Maine Runnah Group

1

What a difference a week makes... (Read 379 times)


an amazing likeness

    On Sunday Oct 18th at about 11:40 in the morning, I finished the Bay State Marathon. I had a good training cycle leading into the race and was in the best running condition of my life.

     

    One week later, on Sunday Oct 25th at 11:52 in the morning, I was hit from the side by a car going 35 - 40 mph breaking my arm, shoulder (surgery), vertabrae in my neck and lower back, tearing up right knee (future surgery) covering me road rash and leading to a week in Maine Medical.

     

    I'm home now and don't know when I will run again. It is fleeting and tenuous, so be careful.

     

    I don't post this for your sympathy, but rather so that you will take 5 extra seconds before your next run and think about the places where can be that little bit more cautious  -- do NOT let this happen to you!

     

    Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.


    #2867

      Sorry to hear that!

       

      I've been hit by a car before, and I'm now paranoid about it.  It's one of the reasons I'm looking forward to the snow coming down - once the snowmobilers pack down the trails they become easier to run than the roads and I can go for hours without having to worry about getting hit.

       

      Get well soon, recover well, and be glad it wasn't worse. (It can always be worse if you are able to talk about it.)

       

      Was it a hit and run or did the person get caught?

      Run to Win
      25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

      Teresadfp


      One day at a time

        Oh, my gosh, Andy, I'm so sorry!  Do you mind posting exactly where you were?  Or you could message me.  You live awfully close to me!

         

        I will be praying for you.  Hang in there! Keep us posted on how you're doing!

         

        Blaine, I think I asked you this before, but I forgot what you said.  How do you find out where the snowmobile trails are?  I would love Logan to run on them this winter.


        #2867


           

          Blaine, I think I asked you this before, but I forgot what you said.  How do you find out where the snowmobile trails are?  I would love Logan to run on them this winter.

           

          There's a few ways. You could buy maps from the local snowmobile clubs. 

           

          Or you could just find one and then follow it for a few hours and see where you wind up (one of my favorite methods.)

           

          Near you guys, you could go over to Twin Brooks and hit the trails near the Greely Rd side of the park. There are some trails near the back side of that over by the train tracks (you just cross them at a diagonal from where you can access them from TB) and those trails will lead you over near the golf course. Not sure where they go in the other direction since it's usually pitch black when I'm running in that area.

           

          There's also a lot of great trails at Bradbury Mountain State Park - he should join us for some runs on Saturdays once the snow comes down.

          Run to Win
          25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)


          an amazing likeness

            Oh, my gosh, Andy, I'm so sorry!  Do you mind posting exactly where you were?  Or you could message me.  You live awfully close to me!

             

            Intersection of Portland St and Rt 1. By Coffee Roasters.  I was coming down Portland St towards Rt 1 and the car came from my left, heading south on Rt 1.

            Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

            Teresadfp


            One day at a time

              Thanks for the info, Blaine.  He really found it helpful to stay off streets as much as possible over the summer.  He's pretty overwhelmed right now with the college search, AP classes, and running.  I'll be glad when January gets here.

               

              Andy, thanks again for the warning.  I will be even more careful.  I really try to avoid major streets, but North Road is hard to avoid.  This morning my friend and I parked at Wolfe Neck Woods and ran down the dirt road close by.

                Take care, Andy.

                 

                Wishing for a speedy recovery....


                an amazing likeness

                  Thought I'd post an update...Again, as when I first posted, the passing of a week (or two) has made a tremendous difference in my life. Sunday was three weeks from the accident and my recovery is going really well.

                   

                  My arm and shoulder are healing well, and I'm working with PT to get range of motion built back up. Except for 2 fingers on one hand, the feeling is coming back as the nerve damage seems to be healing.  Vertebrae in neck seems to be healing (guessing from reduced pain) and I hope to be out of neck brace as early as next week.

                   

                  My strength and stamina is the most improved.  I've transitioned from being bedridden to someone who just happens to take a lot of naps.

                   

                  Most significantly, I've been building up time on my feet and have walked 1 mile stints each of the past three days. Not fast, not pretty, but getting it done.  What's amazing is the time off my feet for so long means that something as seeming easy as walking a mile leaves me with sore ankles and hips -- wow.

                   

                  I learn on Thursday the plan for dealing with my right knee (destroyed) and lower leg, so I'm dreading the prospect of ending up off my feet again for surgery in the near future.

                   

                  Andy

                  Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

                  Teresadfp


                  One day at a time

                    I'm glad your recovery is going well, Andy!  I hope they fix your knee up without too much trouble.

                     

                    After you posted about your accident, DH's 57-year-old sister fell on a walk and shattered her elbow.  Her elbow will never be the same - she won't have a full range of motion.  However, to put things into perspective, when the anesthesiologist examined her spine, they discovered a tumor.  It turns out it's a chordoma, a very rare type of tumor that wraps itself around the spine.  She'll have to go through weeks of radiation, a two-day surgery, and then more radiation.  Average survival is 7 years, but maybe her prognosis will be better since they found it so early.  So her world turned upside down in a very short period of time.

                     


                    an amazing likeness

                      Today is four weeks from the accident. I wish all was rosy on my road of recovery, but it is just so slow...so darn slow. 

                       

                      Neck seems to healing and after follow-up this coming Tuesday, I hope to be able to get out of the head and neck brace. Leaving the brace will be a huge quality of life change.

                       

                      Shoulder and upper arm have healed quickly from the pain perspective and have good range of motion when the therapist moves them, but even 4 weeks later, I can't move my arm much at all -- it seems like the muscles and ligaments aren't healing and getting better.  But, they assure me all is normal...I have doubts.

                       

                      Learned this week that it will take at least 2 surgeries on my right knee, one of which will require being off the leg for 8 weeks.  Completely off it, no weight at all.  That's two months!

                       

                      ...and so it goes.

                      Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.


                      an amazing likeness

                        ..and so it goes.  Today is 5 weeks since the accident and big changes have happened.  Neck Dr has cleared my neck as healed enough to remove the head/neck brace. This is a huge quality-of-life change and means I can do things like take a shower and shave without assistance. (I have the world's worst stiff neck, however)  My broken arm and shoulder are healing well and getting more mobility each day.  Lower arm (below elbow) moves well, upper arm is still very limited and needs muscles to regrow and be trained in physical therapy. 

                         

                        I was able to start driving this week, which is a big deal in terms of getting back to work and freeing my wife from being on-call for all Dr visits and any trips. 

                        Still very hobbled by knee and ankle damage in one leg and resulting pain. Have to get upper body working first so that they can do two knee surgeries -- probably one in December and the major work in early spring.

                         

                        ...and so it goes. 

                         

                        Hope everyone took advantage of the amazing weather we're having to stay active and log those miles outdoors.

                        Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

                        Teresadfp


                        One day at a time

                          Andy, I'm glad you're seeing some progress!  Being able to drive is great news.  It's hard to get around in this area without driving!  That's great your wife will be freed up now.

                           

                          I ran 5 miles in Boston on Thanksgiving - through Brookline and down Commonwealth Avenue plus some neighborhoods in Boston.  Nice and flat!  I couldn't make myself get out in the rain this morning, though.