Bruiser back from hospital after bike accident!

**Virago** · 7th February 2006, 08:23

Hi Bruiser,

How's the healing progressing? Hope you are still making good progress day by day.

**Bruiser** · 30th July 2006, 11:46

Hi everybody,
Thanks to all who have made the last 9 months bearable with your emails, comments here and to those who also wandered over to the Random Riders website and did the same.

I am 8 weeks into a 12 week physio course paid for by ACC. I put in an hour two days a week at the gym, and another 30 minutes water-walking downstairs in the pool. This and time has improved my leg to the point I am mobile, flexible and although still a little weak, at the point of climbing on my Harley again. The doctors tell me I'll have the pins and needles in my right leg for the rest of my life. Ahh well, I'm luckier than many who have had accidents this bad, so not complaining.

The final payout for repairing the bike cost her insurance a few pennies shy of $19,000, including air-brush work. I've takent the opportunity to have the motor totally freshened and worked on by my mate and harley magician, Wally at Wally's HD's in Tokoroa. We've put KB 9.5:1 hig comp pistons in, Crane EV27 cam, Mikuni K42 carb, free breathing kit and Wally had done alot of work to the heads to clean them up. Should be wicked down low compared to before... gotta have something to show for all this eh!

Finally afer nine months the Harley was started yesterday and today Wally will be taking it out for its first run-in ride. As he's in Tokoroa and I'm in Auckand I'll have to wait for his call to find out how it went, but he's only running her in to no more than 80 kph so it will be a slow trip for him.

I have a few pics they took yesterday so will attatch them to this post.

Costs of this accident.
For those who are either uninsured or self employed, please read the following and make sure you protect yourself as much as possible or you'll be in the same boat.

Immediately after the accident it was realised that returning to an upstairs office was impossible, and returning to work at all for a few months was not going to happen. So friends boxed up everything, the landlord advised of our moving out, and the company was put into recess. As I was self-employed and hadn't had 12 months evidence due to it being a newly registed company, acc baulked at paying 80% of my income and instead quoted me chapter and verse of the statute (a word they love to use as a weapon). My income therefore over the last 9 months reduced from pre-accident net of over $1,000 wk to acc payment of $247 pw.

Over nine months therefore I have lost something like $28,000 in personal income and my website company has lost about $65,000 in lost income due to my inability to open the doors. None of this is recoverable off the woman who hit me due to our ACC laws.

Oh, and while we're on the subject of her.... after avoiding being served with her summonses for careless use causing injury she finally appeared in court 6 months after the accident and pleaded not guilty. This after writing me a note and delivering it to the hospital reception with a bunch of flowers the day of the accident. The note said" Bruce, sorry for hurting you and I pray you get well soon".

Anyway she got back to court last month and pleaded guilty, and last week the judge adjourned the sentencing so he can read a victim impact statement and reparation report the courts have prepared after talking with me. Probation Service recommendation in their report stated they recommended she be required to pay me reparation of $10,000.

So who knows what she'll get sentenced to or if the judge will award "reparation" but he is now informed of my losses and costs so I'm hopefull.

So, there's the story. ACC have a self-employed policy where you can buy additional income protection regardless of how much levy you pay. I only found this out after my accident unfortuntaly.

Once again thanks for all your kind words and advice during my recovery, I feel blessed to be part of a community that falls in behind its' members when they have been hurt.

Hope you enjoy the pics of the "new" harley. As some will know I spent alot of time here asking questions about airbrush artists and finally found the guy who did artwork on another Harley in the Waikato that is our personal favourite. He agreed to do ours and at an extremely good price!The airbrush work is totally different now The artist is Brad Walters of Whangarei. and we are stoked with his interpretation of a WW2 fighter scene accross the bike, but you be the judge.

Apologies for the novel but I'm now able to update on most of the issues at one go and thought it was a good opportunity to do so.

Regards,
Bruiser

**crashe** · 30th July 2006, 11:59

Bruiser - welcome back to riding......
yep 9 months is a long time, but the main thing is that you can still ride.

Good luck with the final outcome with the judge's decision. Let us know how that all went.
Great pics of the bike, good to see it back on the road again.

Question: Is the waterwalking really helping your leg?
I came off my bike 5 month (16 Feb 2006) and damaged my knee
I can now bend it but still cant kneel on it.... and when riding long distances like I went up to Russell last weekend on the way back the knee was giving me hell... so I was wondering if waterwalking would help my knee out?
I have used up all my physio sessions bar 1 in another week.

**Goblin** · 30th July 2006, 12:16

Great to see you back in action! Bummer about the huge loss and fucked up attitude of the woman who hit you. I hope the judge will see the light and award you reparation, even though it would only be a tiny percentage of your loss.

The bike is looking great!! You wont be hard to find at the Random Riders Poker Run. I will be sure to come and say gidday

All the best to you in your recovery.

**paturoa** · 30th July 2006, 12:24

Originally Posted by Bruiser

.....and we are stoked with his interpretation of a WW2 fighter scene accross the bike, but you be the judge.....

cant tell from your pics - got any close ups?

when do you think you'll be back on the bike?

**Bruiser** · 30th July 2006, 13:21

Originally Posted by crashe

Bruiser - welcome back to riding......

Question: Is the waterwalking really helping your leg?
I came off my bike 5 month (16 Feb 2006) and damaged my knee
I can now bend it but still cant kneel on it.... and when riding long distances like I went up to Russell last weekend on the way back the knee was giving me hell... so I was wondering if waterwalking would help my knee out?
I have used up all my physio sessions bar 1 in another week.

Thanks crashe. As I haven't pushed my leg too hard, and am yet to throw it over my bike after the accident, I can only tell you about the improvement water-walking has made to my leg off the bike. The fact is water-walking is low-pain, I follow it up with a couple of lengths of freestyle with full kicking just to exercise the leg. Out of the pool afterwards the leg knows its been pushed abit, but I am positive the results have been worthwhile. Maybe not as great as an hour's exercise but wothwhile all the same.

I don't regret the 30 mins twice a week and if it gets me stronger quicker then that works for me.

Hope this helps.

Feel free to call me if you want to chat about it - (09) 813 6622.

Cheers,
Bruiser

**Vagabond** · 30th July 2006, 13:21

Good to hear your'e on the mend, time does help, although I still get aches and pains, and it's been two years since I broke my back. Them plates and screws are staying put as i don't wanna have them opening me up again!

Wish you a speedy recovery mate!

**Bruiser** · 30th July 2006, 13:30

Originally Posted by paturoa

cant tell from your pics - got any close ups?

when do you think you'll be back on the bike?

I'll be going down next sunday 6th Aug to Tokoroa and riding it back. Will be sharing the ride with my son in law as a back-up rider just in case - he's insured to ride it as well.

I have attached some pics Wally took of the metalwear before he put the bike back together.

Cheers,
Bruiser

**BeakerRAT** · 30th July 2006, 13:34

Bloody heck Bruce, I had no idea. Total shocker! We've been on a few rides together with Dayne and the crew. Sorry to hear about the ordeal you've had to go thru. Good to hear you are on the mend and going to be back out there soon on that lovely bike.

Onwards and upwards mate,

Roy

**Bruiser** · 30th July 2006, 13:39

Originally Posted by BeakerRAT

Bloody heck Bruce, I had no idea. Total shocker! We've been on a few rides together with Dayne and the crew. Sorry to hear about the ordeal you've had to go thru. Good to hear you are on the mend and going to be back out there soon on that lovely bike.

Onwards and upwards mate,

Roy

Great to hear from you. Dane has dropped in and said hi, and I'm looking forward to another hit-out around the kaukapkapa loop with you all soon.

Feel free to drop in for a coffee, especially if you're 2-wheeling!

Cheers,
Bruiser

**Bruiser** · 30th July 2006, 13:52

Originally Posted by Vagabond

Good to hear your'e on the mend, time does help, although I still get aches and pains, and it's been two years since I broke my back. Them plates and screws are staying put as i don't wanna have them opening me up again!

Wish you a speedy recovery mate!

I was told that if I pushed my leg too hard before the bones healed around the titanium rods I might have to have them replaced. This apparently calls for opening up the leg (top and bottom) pulling out the old, broken, rods and inserting new ones. On top of this is the need to get through the healing process all over again.

After nine months I'm pushing as hard as I believe I can to get thel leg fixed, but am always conscious of the risks. I NEVER want to do this again.

Cheers,
Bruiser

**Harry33** · 30th July 2006, 19:02

Mate sorry to here about your accident...Nice bike and great tank

**crashe** · 30th July 2006, 20:45

Originally Posted by Bruiser

Thanks crashe. As I haven't pushed my leg too hard, and am yet to throw it over my bike after the accident, I can only tell you about the improvement water-walking has made to my leg off the bike. The fact is water-walking is low-pain, I follow it up with a couple of lengths of freestyle with full kicking just to exercise the leg. Out of the pool afterwards the leg knows its been pushed abit, but I am positive the results have been worthwhile. Maybe not as great as an hour's exercise but wothwhile all the same.

I don't regret the 30 mins twice a week and if it gets me stronger quicker then that works for me.

Hope this helps.

Feel free to call me if you want to chat about it -.

Cheers,
Bruiser

Cheers will do......

**R6_kid:Me** · 30th July 2006, 23:02

love the paintwork on the tank man.

**Bruiser** · 30th July 2006, 23:20

Originally Posted by gareth_d

love the paintwork on the tank man.

We had 5 quotes for the same theme... prices were almost too close for the Auckland quotes to be a coincidence.... one was almost twice the price of those... and the guy we chose was about half of the others....

He did another bike that is our favourite airbrush work by far, so we're delighted to get him to do it and equally happy with his work!

Bruiser