Off road!
 

Hi all, just to inform you all that I will not be biking for the foreseeable future.

Last Thursday I was carrying a bag of rubble down some stairs and had a bit of a trip at the bottom. I fell onto the bag and initially thought that I had broken my right knee!
Managed to get to hospital an registered for assessment. On being called to see the nurse I had to hobble backwards at which point my left knee collapsed.
Splat, flat on my back in the middle of A&E!
They got me up to a ward and then for X ray and it turns out that I have torn the Bilateral Quadriceps Tendons in both of my knees! Basically they are the big tendons on the top of your leg that give you the power to lift your legs up.
I was admitted to the Hospital in Bolton where I had been working.
I was fortunate to get a cancellation for surgery on the Friday and now have two really impressive man scars over each knee. They have put small staples in to hold the cut together and a sort of honeycombe sponge over it with a see through adhesive patch.
They have drilled into the knee cap and inserted some small pins to which they have connected the suture. Which in turn is sewn into the ligament.
I now have braces on both legs to stop any movement.
Got out of hospital this Tuesday and staying over at my brothers as I have too many stairs at my gaff.
The surgeon mentioned that the ligament could take six months to repair, so as a self employed person I,m totally stuffed. Anyone want a Tenere?
Will keep you informed as to my progress.
In the meantime I hope you are all out there enjoying the good weather.
Steve:Knitting_22PFUP:

Steve,

OUCH!!! Sorry to hear the bad news, hope your recovery gets on the way quickly.

Take it easy,


Nick.

******.
 

Jeasus Steve, you don't do things by half.

Hope everything works out for you and you can at least get working again.

Maybe you need a trike :112:

Oooooooo that hurt to read!!!!!! Take care and good luck!!!!!

That's a real bu99er Steve. Hope you mend quickly mate.

Oof. Get well soon.

Sidecar?

Jess Steve you don't do anything small, and I was feelin the pain while reading that.

Hope you get better ASAP...... stabilisers?

Cheers for the support guys.

Joints quite painful, but only on weak painkillers. The morphine in hospital was excellent and on request!

Sidecar is not an option as I cannot bend my legs at all, I have to walk on my heels like that robot in Starwars!

Try getting to and onto a toilet without bending your knees, or putting clothes on for that matter.

I did have a bit of a giggle in hospital as I had the accident over in Bolton and went straight from the job. I had just my wallet and phone with me. consequently no change of clothing, so one of the nurses went and got a pair of pyjama bottoms and cut the bottoms off then shredded the ends and called them her 'Robinson crusoe shorts'. Cool eh, so I just lived in those for a few days. The ward air temp was just nice and I just laid on the bed, did not even have a top or sheet on.
Laying on and sleeping on my back is the hard part.
I have borrowed this IPad from my brother so I will be able to keep in touch with you guys and get jealous of your holidays and trips, but there's always next year, hopefully!

Cheers steve

get well soon mate

Sorry to hear, blimey you certainly were in the wars! sounds like a while before you'll be loading up the bbq for a trip

anyhow all the best with the recovery and all

and don't forget, chicks dig scar's

Quick update.

Now back home. Had my first post op consult at Hudds hospital and had the staples removed. Dressings now off and impressive man scars on show!
Mechanical calipers on in the locked straight position for the next month until I have my next appointment. Will have to keep them on for at least another 3 months so no biking.
Sleeping is not comfortable as is sitting as I have to keep my legs straight all of the time.
Getting up and down stairs is a challenge, having a bath or using the loo all present problems. I have crutches for walking and can get to the local shop OK.
I have got a local taxi which is a van type and the driver is very helpful as I can sit in the rear and he can lift my feet and push me backwads onto the floor inside.

Looks like I'm gonna be like this for the foreseable future and don't expect to be able to be biking until next year.

Trying to get registered for some sort of benefit but the agencies seem to be dragging their feet or sending me the wrong forms to fill in.
Typical, I've been paying my taxes and National Insurance for the last 40+ years and when I need it they just put obsticles in the way!
Mortgage company just say sell the house as I have no income, local authority will not fit handrails as the injury is not permanent!

Bike is now sorned but I may have to sell as I do not want to sell either the van or my tools.:022:
I have contacted customers and a some will wait until I am back on my feet, at least that's a positive.

By all accounts Bilateral Quadriceps Tendon Ruture is quite uncommon, but this type of rupture can happen to anyone and is more prevalent in the over 50's. You just need a sudden impact on the legs in a bending position such as jumping down from a chair. Food for thought eh!

Will keep an eye on the forum and update on my recovery as things progress.

Cheers SteveD

Sorry to hear that Steve, the system is set up for those who know how to fleece it mate, folk who work all their life get no sympathy from them or help.
fingers crossed for you mate,
Best Regards,
Jim.

Sounds like you have at least a few positives to latch onto Steve. Hang in there, it'll all come good in the end I'm sure.

Flippen eck Steve, i wish i'd have known you were in bolton, i'm only 10 mins down the road, would've given me oppurtunity to return some of the favours you've done for me over the years. Anyway too late now but you've got my number if theres owt i can do? Best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery and hopefully bussiness and finances will come right.

Just a quick update. Off crutches, don't use the leg braces now and can walk vertically OK. Started on Physiotherapy but pretty much on my own to get on with the exercises. It's pretty amazing that you loose 1% of muscle definition per day when you don't exercise or use that particular muscle! I was pretty much immobile for 7 weeks, work the math!
Having been a competative gymnast in my youth and played club rugby until I was 40 I can understand and do the exercises and work through the pain.
What I cannot control is the pain when I try to sleep or just get comfortable. During the day it's not so bad but even pain killers do not last all night.
My thigh muscles have deteriorated that badly that I cannot bend down or kneel so rehab is going to be a long slow process.
On the good side I have been 'granted' a mortgage 'holiday' and the Inland Revenue have got off my back.
Got my van back the other day and can drive OK. I can move my lower legs quite well and strongly and have discussed with my mechanic, physio, GP that this will be OK providing I could do an emengency stop, which I can. The only problem is holding my legs in a fixed position for any amount of time.
So, that's it, since my first post here on the 18th July, yes that long ago! I've had �70 per week from the Government. If it wasn't for my parents helping me with some money the bike would have gone by now. I will sell it in any case as I need a bike that I can have both feet flat on the ground, probably a Honda CB500, Kawa 500 or Suzi 500 or even a Versys. Anything I can slip my panniers over. Trail riding is now off the agenda as the prognosis is that I will not have full strength back for a year and that is certainly not good. I've missed all of that good weather that you lot have had and I've not had a holiday this year so as soon as I can sell the Ten I can use the dosh to get something more suitable and get back on the road. I really miss camping and this is my time of the year, bring on the bad weather, I've got time on my hands.:eusa_boohoo:

Not seen this thread till now and I'm gobsmacked. Hope your recovering well Steve and don't push it. Give us a shout if you need anything.

You will be gob-smacked when I see you next, how dare you miss my posts. I read all of yours at least 4 times over. And on the subject of needs, Yes give me your money!




PS your holiday pics look great even if you bike wasn't quick enough to overtake that bike in front! Take care and say Hi to Selina for me, love and kisses S:008:

Steve

how are you getting on with recovery?

what are you up to around Christmas?

the reason I ask I'm heading down to stoke on Trent from Edinburgh for Christmas to see relatives and was thinking I could drop in for a coffee (and maybe a bun if its going!!)

Thanks for asking Max. Recovery is going well. Got van back but can't afford to run it. Phisio is ongoing but I still have no upper leg strength. I still have to go down stairs backwards and going up is slow. Cannot kneel at all and during the day my knees swell up.............. but there are other out there with more problems than me so I don't moan!
I got some good walking boots and try to do a few miles each day, its quite unusual but I've only worn shorts since the injury on 17th July 'cos trousers irritate the surgery scars. I use Bio Oil to massage ther scars and that seems to be doing the job. Other than that it's just a very slow laborious process and sleeping is still a big issue as my knees throb on a nightime keeping me awake. I have got some prescription sleeping pills but they are addictive and I only take them every third night so my sleeping pattern is very erratic and I tend to take naps at odd times of the day.
Don'y have any plans for Christmas but I'll keep you in mind for a meet up.

Cheers Steve

good to here hear your on the mend all be it slow but at least your getting there. I'll message you closer to the time and see what your at.