Crash update...

[Kreeeee]

But I've been on morphine and laughing gas most of the time, so didn't really feel it

You must have been on different laughing gas to me then as it did nothing for the pain for me!

All it did is distract me and made the police double over laughing at me as I was in hysterics.

Really? How on earth did he do that? At that speed there shouldn't even be much 'slide'. One of mine was around that speed (maybe 15mph) in suit trousers. I tore them and had a couple of marks and that was it... as I say, I didn't really slide going so slow.

You only need to slide 1 metre to reach bone on your hips through regular jeans or on poorly protected joints such as the elbow and knee.

 

[IC3]

Really? How on earth did he do that? At that speed there shouldn't even be much 'slide'. One of mine was around that speed (maybe 15mph) in suit trousers. I tore them and had a couple of marks and that was it... as I say, I didn't really slide going so slow.

Suit trousers? lol

You must have been on different laughing gas to me then as it did nothing for the pain for me!

All it did is distract me and made the police double over laughing at me as I was in hysterics.

I was so drugged up, I barely remember anything... I had problems for few days with memory loss, I would ask for time and after 30 minutes I would ask again.

You only need to slide 1 metre to reach bone on your hips through regular jeans or on poorly protected joints such as the elbow and knee.

 

[IC3]

Boots, not much damage... although looks like one has saved my leg from further burns!

 

[russell664]

Really? How on earth did he do that? At that speed there shouldn't even be much 'slide'. One of mine was around that speed (maybe 15mph) in suit trousers. I tore them and had a couple of marks and that was it... as I say, I didn't really slide going so slow.

No idea, all I know is he hit the deck hard, poor guy.

As @Kreeeee said, it only takes around a meter of a slide, especially after the initial impact. The bike landed on him, so it just added to the weight on the ground.

 

[.one.]

It's also luck of the draw I came off on the back at 60mph with just leather and gloves normal jeans I rolled the only pain I had was my hands as they slapped on the tarmac when rolling.

Was on a gsx 250 the tyre come OFF the rim 25 odd years ago.

 

[AndyCr15]

Suit trousers? lol

Almost everything in life is essentially 'risk to reward'. I could put full leathers on for my commute 2 miles down the road, never going above 30 mph, I could do kevlar jeans for it. It all makes the 6 minute ride a much bigger thing. I could take the risk in my work clothes (proper jacket, helmet and gloves of course) with the thought that if I actually came off it would be low speed and I probably wouldn't do too much damage to myself.

I came off at low speed and didn't do too much damage to myself.

 

[Kreeeee]

Almost everything in life is essentially 'risk to reward'. I could put full leathers on for my commute 2 miles down the road, never going above 30 mph, I could do kevlar jeans for it. It all makes the 6 minute ride a much bigger thing. I could take the risk in my work clothes (proper jacket, helmet and gloves of course) with the thought that if I actually came off it would be low speed and I probably wouldn't do too much damage to myself.

I came off at low speed and didn't do too much damage to myself.

My crash was at 45kmh and without full gear it would have been very nasty (air time down an embankment onto a pavement). As you say it's your choice to take such big risks but I am very glad I didn't.

The nurses were all very surprised that I had full gear as it seems most bikers they see don't. They were particularly impressed with how well the kevlar and armoured jeans protected me.

 

[Dogbreath]

You must have been on different laughing gas to me then as it did nothing for the pain for me!

I agree, it's utterly useless stuff for pain control, didn't help in the slightest for me. All it did was make me feel a bit light headed/dizzy.

Fentanyl is pretty awesome for pain relief. I was also given Ketamine, but only the once as it was the most terrifying experience I've ever had in my life

 

[Participant]

Fentanyl is amazing. I was hooked up with a button I could press when I needed a dose and it kept me in a state of bliss-like wooziness for those painful first days. Didn't realise people get addicted to it, saw a documentary about how it's messed people up in Canada.

Hope you're doing well IC3. What's the long term prognosis on the bits you broke / melted? Will all be 100% normal eventually? Presumably there's sensory loss at the graft sites?

 

[IC3]

Hope you're doing well IC3. What's the long term prognosis on the bits you broke / melted? Will all be 100% normal eventually? Presumably there's sensory loss at the graft sites?

I'm much better, thanks, things are looking good.I'm abusing the exercises that physio gave me, I need to be careful not to tear my tendon though. It all depends on me, I'm stubborn and determined so I should be back to normal... its just a matter of time. I don't smoke or drink alcohol and my fitness level is good, the other advantage is me being young (things heal faster apparently. )

Here's are pictures from last visit at the hospital a week ago, the over granulation has calmed down a bit as they're using this cream, this area has magically healed itself, as they were thinking of doing another small skin graft. If the skin doesn't grow over the tendon, I might need another operation, its something called muscle flap. But they can't operate atm as everything is still to fragile and it might fail.

Spoiler: WARNING! Some might find the images disturbing, you view them at your own responsibility! 1 Month after the operation 03/07/2017

Right leg

Here, a picture my dad took. You can see my blood/skin along with hair stuck to the exhaust...

Here's what my hand looks like...

How are you doing? How's your leg?

 

[The_Abyss]

Wow, that's healing really quickly. Probably doesn't feel like it if you have to live with it every day, but the progress is remarkable.

 

[IC3]

Wow, that's healing really quickly. Probably doesn't feel like it if you have to live with it every day, but the progress is remarkable.

It sure is

Spoiler: Before the skin grafts 26/05/2017

Spoiler: 1st dressing change, pain so bad I barely managed to do these pics... 03/06/2017 (Operation on 30/05/2017)

Spoiler: 2nd dressing change 08/06/2017

 

[Participant]

I'm much better, thanks, things are looking good.I'm abusing the exercises that physio gave me, I need to be careful not to tear my tendon though. It all depends on me, I'm stubborn and determined so I should be back to normal... its just a matter of time. I don't smoke or drink alcohol and my fitness level is good, the other advantage is me being young (things heal faster apparently. )

Here's are pictures from last visit at the hospital a week ago, the over granulation has calmed down a bit as they're using this cream, this area has magically healed itself, as they were thinking of doing another small skin graft. If the skin doesn't grow over the tendon, I might need another operation, its something called muscle flap. But they can't operate atm as everything is still to fragile and it might fail.

How are you doing? How's your leg?

A muscle free flap is what I had. Very clever stuff...microsurgical procedure to re-connect the veins and arteries. They kept it under a warm air bag for two days to ensure good circulation and prevent flap failure, which is basically a disaster. The first 48 hrs of a free flap is crucial to its success as anastomoses bed in.

My donor site was anterolateral thigh; will be interesting to see where they harvest the muscle if they do decide you need a free flap. I have a numb area at the donor site too.

Leg looks like this now...

Spoiler

...so not pretty, but functionally - much better. My limp has all but gone now and the atrophied calf muscle is vastly bigger. I need another two ops; 1. (general anaesthetic) to lipo the tissue to contour it better and 2. (local anaesthetic) to reduce the loose skin that will result. Then I can hopefully forget the operations (i.e. avoid infections) and continue to concentrate on getting my leg back to normal.

Anyway - glad things are working out for you. I take it sensation is nil at the skin graft sites? I'm only curious because I only have deep tissue sensation at my muscle graft sites. Have you tried bending your leg whilst touching the exposed tendon?

 

[TripleT]

****...

That is all heal well soon!

 

[IC3]

A muscle free flap is what I had. Very clever stuff...microsurgical procedure to re-connect the veins and arteries. They kept it under a warm air bag for two days to ensure good circulation and prevent flap failure, which is basically a disaster. The first 48 hrs of a free flap is crucial to its success as anastomoses bed in.

My donor site was anterolateral thigh; will be interesting to see where they harvest the muscle if they do decide you need a free flap. I have a numb area at the donor site too.

Leg looks like this now...

Spoiler

...so not pretty, but functionally - much better. My limp has all but gone now and the atrophied calf muscle is vastly bigger. I need another two ops; 1. (general anaesthetic) to lipo the tissue to contour it better and 2. (local anaesthetic) to reduce the loose skin that will result. Then I can hopefully forget the operations (i.e. avoid infections) and continue to concentrate on getting my leg back to normal.

Anyway - glad things are working out for you. I take it sensation is nil at the skin graft sites? I'm only curious because I only have deep tissue sensation at my muscle graft sites. Have you tried bending your leg whilst touching the exposed tendon?

Thanks for sharing what the process of it is! I would ask how it was pain wise, but in my case they'll only take a small amount. They said, it would be taken from my thigh... Idk which one though. Your leg looks much better than it did though, looks like you've a long recovery ahead too. Hope all goes well for you! We just have to suck it up and do everything the doctors/physios say.

Going back to your question, the area which they taken the skin from at one point was the most painful. They take a little tool that looks like a potato peeler and they cut out thin layer of skin. Probably as thin, as cheap toilet paper or tissues just to give you an idea. After a few days it didn't hurt, the skin quickly grew back and the skin that grew back is really thin and fragile. I've to keep it moisturised, I usually use E45 lotion 2-3 times a day. At this moment, I've 0 pain from that area... sometimes its itchy AF! though, I use lotion and massage it in as it helps.

The nurses have to use polifax for the tendon and clean it, it hurts like a b... the feeling is really uncomfortable. I have this feeling when doing the exercises, I usually loosen up the dressing and use sticky brown tape they prescribed me to keep it from sliding. It helps and puts less pressure on the tendon. But, there's always something touching the tendon due to the dressing and the awkward place its in. I started putting a bit of pressure on that leg, in the last 3 days I made quite a bit of progress in terms of 'walking'.

p.s. the worst bit is the dressing sticking and unsticking after I try to straighten the leg a bit after sitting down for a while.

I've to ask, are you going back on a bike?

 

[Master Skooter]

I've not been on the forums for some time, headed straight to the bike one and saw this post.

Biker for almost 40 years, had a few offs but luckily never damaged myself too badly. Those wounds look sore! Wishing you a speedy recovery!

 

[IC3]

I've not been on the forums for some time, headed straight to the bike one and saw this post.

Biker for almost 40 years, had a few offs but luckily never damaged myself too badly. Those wounds look sore! Wishing you a speedy recovery!

Thank you, I'm probably scaring all thew newbies from getting a bike when they see my thread! haha

I never had an off where I had to visit a hospital, funny thing is... I didn't brake anything. My left Ulna bone has cracked in few places, that's why I've plates to support it. could have been a lot worse, thankfully, it wasn't during my hoon so the speed was sensible... Something always happens, when I ride sensibly.

 

[Master Skooter]

Thank you, I'm probably scaring all thew newbies from getting a bike when they see my thread! haha

I never had an off where I had to visit a hospital, funny thing is... I didn't brake anything. My left Ulna bone has cracked in few places, that's why I've plates to support it. could have been a lot worse, thankfully, it wasn't during my hoon so the speed was sensible... Something always happens, when I ride sensibly.

Yeah when you look at it like that, it could've been a lot worse. It seems to be the way, mine have always happened local to where I lived and never when I've been on it. Funnily enough (sic) I fractured my left Ulna and Radius...but only needed a few pins. The exhaust on your leg was horrible bad luck!

 

[Kreeeee]

A hairline fracture is still a fracture, otherwise they wouldn't have pinned it.

 

[Participant]

I've to ask, are you going back on a bike?

Keen to, but it would be a rather selfish move at this stage.