Surviving bad crashes
I don't post on here as often as I used to. The rise of social media has a lot to do with that, but also I've been a bit away from motorcycling.
Two years ago today I slammed into the side of a Nissan Navara at a speed between 60 and 80 km/h when its driver pulled out of a driveway into the path of my motorcycle.
I broke my left fibula just below my knee and cracked it half way down. I broke the malleolus of the tibia in two. I broke my sternum and smashed the acromion and back of the shoulder socket and tore the ligaments in the rotator cuff.
My head was forced nearly on to my left shoulder, damaging the nerves C5-C8, tearing the axillary nerve and paralysing my right arm.
The following day I had an operation to put my leg back together.
As I recovered in hospital and at home (three months before I could return to work part-time) I regained - through sheer bloody mindedness and pain - the use of my left leg and left ankle, and gradually (in this order) the fingers of my right arm, then the hand, then the lower arm (mostly), then the bicep, then part of the tricep, then the teres minor, the supraspinatus, teres major and triceps brachii long head - but not the deltoid and the infraspinatus - as the nerves slowly regenerated (1mm per day).
In April last year I had nerve transplant surgery, sacrificing the triceps brachii long head to regain the use of the upper part of my arm again. The surgery was a success.
I had to learn to play guitar again. Last February (before the operation) I started learning to ride a motorcycle again.
In October 2018 I returned to playing in a band. I play in Wellington rock band Mister Unit.
Life nowadays is different.
I struggle to walk much as both my ankles aren't right. I am waiting for an operation on one of my ankles as it's near the point of collapsing. It's caused me to put on weight which I'm not overly happy about. Exercise is difficult.
The head injury I suffered has left it's mark. I don't have the ability to remember things as easily as I used to. Short term memory is terrible. I have to practice and repeat musical parts way more than I used to for muscle memory to remember. But I can do it.
Pain is a constant companion. I have no feeling in the skin in a large part of my upper body due to the nerve damage. However I can feel pressure - and the nerve pain is ... interesting... and ongoing.
But I'm alive. And I've had things happen to me since the accident that have been amazing.
My darling wife has been an incredible support and I don't know what I'd do without her. Seriously.
My band mates keep me going through thick and thin - it's so hard to get a good band and I'm truly blessed in that way.
Just this week a friend gave - gave me - a motorcycle.
My work continue to support me as much as possible.
Despite the fact that the pain and the lack of movement get me down sometimes I'm profoundly grateful that I'm still here - and enjoying the things that make life living.
And do motorcycle training - its a huge part of why I'm still alive!
And I to my motorcycle parked like the soul of the junkyard. Restored, a bicycle fleshed with power, and tore off. Up Highway 106 continually drunk on the wind in my mouth. Wringing the handlebar for speed, wild to be wreckage forever.
- James Dickey, Cherrylog Road.
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