Another one bites the dust

[burkbuilds]

Well,
I haven't been on here much lately but I wanted to let anyone that might be interested know, I got into a fight with a mini van two weeks ago and lost.

My 2015 Suzuki Boulevard is totaled and so is my right leg. I'm fortunate to have no other injuries but my right leg was badly damaged in the wreck.

Broke my Femur clean through and then three compound fractures below the knee. Dr's tell me I'll be doing good if I can keep the right foot and so far it seems to be healing but it was pretty much hanging by a few inches of skin when they scraped me off the pavement.

Three months without any weight bearing on that leg, then I'll get to learn how to walk yet once again. Same leg I trashed about 5 years ago when some dogs took me out. That time I also broke 5 ribs off at my spine and shattered my right shoulder blade and punctured a lung. This time, just the leg but I really got it good.

I was having a very nice morning ride into work, enjoying some crisp mid 60 temps, sunny day, low humidity, really relaxing ride. About 5 miles before work a mini van decides to pull straight out in front of me from my right. I was going about 50 mph and about 50 feet away when it pulled out. Just enough time to hit the brakes hard and veer left in hopes that they might stop short and I'd just clip the front of the van, but it kept coming and I T-boned the drivers side wheel well, sandwiching the right leg between the fender and tire and my bike. Bounced off the car and rag dolled out into the oncoming lane flat on my back. Laid there hoping no one would run over me coming the other way and that prayer was answered. Lots of witnesses that told the cops there was nothing else I could have done and that the van just pulled out in front of me but that doesn't fix my leg. At least the driver was insured unlike the dogs that took me out last time.( I don't even think the dogs were licensed). lol.

Well, I've got a long road of recovery ahead, hoping I can somehow keep my job which I just landed about 5 months ago, and which means I don't qualify for FMLA since that is not long enough. So far the company seems to want to work with me but I have no assurances legally if they decide they need to replace me. I can't really do my job in a wheel chair, and even if I could I can't even get to work until I can drive again, it's about an hour commute each way and I have no one that can do that for me.

Hopefully that will all work out okay though. Right now they tell me I've got 6-12 months before I'll be done with therapy and even then I may decide the foot isn't worth keeping.

Not trying to be a downer, just stating some facts. I will recover as much as it is possible as quickly as I can and I will walk again whether it's on this foot or an artificial one.

It's a really bad feeling when someone pulls out in front of you and there is just nothing you can do about it. Keep your eyes peeled fellas, they just don't "see" us sometimes even when we are in plain sight with no obstructions.

Burkbuilds

[Water Warrior 2]

BB, I am almost speechless. You have survived another totally senseless mishap that should never have happened. My heart goes out to you and your family.
Your can do attitude will carry you through the same as your previous mishap. Keep us posted when you have time.

[blaine]

So sorry.....Seems to be more & more of "Sorry I didn't see you".....Here's hoping for a full recovery....Please keep us updated.

[Fawlty]

So sorry to hear about your awful experience and hope that everything works out for you in the end.

[alantf]

so sorry to hear of this. I fractured my femur a couple of years back, so I can imagine the pain you must have felt. I was lucky not to have any other injuries, but it was still a month in a wheelchair, then physiotharapy, and learn to walk again, so I truly sympathise with you.

[Vegas Street Rider]

My family and I will pray for your quick recovery " burkbuilds" and hopefully they can save your foot. We do put ourselves at greater risk on two wheels and this illustrates just how vulnerable we are. All we can do is ride protected (ATGATT) and very defensively. The rest is in God's hands IMHO.
We will also pray for your patience to let your body heal. Take care and keep us updated on your progress.

[burkbuilds]

Thanks everyone, this has always been a very supportive community of riders and it continues to prove itself so.
Had a follow up appointment with the surgeon yesterday and good news is my right foot is healing well and they are pleased with the progress and expect that baring any unusual and unforeseen complications I should be keeping the foot. YEA! The x-rays of my leg were way more than I expected to see. I basically have steel rods from one end to the other in my femur and tibia along with the side plate and screws holding my upper tibia fracture together and my lower tibia is basically just fragments held together by steel rods and plates and screws. I couldn't believe all the bone fragments I was seeing and they tell me that as long as they are touching the main bone anywhere they will eventually fill in and be bonded back together, although a little misshapen, they will work. I also found out that it will be almost 12 months of therapy on the foot before I've reached however much use is possible out of it so that is along way off. On the other hand, I go back Dec 4th for the next checkup and if there's been enough bone growth at that point then they'll let me start weight bearing exercises at that point but that just depends on what they see. Thanks again for everyone's thoughts and prayers, it means a lot when you are flat on your back and can't even get out of bed without help. I did manage to bend the leg up to 57 degrees by myself today with my physical therapist, that's a big improvement. I couldn't bend it more than a few degrees last week without assistance.

[Water Warrior 2]

BB, that is the best news I've read in a long time. You get to keep all the parts you were born with and your future looks like fun at airport security points. Yes, I jest but I am really happy to hear of your uplifting news. I can't imagine how you and your family are feeling right now. :tup:

[burkbuilds]

I'm making daily progress with my healing. I no longer need the entire lower leg bandaged, just around the ankle and heal area now. I can get out of the bed by myself, use a walker to get to the wheelchair and make it to our bathroom on my own which is a BIG deal to me. I am making daily progress with physical therapy and my strength, stamina, and range of motion are all improving incrementally but still noticeably better. The PT that did my initial evaluation when I came home from the hospital returned on Friday and he was very pleased with the progress I have made and he added a bunch of "exercises" to my routine and I'm working hard on them. I'm able to sit upright in the wheelchair for about 2 hours now before I have to lay down again. I've had two "showers" this week, which made me feel like a person again. Have you ever gone 3 weeks without a shower? I'm sure many of you who served in the military have gone longer than that but it was a first for me and wow, it's hard to describe how good that feels to wash and feel clean again.

Thanks again for your support while I heal and your thoughts and prayers for me and my family as they help care for me.

[Vegas Street Rider]

Really happy to hear about the great progress you are making. I can relate to the shower and bathroom thing. Enough said. We will continue to pray for your healing and look forward to the time you tell us you are up and walking again. In the meantime, I have an old Harley engine off of a soft-tail that the forum members and I could modify for your wheelchair, if you are interested? Get well!!!!!

[Water Warrior 2]

Wonderful to hear about your progress.Your determination is very inspiring. :tup:

[burkbuilds]

Thanks WW,

I'm making steady, if slow, progress, although my Physical Therapist tells me I'm about 25% ahead of where they thought I'd be at this time. I can stay up in a chair for about 4 hours now before the swelling requires me to elevate the leg, so I can actually roll around in my wheelchair and do stuff for a while now. My pain level is way down and I'm only taking a nerve pain medicine that's not opiate based and it does not make me drowsy or anything so that's a big improvement. No prescription pain meds other than that one now, yea.

My range of motion in the leg is still limited by swelling and to some degree pain when I bend the joints but I'm making progress. I'll go back to Dr the first week in December for more x-rays and evaluations and they should be able to tell me about when I can expect to start putting weight on the leg again at that time.

I've taken up whittling (wood carving with a knife) which is something I've always wanted to try but just never had time. I've done more than I thought I could already so maybe I'll be decent at this after a few years. It's fun and I like making things so this is a relatively cheap hobby that I can do from a chair for now.

I'll attach a pic of my first piece which I carved out of a broken broom handle.

[Water Warrior 2]

BB, you really amaze me. If it were me I would be sitting here drinking coffee, chain smoking and feeling sorry for myself.

Careful with the knives, you don't want another injury.

Many years ago I received a Swiss Army Knife as a safety award at work. First thing I did was cut myself. :lmao:

[blaine]

WTG.....Great to hear of your Progress....One Day at a Time.......The carving is awesome!!!! :)

[Vegas Street Rider]

Nice carving. Looks like Father Christmas has arrived. Wish I was talented in the various art forms but even my stick figure drawings are hard to make out as to what they are. Good therapy for you too. Still praying for your quick healing.

[burkbuilds]

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas. I'm still on the mend but making progress. My son in law brought me his old multi station home gym and I've started working on my upper body while I'm waiting to be allowed to put weight on the leg. I return to the Dr this week and they'll let me know if it's ready for weight bearing or if it needs to grow some more bone.

I'm still doing some carving. I've made a few "wizards" or "father Christmas" if you prefer and yesterday I did my first "little guy" carving. I'll attempt to add the pics.

My wife and I actually went out tonight, first time I've gone anywhere but a Dr's since the wreck. We did some Christmas shopping for the grand kids and had a nice dinner at a local restaurant, just the two of us, then came home and watched some movies on the TV. It was really nice to go out but it was a lot of work for my wife loading and unloading the wheelchair. She's been a trooper through all of this. I think I'll keep her. :)

I'll keep you posted on my recovery.

[blaine]

Awesome news....Merry Christmas to you & yours!!! :)

[Vegas Street Rider]

Merry Christmas. Sounds like you are doing well which will probably be your best Christmas present this year. Glad you have such a great wife and son to support you. Family is really important. Will continue to pray for your healing.

[Water Warrior 2]

Healing and getting more mobile is by far the best news of the day. :tup:

[burkbuilds]

Continuing to make progress with my recovery. Monday the Dr. gave me permission to start putting weight "as tolerated" on my leg. So, I started and have made progress each day. It has been very painful though. My wife asked me Monday night what it felt like as I applied some weight to that leg/foot. "It feels like someone is sticking very sharp knives through every bone in my foot and ankle" was my reply. It took me about 24 hours before I could bend the ankle enough to get my heel to touch the ground and each day I've been able to put a little more weight on it and do more. By today I'm able to use a walker and go up and down our hallway. I still can't put all my weight on it yet but it becomes easier and less painful to put more weight on it each day and to do more, so Yea! Next Wednesday, Dec. 20th, I'm scheduled to get an evaluation by a Dr. of Physical Therapy here in town and then start having sessions twice a week for six weeks.
So, I'm making progress, maybe I'll actually be walking by new years.

Merry Christmas to all of you and stay safe while riding as much as depends on you.

John

[Water Warrior 2]

John you could be the Poster Boy for determination and healing. You must find it very rewarding to be able to get about without much help. :clap::clap:

[blaine]

Great news & have a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. :)

[burkbuilds]

Continuing progress on my recovery. I can now use a walker and get around the house. Each day I seem to be able to put more weight on my right leg with less and less pain. The Physical Therapist I worked with today told me she thought I'd be able to walk without any "help" in another couple of weeks. I still have very little feeling or range of motion in my foot but they think that may improve more as the swelling continues to go down and yes my foot is still about twice it's normal size. My scabs are almost all gone now, just a few left around the ankle where my foot was almost severed and one about the size of a half dollar on my heel. I'm going to place pretty high in the scar category for my right lower leg from now on, lol.

Merry Christmas to all. Santa's just a few days away, if you haven't been good up to now, well, probably to late to improve your chances so enjoy yourselves. :)

[Fawlty]

Sounds like you are doing very well, considering the horrific trauma you have been through. I wish you all the best for your continuing recovery. Merry Christmas to you and yours. I think 2018 is going to be a good year for you!

[Water Warrior 2]

I'm going to place pretty high in the scar category for my right lower leg from now on, lol.



But you still have a lower right leg. A big plus in my books.

[burkbuilds]

I'm still making progress. I can "walk" between the parallel bars at physical therapy with only my left hand on the rail. I can "Frankenstein" walk without holding on at all but it's painful and I am wobbly and it's not pretty. Hopefully after a few more weeks I'll be walking better.
My right foot has more feeling in it now. This week was the first time I could feel the cold from the ice packs they put on my foot after a therapy session, yea! On the down side, I lost my job last week, Corporate "Downsizing" got 18 positions at our plant, mostly Engineers and Quality personnel. Mine was one of the positions eliminated. Good news is that I'm on short term disability right now and they did offer me a 4 week severance pay after my disability runs out so that gives me some more time to recover and look for a new job. My old employer contacted me the next day and asked if I'd consider returning there, so I may have an opportunity to go back if something else doesn't look better.
I finally got some x-ray pics of my leg. The file's to large to upload. I'll see if I can figure something out so they are visible.

[burkbuilds]

x-rays of my right leg

[alantf]

I can understand. Even though it was just my femur I broke. There's a steel tube inside the bone, with two screws. there's no pain now, but the cold weather starts it acheing.:tup:

[Vegas Street Rider]

Sorry to hear about your job loss. My company sold out to their competitor with the usual "don't worry, there is a place for everyone" . I was making 50% more than my counterpart with the company that bought us. Guess who got the ax, and at 62.5 years old. I did get a severance package based on my length of service (17 years) but it sucked never the less.

On a brighter note, it looks like you are healing at a reasonable rate and have a job prospect. I wish you continued return to good health and hopefully, a very Happy New Year.

[Water Warrior 2]

x-rays of my right leg
Yipes, those pics send chills up and down my back. I must give a big thumbs up to the doctors. They pieced you back together pretty well considering the damage done. Keep up the therapy and heal as well as possible.

So sorry to hear of the corporate downsizing. At least your old boss is in the picture once you feel you have a chance to get out and about to see him. :tup:

[burkbuilds]

My x-rays on Monday showed good bone healing in the thigh and knee areas, not as much around the ankle where the worst damage occurred but the Dr. did not seem surprised with those results and said it was just going to take time to fill in that much bone loss. Next visit they said they'd measure the length of my legs to see how much I've lost on that leg. He also told me I had a "floating knee". I looked it up, nothing to do with buoyancy, lol. :) Basically, it just means I smashed up my knee joint pretty badly and it's not stable.

I have a job interview next week with my former employer. They contacted me and asked if I'd be willing to talk to them about returning. We'll see how that goes.

Here's the latest pics of the x-rays.

[Vegas Street Rider]

My daughter is an orthopedic nurse and I showed her your x-rays and she says you are making good progress given the extensive damage you incurred. Like me, she says be patient. The body's healing powers are miraculous but take time.

I have a floating knee from a ski accident years ago and although I have to be careful, I cope with it quite well. You will have to make some adjustments in your life but the upside is you have your life. Another plus is, if you are like me, your body will help you predict the weather. Trust me. You will know what I am talking about.

Continue to heal and God Bless.

[burkbuilds]

Thanks for the encouragement, I really appreciate it. Sorry to hear about your job loss as well. I'm just hoping to get back in the workforce for another 8-10 years and then semi-retire, whatever that may mean.

[Water Warrior 2]

I must have done something right in the past. I have never had a broken bone or serious injury with all the dumb crap I did. My worst injury was landing on my left knee after back flipping my 1st bike off a 12 foot cliff. Don't ask, it is too hard to explain and it wasn't intentional.
As for employment I made an effort to get a job with a pension plan and other benefits which were sometimes costly but did pay off in the long run. Worked with some pretty weird and wacky people sometimes but I held on to the retirement idea and pension $. Fortunately I was able to retire at 60 with enough to get by without starving. Had a little in savings which went to buy my retirement bike. I did accomplish my goal to retirement but it was a twisted road getting there. I am not the poster boy for making all the right decisions but the end justified the outcome.
So hang in there folks, things will work out with some persistance. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

[burkbuilds]

Well, I am making progress, although not as quickly as I expected nor quickly as I'd like. I am scheduled for more surgery on my foot, specifically my toes. Apparently some of the nerve damage there is permanent and I have several toes that are either "hammering" down and under my foot or just kinda "whonky" going off in weird directions. So they plan to operate later this month and pin them straight. Four weeks after that they remove the "pins" which are really screws (why don't they just call them screws?). All of which means I have additional recovery time to look forward to.

On the good side. I've been offered a position with a local manufacturer, but only once I'm up and walking again because they can't have me on crutches or a cane out in the plant for safety reasons. It may be April before I can do that but at least I have a position waiting for me. Yea! :)

[Vegas Street Rider]

Mixed results but bottom line is you will be upright and breathing. That is a gift in itself. Will continue to pray for your quick recovery.

[Water Warrior 2]

You may have a mixed bag of updates but the future is looking good overall in my eyes. Having a job to go to is surely a blessing not matter how you cut it. Let the surgeons take care of the medical issues and just concentrate on a complete recovery if that is in the cards. Got my fingers crossed for you. :)

[burkbuilds]

I had the toe surgery on February 22 and I'm doing pretty good. I was a little concerned about the possibility that the pain was going to be severe, but either because I've damaged so many nerves in that foot I can't feel it or just because it wouldn't have been very painful anyway, not sure, but I'm not hurting much at all. I can't walk right now though because putting any pressure on the two toes I had the pins inserted in is a very sharp pain but the pins will come out in another couple of weeks or so and I should be walking pretty soon afterwards. I started back with Physical Therapy yesterday.
Feet are pretty ugly anyway so if you don't want to look I understand but here's a couple of pics of my toes after surgery and I had more x-rays done of my leg on February 26th and I'm starting to see some bone growth around the ankle area now, yea!

[Water Warrior 2]

Looks like things are looking up a bit. Bone growth is a bonus I never thought of in your recovery. By summer you may be up and running a marathon just for fun. :clap:

[burkbuilds]

Thanks WW, I hope to be able to walk without a limp anyway. I really haven't been able to run in years so I kinda doubt that's going to happen but I never really liked to run anyway, lol. As long as I can walk, I'll be okay with that outcome. :)

[Water Warrior 2]

Thanks WW, I hope to be able to walk without a limp anyway. I really haven't been able to run in years so I kinda doubt that's going to happen but I never really liked to run anyway, lol. As long as I can walk, I'll be okay with that outcome. :)

I've had experience with walking and running. At one time I logged about 12 miles a shift at work. It was a pretty big building and had lots of stairs too. As time went by I didn't need to walk so much so I got out of the habit. Eventually a staircase was a challenge without a rest stop. Really out of shape.
Moved to new digs and did a bit of walking to and fro. Stopped whenever my hips hurt, carried on when the pain subsided. Tried jogging a bit. Pretty soon I was running a mile there and a mile back on the sidewalk. I felt very well and had a hard time just walking when my legs wanted to run. Moved again after 5 years and the new neighborhood just wasn't comfy to do any running. Just gave up and settled into my chair.

Here's hoping your walking days are good and no limp would be a real bonus. Got my fingers crossed for a full recovery.