Testimonials / Letters - Letter 20Peter Kellys stack Well people, I am on the mend as the bruises fade and swelling goes down things are sort of getting back to normal. I can't walk far I need a frame as I can't use crutches and am better off at the moment in the wheel chair although I'm not setting any speed records. Driving the car is out too but I don't think it will be long and I will be on the back of the bike with Kel. And to those of you who didn't know a thing about it here's what happened. The third week of our honeymoon we went on a tour with the club and were having a great time till I didn't manage to finish a bend, south of Adelaide near McLaren Vale. It is a strange thing to regain consciousness lying on the side of the road not sure how you got there wondering why my gloves were still on but my helmet was off and then thinking that I was thankful that I could move my hands and feet (painfully). I was also worried about Kellie's reaction to my accident and whether she would be ok. Things over the next few hours are a bit of a blur. I remember the ride in the ambulance and the fact that I didn't think that I spent too long waiting in hospital for them to look after me. I do remember them cutting my Deep Purple t-shirt off (not happy) but at least they didn't have to cut any of my gear off. Now that I've looked at my gear I can see why I was so bruised. I had hit my right shoulder and side on the road / ground with marks down the whole right side Inc helmet. The worrying thing but the one that seems to have caused the least injury was my head hitting the strainer post. (See attached Pics) the post the bike is laying next to is the one I hit my head on and came to rest with my left shoulder against. Strangely with both legs under the bike I have basically no memory of the day at all. When reminded I do recall where we had lunch and what we had seen that morning. Any way the gory stuff - starting at the bottom and working up; broken left ankle now with two screws holding it together, A big full depth burn on my right calf from the bike lying on me for about two minutes; 5 broken ribs. I have got to tell you nothing I have ever felt causes me as much pain as those ribs. I am shit scared of even a sneeze and coughing, as that's something else even morphine doesn't help you. There is a broken left shoulder blade, broken right collarbone. These two are real nuisance things as they stop me from getting around preventing me from using crutches and making the wheel chair hard work. But one thing I am thankful of is the fact that I had basically no gravel rash. I was wearing good bike boots, "Draggin Jeans," my old mars leather jacket (which I was able to remove with all those broken bones), gloves (unmarked) and my not so old but now very second hand AGV. The rest of the gear I will wear again and it goes to show how important what you wear is and how it saved me the complications of gravel rash on top of the injuries I sustained. As to why it happened well I'm not sure. The corner is a sign posted 55 km corner and I didn't travel that far from the road to where I hit the fence so maybe I left the road doing 60? Who knows? The bike had no problems doubling advised speeds plus another 20 sometimes and it's not a bike that "loses" the front. So what happened? Did I just stuff up (probably) or did something in the bike break (maybe) I haven't seen it yet to tell and there is no action replay on the road. So here I am on the road to recovery and I cant wait till I can ride again just wish they would stop stuffing around and figure out what they are going to do with the bike as at this rate I will be fully recovered before I get it back. Thanks again to all I have forgotten for your help and kind thoughts. Peter Kelly |
