Half Marathon Trainers

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Do you want my Seacoast Helf (Portsmouth NH) entry? (Read 754 times)

Lu481


    Andy,

     

    That's terrible that you got hit...  I hope you recover quickly... 

     

    I got hit by a car a couple weeks ago while out for an early morning run, but thankfully the driver just hit me hard enough to knock me over and I was ok...  She was stopped well behind the crosswalk and when she didn't go I assumed she saw me and crossed in front of her...  I was right in front of her (the drivers side of the car) and almost past the car when she all of a sudden she started going...  At first I thought that the driver was trying to hit me...  But she really didn't see me... 

     

    It was partially my fault because I assumed she had seen me before I went across, and I wasn't wearing anything reflective...  The thing I learned from this is:  Never assume the driver has seen you... 

     

    Hang in there.  Before you know it you'll be back running again...

     

    Lu


    an amazing likeness

      Thank you, all, for your kind thoughts, your empathy and best wishes.  As I type this, it is almost exactly 2 weeks out from the accident.

       

      Taking stock:  broken arm and shattered shoulder are making great progress,  range of motion in my lower arm is coming back and I've started passive PT on the upper. Broken neck vertebrae is less swollen, meaning less pinched nerves and feeling is returning slowly to my fingers, but some remain numb.  About 80%  of the road rash is healed and I just look beat up and a little scarred now as opposed to take-your-breath-away cut up.

       

      Was able to sit upright for an hour recently and am working to strech that to longer.

       

      I walked to the end of my driveway yesterday!  And back. Told my wife I should have worn my Garmin and logged it, given the effort.  Plan to try again today.

       

      Apologize for making this about me, but sometimes helps to tell my story so that I see how far I've come from lying in road to now.

       

      Be careful in traffic on those long runs today, the car will win.

       

      Andy

      Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

        Andy, thanks for the update...so sorry about all of this and I have been thinking of you often.

         

        Oh, and it is OK to make it about you!   Talk, tell and heal up.


        Prince of Fatness

          Apologize for making this about me, but sometimes helps to tell my story so that I see how far I've come from lying in road to now.

          Andy, don't apologize.  And please check in every now and then and let us know how you are doing.

          Not at it at all. 


          an amazing likeness

            Some more weeks have passed, so thought I'd post an update....

             

            Yesterday was a major milestone -- follow-up shows that the broken neck vertebrae is healed and will not require surgery to repair.  As of 5PM yesterday, for the first time in over 4 weeks (!), I took off the neck support / fixation brace I've been wearing.  Wow, did that ever feel *great*...getting that thing off makes a huge change in quality of life.

             

            I still have nerve damage from the neck injury healing in my right arm and hand, and they are telling me to expect it to take 4 - 6 months to fully resolve.  (a couple fingers are constantly "asleep" and tingly, and it feels like there are clothespins pinching the tricep)

             

            The hit shattered my upper left arm & sholuder into a gazillon pieces and it was repaired by adding a plate, screwed to the larger pieces, and then stuffing all the smaller pieces into place and some form of mesh to hold them.  This bone is all now fusing back together well and shows no problems in healing.   The muscles and ligaments of the shoulder are regenerating and I can move the lower arm (elbow down) well, but the upper arm is still pretty useless.  PT focuses on range of motion and lots of passive movement, will start to work to build the muscles back in a few weeks.

             

            Most of the deep road rash is healed.  Some scarring remains on my forehead from rubbing my face on the road for 70 feet, and one of my elbows still hasn't grown all the skin back.

             

            My right knee and lower leg took the contact from the bumper and are a mess and will be for a while. Latest info is that it will take two separate surgeries on the knee,  and these can't even start until I rehab the left arm and upper body enough to use crutches. Knee is unreliable and hurts like the dickens, but I try hobble a mile or so each day and log it.

             

            I'm thankful this week for the progress. The neck follow-up yesterday reminded me of how easily this could have been a much worse outcome beyond just some numb fingers that will probably get better. 

            Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

              Thanks for the update. That is excellent news. 

              Obviously, we don't know each other (except through HMT), but I have been following this thread with thoughts and prayers. We Andys have to stick together.

               

              mta: Your attitude is very inspiring.


              an amazing likeness

                mta: Your attitude is very inspiring.

                 

                 

                Ummm...not sure about that, Andy.  I'm just a regular schmo who is mad for making a mistake that cost me years of training, permament bodily damage, tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, required my wife to set aside her life for weeks, and has no end in sight.

                 

                Despite that, I try to focus on the healing and ignore the stuff that gets in the way of getting better.

                Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

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