Total disaster

[Mikefule]

Not a serious enough injury to have lasting consequences, but it is hurting me to type this. Out on my last scheduled training ride for this weekend's Red Bull, and riding better than I've ever ridden... every new section I try comes easily... I'm climbing stuff that I would have called impossible six months ago... I'm swooping through the narrow winding sections on a Coker better than I rode a 24 last summer... everything's fantastic... and I get to one of my regular gradual grassy gradients... one I can ride 100% of the time, no problem... and I'm going reasonably slowly.. and the silliest of UPDs... no obvious cause except perhaps fatigue and complacency... I roll onto my Camelbak (squish... gurgle...) but not before I've bruised my hand and sprained my wrist.

I remount, and it hurts to hold the handle; I can't pull on it, I can't lean on it, I can't even hold it comfortably. And if I UPD again, I know it could hurt a lot more.

I stop by the water ski lake and dip my hand in the cold water, hoping to stop the swelling. One of the instructors calls me over, offers me an ice pack, and tapes it to my wrist. I ride very gingerly back to the car. I can't unlock the car door with my right hand; I can't turn the ignition key; dash it all, I can't even peel my post-ride banana! I have to use my teeth to remove my left glove. I drive home one handed.

I had a similar injury a few months back. It was at least a month before the wrist was taking any weight. Will I be ready for Saturday's Red Bull? It seems unlikely, and it would be deeply unfair to the team to leave the decision to the last moment. If they need to call up a substitute, the substitute needs as much time to prepare as possible. There's only one option: after months of hard training, and bragging to all my friends that I'm doing the Red Bull, I have to drop out.

And my next uni-related purchase? Wrist guards. Lesson learned, but too late.

And my other sports are fencing (can't hold the foil now) and Morris dancing (can't hold a stick or play a squeeze box now). Oh, and motorcycling... and it's my twist grip/braking hand. If I get in to the office tomorrow, I won't be able to hold a pen or even operate a stapler!

A public service post on behalf of the Wear Your Wristguards Campaign (estd. 2003).

Glumly,
Mike

[onewheeldave]

Oh no! That's tough luck Mike.
Still, there's always next year; hope your wrist recovers quickly.

I'd like to add something to the 'Wear Your Wristguards Campaign'- a little thought I had recently is that out of all the protection item options wrist guards are the coolest looking.

I guess looks shouldn't feature that heavily, but I know that one of the reasons for not padding up is that people can feel a little self conscious about it.

[GILD]

Originally posted by Mikefule
Glumly,
Mike

i can't imagine there to be anything anybody can say to make u feel any better right now
so i won't say it

[Mikefule]

Update: I went to the A&E Dept. at the local hospital today. Looks like a small chip on the outside of the bone in my hand, near to my wrist, on the little finger side. The tiniest of injuries, but they've put it in a support splint and told me to rest it for about 3 weeks.

Couldn't ride the motorbike to work this morning. I drive in, but couldn't hold a pen. I'm off sick for a few days until I can at least hold a pen.

Wear your wrist guards, you know it makes ense - although there is no evidence that a wrist guard would have prevented this particular injury.

Pity, because until the accident happened, I was riding at my very best, and was starting to feel pretty confident about the Red Bull.

[Klaas Bil]

On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 18:28:47 -0500, Mikefule
<Mikefule.p6ygz@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote:

> I've bruised my hand and sprained
>my wrist.

Oh man what a bummer, now that you and the team were prepared so well
for Red Bull. Next time better is all there is. Heal well and
painfree.

Wrist guards. You know you want two.

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
--
"No two crotches are alike. If they are, I don't want to know about it. - John Foss, on seat comfort."

Reposted on the forum because it got not forwarded from the newsgroup.

On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 18:28:47 -0500, Mikefule
<Mikefule.p6ygz@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote:

> I've bruised my hand and sprained
>my wrist.

Oh man what a bummer, now that you and the team were prepared so well
for Red Bull. Next time better is all there is. Heal well and
painfree.

Wrist guards. You know you want two.

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
--
"No two crotches are alike. If they are, I don't want to know about it. - John Foss, on seat comfort."