September 8th a car pulled into
the bike lane to get around a car turning right. They didn’t look and I was
heading past at a fair speed. When they
started to move my head was down, so when I looked up I was in a moment of
terror. Travelling at 60kph, with no control over the situation and a crash
imminent is not a nice place to be.
In the moments that followed there was
contact with the car and then contact with the road on the top of my head. It
wasn’t a big hit, but I was aware that a spine injury could be an issue at the
time. I then landed seated, in shock and fighting to get some control of my
breathing. It took what felt like a few minutes to get my breathing under
control and a pain between my shoulder blades started to appear. I shuffled off
the road, lied down and waited for the ambulance. Pain was ok and I could’ve
probably got up, but after a crash at that speed I laid still.
The next few hours were just lying still,
as the docs did their checks, x-rays and finally a CT scan which detected a
fracture to C7 and a couple of compression fractures to T1 (the base of the
neck). Having to break that news to Ange was quite hard as it was uncertain
what was to come. I was transferred to Royal Perth from Fremantle and spent the
next few days lying still while they decided how to treat my injury.
 |
| At Fremantle Emergency Room |
A Miami JTO brace was the option they went
with as my fractures were stable and there was no displacement. I was told the
brace would be on for 12 weeks, only coming off for a few minutes each day to
replace the pads after a shower (one of the simple pleasures you really miss while
lying still on a bed for a few days). Apart from that the communication wasn’t
great, so that is why I haven’t written a blog until now.
I had my 4 week check up and more x-rays on
Monday and got some good news that the doc is happy and the brace should come
off in 4-5 weeks. Which is excellent, I’ve been looked after amazingly well by
Ange and if I can drive in a month when this brace is off it will be a lot
easier on her. From feeding me in hospital, to driving me everywhere she has
been great in a trying time. Thanks Babe, Love you!
 |
| Being feed by Ange and feeling completely useless |
The doc said running wouldn’t be an issue;
I was worried due to the impact, so looking forward that is another positive.
With a hip held together by 8 screws, a
heart concern and a fractured neck, I’d be lying if I wasn’t considering giving
up the sport when I was in hospital. Everyone has their limit and you have to
consider the affect that an incident like this has on their life too. My mum
for one would love to be reading this!
When I look at my goals I had in this sport
1.
Get the absolute maximum out of
my body
2.
Win the State title at
Bussleton half/70.3
3.
Sub 4hrs for a 70.3
I feel I’ve achieved no.1 in Busselton
half/70.3 in 2008, 2012 and won the state title in 2012. Getting back from my
hip injury was never in the plans, but I’m more proud of that than any of the
above.
Sub 4hrs is still there, but more
importantly is that I love what I do! I want to continue racing.
A return to racing is still a long way off
and not in my mind much at the moment. I’m focused on recovery at present, but
Busselton 70.3 is penciled in. Going forward I need to look after myself and
recover. Once the brace is off, I’ll be in to see John Annear at SportsMed
Subiaco and Sheldon at Bodyright Massage to make sure we can get everything
working as it should and rebuild the muscles around my neck.
Train safe
Mikey
