6 months ago today

Six months ago today, I started the day out on a training ride around Pt. Reyes with the TnT Death Ride Team, and ended the day in intensive care at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

It was a freak accident, I must have hit or run over something that caused me to go over my handlebars while I was descending fast down a short, steep hill. To this day I remember nothing of it, and have only a vague recollection of my four days in the hospital.

I've been incredibly fortunate, and I'm deeply grateful for that good fortune.

I had immediate care from passers-by trained in emergency medicine, and I was helicoptered to the hospital. My helmet did what it's supposed to do. Over the last several months I have come to learn that I have excellent health insurance, and the fact that I wasn't laid off early this spring (like many of my co-workers) meant that I still had that excellent health insurance when I needed it. My wonderful husband waited on me hand & foot during my first few weeks out of the hospital, and ferried me to work and doctors' appointments for a few weeks after that while I still couldn't drive. And he's been here for me and taking great care of me to this day. My dear friends have been here for me too, with lots of encouragement and lots of laughs.

I'm very happy to say I'm pretty much all recovered!

I still have the funny bump on my back from the T7 vertebrae compression fracture, but it's not hindering my activities. My new motto (w. thanx to Tall Sarah) is "What hump?"

Heh, perhaps I should rename my blog Call Me Igor...

The only real difference I notice is that my back & shoulders are stiff and achey in the mornings (they didn't used to be), but stretching and early morning bike rides help that a lot. I've taken up Iyengar yoga which is really great.

And I'm biking again and enjoying it immensely.

So, all is well with my world. :D

Earning one's keep in the world, part 2: Join the Be The Match Registry

My friend Vernon, who was one of my teammates on the Team in Training cycling team I was on before my untimely bailout this spring, posted this to Facebook the other day:

"12 years ago today I received bone marrow, which saved my life from Leukemia. I encourage you to sign up for the National Bone Marrow Registry. It is painless procedure and you could save a life, like mine."

Veron is one of those studly people who rides double centuries, and this year he completed all five passes of the Markleeville Death Ride while helping other friends accomplish this mighty feat. But my guess is, 12 years ago he was just hoping to survive another year and couldn't dare dream of doing what he's doing today.

Like Vern said, signing up for the National Bone Marrow Registry -- now known as the Be The Match Registry -- is painless and easy. And you could even save a life. It's all spelled out here on their website. Jobob sez check it out.

Come to find out, I might not be able to join the registry right now on account of my vertebrae fracture, but at least I'll be able to register in April of 2011, 2 years after my accident (but I'm checking to see if I might still qualify for certain types of donations -- thanks Jim!). Oh well, in the meantime I can at least spread the word ... :)