Six Months Later . . .

[walstibsf]

Diesel: long time listener, first time caller here. Not that you haven't been in our prayers. You have.

I've always taught my kids that it takes the strongest of commitments to put on the blue everyday and live in the public service and public eye. To do it from a motorcycle takes even more brass.

On the day you put it in the ditch, I can't begin to imagine the split second decisions you were forced to make. As a former Naval aviator, I would clearly and confidently say that you got 'er over the ocean before you ejected. That you took one for the team.

My family wishes you all the best and Godspeed in your recovery.

Thank you, Sir, for your service. We salute you!

[Ackme]

Originally Posted by walstibsf

Diesel: long time listener, first time caller here. Not that you haven't been in our prayers. You have.

I've always taught my kids that it takes the strongest of commitments to put on the blue everyday and live in the public service and public eye. To do it from a motorcycle takes even more brass.

On the day you put it in the ditch, I can't begin to imagine the split second decisions you were forced to make. As a former Naval aviator, I would clearly and confidently say that you got 'er over the ocean before you ejected. That you took one for the team.

My family wishes you all the best and Godspeed in your recovery.

Thank you, Sir, for your service. We salute you!

+1 Stay strong Diesel.

[diesel1959]

Well, as of yesterday, all my leg wounds are officially closed. Healed. That was a most pleasant bit of news just prior to the new year.

I'm still receiving treatments three times a week for the lymphedema but the swelling is mostly gone now. Here's hoping we can keep it that way and move back into the hands of the orthopedic surgeon.

[nickgindy]

Good news

[Kamala]

Rock on Diesel! Long time reader but 1st response! Glad to read your last post!

[AceRph]

That's the way to end 2012 & start 2013!

[Bighead]

Good to hear Diesel. Started following your progress on 'Mud and have been bouncing back and forth between there and here.

[Gimpinator]

Congratulations on your accomplishment Diesel! Now I imagine the progress will become more meaningful to you.

Best of luck in the new year. I should be done healing from my femur fracture in the next month or so.

[Queenie]

Great news Diesel! May the new year bring more healing and recovery!

[walstibsf]

Originally Posted by AceRph

That's the way to end 2012 & start 2013!

+1 Thanks for the update, Diesel. Keep up the good work!

[CHAPIN]

Originally Posted by oz97tj

If and when he does crash, we all can jump in line to tell him how he made bad decisions and how he should have done things differently. Then maybe he'll understand how ridiculous he sounds now.



You are reading into things a bit and being a bit too literal with my statement. Having worked many motorcycle accident scenes professionally, I can say first hand that most are operator error and could have been avoided. So I believe you are correct. I also don't think anyone should expect to crash or be ok with it, and therefore should do everything in their power to being a better more prepared rider.

My point was that there are times when things aren't avoidable. Even more specific, a series of events begins to happen and a person is unable to compute the data and respond appropriately in the time frame provided and the outcome is sometimes unavoidable. This could be a deer running out in from of you, or a car pulling out, or as simple as hitting a oil spot on the road. There are far too many variables to predict every thing that will happen during any given ride to always be prepared. In the OPs case, simply changing the trajectory of his bike merely inches could have allowed him to walk away with nothing more than scratches, or killed him. Or maybe not. But he did what he was able to do at the time.

I made the statement about those who have crashed and those that will to make a point only. If any of us really believed we will be in a major accident every so often I'd bet most of us wouldn't be riding. The thing is we all need to realize that we aren't bulletproof and things CAN happen no matter how prepared you attempt to be.

I hope that all makes sense. Either way, shit happens. I should also mention, that in my accident I crashed because I became distracted. There were no other vehicles around. I was about 20 miles from another living human to my knowledge. I believe I'm a pretty experienced rider with lots of various training in different types of riding. I would also like to believe I was prepared and had an out or wasn't riding over my head. The reality is a series of minor things snowballed before I knew what the hell happened and was able to respond. Despite my best efforts in trying to regain control, I was bouncing across pavement and then into trees before I knew it. What's odd is I've been on that road too many times to count and have pushed bikes through way worse scenerios numerous times without issue. That time gravity won. So plan to have an out, but it doesn't always work as planned.

You Sir know what you are talking about.

My latest accident was just like the one you described, my fault and no other vehicles involved and in a curve I had ridden hundreds of times faster than the time I hit the pavement.

You need to drive safe, plan and keep 100% concentration on the task, yet shit still happens.

[CHAPIN]

Originally Posted by diesel1959

Well, as of yesterday, all my leg wounds are officially closed. Healed. That was a most pleasant bit of news just prior to the new year.

I'm still receiving treatments three times a week for the lymphedema but the swelling is mostly gone now. Here's hoping we can keep it that way and move back into the hands of the orthopedic surgeon.

Glad you are recovering well. Patience my friend.

[RAD3766]

Diesel,
How are you progressing in your recovery?
Well I hope, as we all do.

[sandsman]

Hey Diesel1959, just came across your thread today. I hope the healing process is coming along well. No matter how visible we try to make ourselves, it's the driver of the other vehicle that either sees us or doesn't see us (bikers). I got hurt on the job, tib/fib fracture, bad doctor, non union fracture. Had a really great dr that rebuilt the other drs mess. I never returned to work, the whole process took about 2 years. I am just a couple of weeks shy of my injury being 3 years old now. Funny, you never forget the day of the accident, it's just like a birthday of sorts. Mine is 6/6/2010, the day my life changed. We can always rethink our shoulda, coulda, woulda's, but we deal with reality of how to make the best of what we have left. Me, I added an extra wheel out on the side of the bike. Life is pretty good now days, I hope you get to that point. Going riding now.

[Mr_Snips]

I read some of this. A lot of your injuries sound similar to what we have had in Afghanistan. Medicine has come a long way. If you don't mind me asking how did they go about repairing your femurs? The complex fracture of at least one makes me think plates and screws but all docs are a bit different.

Also out of curiosity(idk if this was asked) I know you were wearing a 3/4 helmet. Is that mandated by your unit or is it something where you are aloud to pick your own gear with a specific criteria. Also what do you think caused the specific retention system of your helmet to fail other than blunt force?