Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Survivor

It has been a very very long time since I have posted here. My accident of nearly two years ago (Jan 2, 2009) took away my beloved Black Speedmaster ( Black ones have always been the fastest and the coolest)

My recovery went well for most of my injuries. My mangled pelvic ring healed well due to the good work of the best Ortho surgeon who specializes in pelvic injuries in all of southern Az. My right wrist healed well and its @ 95% of its original capability. (all tendons severed) The Pilon fracture of my right ankle although repaired by the doc (said he was surprised he could find all of the bits of bone) over time did not hold up and a fusion procedure became necessary. That was done last December. It was followed by a string of complications and my total surgeries on the ankle alone reached 14 in all.

Osteomyeletis occurred twice and a subsequent bone graft from hip to ankle was implemented after the first infection was killed with a six week period of intravenous anti-bodies in the Spring of 2010. After a long period of trying to heal a final surgery to remove some screws discovered that deep bone infection was there again.

On Nov 30th this year I underwent a BK amputation (below knee) of the right leg.

I am happier now than I have been in two years. I expect to be fitted for my preliminary prosthetic as early as the first week of January 2011 if my stump continues to heal as well as it is.

I met a fellow who lost his leg under an almost identical scenario two years of trying to repair the ankle/foot and ending with amputation. He rides today (Harley) and has a mod on his bike making it easier to use his prosthetic foot for braking as needed.

He has a nice looking Harley logo on the socket section of his leg. Looks pretty cool. I will be intending to find a nice Triumph logo (trying to pick one is difficult) for my leg.

Over the years there have been a number of riders from this forum who have suffered significant injuries and one who died in 2009 (Derek Mosher) I am happy to be amongst the survivors and I salute my contemporaries and I remember Derek well.

I look forward to eventually purchasing a new Triumph after my rehab is complete sufficient and my overall body strength is returned. I fully intend to return to the gym and work on overall fitness and upper body strength.

I am still pondering the Speedmaster but I suppose I may look at the Thunderbird. The choice of bike will depend on the first test ride of each bike.

I still remain as my arch nemesis Dwight and Big Bill know a staunch conservative activist. I am happy lately.

I look forward to riding again and returning to annoying Dwight and Bill. (Probably not as we dont get to have any fun around here with the Ax man around)

Happy Trails.....

Well, "Arch Nemesis", glad to hear you're takin' all this somewhat in stride, and that your plans include an eventual return to motorcycling.

Yep, you may be one hard-headed, cantankerous, and somewhat socially-inept son-of-a-gun, BUT you're STILL always welcome around here!

(...as long as you can manage to keep your politics to yourself, that is!)

Never get to have much fun around here thats for sure.

Pleased to meet you Kevin and to hear you are on the improve. I was not a member here when you had your accident and it sounds like it was quite severe.
I too have one of the fast black speedys and got taken out be a car early this year but I was okay and speedy copped the worsed of it.
Anyway look forward to seeing more of you here.
stevieB

Dwight, it's a direct translation from English to French so we must have invented the word!


Go ahead, you know who I am directing this one too!


Glad things are turning around for you Kevin, a terrible path, but clearly you are an over-comer. Good an ya Bro.

Kevin's idea of "fun" is violating the AUP as much as possible and upsetting as many people as possible. As much as we've butted heads I never would've wished this situation on him (or anybody else).

Spoil sport.

Word to the wise(okay, the wisea$$) here, Kev!

Just in case you've missed it, the good Friar here NOW holds the "Keys to the Kingdom" around here!

(...though word is he doesn't have to pee in the lock in order to get inside this "Kingdom"!...but that's a whole other issue!!!!)

And soooooo, I wouldn't push it, if I were you!!!!

It sounds like you have been to ****** and back my friend. I guess it means you were put on this earth for a reason or you would be dead right now. Maybe it was to have political discussions with Dwight.

Ahem, hey Steve! Keep talkin' like that and I gotta warn ya that that there couch probably AIN'T gonna be near enough protection for ya, dude...err...mate!

(...and I got me a feelin' I'm talkin' for a whole lot o' OTHER people 'round here TOO!)

As I have no idea what has gone on here in the past, I am merely acting in kindness and jest. I will gracefully back down as you seem somewhat agitated there Dwight. I do however fear no mortal man and the couch was only to show that I spoke in jest alone.

Don't sweat it, kid. The old timers are just poking at each other a bit.

Nothing much to worry about there Steve. Depending upon yur knowledge of American politics and its current and continuing polarizing quality...its safe to say that in the PAST there have been discussions here that rivaled putting Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews , Sean Hannity and Bill Orielly all in a big ole nasty cage fight. And I was usually the last two all rolled into one.

Good fun while it lasted. Alas all good things come to an end.

I am aware that the Mr John is the high King of these parts although being distinctively "American" I never thought much a Royalty but we will give him his due.



I is just glad to be back

Well Kev, I'm glad you're on the mend. Sux about the leg.
I'm glad to hear that you'll be hitting the gym again too. Don't just focus on the upper body though, there's plenty of lower body workouts and the strength and stability will be even more important with that peg leg. Maybe hire a tainer for a while.

Good luck to you, and any time you need someone to sh!t in your mess kit pop on in.

I'll be glad to oblige


And hey, if you want to discuss how the training is going you'll find that we are probably on the same page in that area as I spend a lot of time with dumbbells (other than here,I mean )

Glad to see that you're back and gonna ride again. Nobody would blame you if you gave it up after all that abuse! And surely there's not nearly enough "right wing conservatives" around here, nooooooooooo. All politics aside, a dude riding a Triumph is always enough common ground for most around here.

Well man, I never met ya and it sounds to me like you have been through an ordeal on a grand scale. Sorry to hear such hardship befallin a fellow. I am glad for you as you said you are happy, and getting well. That is paramount in life and a virtue in my book. So cheers to the strong as you are in my book.

Yeah Steve, ol' Dwight is just being his smarta$$ self... par for the course 'round here. And Dwight will most likely just prove himself by saying something smarta$$ (can't seem to find a better word) about what I just said here, lol!!

Kevin, I am glad you see you back. I came along shortly after your accident, but tried to keep up with your posts, and posts about your posts and so on. What strikes me the most about all of this is how you say you are pretty much happy these days. I have nothing but respect and admiration for hearing you ended up that way after your ordeal. It takes VERY strong character to come out on top after what you went through!!

I look forward to the fun factor of having you back. Thanks for chiming in!!

Glad you pulled through ok

As for the limb loss, my ex-sister-in-laws ex-husband-number-2 went through a similar experience, and with him being a motorcycle dispatch rider we thought he would have to give up his livelihood too, but he carries on with it and I don't think he makes any mods to the bike either.

I don't know how he does it, but I don't think he would be able to use forward controls though

I go to LA Fitness. Frankly their trainers ....most anyway have little to offer. Finding a regimen to train to as well as being mindful of techniques is all right here on the net.

You are correct in that the lower body will need attention. The upper right thigh will be the lynchpin in the equation I'd think and keeping it in harmonious balance with the whole leg.

I'll start slow with light weights and many repetitions to build strength slowly. I am in no hurry. Physical Therapy and learning to walk will be first and foremost

When I and the prosthetic leg get accustomed to one another I'll go back to some circuit training.

I have not been to the gym since the morning of my accident two years ago.

I dont miss my leg a bit. I think there is a large difference in losing a limb traumatically after an accident or for instance losing it in combat as soldiers often do. I had two years to deal with a bum leg and when the battle so save it was deemed over It was almost a blessing.

I suffer from none of the emotional grief that they told me I might experience. And...so far only a couple of minor episodes of "phantom" pain.

Arstaren....having not been around here in recent memory ...I have no idea how many right wing extremists might be hiding in the shadows around here. I expect there are a few. And of course there are a few out and out left wing extremists as well.

Please note tongue planted firmly in cheek.

Glad to hear you are doing Well Kevin. Too bad about the leg but glad the infection didn't go any farther. I ride with a friend who has an aftermarket leg too.

We'll all be pulling for your succesful re-entry into the 2-wheeled world!

Thanks All.

Well that is an apt description. Its aftermarket as its not the original OEM equipment and like a lot of aftermarket stuff it costs more and has advantages and disadvantages.

I was told the average cost of a BK prosthetic is around 25K give or take. I heard that from the prosthetist who has been shaping and compressing my stump. Thank God I have insurance.

An above the knee amputation is much more complex and expensive for those things due to a need for a new knee.

Good trainers are hard to come by. You'll probably be fine as you have some experience in training yourself. The main thing will be keeping good form and the PT can probably guide you in that.

I train with a guy who has proved his worth over a couple of years since I have no ACL in one knee and had a rotator cuff (detached supraspinatus tendon) repair in February this year. He was able to design a routine (similar to what you have planned, high reps, low weights and form, form, form) that worked around and strengthened the injured areas so that I can now lift heavy again.


When I first went him with the unstable leg, he helped me learn how to target certain muscles to stabilize my knee so that I only notice it when the weather changes
With your BK amp, you'll probably be able to squat so long as the knee stays stable. One thing I learned about the compromised knee: Don't bend it over 90° while training.

I go to a local small gym so the marketing thing isn't so much on their agenda as good member service is.

Good information there Bill ...I will keep that in my mindset.

Well friend, as a fellow survivor, also a right-wing conservative type in addition to being a fundamentalist Christian, I salute you and your courage as you fight your way back.

I feel your pain.... no literally, every time I get up, lay down, take a long ride in my cage or on my bike, and I know every weather change at least a day before.

I dont seem to notice any of it when I'm in the wind.
I wish you well in your continued recovery and rehabilatation efforts.

I read the comment about the aftermarket leg. I guess this is one time its good. that JCW doesn't handle that particular item.

Kevin,
Having an aftermarket shoulder myself (due to a little bike accident over 2.5 years ago), all I can say is best wishes in getting your strength back.

We'll hope for this outcome:

How many ipods does Steve Austin need?

Actually those are Droids...

Nah John! To show ya how advanced the technology was that Steve had at the time, considering it WAS the 1970s and all, THOSE were actually all of his cellphones! Ya see, one was for his contacts at the C.I.A., one was for his contacts at the F.B.I., and all the rest were given to him by Lindsay Wagner(aka: The Bionic Woman), so she could keep tabs on him at all times.

(...she didn't trust Steve at all to keep his bionic hands to himself when he was around other women)

Good to hear stuff is progressing along Kevin. Don't you know, motorbikes can be dangerous .

jh