Follow up from the 24th

Well at the end of the post from the 24th I said get some work done so I could go and play, well I guess I did, cause I have been laid up ever since.

Most of yall know by now that I went down on the evening of the 24th on the Malahat. Hehe finally it was my turn to hold up traffic for a few hours instead of being stuck in it. Not that that is a good thing but something to joke about.

Memory is pretty slim for the day by any means, weird part is I remember most everything that I did except for the physical act of riding that day. Since I hit my head that has been erased. I can tell ya what I did, and where I went but it is as if I snapped my fingers and was there, for I don't have any recollection of my travels on the bike.
I did my post on here, then set to work and got most of my project figured out, so all I would have to do is type it out. Len was outside hosing his bike down again because of that stupid oil filler cap that let go for a second time and sprayed oil all over everything. Around noon, I called it quits and he was ready to go, so off we went. We headed to Luxton - no idea what route we took or leaving the house, I know from fact we were riding but that is all. we were at Luxton around 1pm and were watching the rodeo. Yet again, Len has asked me where we parked, I said the obvious, where we always do, he wanted specifics, exactly where I had parked or he had parked and still I couldn't tell him. I knew the area as it is the same place we always park when we go there but as to where I parked the bike, couldn't tell ya. Yes we had a couple beer but after a while, I went on a mission for my daughter. She had sent me a message that she had lost her earrings and could I go and buy her a pair that she had seen at one of the vendors. So off I went in search of the pair she wanted and then off to the other side of the grounds where she was working at the time. I spent a good hour on this mission and visiting with her and listening to her stories of the weekend. By the time she was done babbling the rodeo was over. Poor me, I had Patti with me and trying to drag her arse around is a challenge. We finally got back over to the guys and I finished the drink I had left there. Not knowing why but it was decided that we would go by the Loghouse with Patti and Gary. I guess we left, snap my fingers and we are there as there again is no memory of riding. Len has quizzed me again, what were they riding/driving, my guess one of the bikes, Im wrong, guess at some point Gary had gone and got the corvette and they were in it. Who followed who there, no idea, what route, no idea, parking, same guess as we always seem to park in the same spot when there. We were just there! Well there, I had a beer and Len tried some kind of ice cream drink, he liked it so much that he took the menu card so he could make them at home. Now I didn't remember this until he told me the other night, but that the plan was we were heading home and stopping in Mill Bay so that he could get the fixings to make them at home,and relax in the tub. Everything there is also a little hazy, the Millers were starting to perform in the usual manner and that was our sign to leave. I know we decided to head home for dinner, (and now knowing) ice cream drinks and hot tub, and enjoy the last evening of peace and quiet without our ever present chaperon as she was staying one more night with her dad. This was at 6pm. Well from this decision, the next thing I remember is approximately 3.5 hours later coming to in the hospital and confused to no end. Even the remaining 3 hours in the hospital is patchy at best. It was all quite surreal. Nobody explained anything to me, just giving orders and asking questions of which I couldn't answer as the head trauma had me discombobulated. Eventually, they allowed Len and the others to come in and I think that was near 10:30. Len was there and Wayne had come over with Kay and of course to my surprise Lynn was there also! At this point I'm thinking I really hit hard, if I was seeing her! But she had offered a ride to Len and then also to take us home. Kay got to see me kinda and realized I was basically ok and I told her and her dad to get lost. He had to work in the morning and there was no sense in them hanging around and waiting til I was released. I must say at the end of it all, I was quite put out by our medical system. When they realized that all was fine and I could go, they finally let me have a glass of water I had asked for, this consisted of a half a dixie cup of water, gee thanks. They gave me a couple pain killers, a script for more and a small bottle of them for the night. They found me some scrubs to wear out and basically sent me on my way. They left the blood on my face, never cleaned it off, I had a severely sprained ankle, that they never wrapped up and left me to my own devices to walk out of the building in scrub pants, open back gown and barefoot. They did eventually go and find me a wheelchair to use but I was already halfway out by then. No bandages, ointment, information on followups or anything. I got nothings broken, no need for surgery your all good, here is a list of what to watch for in the next 24 from a head injury and out the door I was sent. Then on top of it all, we are in the truck and heading out and I'm confused even more wanting to know what hospital we are at as nothing is familiar. Lynn informed me that it was VGH but they had moved the emergency department to the other side of the building. How to mess with my head even more. The drive home was pretty sketchy as well, I know we stopped at a gas station and Len got me a drink, and smokes for both of us. he he he that was great smoking in Lynns truck and she cant give me shit for it!! Beyond that the drive is vague, I know Len was stuffed in the back jumper seats but I don't really remember him back there and I think there was some kinda comment about it being funny that he is stuffed back there for a change, as he was typically driving it and I would be stuffed in the back.

Well that night was pretty rough, I was up about every two hours of my own accord and damn I was in some pain. The next day Len had to work, but I had my girlfriend Ang come over to sit with me and keep an eye on me for the day. I spent most of it napping needless to say. Ang's hubbie Scott stopped by and both of them were freaking about my eye and said I should get it checked out. I figured prolly a good idea to head to the clinic for a follow up anyways as the hospital didn't tell us much or do much. I have to say the dizzy spells were the worse and Im glad that they are almost gone.
Wednesday came and Len took me to the clinic and I had the Doc check things over, he said all looked normal and not to worry about my eye as that is what he would expect to see. Come back and see him on Saturday.
Good enuf, so I just have to rest and see how things progress. I'm in contact with my teacher each day, to let her know how things are progressing. I manage to get my project typed out but now Im on a mission that somehow, I'm getting a ride to Vic so I can go to class for 10 minutes and do the presentation for my project so I don't lose 10 marks!!!! I had emailed it off to the teacher with a message from the doctor regards to follow up and that I wouldn't know when I was returning for sure until I saw him on Saturday. Also stated that I may try and show up to do the presentation. Next thing ya know I get a call from her telling me to keep my sorry ass in bed and stay home. In the big picture, that 10 marks is not going to affect my honors grade!!! Fine then but Im not happy about it. I took the next 2 days and basically disregarded everything and just rested. Len brought home my note packages from school and my final review for the exam I was missing. Thankfully I was told that I could write it as soon as I return with no penalty.

Sunday seemed to be a day of change, I had been taking the T3's every 6 hours or so, but for some reason, that morning I didn't take any. I briefly talked with Leanne on chat and she said to ditch them and take more ibuprofen instead. Well Len had left his phone here at home, so thru the grapevine the message went, Leanne texted Kat, and Kat told Len, then of course Len borrowed a phone and called me. I said this is the instructions, 'Im getting from da nurse so stop and get me a big bottle please on your way home. He was out doing the memorial ride for Colin and I was saddened that I couldn't go but recuperating was more important. I spent most of the day resting but also took short bouts working on my exam review so that I could email it in to get it checked and make sure I was going to study the right information. Hoping that this day was really the turning point and not just a good day.

Well it was the turning point, Monday I was feeling the same, less and less of the dizzy spells and more and more human, well with the exception of the aches and pains that were still screaming at me. I talked with the teacher at the end of the day and told her that it seemed like things were coming around and that I was aiming for Wednesday to come back to class. The doc on Saturday had said mid week to early the following week, well you know me, I gotta go and I didn't want to end up that far behind since this was the start of a new course and I could end up double slammed with back to back exams on two different subjects. I said Weds and I would be there around 11ish unless something changed between then and now, and I would be in contact if things fell thru.

So I continued to rest on Tuesday, with short studying bursts in between naps. Damn, I needed to get out, I was so lost, sick of the idiot box, sick of the puter, sick of laying around doing nothing, I want out!

Wednesday came and I had it worked out that I was going to drive as far as Ma Millers area to a classmates and she would drive to school. She had no problem going early so I could write the exam I had missed so all was on schedule. About half an hour before leaving, the hands started shaking, ah shit here we go. It was a hard trip down the Hat to say the least. Len called just before leaving and checked in with me, I told him I would call when I got to Jenn's so that he knew I was ok and made it down the hill. I left, stopped at the Petro and gassed up and off I went, taking it easy and just focusing on the road. I was shaking but not so bad until I got to the double lanes and tunnel hill. At that point the whole body started, the hands weren't just shaking but on full vibrate, the legs were going and it was all I could do to keep the gas pedal pressure even and coming down the hill I was to the point of tears, but I forced myself to go on and just get to Jenn's, which was only another 5 km. If I got this far, i can get there! Well I made it, she almost had to pry me out of the car as I was so shaken with the anxiety attack, she parked mine for me and got me in her car and I slowly calmed down. I had my happy pills with me but was unsure if they would have a side affect with a head injury so I hadn't taken any. But was going to talk to one of the LPN teachers at school to see what her opinion was. By the time we had arrived at school, I had calmed considerably but didnt have the opportunity to talk to the LPN as she was teaching, I told my teacher we could do it after the exam and after her class. So off I went for my exam and she told me to just take my time and not rush myself, start it when I felt ready to. I sat for a few more minutes and drank a bottle of water and then said to heck with it and did the exam. Surprisingly I felt damn good about it but in the end, the multiple guess got me as I was not in class to hear the conversations about a few things. I still passed but it was my worse mark ever. Oh well as everyone has said, Let it go, you just smashed your head for crying out loud!! The LPN teacher came in after the exam and I showed her my happy pills, she asked a few questions, gave my melon and egg a feel then said take the effin things, are ya nuts! Well I just wanted to make sure first. The rest of the afternoon was uneventful and it felt good to be back and not laying on the couch. When we left I took the other half of the happy pill for the drive home, knowing this time I'm going up on the same side as I had the accident. I had told Len at break that when Jenn dropped me off I would call him so he knew that I was on my way and to expect me or a crisis. Well we had just got onto the highway and Len called me, he was actually sitting at Westshore Parkway waiting to meet me. So meet we did and he followed me up the hill. Now it may have been a combination or not but I was fine on the drive home, partly the happy pill and also knowing that he was right there behind me and it was ok. Well we got home, had some dinner and then the couch and I promptly became friends for the rest of the night. I was out! Guess it was a big day for me and I over did it some.

Since then the next two days to school were ok, I would take a half a pill on leaving and coming home, and the drive was ok. I'm caught up in class, did the mid term on the friday and I think it went good, find out on Monday. Although the weirdest thing is I can spell the big words like disestablishmentarianism but cant figure out the little ones, I would have to stop and actually think instead of them just coming naturally. Go figure! So besides having a few little dizzy spells, mainly getting up or laying down Im thinking the worst is past. Now it is just the damn aches and pains that need to settle and the egg on my head to leave. It feels all squishie now instead of a hard lump. I guess that is good. The bruised rib has got to be the worse part of it. My ankle is calming down nicely and of course Im walking on it, and only bandage it when I go out of the house. The abrasion on the knee is slowly getting smaller but it has been a bitch. Doc said leave it open to air and not covered and keep the ointment on it. Well it scabs over and starts to dry then you walk and flex the knee and it breaks open again and starts to weep. Was really starting to annoy me but looks like it is on the uphill now as well. The pain in my shoulder and neck has subsided and not bothering at all, and the head well, the bruises are fading, the cuts are gone, its just the blood in the white of my eye that is still there and the few occasional dizzy spells but not much anymore. If it wasn't for the damn rib, I think I would be on my bike!!!! But I know better then to try to ride it with the rib the way it is, push steering would be a painful bitch, slow speed maneuvers, and lord help I had to take evasive action.

So I guess that is me in a nut shell or two. As for the bike, Len went and picked it up on the Friday after the accident, so the 28th. He rode it home from Langford and tested it out. At 60 k he took his hands off the bars to check "alignment"?? and it was fine. When he got on the highway heading home, he took her up to 120 and put her thru her paces and he said she was handling fine! So this is good. He parked it outside the door instead of in the basement so I could come out and see the aftermath. Well shyte, I really didn't do that much damage at all! I was amazed at the shape of her. Ya I felt bad cause she was looking a little fugly at the moment but to fix what needed to be fixed was going to be minor. He parked her in the basement and spent a couple nights down there taking things off and getting things fixed. The two major items are the crash bars and windshield, besides that, right mirror,right driving light housing and trim ring, headlight trim ring, front running light lens and chrome frame around it, brake lever housing,rear signal housing and lens, and the bag took a good scuffing but I can clean it up I'm sure and it really doesn't matter as hard bags will be going on it eventually. By Tuesday night, all but the two big items and the front running light are fixed and I don't think, including hi bright bulbs, Len has put out $200 on parts yet, cheaper then deductible would be.

Oh Thursday because the weather was actually decent and plans for the weekend were supposed to be better, he was going to ride to Vic for coffee with the 443. He decided that maybe this would be a good trip for me to try before the weekend to see if I was up to it. He waited for me to get home from school, then helped bandage me up and get me into jeans, boots and the rest of the gear. Hmm should have checked a helmet first to see if it would fit over my egg, it did and will no discomfort. Well happy pills are great, cause I really didn't spaz out being on the back this time, mind you he took it easy for me. I reiterated the fact that he better take it real easy on the hill in case I did panic and he did. Everything felt fine, minor discomfort in the leg with the tape pulling at the bandage under the jeans, but I also didn't want the jeans rubbing on the abrasion. With the rib being so painful, it takes a little effort to get on and off the back of the bike, but I get there. When we arrived that damn ornamental came tearing out of Timmies giving me shit for getting on the bike already. He figured I shouldn't be and that watching me hobble off was sign enuf. What ever, I'm just sitting there, I'm not doing anything so what it takes me a bit of an effort to get on. All considering it was a good little ride and I figured if the weather did co operate then I would go on at least one of the rides with him on the weekend.

So that brings us to now, obviously I chose yesterday to go with him as I'm home here blogging away now. We did the red and white poker run in Nanaimo yesterday. Had lots of time to get ready but forgot to take any pain killers or happy pills before going. We got to the starting point and he says, maybe ya should think about taking some, so I did. We had a good day overall, ya I was slow, on and off the bike but it was nice to be out of the house and doing something. The rib was a bit tender over the course of the day and near the end I did want to just get home and get the boots, jeans, and bandages off. We had gone in the hot tub for the first time that morning and it actually felt pretty damn good and seemed to relax the pain in the rib some. It is a chore getting me in and out but we get there. So needless to say when I got all the gear off that was the next plan of attack, into the hot tub before laying down to relax. It was a fairly long day for the first one out, but so far today I'm not feeling to bad. Pretty sure I will be having an afternoon nap though, while I wait for him to return from the Ride to Live run.

So there is the low down on the accident and how I am feeling to this point. As of yet I still have heard nothing from the police in regards to anything, so no idea what is happening. I'm slowly healing up and the bike is ready to ride, minus a few things. So game plan remains the same, continue on the course of recovery, and carry on with school and as soon as the rib heals up then Therapy and I will be back at it. Certainly a bit slower to start but we will get there.