The date of October 14, for most people, isn’t a very special day. But on this day four years ago my life changed forever. I knew when I started this blog that I’d have to tell this story some day.
So here it is:
My best friend (who is now my husband) almost died in a motorcycle accident on October 14, 2003. It was raining heavily that night and instead of riding his motorcycle on the highway, he decided to ride back roads home instead. He didn’t give it a second thought. He had his rain gear and was used to riding in all kinds of weather. He had been in worse storms than this particular one.
The accident itself is hard to determine, but what we think happened is that he got to a rotary area and was forced into the guardrail by a cab. He was thrown from the bike and the cab never stopped (and no one ever came forward). Luckily there was a gas station across the street and the guys there called an ambulance.
I got a call on my cell phone around 4:45 am. When I saw his number calling I thought it was a case of him drunk dialing until I heard a woman’s voice on the line and she told me she was calling from Boston Medical Center and the only words I really focussed on was motorcycle accident.
My apartment at the time had a skylight and the rain was just pounding on it. I remember for a split-second wondering why was he out riding in this weather? and why didn’t he catch a ride with someone else? But that thought was replaced by the urgent need to get to the hospital. I threw on whatever clothes were close by and was at the hospital ten minutes later.
While I waited I called some of our friends and his sister, since his parents were out of the country on vacation. A bunch of people came to the hospital and kept vigil with me.
After 5 hours of waiting with zero information, the vascular surgeon finally came out and told us the extent of his injuries: his spleen had been punctured and removed, seven ribs broken and a collapsed lung, a large gash on his leg, 3 broken metacarpals and oh yeah, his left arm was almost severed: his humorous was shattered and the major nerve, veins and arteries were also severed. They had to transplant a large artery from his right leg into his left arm, which seemed to work because there was blood circulation going to his hand.
in the SICU the day after the accident
His spent the first three days in the SICU (surgical intensive care unit) unconscious and intubated and an additional two days there after he woke up. He had another surgery to fix his shattered bone by inserting a titanium rod and reconnect the nerve. Then he spent an additional week in the rehab ward. The doctors took photos of the entire surgery, but I’ll spare you guys those gory details!
The day after the accident, the left image is the temporary “erector set” to keep the broken bones in place, the right image is a picture of his broken hand with the pins still in place.
The aftermath of having his spleen removed and his right leg where they had to take a vein to put into his arm.
The day the stitches were removed.
A year of pain, physical therapy and lots of determination helped him regain almost full dexterity in his hand, although his ring finger and pinkie finger remain numb due to nerve damage and he’s lost almost all of the muscle mass in his hand. To this day he cannot use his bicep muscle in his left arm (meaning he cannot bend his arm using the muscle) but he’s good at compensating for it in different ways. People don’t even realize there’s something wrong with his arm unless they see the scars or we tell them about the accident.
This experience has not deterred our enjoyment of motorcycles. A month after the accident my husband was daydreaming of riding again. Less than six months later he was back up and riding. And that summer I got my motorcycle license (although I did waffle on the decision beforehand). I’m sure everyone thinks we’re nuts but it’s a big part of our lives that we enjoy.
Maybe it’s a bit corny but the course of our lives changed that night. We each got a huge wake up call and a new outlook on life. It made us realize that life doesn’t wait for you to get your shit together, so get out there and try to accomplish all of the things you dream of. We are thankful to have each other every day. When this time of year rolls around we can’t help but to be grateful that the result of that accident didn’t go another way. And while it’s a day I don’t always want to remember, it’s a day I won’t ever forget.
October 14th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Wow Lizzie…thanks for sharing this story!
October 14th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Thanks for reading it! I know it’s a super-long post but one that I needed to write about.
October 14th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Wow what a powerful story! Thanks for sharing such a personal journey.
October 14th, 2007 at 11:25 am
That kind of recovery, rebound and strength to share takes a lot of courage. Congratulations - to you both.
October 14th, 2007 at 11:29 am
Wow! You’ve been through a lot together! I’m glad that you both are OK now! Take care! It’s wonderful the passion that you have for bikes!
October 14th, 2007 at 11:56 am
i’m glad that everything is all right now … and that you can both still enjoy cycling ….
October 14th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
I found this quote :
Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul.
I am glad that it didn’t stop you both doing what you love.
October 14th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
WOW!
Glad you are both OK and smelling your flowers.
Thanks for digging deep and sharing this….
Come by and smell the flowers anytime.
October 14th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Thanks for sharing! Wish you two all the best and a mostly happy life. In my life there have been a couple of incidences like the one you share above. Especially when children are involved its possible to get ‘unbelievable heartbreaks’. However once there’s found a victory, and victories can be found even in the most horrible experiences, the ’sun shines so much brighter’!.
October 14th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Thanks for sharing!
October 14th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
You’re both very lucky indeed, you to be able to write this outcome and he to be able to read your post. I’m glad that although all the misery, it has turned out to be OK. Thanks for letting us in on this part of your life.
DS
October 14th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
That’s quite a dramatic story. Writing it must have been an emotional experience, but you did a wonderful job of telling the tale. Glad you both came through the experience, and became stronger for it. Just goes to show: This is life — not a dress rehearsal!
October 14th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
I would like to say great story, I hate hearing this like this so what I will say is congrats on your lives together and I wish you both nothing be happiness. Make sure you swing by my site tomorrow as I am starting a contest that is giving away 100k to one of the poeple who enter. It would be nice to see someone or people who deserve to win it….win it!
October 14th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
What an amazing story. Thanks for sharing it. I can’t imagine the fear you must have felt that day. Glad you guys made it through it.
October 14th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
What an amazing story!
Glad that so much positive came out of that terrible accident.
October 15th, 2007 at 1:09 am
Wow. That’s a very inspirational story; it was well-written too. Bonus! Not too long, just enough details.
And I’m glad you shared it. It’s enough to inspire everyone (who reads this…) to want to pick up and live again, and not to let something hinder you. And stuff. Like that.
October 15th, 2007 at 3:38 am
Hey, I’m glad things went well for the two of you.
Really amazing and inspirational story. Well written too. cheers!
October 16th, 2007 at 6:40 am
[...] the spirit of my last post about my hubster’s motorcycle accident, here’s a humorous PSA for this week’s [...]
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:13 am
[...] in front of the word "stickers," and I gotta have a look. Sweet Jebus, that October 14 post is cringe-inducing! Just curious, what kind of gear did he have on under his rain gear? It sounds [...]
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:58 pm
[...] days should confirm that. Or you could take a look at RippinKitten’s blog post with pictures of the aftermath of her hubby’s motorcycle accident. It’s not always about how much restraint or skill the rider has, sometimes stuff happens, and when [...]
November 16th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
Absolutely amazing. I’m so glad you are both still riders and that he survived.
December 15th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Knowing motorcycle peeps for a while now I think I get the culture more than perhaps most. It’s a driven spirit. It’s a calling. It’s a feeling. As long as we’re able to do it…we will. I applaud your guys’ strength through this. I once had a friend who actually went thru a very similar thing…wrecking on a major highway in a brutal storm…tho he was pushing it at near 100…Months later, he too got up and got back on. Like I said. It’s a spirit. It has nothing to do with intelligence or whatever other kind of thing you can throw in. You’re kinda born to do it or you’re not…Peace…and Ride On!
Blogtommy
December 30th, 2007 at 5:32 am
It is often said that our Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways; and I suppose that it could be said of this as well. For out of a great tragedy He brought two of His own close together in a very special way; but is it not because of our own lack of understanding that makes it seem so mysterious???