Thursday, March 15, 2012

A Broken leg.



Don't worry, not recently.  But I thought I would relate top you all how I broke my leg a few years ago.

It was June 07, my marriage had broken up the year before, and it was before I got into biking.  With the breakdown of my marriage and only having my kids a few days a week, I found myself a bit lost in the evenings.  I was still going through the divorce so wasn't much fun to be around anyway.

We had finished a book programme at work which was for the Auckland Film Festival.  I have always enjoyed the off beat films, and have sat through some great ones that never made it to the commercial cinemas. I went through the book and circled a few that I wanted to watch.  So on the Thursday night I took myself off to Rialto theaters in New Market.

As I left the movie at about 11pm I tripped on the stars, I was to far away from the rail and I took off at a hundred miles an hour downwards, landing on the slate at the bottom and breaking my left leg in several places. Tiber and Fiber...compound fracture to make it worse.

The first ambulance that turned up was horrified to discover the seriousness of the break.  They were informed when first notified that it was just a sprain! Doh....bloody bone sticking out of my leg.  They radioed for another as they didn't carry any morphine.  While he was waiting he informed me they were going to cut my jeans off, "beg your pardon" I said, "we need to cut your jeans off",  "like hell" I said, "these are my G-Stars and cost me $300 , just unpick the seams"!  No luck though and off they came.  

"You have quite a sense of humor for a man who's leg is facing the wrong way".

"Hell you should see me pissed, I am hilarious"

Finally I went off to hospital where they operated for 6 hours putting it all back together.  10 days in hospital. 3 months non weight bearing on crutches.  Man I had triceps that Brad Pitt would be proud of, but what a mission living on my own with a broken leg. The surgeon thought I had smashed it up on a motorbike, I must admit that bit sounded better than telling people I broke it falling down bloody stairs. As soon as I could I was up and about on the crutches.  I hobbled down to the hospital cafeteria as I was hanging out for a pie.....but then dropped it.  All that work for nothing.  

Took me an hour in the morning just to have a shower.  Trying to get a cup of coffee from the kitchen to the lounge meant re organizing the furniture so I could strategically place coffee cup, then hop a long.

I still can't run properly, which is fine cause I am not keen on running anyway.  I don't think the leg will ever be a 100% but hey, you just have to get on with it.  As they say , life is like a box of chocolates!













25 comments:

  1. Hey Gary, nice to hear from you. I agree riding a bike is better and safer. How is the book coming along. Looking forward to receiving my signed, gold foiled, laminated, wraped in bubble wrap,case bound, limited edition copy in the mail soon! Whhooooo.

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  2. Roger:

    I agree with Gary. It's too dangerous to watch a movie/cinema, I'm meek, so I'm sticking to riding.

    I can't run either, I hurt my foot last year (somehow), and sometimes I have to hobble around. we would make a great pair. I hope never to experience anything broken

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

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    1. Bob: We could enter one of those three legged race's we would do well tied together! It was no fun I can assure you that. I certainly am in no rush to repeat the experience.

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  3. Yes Roger, you should have been riding a motorcycle down the stairs, it's only commonsense. Ah well, you'll know better for next time huh?

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    1. Craig: Thanks for stopping by. Riding a bike down the stairs.....I have enough trouble keeping on the bloody road! Would give it a try though, always up for a challenge!

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  4. hi Rogey
    you had me so worried when I saw where the ramblings of a Gravel Rash Adventure warrior had taken you???? to the bottom of the stairwell, no good, but happy that it was a while ago and not recent??? yikes you left me wondering what on earth has Rogey been up to NOW, the places we have been riding recently and the many more places we have still left to explore, with your new skills that you have been slowly but steadily acquiring, they will be along with you. No More Broken Bones, not a nice way to spend our time here. AND.... we would alll so miss the MANY more gravel bashing swash buckling adventures that we so look forwards to reading from our new adventure hero. Up up and away and more please.................

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    1. Susie: Seems like I scared everyone with the title of this one. I have far to many roads to discover so no more broken bones for me.! I have the Adventure riding very addictive I must say, you and Jim have done a fantastic job with the planning of rides, I would of been lost without you,..literally lost! Great fun and carn't wait for more.

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  5. Owww. I think my legs hurt just reading this. Must have really been an 'oh crap' moment. At least you kept your humor through it.

    I had ankle surgery many years ago and I can still remember crawling on the floor pushing a tray around the house to carry food and drink and items back and forth from the kitchen.

    Things never do heal as good as new but hopefully the function as well as we need.

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    1. Brandy: and "oh Crap" moment was probably a understatement. One minute I am contemplating Sushi for dinner next minute I am in an ambulance. And yes I can relate to pushing a tray around the floor.

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  6. Hi Rog,
    Like all good mates, I'm going to laugh at you :-).

    Well, not because of the accident but the responses are just so you!!! Know what you mean about being on crutches and in plaster. I had a knee rebuild in the 80's and getting jocks and trousers on took forever if Jennie was busy. I used one of those kid's pincer toy things to retrieve dropped items of clothing.

    Thanks for the laugh!!!

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    1. Mate; Glad I brought a laugh to your day, I realise you must be stressed with fishing, holidaying and general retirement!

      It is amazing though how innovative you become when you are a bit restricted.

      The best part was I had a trip planned for me and the kids to Aussie, I had great fun hooning around theme parks on a mobility scooter.

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  7. Man, I was worried for a bit. That sounds awful, I knew my mom was right about the dangers of watching (the wrong) movies. My knee has also never been the same since it got remodeled by a flying plywood board about 18 months ago... let's hobble around together.

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    1. Sonja: Didn't mean to stress you out.....

      The older we get the longer it takes to heal. Pain really, literally a pain.

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  8. I fully understand the difficulties of living alone, when non weight bearing. I had the same problems when I had my tendon repaired last year.. The muscles in my whole upper body screamed at me, every time, I got up to move about. I found muscles that I didn't even know I had.....My hands were soooo bruised from the crutches.
    It certainly wasn't any fun. Getting out to the loo during the night was the worst part. I certainly wished I was a bloke then!!!!

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    1. Hi Tricia; yep certainly no fun, man the dramas involved in getting into the shower with a cast on was a real pain, as for the crutches, I went for more than a few tumbles on wet surfaces. Face down at mall one day, very embarrassing.

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  9. Wow all from a set of stairs!! Well when people tell you that bikes are dangerous you got something better.

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    1. Jon: Great to hear from you...I take great delight in telling the story, I had a few good ones while in hospital. Hope all goes well for your son next week.

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  10. I saw the title and went where many of the others did. No fun when it happened I'm sure, but I was glad to find out this was a Roger history lesson and not breaking news. (Sorry couldn't resist).

    Seriously, it is amazing how quickly life can turn. Glad it has healed as well as it has. Sounds like a very nasty break.
    ~Keith

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    1. Very funny keith. You probably know more than anyone how quickly life can change. Yes it was one of Rogeys history lessons.

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  11. Good grief stairs seem to be the undoing of us human beings. What movie did you see? I did in my ankle Monday morning and thought I broke it, but apparently it's a bad sprain. I am now wishing I had put my motorcycle boots on before going downstairs because I probably wouldn't have done such a number on it.

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    1. Dar: I can for the sake of me remember now what the movie was called, although i think it was good. Any leg/ankle injury is a pain, I fractured the other foot a couple of years later and now have the beginning of arthritis in it. Oh well better get a few miles under my belt before I fall apart!

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  12. Well, I'm glad it's in the past! When you take a break you do it big! I just don't know what's wrong with folks doing something as dangerous as taking the stairs! You need to find a safe hobby, bungee jumping, or maybe a motorcycle! ;)

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    1. kari: Never been known to do things in halves! Bungee jumping.....let me think about that. Not really that keen.

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  13. Ok. You gotta clarify...pissed as in upset or pissed as in drunk??

    Either way it made be laugh. I'm glad it was in the past. And only the leg was involved and not more. Like your neck! And it was a complete bummer to go through that alone. But it probably took your mind off of other stuff for a little while. ;)

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