Finishing a Ride, come (Die) Hell or High Water

[Dwerg]

Hoe gaan dit met die poot?

[Zanie]

Thanks everyone for the compliments and well-wishes.

Hoe gaan dit met die poot?

Dis nou 'n rapsie oor 'n maand na die ongeluk en die frustrasie loop maar hoog. Ek is nogsteeds op krukke. Was deur 'n spesialis gesê ek moet 6 weke g'n gewig op die voet sit nie en dan nog 4 meer weke geleidelik gewig op die voet sit. Ek sal maar die advies volg, want ek wil seker maak dat ek dit nie meer seermaak en langer op krukke bly nie! Die voet voel in elk geval nog nie heeltemal reg vir loop nie, maar in 1 week en 3 dae (ja, ek tel) sal ek 'n bietjie gewig op dit begin sit.

Die voet na 'n maand:


Nogsteeds pimpel en pers, maar dis die klein donkerder kolletjie bo-op my voet wat die enigste aanduiding is van waar die probleem nou eintlik sit:


Wat my verbaas is hoe gou die spiere op my regterbeen weggesmelt het! Ek het 3-4cm verloor om my bobeen. Meisies is gewoonlik bly oor sulke nuus. Nie ek nie. Daai is my bergfietsry spiere wat in hulle moer is.  Ek doen oefeninge wat my physio aanbeveel het net sodat ek nie in die niet in verdwyn nie.

Ek vererg my dat alles 3 keer langer vat as wat dit moet wanneer 'n mens op krukke is. Dis hoe 'n mens aandete moet maak:


Ten minste help my suster met alles voorberei.

Ek mis my bergfiets, maar ek mis my motorfiets erg. Altwee is op die oomblik by Lance se plek en hy is weg vir 'n paar weke op 'n seiljag na die Seychelles. Ek het vir hom gesê dis beter as my twee-wiele by hom bly. Dan is die versoeking verwyder. My motorfiets moet in elk geval nog "hospitaal" toe. Ek het ten minste nog my elektriese fiets by die huis (ek kollekteer goeters met twee wiele lyk my). Ek sal met hom begin wanneer die voet dit kan hanteer.

[Zanie]

I reached a great milestone today: I finally put a bit of weight on my foot! I’m still on crutches and the foot is still swollen and a bit blue in places, but it took the weight without complaints. It actually looked a nice, healthy “I-have-been-used” colour by the end of the day, instead of looking an unhealthy semi-purple “what-is-this-thing-called-circulation” colour.

Six weeks down; potentially four more to go. Then I’m getting back on the bike. I can’t wait! The weather here has been absolutely spectacular over the past three weekends and I would get green with jealousy whenever I spot a biker going on a breakfast drive. I need to phone a friend if I want to go on a drive (I still can’t drive), and then it’s in a metal box. Sigh.

[Howie-WP]

Hoe gaan dit met die poot?

 

Pity about the fall and injury, but I guess that comes with the territory. Glad to hear "die poot" is getting better. Also about the loss of muscle mass......  Enjoyed your RR.

[COLES]

One of the most amazing area,s to ride the PE toppies and myself have been down to THE HELL on a few occasions

Great pity about your fall and injury trust you will heal soon

great pic,s 

[DCR]

Lekker ride report Zanie! Dis nog net 'n week vir die voet en dan kan ons almal uitsien na nog ride reports!

[Cave Girl]

Thanks for sharing great report!! Glad the foot is getting better!! be patient else it will come back to bite you in a few years!!!

Are you able to take Decoflam for pain? Never go anywhere without my supply .....

[Zanie]

Are you able to take Decoflam for pain? Never go anywhere without my supply .....

I've never tried this before. Apparently I'm most likely allergic to ibuprufen. Does this feature on the Decoflam "ingredients" list? At least I don't need the pain tablets anymore. My foot is ok if I don't put too much weight on it. The first week after the accident was bad though. I couldn't sleep the first 3 nights.

Lekker ride report Zanie! Dis nog net 'n week vir die voet en dan kan ons almal uitsien na nog ride reports!

Ai! Ek wens nou rerig dit was die geval. Dit begin nou lyk asof dit langer gaan wees as die 10 weke waarvan die dokter heel eerste gepraat het. Lyk my daai 10 weke is omtrent almal in die moonboot. Daarna is krukke nogsteeds my voorland vir 'n ruk. Ek kan die moonboot volgende naweek afhaal, op die 9-weke merk. Daarna sal ek nogsteeds vir 'n ruk op krukke moet wees, dan een kruk en dan is ek vry. My volgende afspraak met die voetspesialis is 16 Oct. Ek hoop net ek hoef nie op krukke te wees tot dan toe nie! Ek sal maar sien hoe my voet voel.

Ek is gesê dat ek kan swem of op 'n stationary fiets ry na die moonboot afkom. Blech! Nie een klink vir my fantasties nie. Ek het 'n elektriese fiets en ek beoog om hom te gebruik. Die batterei behoort te help dat ek nie te veel druk op die swak voet sit nie.

[Cave Girl]

OOps spelt that wrong .... Its Dicloflam - For me it's a pretty strong painkiller - rode home from Namibia with torn ligaments in my knee ....

From the website .......
Dicloflam Tablets
Composition:
 Each tablet contains:
 Diclofenac potassium 25 mg or 50 mg
 Pharmacodynamics:
 Diclofenac potassium is a potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with analgesic and antipyretic properties. Dictofenac inhibits cyclo-oxygenase actMty with a reduction in the tissue production of prostaglandins . Pharmacokinetics:
 Diclofenac is rapidly and completely absorbed after oral adminisIraIon . )ts extensively rnetabollzed to a range of phenolic compounds which are excreted in the urine.
 Indications:
 Short term treatment in the following acute conditions:
 Posttraumatic pain, initammation and swetling e.g . due to sprains.
 Post-operative pain. inflammation and sweJng e.g . following dental or orthopaedic surgery.
 Painful and/or inflammatory conditions in gynaecology . e.g . primary dysmenorrhoea or adnexitis
 Painful syndromes of the vertebral column.
 Non-articuLar rheumatism.
 As an adjuvant in severe painful inflammatory infections of the ear, nose , or throat, e.g. pharyngotonsiltitis, otitis.

[DCR]

Ai! Ek wens nou rerig dit was die geval. Dit begin nou lyk asof dit langer gaan wees as die 10 weke waarvan die dokter heel eerste gepraat het. Lyk my daai 10 weke is omtrent almal in die moonboot. Daarna is krukke nogsteeds my voorland vir 'n ruk. Ek kan die moonboot volgende naweek afhaal, op die 9-weke merk. Daarna sal ek nogsteeds vir 'n ruk op krukke moet wees, dan een kruk en dan is ek vry. My volgende afspraak met die voetspesialis is 16 Oct. Ek hoop net ek hoef nie op krukke te wees tot dan toe nie! Ek sal maar sien hoe my voet voel.

Ek is gesê dat ek kan swem of op 'n stationary fiets ry na die moonboot afkom. Blech! Nie een klink vir my fantasties nie. Ek het 'n elektriese fiets en ek beoog om hom te gebruik. Die batterei behoort te help dat ek nie te veel druk op die swak voet sit nie.

Omtrent 'n storie - ek ry sommer versigtiger as ek net daaraan dink. Alle sterkte!

[TWE-TWE]

OOps spelt that wrong .... Its Dicloflam - For me it's a pretty strong painkiller - rode home from Namibia with torn ligaments in my knee ....

From the website .......
Dicloflam Tablets
Composition:
 Each tablet contains:
 Diclofenac potassium 25 mg or 50 mg
 Pharmacodynamics:
 Diclofenac potassium is a potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with analgesic and antipyretic properties. Dictofenac inhibits cyclo-oxygenase actMty with a reduction in the tissue production of prostaglandins . Pharmacokinetics:
 Diclofenac is rapidly and completely absorbed after oral adminisIraIon . )ts extensively rnetabollzed to a range of phenolic compounds which are excreted in the urine.
 Indications:
 Short term treatment in the following acute conditions:
 Posttraumatic pain, initammation and swetling e.g . due to sprains.
 Post-operative pain. inflammation and sweJng e.g . following dental or orthopaedic surgery.
 Painful and/or inflammatory conditions in gynaecology . e.g . primary dysmenorrhoea or adnexitis
 Painful syndromes of the vertebral column.
 Non-articuLar rheumatism.
 As an adjuvant in severe painful inflammatory infections of the ear, nose , or throat, e.g. pharyngotonsiltitis, otitis.

the above will help you....you can also try a Transact -patch directly on your foot ,with Dikloflam 50mg three times a day....it is like voltaren...can't drink it if you have a peptic ulcer or are allergic to Voltaren....hope it helps.. 

[BLK]

Thks for sharing.You did very well to recover from that fall and continue riding with that damaged foot.May you heal up fast

Best wishes

[Zanie]

Today is exactly 13 weeks since my accident. Tomorrow I will hit the 3-month mark, since I was sitting in Gamkaskloof after my first serious off.

Feeling the pain


Ouch


Just let me lie here for a bit...



If anyone wants to know how long just a small fracture of the foot (of the medial/1st cuneiform) takes to heal, here’s my timeline:

Week 1-6: in moon-boot, no weight on foot, two crutches required
Week 7-9: in moon-boot, gradually increasing weight on foot, two crutches required
Week 10-11: moon-boot off, in my hiking boots (lots of support for my foot), some weight on foot, two crutches required
Week 11-12: switching between using one crutch or two crutches, depending on how the foot feels
Week 12-13: switching between using one crutch or no crutches, depending on how the foot feels

I need both crutches if I’m barefoot, but I can now walk without them (slowly) if I am wearing supportive shoes, e.g. hiking or biker boots. You know what this means….

When Andrew from Kingtek phoned me to tell me my bike was ready for collection, I felt like bursting into tears. I had my first drive on the bike in almost 3 months when I fetched it on Friday (2 days ago).

I was asked whether I wanted to touch-up the scratches on the front mudguard. I’m keeping them, as reminder battle-scars of an interesting story.



I am very glad that I had the crash bars installed the week before my trip to Die Hel. They saved my fairing.



Lance and I went for a spin around Cape Point yesterday, stopping in the reserve itself for lunch. Freedom has never felt this good.



I have learnt 3 lessons from this whole experience:

1) Let go of the bike if things are going south, even if it means the bike may pick up more damage. Getting entangled with 200 kg of bike is not a good idea. You take longer to fix than the bike and chances are you are more expensive. Bike: R 2,590. Me: R 6,200 and counting (now the physio starts).
2) The W2 boots probably prevented me from getting ligament/tendon damage through foot-twisting, but they are not sturdy enough to save your bones. They are so comfy, but I think I will look into sturdier boots. I spent 3 months of my first year of biking on crutches – not worth it.
3) ATGATT! My knee was very bruised and sensitive after the fall. I suspect I may have cracked a kneecap if I had not been wearing knee-pads. My helmet also picked up some scratches. If my bike had not landed on my foot, I would have been fine. Safety gear is a great investment.

Such a little crack, so much hassle…



I’ve circled in yellow where the muscle/ligaments managed to pull off a small piece of bone due to the force exerted on said bone.

[Varkboer]

 :thumleft:Nice RR

[Noneking]

I feel your pain!
I'm in week two of healing process after fracturing my ankle. Crutches driving me crazy!,

[ALLEN I]

Nice glad to see you on the bike aaagain. enjoy the freedom girl   

[Zanie]

Nice glad to see you on the bike aaagain. enjoy the freedom girl   

Thanks. I have since done two off-road rides. One in Moorreesburg/Darling area (ride report here: http://www.wilddog.za.net/forum/index.php?topic=162887.0) and one to Cederberg Oasis for the spit-braai. Unfortunately I think I have lost my nerve. Poor Lance had the patience of a saint, staying with me. I drove at 40km/h or less on the Cederberg ride when there were corners and/or semi-loose stuff. I will go on another beginners training course next year. I think mountain biking will help me build my confidence back up again, as it is similar, but the stakes aren't as high (no heavy object to fall on you).

I feel your pain!
I'm in week two of healing process after fracturing my ankle. Crutches driving me crazy!,

At least I don't have pins and staples. Big respect for picking up the bike and still riding. I read your report with a sinking feeling. It seems that even if you have the best boots you still have to take into account that one elusive factor called (bad) luck. I decided that l will at least increase my odds by buying myself a pair of serious boots.



Pricey, sure, but not as pricey as the foot (now at R8k and counting). I'm sure this is small peanuts in comparison to your metal-works.

You have my full commiseration for the time ahead. Crutches are the most frustrating thing ever. If you break a hand, you don't have the use of one hand. If you break a foot, your one foot and both hands are useless. I'd be interested to know your healing timeline. Here's an update of mine:

• Week 1-6: In moon-boot, no weight on foot, two crutches required
• Week 7-9: In moon-boot, gradually increasing weight on foot, two crutches required
• Week 10-11: Moon-boot off, in my hiking boots (lots of support for my foot), some weight on foot, two crutches required
• Week 11-12: Switching between using one crutch or two crutches, depending on how the foot feels
• Week 12-13: Switching between using one crutch or no crutches, depending on how the foot feels. Hiking boots give lots of support. Still require both crutches when barefoot. First motorbike ride on tar (week 12). First time back on a bicycle; also on tar (week 13).
• Week 14: Physio starts. I retire my crutches permanently, exactly 102 days after my accident. By the end of the week I also retire the plastic garden chair that has been sitting in the shower.
• Week 15: Beginning of the week I cannot stand up on my bicycle pedals when going over speed-bumps (too painful). By the end of the week I can manage.
• Week 16: First dirt-road motorbike ride.
• Week 17-18: Cederberg Oasis trip on motorbike.
• Week 19-20: I can walk on my toes (a big deal). First dirt-road cycling on jeep-track (week 19) and then on single-track (week 20). Felt euphoric at this achievement.
• Week 21 (now): Continued progress. Next focus is for me to be able to walk down stairs normally (Achilles still stiff). Still have constant low-level pain/discomfort in foot (especially towards the front ball of my foot) - not linked to broken bone. More due to general stiffness/soreness of muscles/ligaments. The physio mentioned that low bone density is usually associated with general pain. I still have a bit of a limp. I cannot run/hop/skip/jump yet and I am usually a bouncy person. The 13 Dec will be the 5-month mark. How long before I feel normal...?

Cycling helped a lot. I expected my foot to feel worse after the first day of cycling. It actually felt better and more flexible the next day.

Physio helped even more. I have been going every 2 weeks. I did my assigned exercises religiously twice a day (even if it only needed doing once a day). The first 3-4 days after a physio session are always the most painful, when you are adjusting to the progressively more difficult exercises.

[Noneking]

Very frustating indeed!

Today is exactly 2 weeks since my ORIF surgery and I am to start partial weight bearing, which basically means that my injured leg must go through normal walking motion, but still using crutches to take most of the weight. Been going to physio since day 3 in hospital. Stiffness of foot, calve etc sorted and laser treatment to increase healing. Also went back to CrossFit yesterday which really gave me a big boost mentally. Biggest step will be going back to work in January and foot dangling down from seated position for a full day.

I have very little pain, more discomfort from the boot and swelling when I take it of to shower. Ice packs (pea packs) 4-5 times a day.

[White Rhino]

Great trip with an unfortunate ending .... How a sudden fall can turn into 20 odd weeks of hell. The bone mending is the quick part - the soft tissue and the blood circulation takes a while - my Ortho said - 6-8 weeks for the bone and an additional four months for the soft tissue - that's around 24 -26 weeks in total ... half a year

Thanks for a great post.

[DawieNel]

Bly jy's weer op die been 

Sal self ook in 'n paar behoorlike stewels moet belê – het al 3 keer ‘n stukkie grond gekoop maar was tot dusvêr gelukkig met net kneusings, seer ribbes en seer knie - op my ouderdom vat dit egter so bietjie langer om reg te kom.