to all my fellow riders
#1
07-08-2008, 09:33 AM
Join Date: Dec 2005
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to all my fellow riders
Hey all, I felt compelled to share this email I received from my friends wife. My buddy went down this past weekend and I'm basically in shock. Not sure where to turn, obviously since everyone that doesn't ride is going to come back with "I better get rid of my bike" etc, etc, which I'm sure you guys understand. That's why I'm turning to this forum, just to spread the word of the reality of what can happen so fast when the adrenaline from what we love to do bites. Take care everyone, ride on, but please be safe...
Hello Everyone,
As I am sure most of you already know that Robert was in a motorcycle accident Saturday morning.
From what I can gather from the police reports and the witnesses who saw the accident, he was coming off the US 60 traveling west, took the McClintock exit and lost control coming round a curve. He hit a freeway guard rail head on at approx 100mph.
Witnesses at the scene say he was knocked unconscious but came to in a couple minutes. He was able to sit up and talk to the police who arrived at the scene. In fact he told one of the officers ‘to give him a minute’ he just needed to shake it off. Obviously he was in shock and not aware or feeling the extensive damage to his body. The only reason and I mean the only reason he is still on this earth is because he was wearing his helmet. He was taken by ambulance to Scottsdale/Osborn hospital. That hospital was chosen because they are the only hospital in the east valley that has a Level 1 Trauma team on site 24 hrs a day. I received the call from the emergency room approx an hour after the accident.
His injuries are as follows…..
Right Leg, all 3 bones are broken – Femur, tibia and fibula
Left Leg, tibia is broken
Both his ankles are broken and have major tissue and muscle damage
His left arm and left wrist are broken
He has a fractured C7 vertebra in his neck
Ribs are fractured on both sides
And he has pulmonary contusions which means his heart and lungs sustained some serious bruises
Amazingly his prognosis is good. He is still considered critical, but within the next day or two I am sure they will bump him down to stable.
Saturday day he had a 6 hour operation to stabilize his legs. He has a lot of screws, bolts and rods keeping his bones together right now.
Today he had a 2.5 hour surgery to repair his left arm and wrist. Tomorrow he will go down to surgery again so the cosmetic surgeons can evaluate
how best to rebuild the muscle and tissue around his ankles. The orthopedic surgeries (anything to do with bones) are pretty much complete. From here on
out he his surgeries will be to rebuild the tissue and muscle loss.
He is in ICU and will probably be there for about another week. The main thing keeping him ‘critical’ are the pulmonary contusions. He is currently on a ventilator to breath for him to give his lungs time to heal. They are keeping him completely sedated so there is no talking or communicating right now except for the couple minutes he is taken off sedation so the nurses can evaluate him. Which is the ‘can you wiggle your toes’ , ‘can you squeeze my hand’ type thing. His responses are only small yes or no head knods. He is awake for a max of 5 mins and then they re-sedate him. Doctors are estimating that he will be in the hospital for at least another 3-4 weeks. And then it will be months of physical rehabilitation.
I have him listed under a code name. If you called the hospital right now and asked for Robert Jackson they would tell you he is not there. I did this for a few reasons. The main reason being to control the huge amount of phone calls and visits. I understand that everyone is concerned and out of love and support for him and his family they want to make sure he is okay. But with the condition he is in right now, the less going on the better. Until he is out of ICU and he is awake and conscious for longer periods of time, there will be no visits other than immediate family. As far as flowers and get well cards etc. once again, until he is out of ICU I am going to hold off.
His mother flew into town today and he has a SUV full of family driving in from South Carolina, they should get here tomorrow late night sometime.
Malik is doing ok. He is aware that Daddy was in a motorcycle accident and has some broken bones. He is too young to go to ICU and I wouldn’t want him seeing his daddy in that condition anyway.
Me? I am maintaining. I am exhausted. The only reason I am able to keep my sanity right now is because of the love and support from family and close friends.
If you have any questions please email me. I will try and send out nightly updates to keep everyone informed.
Please feel free to forward these emails on. I am trying to compile everyone’s email addresses but I know I will not get them all.
Please keep the prayers coming… they are working!
Hello Everyone,
As I am sure most of you already know that Robert was in a motorcycle accident Saturday morning.
From what I can gather from the police reports and the witnesses who saw the accident, he was coming off the US 60 traveling west, took the McClintock exit and lost control coming round a curve. He hit a freeway guard rail head on at approx 100mph.
Witnesses at the scene say he was knocked unconscious but came to in a couple minutes. He was able to sit up and talk to the police who arrived at the scene. In fact he told one of the officers ‘to give him a minute’ he just needed to shake it off. Obviously he was in shock and not aware or feeling the extensive damage to his body. The only reason and I mean the only reason he is still on this earth is because he was wearing his helmet. He was taken by ambulance to Scottsdale/Osborn hospital. That hospital was chosen because they are the only hospital in the east valley that has a Level 1 Trauma team on site 24 hrs a day. I received the call from the emergency room approx an hour after the accident.
His injuries are as follows…..
Right Leg, all 3 bones are broken – Femur, tibia and fibula
Left Leg, tibia is broken
Both his ankles are broken and have major tissue and muscle damage
His left arm and left wrist are broken
He has a fractured C7 vertebra in his neck
Ribs are fractured on both sides
And he has pulmonary contusions which means his heart and lungs sustained some serious bruises
Amazingly his prognosis is good. He is still considered critical, but within the next day or two I am sure they will bump him down to stable.
Saturday day he had a 6 hour operation to stabilize his legs. He has a lot of screws, bolts and rods keeping his bones together right now.
Today he had a 2.5 hour surgery to repair his left arm and wrist. Tomorrow he will go down to surgery again so the cosmetic surgeons can evaluate
how best to rebuild the muscle and tissue around his ankles. The orthopedic surgeries (anything to do with bones) are pretty much complete. From here on
out he his surgeries will be to rebuild the tissue and muscle loss.
He is in ICU and will probably be there for about another week. The main thing keeping him ‘critical’ are the pulmonary contusions. He is currently on a ventilator to breath for him to give his lungs time to heal. They are keeping him completely sedated so there is no talking or communicating right now except for the couple minutes he is taken off sedation so the nurses can evaluate him. Which is the ‘can you wiggle your toes’ , ‘can you squeeze my hand’ type thing. His responses are only small yes or no head knods. He is awake for a max of 5 mins and then they re-sedate him. Doctors are estimating that he will be in the hospital for at least another 3-4 weeks. And then it will be months of physical rehabilitation.
I have him listed under a code name. If you called the hospital right now and asked for Robert Jackson they would tell you he is not there. I did this for a few reasons. The main reason being to control the huge amount of phone calls and visits. I understand that everyone is concerned and out of love and support for him and his family they want to make sure he is okay. But with the condition he is in right now, the less going on the better. Until he is out of ICU and he is awake and conscious for longer periods of time, there will be no visits other than immediate family. As far as flowers and get well cards etc. once again, until he is out of ICU I am going to hold off.
His mother flew into town today and he has a SUV full of family driving in from South Carolina, they should get here tomorrow late night sometime.
Malik is doing ok. He is aware that Daddy was in a motorcycle accident and has some broken bones. He is too young to go to ICU and I wouldn’t want him seeing his daddy in that condition anyway.
Me? I am maintaining. I am exhausted. The only reason I am able to keep my sanity right now is because of the love and support from family and close friends.
If you have any questions please email me. I will try and send out nightly updates to keep everyone informed.
Please feel free to forward these emails on. I am trying to compile everyone’s email addresses but I know I will not get them all.
Please keep the prayers coming… they are working!
#2
07-08-2008, 09:58 AM
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RE: to all my fellow riders
I've heard similar stories recently. They all involved rider error and, oddly enough, 100mph speed. It's like 100mph is some no-go-zone lately.
Basically, if you don't want to meet a freeway guardrail at 100mph, don't let yourself go 100mph in the vicinity of a freeway guardrail.
Basically, if you don't want to meet a freeway guardrail at 100mph, don't let yourself go 100mph in the vicinity of a freeway guardrail.
#3
07-08-2008, 10:04 AM
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RE: to all my fellow riders
I think about how my family would suffer everytime i go on a ride. and A LOT of times it keeps me more aware and more cautious. Especially when i go on my saturday rides in the river valley. It's very unfortunate that another family has to go through a time like that, but on the other side of the coin. he is still alive and looks like he is going to make it.
#4
07-08-2008, 02:09 PM
Join Date: Dec 2005
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RE: to all my fellow riders
I so agree with you itgbudeev as I am the same way...
Once he is able to sit up and feeling somewhat better I plan on sending him this link so he can read all the support from the forums. Already spoke to the wife and she thought it was a good idea so keep em' coming! He obviously made a huge mistake and has to pay for it dearly but in the end it will make him appreciate his entire life and all around him very differently. I believe it also makes us all a little more cautious and safer which is always a good thing amongst riders.
Take care all...
Once he is able to sit up and feeling somewhat better I plan on sending him this link so he can read all the support from the forums. Already spoke to the wife and she thought it was a good idea so keep em' coming! He obviously made a huge mistake and has to pay for it dearly but in the end it will make him appreciate his entire life and all around him very differently. I believe it also makes us all a little more cautious and safer which is always a good thing amongst riders.
Take care all...
#5
07-08-2008, 02:58 PM
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#6
07-08-2008, 03:03 PM
RE: to all my fellow riders
i was lucky.. i only made a mistake at a real low speed and only broke my ankle. It made me much more aware and its unfortunate that these things happen but like the others said, thank god he is alive. It would have been very easy to lose his life but luckily he didn't. Get well soon
#7
07-08-2008, 03:04 PM
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#8
07-08-2008, 08:31 PM
#9
07-08-2008, 09:56 PM
RE: to all my fellow riders
its misfortunate, but something about "took the exit" and "hit the guardrail @ 100mph" doesnt sound like the safest rider...i guess im stupid, but none of these internet stories or friends' friends' experiences will ever make me question my own riding or make me give up my decision/priveledge to ride...only ppl i question are other cagers/riders out there...none the less, best wishes to your friend and his family...hes one lucky lad...
#10
07-08-2008, 10:43 PM
