as often as you can to keep your strength up.

Good to hear you're enjoying your baths. Maybe when you're a bit better you can visit someone who has a decent size bath and really relax! Also I suspect the moist, steamy air might be doing you some good - try putting some essential oil in your bath so you're breathing in some soothing vapours at the same time as relaxing. Tea Tree oil is brilliant for that. Send your Mum on a mission to a herbalist to find something good.

:hug: Sending hugs and nurturing thoughts your way. If you were a bit closer I might even offer to scrub your back :whistle:

[gijoe1313]

Matey mate, sounds like the biker gods have biffered you and garlanded you with cricket bats and bouquets! Glad to hear it wasn't an ear infection and you got to spend a little time with a good bloke who knows what its like to be riding two wheels of freedom.

Keep on with that attitude, I can't believe how active you are for the ordeal you've been through! Taking photos, replying to posts, giving us updates etc.

On ya bro, keep it all together ow!

How come you didn't ask the nice lady nurses for a sponge bath? :innocent:

[Lissa]

Recover well matey!! Hugs your way, and look after YOURSELF!!!!

[klingon]

Main course: Whipped potato and Onion Gravy

Peel & boil a potato. Put it in your blender with some salt, some of the water you cooked the potato in, and some non-dairy oil. Whip it up nice and creamy, thinning it down as much as you need to.

Chop up half an onion and a clove of garlic very finely in your blender then sautee the onion paste in a little oil (olive oil is good). Make gravy in the usual way (stock, instant gravy mix, however you normally do it) using the fried onion/garlic. Again, thin it down as needed.

Put the potato on a plate, pour gravy over. Mmmmm yummy!

Dessert: Crustless Pumpkin pie

Boil & whip pumpkin. Add brown sugar & nutmeg to taste. Serve with non-dairy icecream.

I believe you can buy tinned pureed pumpkin for use in pumpkin pie. You can use that on condition it doesn't have milk or cream in it.

__________________________________________________ __

Notes:
1) Avoid any dairy in your diet as it can cause your body to produce phlegm.
2) Try to be involved in the preparation process, or at least be in the kitchen when the food is being prepared. The smell of food being cooked may help stimulate your appetite and prepare your body for eating. (I know the smell of frying onions always works for me!)

[klingon]

Eggs benedict

Make a Hollandaise sauce using your favourite recipe, but use oil instead of butter or cream.

For example:
1/2 cup oil
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
dash cayenne pepper or hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons hot water
finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Heat oil in a saucepan until hot but not smoking. In a small bowl, whisk or beat egg yolks with lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper or hot sauce. Gradually beat in oil, then water. Return mixture to saucepan and beat over very low heat until mixture is slightly thickened. Serve immediately or let stand over warm water for up to 30 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Makes about 2/3 cup of hollandaise sauce.

Poach or fry an egg so the yolk is still runny. Serve the egg on a piece of toast & pour sauce over. Eat the yolk of the egg and as much sauce as you want. The egg white and toast is just to make it look like a real meal!

[TOTO]

Nice to read about the doctor buddy. Glad it was kinda a falce alarm that going to the hospital.

About your calorie intake, try to blend some chocolate, or better still you know that chokolate spread nutella or whatever its called. If you heat that up in the oven it rurns really runny and you can suck it trough a straw. 500 - 600 calories is nowhere near enough for a groun up for a day , let alone for 6 days. I taught it nhis kind of situations when its dificult to eat the doctors hooked a tube to your vein and pumped glucose in your body or something to make you strong. maybe you can get them to pump up some whiskey in it, that will help for the pain and has heaps of calories too :)

I normally dont drink hard spirits but yesterday I had a small whiskey for your health. With all those good taughts from everyone you may be back on the bike in a week and looking like a movie star after all those surgeries :) who knows you may become a real movie star thanks to all this stuff. You got plenty of time in front of the keyboard - start writing a book, i'll be your first customer :yes:

[klingon]

Trifle!

Oooh I do like a nice trifle! Prepare some mini trifles and keep them in the fridge so there's always something to eat when you fee like it.

Take some soft sponge or Madeira cake, spread a thin layer of jelly or seed-free jam on top, cube it and put it in the bottom of a dessert bowl.

Pour a teaspoon of sherry over the cake (optional). Pour fruit juice onto the cake until it can't absorb any more, then pour on a little bit extra! Leave the cake to soak while you make dairy-free custard (use soy milk or rice milk). Pour the custard over the cake, put in the fridge until everything is thoroughly soaked and you're ready to eat it.

If you were in New Zealand you could make your trifle with gingernuts in the bottom instead of cake, but you would have to leave it to soak overnight to make sure the gingernuts were soft enough to eat. Perhaps you could try some other kind of cookie instead of cake?

[TygerTung]

I ALMOST know how you feel brother, I once crashed my pushbike in not an awsome way. Did a jump off a curb and the front forks snapped off. I landed on my face. Obviously not nearly as bad as what you are going through, but my front two teeth got pushed back, and my lips swelled up to about 3 times the normal size. All I could drink for a week was chocolate milk through a straw. Was real stink because at the time there was all this nice food at my house that I couldn't eat!!!!!

The most hurty bit was when I went to the dentist afterwards to get my teeth straightened. Basically what he did was drug up my mouth, get his fingers and push as hard as he could on my teeth to get them back into position!!!! then he wired them up with some wire and glue stuff. It was alright when I was under anasthetic, but when it wore off MAN DID IT HURT!!!! I took about 6 paracetamol in one go!!!

Get well soon and on ya bike!:scooter: Good to see you're keen to get back on ya horse.

Track riding is much safer than road riding as there isn't so much stuff to hit if ya arn't so keen to road ride anymore. Maybe all your bad luck has been used up so you'll be sweet as from now on?

[buellbabe]

Can only add my comiserations and ditto other peeps well wishes.

PM sent.:yes::hug:

[FruitLooPs]

Jeeebus man you've been to hell and back by the sound of it.

Keep positive, sounds like your schnoz is going to be in good shape :2thumbsup

I'd just like to mention the Shoei visor popping off. The stupid system is flawed on Shoeis I reckon.

1. the visor plastic screws back themselves out and need periodic tightening. Rubber/plastic cement apparently stops them backing out.

2. Take a read of this, from another kiwibiker thread

"Anyhow, it didn't have a visor lock but when I had a crash early last year, as I hit the road I hit with the visor first and the visor just ripped off from the visor mounting. (on one side the visor came off the quick release mounting and on the other side the quick release mounting actually ripped off the helmet.)" Shark helmet not a Shoei however.

Sounds like they need to revise these systems, I want my visor to stay the hell on if I bin it. :blink:

Heres a bit about Shoei and the one side of the visor lock system detaching from the helmet, without a crash! :eek5:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=69025&highlight=shoei+visor

If you take a read you'll notice it happens fairly often. I always check and re-tighten my plastic screws but i'm beginning to doubt this helmet visor come crash time. :angry2: Have a case to go to court potentially I'd say, since the visor coming off was the cause of most of your facial injuries.

Overall the construction of the helmet itself apart from that seems good, sounds like it saved your life either way and they seem to be quite quiet. But a bit of work on the visor system wouldn't go a miss!

[motodrummer]

Hang in there mate, sounds like you're lucky to be still breathing! I spent some time recovering from a bad crash in '97. My life took on a whole new meaning, and glad to say it's all good now! Anyway, take care and keep your head up, stay positive! See you...

[avgas]

Well fuck me......
sorry mate im dumb struck....
how about a nice slow bike next?????? ER6 mabey? GS500?

[90s]

1. I can lay in bed staring at the wall bleeding and drooling and being in pain.
2. I can type stuff while bleeding and drooling and being in pain and read your responses.

I can't believe how quick you were up after surgery writing up your crash - even with perfect punctuation.

Even the Terminator stays down longer than you. :eek5:

Take it easy and speedy recovery

[Edbear]

Done.

Your attitude is amazing, and an inspiration to all. Heal fast dude.

+1!


Oh and I have another product review. This time its a review of pain meds. Remmember how I said morphine didnt work as well as I needed it to while I was in the hospital. Well now Im on something thats great. Dont know if its actually better then morphine...(in fact it could even be a derivative)...but I DO know thats it making me FEEL better then the morphine hehehehe.

Its called "Hydrocodone" and shit does this stuff work. I felt like total ass a little while ago. Pain was unbearable. Took the prescribed dosage and for awhile I felt almost good. The biggest news though. I was able to fall asleep for a little while. Maybe 45 minutes. Damn that was good.

The reason Im awake now is because Im in severe pain again......cant sleep. But guess what?? In a little over an hour I get to take some more Hydrocodone and the pain goes away for a bit. Who knows.....maybe it will go away long enough for me to fall asleep.....and maybe I will sleep a few hours in a row. That would be nice.

Another good update: Alot of the swelling in the upper part of my head (above my eyes) has gone down. Still look like I've been beat up by Mike Tyson below my eyes but above it I dont look like an alien anymore. Now Im just waiting for the bottom half of my face to play catch up with the upper part hehehehe. Also Im begining to think the huge battle axe scar I've got that runs from my forehead down between my eyes and ends at my upper lip just to the right of my nose actually looks cool. Heheheh.....nah Im sure I'll be pissed off about it again tommorrow........LOL. Jesus. Its pretty epic though.

Still drooling like a champ. I hope I dont drool like this for the rest of my life. That would get old hehehehe.

Ok now I gotta go. Sitting here typing I can literally feel the pain increasing. Cant do this anymore for now.


Godonyermate! I don't know for sure whether it is similar, but I was on DHC, or Dihydracodeine and while it is very effective, has long term consequences. It's very addictive and as the body builds a tolerance to it, it becomes less effective requiring more and more. Watch for tolerance and addiction and check with the Doc whether you may need to review it.

[beyond]

Mate, it sounds like you are really going through it and I can really understand why.
Thankfully you are still here to tell us about it. Very very sobering. You deserve all the green bling you get cos your attitude is amazing.
Hang onto that positivity. I've never met you or know you from a bar of soap but mate, you've struck a chord with many on this forum.

We all wish you well and a speedy recovery. From the sound of it and more particularly your attitude and positivity will see you through. Hang in there buddy :)

[jrandom]

I'd just like to mention the Shoei visor popping off. The stupid system is flawed on Shoeis I reckon.

Mm, yes. Several folk on KB have had their Shoei visor retainer systems come loose due to the plastic screws working out, and when I highsided last year, I came down on the side of my helmet and it smashed the visor locking mechanism, leaving the visor flopping in the breeze.

Arais have a superior visor-locking mechanism that's completely encased and would probably fare better in a crash. Of course, Arai visors are nowhere near as easy to swap on and off as Shoei visors.

Is the higher price and additional visor-swapping hassle of an Arai worthwhile for the possibly-greater crash safety? I really dunno. Personally, I wear a Shoei XR-1000 because Arais don't fit my head.

YMMV, but I wonder whether FkNAmerican would have received such severe injuries to his face if he'd crashed while wearing an Arai with the visor down.

Food for thought, eh?

[Trudes]

I'd take a challenge any day to get the visor on and off my Arai as fast as someone can get their Shoei one on and off. They used to be very difficult to get off (and maybe some models still maybe), but mine is easy as, there's a knack to it, that's all.

[Mikkel]

YMMV, but I wonder whether FkNAmerican would have received such severe injuries to his face if he'd crashed while wearing an Arai with the visor down.

Good question, but almost impossible to answer. (I for one am not going to reenact the experiement!)

But with the force of that impact I'm thinking that the visor might just have shattered even if it had not come off. Visors are generally made from poly carbonate - same stuff you make ski-boots off, and I have heard about more than one shattered ski-boot over the years.

[sAsLEX]

I have had my jaw wired shut before, and thought I was fine so wondered down to the heads for a slash after coming out from being under General....... well I wasn't quite right and I managed to just grab the little alarm pull thing in the toilet before buckling over to throw up the blood in my stomach........ never seen 5 nurses rush through a tiny door so fast!! And the blood/ vomit kinda spurted out all over them so you wont drown, and they should have scissors strapped to you so they can cut you loose if need be.


Heal soon mate.


Out of interest what brand helmet? Visor popping off is not that great..... edit read the 8 pages.

Oh and my doctor had a funny sense of humour as when I went to get the screws taken out of my jaw a few weeks later he hands me a screwdriver and holds up a mirror..... thanks buddy!

[jrandom]

I'd take a challenge any day to get the visor on and off my Arai as fast as someone can get their Shoei one on and off.

My XR-1000 and I will call your bluff on Saturday 24 May, loser to admit publicly that the other brand of helmet is the awesomest. I'll draft Hitcher in as a guaranteed impartial arbiter with a stopwatch, mostly because he's not at all biased toward Shoeis.

;)

Actually, I think I'll put up a ride thread for that weekend... remind me if I forget, mm kay?

Back on topic - I wonder if FkNAmerican will need to change his helmet fit after the injuries heal up?

:crazy:

[McJim]

I'd take a challenge any day to get the visor on and off my Arai as fast as someone can get their Shoei one on and off. They used to be very difficult to get off (and maybe some models still maybe), but mine is easy as, there's a knack to it, that's all.

Hmmmm - visor, face, visor, face, visor......I think I'd prefer hastle with the visor if I get to keep my face. However those that have met may me wonder why as some facial re-arrangement may improve my looks. I don't have a Shoei or an Arai....:(

[TygerTung]

Do you guys take your visors off all the time?

I think I have only taken my visor off once and I've had my helmet for about a year?

[Trudes]

I sneeze alot.;)

[Skunk]

Personally I don't think that thin piece of plastic is going to do much when you're trying to stop 78kgs (guessing) moving at 50kph (guessing) with a blunt blade.
It is possible that the plastic may shatter and cause more injuries.

If he had been 100mm over it would be his throat that stopped him or missed the post completely. Luck of the draw.

Looking forward to your update...

[FruitLooPs]

Well i'm going to play devils advocate and say the chance of glancing off the object would be far greater having an almost unbroken sphere vs one with a big hole in the middle where the visor would be. I wonder if they've tried doing crash tests on helmets with this sort of thing in mind?

And Tiger, the shoei screws on my helmet came loose without heaps of frequent taking on and off of the visor. They seem ok now though, I don't switch visor (only have clear) but I do take it off to clean thoroughly (every few months if that)

[sAsLEX]

Personally I don't think that thin piece of plastic is going to do much

http://oakley.com/innovation/optical_superiority/impact_protection

Take a look at some of the clips there on <sarcasm>how crappy plastic is at stopping shit</sarcasm>

[Mort]

Hey - did you find my rock ? - I know I lost it somewhere.


Seriously man - I'm filled with admiration for the way you are handling this. They say a problem shared is a problem halved - you must have a hundred genuine messages here and we're all with you all of the way. Good luck to you you pal... I don't doubt for a minute that better times are ahead and you have what it takes to get there sooner than anyone thinks...

Dare I say it.....? :rockon:

[trump-lady]

Oh my. Havent been on in a while and this is not what I like to see on KBER. I have no words for you but will send my thoughts out to you. IF THERE IS ANYTHING!!!! I can do to help even if its come crack jokes at you ( how I deal with situations like this) or read the newspaper, someone you dont know who will listen to you please let me know. I would be more than happy to support you and proud to know someone with such inner strength.

MUCH LUV being sent your way via Tanya....kia kaha my motorbike brother

[MaxB]

Fark.

That was a real lucky escape even though it may not seem like it now. Get well soon, aye.

If you run out of hot water and you notice grey and red hairs around the tub its probably the squirrels taking a bath while you're out.

[Cr1MiNaL]

R-6 The R is for Respect. Respect sir is what I have for you and your attitude. Your always welcome at my home should you need a place to chill when in NZ. If you need a place to stay in Canada send me a pm, or in Dubai, the UK or India. Heal well, bRother.

[Okey Dokey]

Hello American buddy!

It was devastating to read about your accident and the recovery you are going through. I hope you have more and more "good" days and hardly any bad days coming your way.

I hope you can continue to keep your spirits up. You are one tough customer, judging by the severity of your injuries and how well you are coping so far.

Thanks for telling all of us about your crash and what is happening to you now. I'll be watching the site to see how you are doing..

One day at a time is probably a good way to go for now. Best of luck and lots of hugs etc from a fellow biker (who also has facial scars from crashing- maybe we can start a club!)

Talk to you later!

[InDeSkyz]

wow. just, wow.

i hope you recover soon

[yungatart]

Take your time healing and getting your life back together.
You may feel that you want to rush it, don't!
Sending loads of positive thoughts your way, dude!

[emaN]

geez man...
stoked to hear yer kneck is ok!
I'm amazed at your ability to 'grin & bear it' & retain a sense of humour... Respect.
sucks too that the bike's a wreck...

[gismo]

OMFG!!! :gob:
You are one amazing person.. to be in such high spirits after a tramatising accident like you have had is remarkable.
Reading this story has sent chills down my back.
I hope you are able to recover back to the life you had before the accident.
Like they say.. 'when the horse throws you.. get straight back on'. I hope you will ride again soon. And i hope your recovery is well into the final stages.
Keep ya spirits up man.

[n0regret5]

thought my plowing into the back of a car and flying over it was dramatic..wow. glad to hear you're 'ok'..:-)

[Just beGiNing 250]

Wow. Glad to hear youre recovering

the post is fantastic, I sent it to my brother as a reminder to be careful on the bike. Thanks and get well soon. Keep the updates coming

[Swoop]

Trifle!

Oooh I do like a nice trifle! Prepare some mini trifles and keep them in the fridge so there's always something to eat when you fee like it.
I'll take a double order of the eggs benedict, but you do realise FnA is looking for "tasty through a straw" meals?

Do you guys take your visors off all the time?

I think I have only taken my visor off once and I've had my helmet for about a year?
When you have a tinted/iridium and also a clear visor, you tend to alternate occasionally.
I also clean mine by removing it and running it under a hot tap.

[ajturbo]

so... when are you coming over to teach us how to ride???

take care matey.. hope you get back to the real world soon as!

[FkNAmerican]

hey guys.....read all your posts. Thanx a million for all the well wishes!!!! I'm gonna hold off on getting back to each of you individually intil I get a little better. I've had so many PM's. Please dont take offense that I havnt responded yet!!

Yeah, My Shoei helmet was pretty much brand new. The visor popping off like that seems to be a design flaw. I got the helmet because of Shoei's reputation for making class leading designs and because it fit my head better then the Arai's and HJC's I tried on. Oh well.

Update on my condition: Well Im going ALOT better now. I feel like I've made a conrete improvement in terms of how I actually feel. I'd rate my constant pain at a level 3 now (down from maybe a 7). Also I invented a new way for me to breathe which has made all the diffrence hehe. I've taken two syringes and cut them in half and I stuffed them in either side of my mouth to create two little holes that I can breathe out of. This was a huge problem before because my face was so swollen my lips would purse together and I would wake up constantly b/c my air was cut off.

One thing I've been craving lately (as in thinking about it to the exclusion of nearly all else in life) is some good Indian food. By that I mean a cheap as dirt all you can eat buffet full of vegetable korma, mango chicken, nan, and rice. I dont want anything fancy and it cant taste too good. This isnt the time for some classy "Taste of India" shit where I have to behave myself, chew with my mouth closed and say "yes please". No no no no. This is straight "India Palace" lunch buffet I'm talking about here. You know the one. If its above a dog kennel then all the better. This is grade B Indian food. The kind you cant take home with you because by the next day it might smell rancid. The kind you look at and wonder "how old is the oldest piece of chicken on that heating tray"? The kind where the host looks at you with mild disdain instead of lackluster welcome when you enter. Im gonna go down there and dominate that entire buffett line. There are good friends of mine I wont be seeing before I do this!!! Thats how high it is on my priority list right now. Im debating even having friends come with me at all. I want no distractions. I want nothing holding me back. I want it to be a struggle to make it home without stopping at a petrol station to vomit. Thats what I want. Nothing more. Nothing less. I cant fucking waite.

Too bad there's no good fish and chips around here.......I could use some of that too. I remmember when I was at uni in Christchurch I used to walk down and get some good stuff at this local fish and chips shop run by a chinese dude off Ilam road. That was tradition with me and my friends before every Crusaders game. Good times.

[PrincessBandit]

Thank you for sharing your horrific experience and being living proof that such a shocking accident like this is not only survivable, but with your sense of humour intact (even if not a lot else was!). Your account of what has happened to you is inspiring and an extremely important reminder about the potential consequences of parting company with your bike/meeting obstacles in an up-close-and-personal way while still "attached" to your bike. I'm so so sad to read what you have had to endure but as so many have already said I wish you well for your recovery and hope that your physical recovery matches your incredible mental fortitude. I am completely amazed at how you have withstood this and still can write they way you have - content of your posts and the effort it must take! I too look forward like everyone esle to updates of your progress.
You're a legend.

[munterk6]

My hat (Shoei helmet) is off to you man, keep ya chin up and ya powder dry, you are an example and inspiration to us all! I had Fish n chips at Ilam Rd shop the other day!! still real good too! keep postin' buddy, chow.

[Jiminy]

Mind you, maybe you can go to the Indian buffet now with a blender and a straw. Now that would pop some jaws off :lol:

Glad to hear you're getting better and keeping the spirit up. Your attitude is fantastic, keep us all posted. :clap:

[fizbin]

OMG dude that was some sobering reading.
I wont let my wife read this as she will never let me get back on the bike again!.
I read your first post on Monday or Tuesday tis week and meant to reply before this but haven't my bad soz.
It sounds like you are starting to heal up well and that you have a pretty cool doc. I agree with one of the other posters, this should be mandatory reading for newbie riders like me. i read this and i had chills running up and down my spine from it.
Yo are an inspiration in the way the you have kept it together all though this man. i only hope if something like this happens to me i can be as strong as you.
Keep getting better soon dude!

[Mikkel]

:lol: Sounds like you re-found your appetite :niceone:

[_intense_]

Dude. grats on surviving! sounds like you did a real number, dishing out serious respect for sounding so upbeat about it man, counting the blessings on the gear. take care!

[klingon]

I'll take a double order of the eggs benedict, but you do realise FnA is looking for "tasty through a straw" meals?

Yep. Runny custard is perfect through a straw (and if you make it with eggs and sugar and soy milk it also has lots of energy and protein). If you put enough fruit juice with your sponge cake you can also make it squidgy enough to slurp through wired jaws.

My meal suggestions were based on recent experience with my Dad having cancer that meant he couldn't eat solid food and didn't feel like eating anything. Every day I tried to think up something new and tempting to keep his strength up. Creamed potato with onion gravy was his favourite. :yes:

I'm glad to see you craving Indian food! What about a yummy dhal for dinner? Or some rice put through the blender then topped with butter chicken sauce!

[oldrider]

I can empathise about eating through a straw with your jaw all wired up and piss all gap to get any fluids through!

I had my jaw all wired up by the US Army in Panama and then spent a month in a Panamanian jail sipping lumpy concrete soup through a straw. :shutup:

I was a skinny bugger when I went in there but the invisible man cast a bigger Shadow than me when I got out! :eek5:

You sure did give yourself a bit of a work-over but it sounds like you are making good progress dreaming of all that food. :drool:

Good luck with the mending, keep posting reports.

You will soon be :ride: again. Cheers John.

[FkNAmerican]

hey all.......

LOL Oldrider (well, not really, still cant laugh or even smile).....please tell us how you ended up getting your jaw wired by the US Army in Panama and THEN spending a month in jail there. Hehehehe. Sounds interesting.

Hey MunterK-6.....is that Indian place on campus by the book store still around?? I miss thier mango chicken, nan, and rice take aways.......damn they were good after a full morning of lecture and an hour at the gym!!!!
Ah, memories of New Zealand flooding back to me.


Condition update: I feel better and better now. Starting to feel ready to get back to life. Im amazed at my own turn around. The day after my accident I was thinking at least a month for a full recovery but now its the docs holding me back. Right now Im just impatient to get on with life. I want to get out of the house, get back to work, and get my jaw opened up so I can talk and eat solid food and take a shower rather then a bath.

One of my friends who saw me right after the accident stopped by again today and said I look completely different from that day. He couldnt recognize me before but he said now I look like myself again. Thats encouraging.

I really do feel lucky to be alive. I know three people who are amputee's due to motorcycle accidents. One is a double amputee and he still rides. They are my inspiration to get back on a bike (even though there was never really any doubt about "if".....just "when").

Also the scar on my face that sticks out beyond the bandages is long but its not jagged. Apperently it was a very clean slice along the face rather then a jagged wound which is surprising considering what did the slicing. The part that I can see doesnt look all that bad. So that makes me feel good hehe.

Still have my "racoon eyes" (dark bruising around my eyes) and Im STILL drooling all the time which is annoying.

I think the bones in my mouth have set too (at least partially) b/c I dont feel sharp stabs of pain every time my face shifts a little like I did before. Before it felt like my teeth were slowly being pulled out of my jaw and I could feel things shifting around in my mouth. Now its just a steady dull pain which I can ignore most of the time.

Im off pain meds completely now b/c they were making me sick to my stomach constantly. I've decided the pain level is low enough for me to just deal with it.

Just a few more days until I go back to the doc for a checkup and more surgery. Im hoping they unwire my jaw but it could be another week.......which is torture to even think about.

[Mikkel]

Hey MunterK-6.....is that Indian place on campus by the book store still around?? I miss thier mango chicken, nan, and rice take aways.......damn they were good after a full morning of lecture and an hour at the gym!!!!
Ah, memories of New Zealand flooding back to me.

When were you down here btw? Spice traders are still there - but they haven't been around for that many years. They certainly weren't here 4 years ago. I'll have a mango chicken for lunch for you today ;)
And I'll probably hit the gym around 3pm :niceone:


Condition update: I feel better and better now. Starting to feel ready to get back to life. Im amazed at my own turn around. The day after my accident I was thinking at least a month for a full recovery but now its the docs holding me back. Right now Im just impatient to get on with life. I want to get out of the house, get back to work, and get my jaw opened up so I can talk and eat solid food and take a shower rather then a bath.

Easy does it tiger :yes: Take your time and you'll be better off for it in the long run!


Im off pain meds completely now b/c they were making me sick to my stomach constantly. I've decided the pain level is low enough for me to just deal with it.

That's awesome news as well - more than a few people have gotten addicted to strong pain-killers as a result of bad injuries! Glad to hear you're off them now...

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

Amazing you are still alive, all the best for a speedy recovery, not alot one can say really, but thoughts are with you. Cheers

[Toaster]

What a terrible crash you poor fella! Thoughts with you as you go through recovery.

[YellowDog]

Pretty shocking. Glad to read your recovery is progressing well. Good luck with the healing and hope it's not too long before you can get back on that horse.

[FkNAmerican]

Yeah dude, have a mago chicken with two pieces of nan and rice and when you get it say you want it "take out" instead of "take away" heheheh. (its an inside joke). Thier butter chicken was the shit too. MMMMM butter chicken.


Condition update:

Well, I went "out" for the first time today. Went to the local bookstore (had a friend drive me) to pick up something to read for the next week and keep my mind occupied. Didnt go too well. Apparently, I thought my face looked alot better then the rest of the population.

I actually had a girl start to open a door for me, see my face, then back away and let go of the door so it shut in my face. Ended up having to catch it as it shut on me. She looked embarrassed for doing it so I just said "its ok" and walked past her. Ugh. I guess its all relative really. Compared to what my face looked like not even 3 days ago I've made a massive improvement.......but I guess I still look like shit heheheh.

[Deano]

. Compared to what my face looked like not even 3 days ago I've made a massive improvement.......but I guess I still look like shit heheheh.

Got any progress photos ?

[jrandom]

Got any progress photos ?

Yes, bring on the photos! We want to see the horror for ourselves.

FkNAmerican, you haven't gotten anyone to take pictures of your face yet, hurry up and do it - even though things are generally pretty unpleasant right now you'll want those photos in the years to come, trust me.

[FkNAmerican]

I have had pictures taken of my face. Had my mother come over and snap some pics for any future circumstances that might arise.

Im not gonna post them up though. They arnt digital. Even if I could I dont think I would. Its pretty nasty. Wouldnt want the first pics all you bastards see of me to be ugly now would I?? I could just see them ending up as avatars straight away. Gotta say...it would make me laugh though to actually see that.

What I am planning on posting is pics of my R-6. I'll take the pics tomorrow and post them up for you. Bike is gonna be sent off totalled soon anyway. Frame's bent, forks bent, etc.

I went out today in the rain and said goodbye to her. Its been a short relationship........and I was thinking of dumping her for a bigger bike.....but we still had our moments and I will miss her. Didnt want it to end like this. :weep:

[Badcat]

i know what you mean.
my buell xb12x was stolen and burnt.
the cops told me where it was in case i wanted to go see it.
i didn't go.
i wanted to remember that bike as i knew it, not a forlorn pile of smelly burnt plastic and twisted metal.
weird how we infuse inanimate objects and our relationship with them with such emotion.

well - at least i do.

ken

[Mikkel]

I actually had a girl start to open a door for me, see my face, then back away and let go of the door so it shut in my face. Ended up having to catch it as it shut on me. She looked embarrassed for doing it so I just said "its ok" and walked past her. Ugh. I guess its all relative really. Compared to what my face looked like not even 3 days ago I've made a massive improvement.......but I guess I still look like shit heheheh.

Don't pull a Lovecraft on us here mate - vague hints of terror are more horrifying than putting it up for all to see :yes:

[Boob Johnson]

Yeah come on man, I posted horrific pics of my accident last year. I promise I wont make an avatar out of your face :clap:

[klingon]

I actually had a girl start to open a door for me, see my face, then back away and let go of the door so it shut in my face. Ended up having to catch it as it shut on me. She looked embarrassed for doing it so I just said "its ok" and walked past her. Ugh. I guess its all relative really. Compared to what my face looked like not even 3 days ago I've made a massive improvement.......but I guess I still look like shit heheheh.

Meh. Don't let the reaction of some girl put you off going out. About a year ago I got fractured ribs from being knocked off my bike and the bruising was pretty spectacular. Luckily for me I could choose who I showed it to - but even people who were prepared for it would gasp and take a step back when they saw the giant black/blue/purple/yellow blotch that covered my side. And the skin wasn't even broken!

Definitely take photos because in a few weeks people won't believe you when you tell them how bad you looked. Once the swelling and bruising go down and you do a bit of healing you're going to need the evidence in order to get the same shock reaction!

[forkoil]

Yow, what a nasty one. All the very best FKA, you come across as a good sorta fella. Warm fuzzies to you

[zeRax]

you are a legend for living mate, congrats on survival and best wishes with your recovery

[HenryDorsetCase]

I don't usually post in these threads (I guess I want to keep my head firmly buried in the sand, and I dont want to think about the potential consequences of an "off" on the road). But I have read all your posts and I am amazed at your attitude. good on ya.

And you went to Uni in Christchurch (I know the fish n chup shop you're talking about!), mate, you're a local!

[Manxman]

Stay + dude...

[bomma]

dude im pretty sure that everyone on here feels the same and has the same message as me but im glad you are still alive.....i had a similar accident as urs (rock in line) but i walked away with bruises and reading your post has really given me a second wake up call as to what could have happened.....hope you recover well and the messages in your post are spot on...

the right gear will save your life and you should be ready for shit to go downhill around every bend....its the way of the world

[FkNAmerican]

As promised, the pics of my R-6. What you cant see is all the little stuff. Scratches and dents all over the tank, the left frame slider has been pushed in about 2-3 inches into the frame, the front forks are twisted and bent and the rear swing-arm is bent.


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[FkNAmerican]

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[FkNAmerican]

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[FkNAmerican]

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[Mikkel]

Bummer that you hit your head... otherwise you could have fixed that at the roadside and ridden home :yes: Lucky that the tool kit didn't go flying ;)

Jokes aside, that was a pretty sexy looking R6! :niceone:

[Okey Dokey]

Hi again.

Glad to hear that you are making such good progress. I know it is hard to resist, but don't do too much too soon and set yourself back!

Man, are you ever going to enjoy your next Indian meal!

Heal well...

[NZsarge]

Heal well and heal fast mate, I was present at a roadside death on sunday so all things being equal you are doing well, I know it's easy for me to say that but there is ALWAYS some poor bugger worse off, really glad to hear you're get reasonable progress with the recovery, keep you're spirits up dude.
Keeps us all informed ok.
Sarge.

[FkNAmerican]

hehe, yeah if I hadn't been on the verge of bleeding out with my face spilt open, several teeth missing, a mostly severed tongue and a possible broken neck I'd have ridden the thing home hehe.........

Actually, all joking aside I probably wouldnt have. Not sure if you can see it in the pics but all the front brake fluid is gone. Also the engine puked out all its oil and such not to mention the front forks are tweakend pretty bad and the rear swing arm is bent to the side slightly so that prolly wouldnt have been a smart idea even if I had no injuries.

[Swoop]

That'll buff out!

Be back on the road in no time.:2thumbsup

[gijoe1313]

Hmmm if you wanted to get a new bike, you didn't have to do this as an extreme reason to do it! :pinch:

Amazing you are up and about ... did you get a lottery ticket yet? :yes:

[FkNAmerican]

LOL, yeah this sort of behavior would really worry the girlfriend wouldnt it?? I can see it now, "Honey if you want to break up just let me know....no need to resort to murder". LOL

Im already out bike hunting (uh well not exactly out.....but on the internet) but its still gonna be a bit. Called my mom today and told her I need to get back on a bike. Needless to say that didnt make her happy. She said, "I know you want to get back on a bike but please give ME some time to recover from the accident". hehehe

I have a memory while I was in the ER of my parents being let it. I couldnt talk at the time but I could hear them. I remmember hearing my mom say, "Oh my god I didnt think it was going to be that bad" and the nurse responded "Sorry, I had him all cleaned up for you just a second ago" and then he proceeded to clean up all the blood I could feel pooling in my eyes and running down my face and chest. That just broke my heart to do that to my mom. Just for that I owe her at least a few weeks right???

Yeah. A few weeks.

[Mikkel]

Actually, all joking aside I probably wouldnt have. Not sure if you can see it in the pics but all the front brake fluid is gone. Also the engine puked out all its oil and such not to mention the front forks are tweakend pretty bad and the rear swing arm is bent to the side slightly so that prolly wouldnt have been a smart idea even if I had no injuries.

She'll be right :niceone:


Yeah. A few weeks.

Yeah, at least until you can get a helmet on again without fainting... :yes:

[FkNAmerican]

Yeah, Im done with Shoei for now too. Im gonna look at Arai and HJC and see what kind of visor systems they offer. What sucks is that Shoei fit my head so damn well. It was by far the most comfortable brand for me. Oh well.

Thats one thing Im paying attention to from now on. Any helmet I buy WILL have a damn sturdy looking visor system.........What I'll prolly do is cruise some racing forums and get advice from racer's who have crashed at high speed and see what they say holds up to a bangin'. Quick release visors are WAY overated and, the one I had at least, dont hold up in a crash.

My face was so messed up the docs asked if I had a full face helmet on. They were surprised when I said I did. Thats how bad the Shoei failed me. Pretty disgusting really.

[vifferman]

Yeah, Im done with Shoei for now too. Im gonna look at Arai and HJC and see what kind of visor systems they offer. What sucks is that Shoei fit my head so damn well. It was by far the most comfortable brand for me. Oh well.
Shoei (XR1000, which is the same as the RF1000 in the US) fits my head well too. But there are Arai models the same shape - the RX7 Corsair, for instance.
The problem's not the visor so much as you were just very unlucky that the impact was right where the visor opening was. Nothing short of metal bars would stop that.

[Mikkel]

I disagree that the helmet failed you - you're still here... Hitting a sign post face-first is not exactly the best starting point for a crash.

In my first bin I hit the tarmac face first and my visor got badly scratched... However, it didn't come loose at all - just sat there. On the other hand I have found that it is possible to put the visor on - and it's possible to do so without clicking the visor firmly in place as you are supposed to.

Did you ever find your visor btw?

The fastening mechanism may be different on some of their other helmets.

[FkNAmerican]

yeah I went back to the seen and found some pieces of my bike and the visor.

The problem is the visor came off before I hit the street sign. If it had done its job and been attached when I hit the street sign I might not have any injuries at all. Instead the street sign got me directly in the face and caused 99% of my injuries.

Visors should be able to withstand an impact. They certainly shouldnt pop off like that at the first wack. I've seen enough crashes to know that visors stay ON most of the time......as they should for protection.

[Mikkel]

You are aware that, if the visor had stayed on and withstood the impact, you would have had an increased risk of neck injury. But yes, they are supposed to stay on the helmet.

I just tried to find some information on the impact strength of motorcycle helmet visors but couldn't really find any. If the force of the impact had been large enough to fracture the visor it would most likely not have softened the impact significantly...

My point is - if you're still here and haven't sustained any brain injury - the helmet did its job well. If anything wasn't performing as it should it would have to be the brain of those who chose to put up a signpost with that profile. Alas, that seems to be a fault that is quite common across the planet (cheescutters and most other crash barriers to name but one issue).

Your accident hasn't made me doubt my Shoei helmet - but I will be dilligent and make sure that I affix the visor properly every time I switch it around.

[FkNAmerican]

yeah...mine was on properly and it was "locked" down using the Shoei locking mechanism that supposssed to be ultra secure...........uh.

You're def. right about the design of street signs. Most things just off the road in the United States are extremely unfriendly to motorcyclists. From wire fences to guard rails to gas mains to street signs......all of them are likely to cause death or amputation if hit at almost any legal road speed.

I've been thinking that the US needs to implement rider friendly signs, guard rails, etc for a LONG LONG time but that kinda effort would costs hundreds of millions. God only knows how many miles of biker mincing guard rails there are in the entire United States..........and I've seen more then a few bikers lose arms and legs after sliding up under the guard rail and being torn to pieces by the metal posts holding them up.

Im not sure exactly what the so-called "cheescutter" barriers you guys are having such problems with in NZ look like but its prolly similar to the shit we have in the States. NOT something I'd want to slide into at any speed.

[FkNAmerican]

nevermind......just looked up the "cheesecutter" barriers on youtube (heard about the rider who was cut in half, along with his bike, by one....damn thats sad).....we've got similar type shit here in the States.....not exactly the same....but just as bad for bikers......ugh.

[Street Gerbil]

May I suggest to have a wee look at HJC HQ1? They are awesome, have a very secure latching mechanism, and an excellent anti fogging coating as well.

[FkNAmerican]

haha....in fact thats exactly the helmet I have been looking at.......I almost got an HJC before......now I def. will.

[Patrick]

Blardy hell... Did a good job then huh? Sounds like your looks improved... then they operated...:Pokey:

Just kidding. Recover well.

[Owl]

haha....in fact thats exactly the helmet I have been looking at.......I almost got an HJC before......now I def. will.

I face planted my Arai Corsair into the ground a couple of weeks ago. Mild concussion, but the helmet certainly stayed entact. Visor still moves like new, but no longer comes off.
It did it's job, so I'm satisfied! I'll be getting another one.

[FruitLooPs]

Yeah I think Arai's are most popular choice with IOM riders from memory but dont quote me. And I'm betting they're after the safest stuff they can find.

What helmet was Shaun Harris wearing he had his massive off there? :slap:

[sAsLEX]

Yeah I think Arai's are most popular choice with IOM riders from memory but dont quote me. And I'm betting they're after the safest stuff they can find.

What helmet was Shaun Harris wearing he had his massive off there? :slap:


http://motorcycletrader.co.nz/ArticleDetails.aspx?Ne=145&N=4294967261&No=45&item=82&sid=115F17DABE37

Harris has kept the Arai helmet he was wearing at the time of the crash, one of 750 special helmets made by the company in Isle of Man colours for this year’s TT races.

The helmet is unmarked, which means it didn’t hit anything hard. “I’ve had earlier crashes where my Arai helmets were damaged but I was okay, so I know they’re very good-quality helmets,” he said

See above

[yod]

my Nolan's visors (normal and tinted half visor) both stayed attached and i managed to scrape my helmet from forehead to chin in my recent bin

quite impressed with it's resilience

[FkNAmerican]

Back from surgery.

Pretty shit news for me though:

3 more weeks with my jaw wired shut. Looks like that Indian buffet is gonna stay in buisness a little while longer at least..........

surgery again in 4 months. Apparently my nose and face were so completely fucked up and I've got so much plate in there now that they have to let it heal for 4 months and let things shift around as they will......then when the masterpiece that is my face is finished "forming" they take another look and see how it turned out........and then they fix it. (prolly for another $10,000). The big question for that surgery (apart from cosmetic issues) is how well my upper sinus cavities are doing. If they dont heal properly then Im in for a major and $$$ surgery......so here is to hoping my upper sinus cavities dont let me down. :)

On the plus side the two platic surgeons did say Im one of the fastest healers they have ever seen. They were shocked at how quickly my face has healed....and the scar is looking pretty decent too......its long but very clean and very thin......they even brought in other plastic surgeons to look at me. I got the sense they wanted the other ones to think I looked so good (relatively speaking of course) solely because of thier expert work......... Oddly, this made me feel sort of proud like a dog whose just fetched a ball for his owner. If I werent strapped into the operating chair I'd have prolly got up and strutted arond like a runway model.

Oh yeah......and I forgot the other good news. Found out Im gonna need some root canals on two of my teeth that broke in half and some implants for some of the missing teeth which is gonna be a bitch and a half. On the plus side they expect me to have a celebrity perfect white smile by the time they are done and I expect my teeth alone are gonna pay for thier next Range Rover.......or in the case of my motorcycle riding platic surgeon....his next K-12000R.

Also my eyes changed somehow so I need to go back and get them checked so I can get contacts. More $$$ down the drain.

All in all....this little accident is winding up to be as expensive as my education......Canterbury University included.

Some lessons I've learned from all this:

1. No matter how much pain you're in and how badly you've fucked up your body things will get better. The human body is pretty amazing at healing massive injuries and sometimes the difference between feeling like you're dying and feeling pretty damn alright is about two days time.

2. Always wear your gear. Not only will it save your life.....it will also dramatically decrease the extent of your injuries.

3. Motorcycle accidents can be complicated and VERY expensive if youve got serious injuries. Usually the difference comes down to physical injury rather then damage to the bike. The bike is the CHEAPEST thing you can damage. hehehe. If you walk away from an accident with nothing more then a totaled motorcycle that cost you $10,000 consider yourself LUCKY.

4. Friends and family are everything when recovering from an accident. Your true friends will come through and shine. Your fair weather friends won't. Being seriously injured is an excellent way to find out who your true friends are......and when you do your friendship with those people will become all the stronger. People who have served in the military know this: Friendships forged in times of struggle and hardship are stronger then freindships forged during times of ease and plenty.

5. Dont get overwhelmed by everything. Contrary to what you might think being seriously injured in an accident is not a time of rest and relaxation. Its likely going to be a very busy time for you. Take a few moments to chill between all the doctors visits, handling the medical bills, insurance, legal issues, towing, work, friends, family, medicine, rehab ecercises, etc.........and actually GET SOME REST AND RELAXATION.

[Mikkel]

Ouch! You're not covered by insurance? :shit:

Good thing you're healing fast though, here's to rooting for your sinuses :yes:
In the end it's just money - and you won't be able to eat it or take it with you anyway ;)

[FkNAmerican]

yeah....so far I've lost 15-18 lbs. weight and I started at 182. Despite my best efforts I cant seem to take in enough liquid nutrition to keep my weight up........

Im eating protein shakes, lots of low salt soups made with whole milk, yogurt smoothies, blended up outmeal, etc.....and still my weight keeps dropping. Maybe I should just eat blended avacado's....now thats some serious calories hehehe.

[SPman]

I face planted my Arai Corsair into the ground a couple of weeks ago. Mild concussion, but the helmet certainly stayed entact. Visor still moves like new, but no longer comes off.
It did it's job, so I'm satisfied! I'll be getting another one.
Only one side of my Arai visor came off, and my head was fine (well, that's a matter of interpretation......)

[Vacarious]

Yeah, Im done with Shoei for now too. Im gonna look at Arai and HJC and see what kind of visor systems they offer. What sucks is that Shoei fit my head so damn well. It was by far the most comfortable brand for me. Oh well.

Thats one thing Im paying attention to from now on. Any helmet I buy WILL have a damn sturdy looking visor system.........What I'll prolly do is cruise some racing forums and get advice from racer's who have crashed at high speed and see what they say holds up to a bangin'. Quick release visors are WAY overated and, the one I had at least, dont hold up in a crash.

My face was so messed up the docs asked if I had a full face helmet on. They were surprised when I said I did. Thats how bad the Shoei failed me. Pretty disgusting really.

My dads Shark helmet (not sure what model it is though) has a dam sturdy visor on it.
a push button one that has to have its safety clips flicked around into the gaps. hard to do by hand

[klingon]

Only one side of my Arai visor came off, and my head was fine (well, that's a matter of interpretation......)

You should probably replace that helmet. Must be hard to see out of during sun strike :blink:


yeah....so far I've lost 15-18 lbs. weight and I started at 182. Despite my best efforts I cant seem to take in enough liquid nutrition to keep my weight up........

Im eating protein shakes, lots of low salt soups made with whole milk, yogurt smoothies, blended up outmeal, etc.....and still my weight keeps dropping. Maybe I should just eat blended avacado's....now thats some serious calories hehehe.

Holy guacamole Batman!
You were only about 82kg to start with so you'd better keep slurping that food as fast as you can. Didn't you like any of my recipes? :weep: Personally if I had an excuse to slurp soft poached eggs in hollandaise sauce all day I would be in heaven! :drool:


If I werent strapped into the operating chair I'd have prolly got up and strutted arond like a runway model.

That's the kind of behaviour we're going to expect from you when you come over to visit us in Kiwiland with your movie-star teeth, your perfectly reconstructed nose and your fancy stories of heroic survival against the odds. I hope you realise nobody is going to believe you.

By the way, even if we don't get any mugshots yet, can we see a photo of your helmet?

[TOTO]

By the way, even if we don't get any mugshots yet, can we see a photo of your helmet?

yea, can we ?

[FkNAmerican]

Sure, I can post up a pic of my hlmet. Nothing better to do hehehe. Hold on, let me get it and set up a good shot with proper lighting and all that..........

[FkNAmerican]

My jacket: Fieldsheer "Corsair" jacket. All that crap on the jacket is dried blood. Most of it doesnt even show up in the pic hehehe. Luckily most of the blood was spraying forward so I didnt get too much on my $$$ jacket. Then I laid down in the grass and just let it flow back over my head. That was fun.

<a href="http://img403.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010028vs0.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/2141/p1010028vs0.th.jpg" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://img604.imageshack.us/content.php?page=blogpost&files=img403/2141/p1010028vs0.jpg" title="QuickPost"><img src="http://imageshack.us/img/butansn.png" alt="QuickPost" border="0"></a> Quickpost this image to Myspace, Digg, Facebook, and others!

[FkNAmerican]

My helmet: Shoei helmet. If you look at the graphics patters...you can see where some of that red is actually blood. Dont ask me how I managed to get blood on the top part of the helmet......dont know.

<a href="http://img403.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010020or7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/6402/p1010020or7.th.jpg" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://img604.imageshack.us/content.php?page=blogpost&files=img403/6402/p1010020or7.jpg" title="QuickPost"><img src="http://imageshack.us/img/butansn.png" alt="QuickPost" border="0"></a> Quickpost this image to Myspace, Digg, Facebook, and others!

[FkNAmerican]

My Joe Rocket "Sppedmaster 6.0" gloves. If you look closely at the black part of the gloves you can see a reddish brown hue over all of it. Thats all my blood hehehehe.

<a href="http://img379.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010026xz7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/7769/p1010026xz7.th.jpg" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://img604.imageshack.us/content.php?page=blogpost&files=img379/7769/p1010026xz7.jpg" title="QuickPost"><img src="http://imageshack.us/img/butansn.png" alt="QuickPost" border="0"></a> Quickpost this image to Myspace, Digg, Facebook, and others!

[CDFloss]

...on the jacket is dried blood...

...that red is actually blood...

...Thats all my blood...

I'm sensing a theme here... not sure, maybe its just me. :rolleyes:

Been following this thread closely the past week or 2. Its been like a real live soap opera and everything! Better than Shorty even! :lol:

All the best man, unbelievable what you've been through, and how well you're doing. Big ups. :2thumbsup

[Reckless]

yeh I've been following the thread as well over the last couple of days. Looks to me like you where extremely unlucky to get that damn pole exactly in the visor hole. The Helmet doesn't show to much damage.

Very emotional reading especially the first few pages. Glad your slowly on the mend. Keep your chin up, we are with you mate!!

BTW I read Shark mentioned earlier. I have a Shark RSR2 very thick visor, damn good locking system. Venting really good as well. And I found it really quiet to ride with, if it fits properly no need for ear plugs ( I hate them anyway, cant seem to understand why a rider doesn't want to hear the song of the bike under him/her???). I didn't think I'd find a Helmet better than my $1000-00 Shoei but this is better. The only bad thing I can think of is you get the odd dead bug in through the top vent. Not to keen on that Visor tint thing I have on there at the moment either I'll have to fork out for a proper tinted visor before next summer!

Couple of quick pics attached for your reference. If you have a Shoei Shaped head this will do you well!

Something for you to watch to waste 10 mins of your day! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kADDJ4UdRDs

Don't know if any helmet would have prevented that sorted pole damage though.

I know I've rambled on a bit but now the main drama is getting less you probably need a distraction from your present hardships while your waiting to heal.

Have a good day mate!!

[FkNAmerican]

I like the look of that helmet!!!

Oh and as for earplugs....I would HIGHLY recommend you wear them. I used to hate 'em as well because it dulled the sound of the engine and made it hard to talk to my mates at stop lights and such. THEN I started noticing my hearing going to shit.

Wind noise is the main culprit in hearing loss for motocyclists......not the high pitched exhaust or engine noise as many assume. If you ride for more then 2 hours without ear portection at speed you WILL damage your hearing temporarily. Over time you will permenantly damage your hearing.

So, I wear earplugs. I suggest you do the same. Trust me, you'll get used to them.

[FkNAmerican]

Condition update: Pissed off

So my insurance agent got back from estimating the damage to my R-6 and, surprise surprise, he estimated $3,600 for the repairs which I knew was low. Then later today my dealer, where the bike is located, calls to tell me they estimate $8,000 not including my aftermarket parts which are covered by insurance.......with those its close to $9,000.

Of course, the insurance agent knows NOTHING about motorcycles so why they have him doing his own estimate is completely beyond me (other the the obvious reason of low balling thier clients of course).

Insurance companies are the most corrupt bunch of pricks on planet earth. I'd vote for universal healthcare for no other reason at all then to put those bastards out of buisness.......I realize that would only put some health insurance companies out.....but hey its a start.

Im gonna have the agent go back out to my dealer so they can run over the damages with him and explain why thier estimate is DOUBLE his. My fingers are already twitching over the phone to call my lawyer hehehehe.

[HornetBoy]

Shit ,whats new ae ,they are cheeky bastards like that tho huh! <_<

Always try to play ya like your a complete idiot ,which is the last thing you need to have after a major accident,youd think they would be trying to cause you as little stress as possible .

Have you looked at the KBC VR-2 FKNAmerican?

[motodrummer]

Dont sweat it bro, just part of the process. I got hit last november and took 3months to get the check- ordering stuff from japan etc...Just getting it back on the road now! Been using a mates K1-750, a kind loan from a great mate. Im sure it'll all work out for you...and you'll be back in the wind. Missed a few pages of this thread, not a lot of free time at the 'mo, but hope you're on the mend and wish you well- See you in kiwiland someday?

[MIXONE]

Fucking insurance companies.Quick to take your premiums but fucking slow to pay out.
I too have got a shark helmet.A great helmet for sure.

[Swoop]

Regarding your helmet.
The little lever that opens the visor: are there any signs of scratching on the lever, that would indicate contact with the ground?

[Reckless]

I like the look of that helmet!!!

Oh and as for earplugs....I would HIGHLY recommend you wear them. I used to hate 'em as well because it dulled the sound of the engine and made it hard to talk to my mates at stop lights and such. THEN I started noticing my hearing going to shit.

Wind noise is the main culprit in hearing loss for motorcyclists......not the high pitched exhaust or engine noise as many assume. If you ride for more then 2 hours without ear portection at speed you WILL damage your hearing temporarily. Over time you will permenantly damage your hearing.

So, I wear earplugs. I suggest you do the same. Trust me, you'll get used to them.

Na you can't convince me there. Get the Shark or a good helmet that fits and wind noise won't be a problem. I can't see how the wind level from my last two helmets would be loud enough to damage my hearing. Even at 140k's cruising speed. Don't forget its also in the fit. My helmets always fit me well around the ears and cheek pad area and that is as good as most ear plugs. I don't struggle to get into them but they hug me firm. My Bell which fitted differently and well was a good $500-00 helmet but bloody awful for noise. I reckon its in the head fitting, the way the visor fits the helmet and the shape . I used to wear the Bell when I was in the mood to hear the twin sound loud when on the VTR. But I wrecked that in the crash, they found it 25 meters away from where I lay still done up. Still have a bit of neck stiffness but I guess I was a bit luckier than you. I face planted a bank at 180K. Oh well that's another story entirely. Been 2 -3 years now. First Bike crash in 20 or more years. It was stupid and I'm very lucky!

Anyway being a Panel beater, then a builder, Kart racer for 20 years and now MX bikes who has always liked a good level of rock music. Between the 2 strokes screaming and the hammering, I'm screwed for hearing LOL!!

btw I do wear ear muffs as often as poss now even mowing the lawns.

Cya dude!

[avgas]

Have you looked at the KBC VR-2 FKNAmerican?
Are they a nice quiet helmet? as i have been looking at them

[SPman]

You should probably replace that helmet. Must be hard to see out of during sun strike :blink:

Replaced it with a Shark RSR - great helmet - reasonable price - the visor system is great - noise bearable without earplugs - the ventilation system is crap. Also needed a sun strike band across the top of the visor - I found thin plastic tape (used for taping up underslab plastic) was good.

Still have my HJC AC11, which is good.

[faredce]

jesus h christ mate.
well firstly well done on the fantastic recollection and detail of ur story made for a good read i needed to go to the bathroom but couldnt leave my computer well done lol.
reali glad ur body is fine ur lucky but dont be to concerned with the face mate u will look different no doubt but u have ur sight and other senses so im sure ull adjust just fine..my only crash resulted in a nasty deep graze on my forearm and even that sucked so my sympathe is with u man.
heal up!!
peace

[HornetBoy]

Are they a nice quiet helmet? as i have been looking at them

Well compared to the HJC CLSP and agv ti tec (or wateva its called) yup :yes: tryed on alot of other helmets -arai,shoei etc and this one felt alot more padded by light years ,you almost feel like you need the next size up as its so much more than most helmets.

Anyway ...Yea It is very quiet has a slight hiss when you turn your head to a certain angle but otherwise its one of the quietest helmets ive owned,wind noise is very minimal too,but i find on 4 cylinders it sort of echoes at times,but i wear ear plugs most of the time anyway when i ride the Katana. :first:

[Renegade]

mate, i wouldnt wish that kind of crash on anyone (except maybe the scum of the earth) and it sounds like your doing well, any hot nurses?? on the bright side you will get to go shopping for all new gear :niceone: a new bike, and after all the plastic surgery you could come out better looking than when you went in, oh and chicks dig scars remember.

get well soon.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Yeah I think Arai's are most popular choice with IOM riders from memory but dont quote me. And I'm betting they're after the safest stuff they can find.

What helmet was Shaun Harris wearing he had his massive off there? :slap:

Yeah but if off the rack Arai doesnt fit and Shoei does then what do you do.

Remember the sponsored boys helmets are all made to fit them.

[fridayflash]

i agree about the ear plug thing,it seems weird at first but makes for a peaceful ride at speed

[FkNAmerican]

Update: Insurance guy went back to dealer. Bike is totalled out.

Right now Im thinking of getting a 2009 Honda CBR600RR. Im waiting to see if it gets a slipper clutch and some decent paint first though :).

Another option is an '07 R-1 or Gixxer Thou. Dont know.

[FkNAmerican]

Condition Update:

Feeling nearly 100% now. Still getting headaches and the occasional sharp pain in my right eye. Also my teeth hurt. Other then that I feel great. Energy level is back up finally.

Tuesday, June 3, is the big day...........I get my jaw unwired and I get to go to the dentist and have my teeth fixed AND I get to have an eye exam and sort my vision sorted out.

Just have to count down the days........

[Goblin]

Condition Update:

Feeling nearly 100% now. Still getting headaches and the occasional sharp pain in my right eye. Also my teeth hurt. Other then that I feel great. Energy level is back up finally.

Tuesday, June 3, is the big day...........I get my jaw unwired and I get to go to the dentist and have my teeth fixed AND I get to have an eye exam and sort my vision sorted out.

Just have to count down the days........That is good news. :niceone:

Did you have that poo yet?

[Skunk]

Good to hear - that you're getting better, not the poo thing.

[HRH]

Condition Update:

Feeling nearly 100% now. Still getting headaches and the occasional sharp pain in my right eye. Also my teeth hurt. Other then that I feel great. Energy level is back up finally.

Tuesday, June 3, is the big day...........I get my jaw unwired and I get to go to the dentist and have my teeth fixed AND I get to have an eye exam and sort my vision sorted out.

Just have to count down the days........

Your headaches and eye pains have me in mind of the random collection of aches and pains I had after my car accident. I had no major injuries - just a bit of whiplash & bruising, but a year after I was getting migraines and headaches daily, my jaw felt tight, stabbing pains in my head, eyes, ears etc - as well as a number of other niggling medical problems. Took me ages to wonder whether they were all connected or related to the accident.

So - if you find after a while that you are experiencing similar, consider going to a chiropractor. It only took me two visits to be completely relieved of all of those symptoms and feeling fantastic. If your spine/neck is not aligned properly (which it is unlikely to be after all of that trauma), then your nerves are not free to feed your organs so that they function properly. Makes a huge difference to how well you feel....so keep an eye on yourself. Hope you feel better soon! :)

[awayatc]

great recovery, inspirational...

[howdamnhard]

Ouch! Hope you make a full recovery .

[skidMark]

As promised, the pics of my R-6. What you cant see is all the little stuff. Scratches and dents all over the tank, the left frame slider has been pushed in about 2-3 inches into the frame, the front forks are twisted and bent and the rear swing-arm is bent.


http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/1272/p1010013xi3.th.jpg (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010013xi3.jpg)

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You must have been slow, big chicken strips!.

[FkNAmerican]

LOL, nah not slow......just hadnt taken her to the track yet. Seriously....its just stupid to ride that hard on the street. Too many things can go wrong and I never had any intention of putting others in danger so I could have some fun. At least with track days everyone there has signed on the dotted line and knows the risks and understands people are going to be pushing the edge out there......so if shit happens and people get hurt its the risk everyone agreed to take.

For people that dont have access to a track I can kinda understand the need to push it on the street.......but I've got a great track less then an hours ride from my house that hosts regular trackdays for motorcycles and even hosts AMA racing.....it helps keep me nice and gentle on the road....for the most part.

One thing I am glad of is that my accident was single vehicle. Im glad my R-6didnt slide out into a car coming the other way or something like that. I hate it when people pay the price for someone elses mistake.

Anyway, yeah Im going to see a doctor about my neck and pain in my face. Also for some reason every time I wake up in the morning my face is swollen and throughout the day it goes down steadily. Its an ongoing thing.

Oh and yeah....I had that poo hehehe. I was seriously fearing that poo too!!! From all that was said by others who have experienced similar situations I was thinking it was gonna be like giving birth out my arse. In the end it was a big anticlimax. LOL.

[Number One]

Go poohs! Not the same situation but I remember the first pooh I took after having my son...now that really felt like I was going to give birth TO my arse!

Glad to see that you are up and about and healing.

:sunny:

[Mikkel]

LOL, nah not slow......just hadnt taken her to the track yet. Seriously....its just stupid to ride that hard on the street. Too many things can go wrong and I never had any intention of putting others in danger so I could have some fun. At least with track days everyone there has signed on the dotted line and knows the risks and understands people are going to be pushing the edge out there......so if shit happens and people get hurt its the risk everyone agreed to take.

+1 Indeed! :yes:


For people that dont have access to a track I can kinda understand the need to push it on the street.......but I've got a great track less then an hours ride from my house that hosts regular trackdays for motorcycles and even hosts AMA racing.....it helps keep me nice and gentle on the road....for the most part.

Nah, there's need and then there's need. You need food to stay alive - you don't need to get knee down on the public road in order to enjoy motorcycling...


Anyway, yeah Im going to see a doctor about my neck and pain in my face. Also for some reason every time I wake up in the morning my face is swollen and throughout the day it goes down steadily. Its an ongoing thing.

Don't worry mate, it's just that the blood pressure in your head is higher when you lie down. That's also why you elevate your leg if you've sprained an ankle or have a big bruise on your shin...
Actually, a bit of the same thing happens with your spine - the vertebraes compress during the day and relax during the night. You should be able to measure a height difference between when you get out of bed in the morning and when you go to bed at night :) (Apparently pilots using an ejection seat will become approximately 3 cm shorter - for a while... so I've heard at least.)

[martybabe]

Go poohs! Not the same situation but I remember the first pooh I took after having my son...now that really felt like I was going to give birth TO my arse!

Glad to see that you are up and about and healing.

:sunny:

Again with the botty references :laugh:


Yeah, good onya mate, heal well. :yes:

[surfchick]

yo dude -
I've been off the site a month or two - so wishing you the best for coming out of this one. Massive bad accident & inspring recovery... must take a bit think about getting back on the road after such a rough crash - kia kaha my friend.

[Okey Dokey]

Hello buddy.

Keep up the good work recovery-wise. June 3 isn't too far away now. I hope it all goes well for you.

[Nordy]

Good luck with the surgery and getting the wire removed.

[sAsLEX]

Actually, a bit of the same thing happens with your spine - the vertebraes compress during the day and relax during the night. You should be able to measure a height difference between when you get out of bed in the morning and when you go to bed at night :)

Or after a long stint on your back in hospital!




Good to hear you getting better mate, and the 09 sounds like a good replacement..... not biased at all over here!

[hayd3n]

wow you survived will you ever get back on 2 wheels?
i will make sure i have my gear on even if it is to go to the shop from now on

[gismo]

Hope all has gone well with the op. And that you are chatting up the cute nurses as we speak.

[justsomeguy]

Whoa, been away for a few months... and come back to read this.

I went through the same thing (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=57949)hit a rock while riding like a fool except my head bounced on the road

You got it bad though mate..... Hope your face heals well and in the end time heals everything anyway. SO GLAD you're here talking to us and laughing with us.

Good gear is soo worth its weight in good stuff eh??

Nice to read your posts and replies about gear. What about your race suit and back protector and gloves and boots?? Any ideas on brands for that?

Just my 2 cents.... Please take your time in public among your non biking mates when it comes to telling them about riding again. We here are all bikers and understand it's something we have to do. The non-biking folk just don't understand how we could ever ride again. Take it especially easy on poor old mom. Sure she knows you better than most but just between the two of us you can probably imagine what that poor lady felt when she saw you for the first time on the bed. Luckily for me my mom was in another country so couldn't see the lovely facial bruising my cracked skull imparted. But I can imagine what she might have gone through. Poor old moms huh... They usually are the most hurt when we idiots do what we do.


Ah fuck it. I just need another gixxer thou to hit the track and blow some cobwebs out… Yes, I know I should start on a 600 and wait till I can get somewhat decent lap times but when old thous cost the same as old 600's...

So is the CBR600 still on the cards or has that evil, evil gixxer thou cast its spell completely?

[FkNAmerican]

hey all.....condition update:

Well, had some ups and downs. Got my jaws unwired and got the go ahead to get some glasses yesterday. The Doc told me my nose should be ready to support the weight of glasses so long as I got titanium frames and only wore them for a few hours at a time. So I went and got some glasses....wore them for an hour.....and my fucking nose caved in!!! I couldnt f'ing believe it. It actually looks kinda funny. Its depressing to look at....but also funny. At the bridge of my nose there are two huge dents where the glasses just sunk in. Its like my nose is the consistency of pizza dough or something. I spent $350 on an eye exam plus the titanium frames and such only to find out I cant actually wear them yet.....maybe not for months. Gonna have to get me some contacts now and go back to get my nose reshaped. Ugh.

As for the good news:

Now that I can get my mouth open I can now eat eggs, yogurt without blending it, oatmeal, and any kind of white fish like flounder or talapia or cod that I can swallow without chewing (I use my tongue to break it up into little pieces against the roof of my mouth). The downside is that I cant chew anything with all my broken teeth. Its just too painfull. So the steak I bought on the way home thinking I could manage it.......not gonna happen. Had to go through a little reality check there.......

Anyway, so tommorrow I go in for a consultation with an oral surgeon. The guy was supossedly on some show ("Extreme Makover" or something) so he's famous and very good. That means I have great trust he will restore my perfect white smile and empty my bank account in the process. :rolleyes:

Oh...I feel fucking awesome by the way (despite the nose setback). Just being able to open my mouth again was a big step for me. Last night I slept better then I've slep in awhile and I think it had alot to so with being able to breathe so much easier. Its funny because I remmember when the swelling went down and I felt great because I could breathe.......but now having my mouth open I REALLY know what it feels like to be able to get an easy full breathe of air without effort. Its NICE.

Im suppossed to get ALL the metal out of my mouth (they clipped the wires but didnt take out the bridges/braces) in one week. Then, Im set to get whatever procedures my oral surgeon decides I need done during the initial check up (which is tommorrow) done.

So basically Im looking at maybe two more weeks before Im completely free and repaired. Only pain left to endure is gonna be the dental work...bunch of root canals and implants and whatever. Never had a root canal but I hear they suck. Im gonna have a bunch so I suppose I'll be an authoirty on just how much they suck by the time Im done :).

What a ride its been.

Cheers

[Mom]

You certainly have been dragged through several bushes backwards over the past few weeks mate.

So nice to read that you can open your mouth at last! Root canals are not so bad really. Man of your experience pain wise could probably have a heap of them done under a light sedation (makes the time go faster is all) and suffer the effects for a few days afterwards. Just think though, once they are done you can chomp away again!

As far as the nose goes...:eek5: Lets hope that is an easy fix.

[chanceyy]

remember healing is 5 steps forward & the occasional step backwards but overall when you read back over the first posts to where your at now your healing is going ahead leaps & bounds

[Nasty]

Sounds like you are taking things well and at good pace ... re root canels ... I had some work done under oral sedation here (I don't remember a thing) ... and that was great ... when I had it only local it hurt quite a bit until extra local was put in ... overall just trust the oral surgeon and take his lead .. he knows his shit ....

Re nose ... bugger ... but the reshape just may get it looking and feeling fantastic again ... glasses are a bugger ... hope you can get contacts ..

Oh well ... just thought I would come and marvel at your progress ... well done.

[karla]

I am SO impressed. I had begun to think that American men (sorry for generalising) had become a little feminized over time, and were well off financially but soft generally. The other day a good American friend couldn't believe that I mow my own lawns - yeah what?! LOL.

But you have renewed my hope ... it seems that NZ'ers are ten years behind the American trends (TV, media, expectations etc). Perhaps there is a changing trend towards a HTFU attitude. You have done that with gentleness and care - one day at a time. Awesome story, thank you for setting a high example of strength and determination.

Just don't do all that hard work to go out and get taken out - you need to carry your story to inspire others, the way you have done here.

[Colapop]

Good shit! Leave your nose the way it is - it'll give you more character!! :dodge: