Another one bites the dust

burkbuilds · 10-19-2017, 06:59 PM

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

10-19-2017, 06:59 PM	#1
burkbuilds Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Shannon, Georgia Posts: 1,268	Another one bites the dust 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 Login or Register to Remove Ads
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