Thought I'd share this on here just for the fun of it. I have just come out of hospital after spending a month there for a nasty injury to my foot. I was overtaking a caravan (trailer if your in the US) and a car appeared out of nowhere in the opposite direction. I was heading straight for him and had nowhere to go. I'm not entirely sure what happened after this but I remember the driver froze and made no attempt to move. I managed to kind of swerve out of the way but my lower leg and foot caught the front of the car sending it through the foot peg and brake pedal. I managed to stay on the bike and bring it to a stop. I thought I had lost my foot at that point as I couldn't see it and there was a lot of blood gushing everywhere. Turned out my foot was still attached but badly damaged. The surgeons were going to amputate it but they decided to get creative instead. All the veins and arteries in my foot had been destroyed from the impact and a few broken bones in there too. They amputated my big toe, used a ton of metal work to rebuild the rest of my foot and then after a CT scan they saw an artery feeding all the skin on the back of my leg. The then cut all the skin an flesh away from my leg leaving it attached at the artery and then wrapped it round my foot. Very clever and pioneering stuff. It has mostly worked with the help of some leeches to get the blood going but some bits died off and they have had to re-graft them. I have to go back for hopefully only one more operation then a long bit of physio to get going again. I can't go on enough about how amazing the all the surgeons and nurses have been in the hospital. I made a stupid decision that day just before I got on the bike. I had on all my safety gear except I couldn't be bothered putting on my boots because I was just going 10 minutes along the road. Lesson learned. One thing I did notice was that the Klim Badlands Pro trousers were shredded from the knee down (just the outer layer) and there was not a mark on my leg. I was convinced my leg had been shattered from the knee down but it was fine. I cannot recommend that suit enough!
The latest photo. Hopefully in 2 weeks the pins will come out and a bit of cosmetic work. Should also be able to start putting weight on it. Most importantly...I should be able to get back on the bike! My foot is still very swollen in this pic but I'm told that it will still look like a foot once all that goes down. I'll have some awesome scars though!
Good god man that's nasty! You're lucky to still have your foot though, truly amazing care you've recieved and truly amazing positivity you have also although I can imagine you've had many bad days and many dark days too. I was in a situation last July where my friend on his GSXR1000 had a head on with a car and tore his right leg off 10 inches above the knee, I saw it all in my mirror, we were on the welsh borders, luckily a passer by knew where we were and directed the emergency services but it took them 25 minutes to arrive in which time I had to stem the bleeding, a farmer had to bag the leg, we managed to keep him alive and the air ambulance revivied him twice on the way to hospital but he's now got a false leg, in amazing spirits and we are fund raising to get him a top of the range leg like the military guys utilise. I've not ridden on the road since, shook me up big time, figured i've had 27 years of 'getting away with it'. Looks like you're making good progress and I truly hope everything goes well for you, stay strong and positive.
Nick buddy, I would say your stupid decision that day wasn't not wearing your boots but overtaking an RV (caravan in Scotland...) in a spot where a car can suddenly appear from nowhere...because cars generally don't tend to do stuff like that if you keep your eyes on them... But hey, not that it matters anymore, what's done is done and I can tell from your mind set and positive attitude that you'll heal fast Get well, be strong ( and next time warn us in the title that you have nasty pictures to show us...)
Haha! Sorry about pics. Can't edit title. I was on a long straight bit of road. I can't explain it. It turns out I'm related to the driver of the car so I will try to find out from him to see if that can clear things up.
Thanks for posting Nick, makes me want to suit up more often, never know when something weird will happen to me, like happened to you.
Nick, I'm at a loss for words but I do wish you the best in your recovery and that your injury will not cause you too much difficulty with the rest of your life. I'm sure it takes significant courage and a positive attitude to go through what you have experienced.
Good God man. I'm glad you're still around! Makes my little pavement surfing episode a couple months ago seem like a walk in the park.
Yes I saw that. You were lucky. I managed to stay on the bike and bring it to a stop. If I had come off it would have been a lot worse.
Is that the only damage to the bike???? Nice gory pics. I hate those caravans .... wish they´d leave their mobile brothels where the sun doen´t shine.
The end of the brake pedal came off and there is a crack in the fairing where it hit the wing mirror of the car. A close shave I'd say.
Ok...I just got home from a really nice breakfast out and the queasy feeling in my stomach tells me I will be ridding myself of that breakfast very soon Good lord-a-mighty, Nick! I am so thankful you are relatively ok. I mean, even if you did lose your foot you'd still be among the living and leading a very productive life. As it is now you've got a great conversation piece to carry around with you for the rest of your (hopefully) long life And I'm pretty sure that chicks do, indeed, dig scars I'm with Muddy on the overtaking of the RV bit, although it's a bit like calling the kettle black since I got tagged by a car a month ago while passing over a double yellow...on a borrowed bike, no less But I never ever leave home without gear on...even if I'm just riding the bike up and down the street to test out new jetting or whatever...always boots and helmet and knee protection at the very least. Again, the most important thing is you're ok, and you will continue to be ok with your positive attitude
Dam brother that must have smarted! Good attitude and hope all keeps going well for you! Prayers are for you now!!!
Excellent photo! Seriously! Love it!! Good for you for getting all those photos in the hospital, too. I think you've earned a spot in my Theater of Pain Oh...and I took the liberty of editing the title to warn others that might not have iron stomachs. Hope you don't mind
Great! Thanks for that. I've gotten so used to it and I forget other people can't handle this stuff so well. The photos have been really useful. Not all the surgeons could get to look at it when the dressings were down so when they came to see me I could show them. I have many more photos taken from all angles at every stage. I also ended up giving medical students daily lectures on the whole procedure in the ward. Kept myself entertained while on bed rest for a month.
