Hey guys,
Fantastic news! Today, as I went to eat some pudding, my rubber bands holding my jaw in place snapped. I was shocked at first, but then I went to find the replacement bands that were laying around in the bathroom. But, apparently, my dad thought the little bag the bands were in was trash, and so he had thrown them away! So, I had no options, other than to wait for replacement bands from a local orthodontics facility, at the end of the day. My jaw was feeling somewhat sore, but there was no pain, not even when opening a little farther than usual. So, with a day full of endless possibilities, I decided to eat some real food. We were up at our lakehouse located in Bunn, NC, home to the Lake Royale Triathlon of the FS Series races. It's a pretty small town, and the only thing to do for food is a local pizza place. So, I ordered a pizza, and a dozen garlic knots, and went to work. I ate 10 garlic knots, and 1 and a half slices of pizza. I was immediately tired, and took a nap. But, the pizza felt so amazing, I can't even explain it. I closed my eyes for that magical first bite, and let the solid slice of pizza swirl around my tongue and mouth, just tasting and overtasting vibrant explosions of cheese and crust and sauce, all intermingling into the most perfect mix of heaven. After my nap, we swam in the lake some, then headed back home. I had one absolutely necessary stop: go to a restaurant called Kick Back Jack's and get a plate of cheese fries all to myself. I sat down to order, and a waitress came over. I motioned for her to come over to me, where I promptly said "Listen, I have not eaten anything for the past 4 weeks, and so I would love to have some of your cheese fries as fast as humanly possible," and showed her my screws, which are still in my mouth. She was shocked, and said she would get them as fast as possible. They were delicious, to say the least, and they taught me the importance of taking my time with my food. I took each French fry individually, and tasted the hard outside and soft inside, as well as the cheese that surrounded most of each fry, and let the feeling sink in. I was proud of the pace I was eating, and really, truly enjoyed food.
On the down side, I have to re-install the rubber bands in a few minutes, to stay on for the next 2 weeks, until August 15th. But, I had my first taste today, and it was totally worth it. I'm starting to get back to living, guys. I have to say, today was a good day.
Happy training!
Through all our races, you've gotta have some fun out of it. This is my first time just casually swimming in White Lake.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Day 26
Hey guys,
So, I'm getting close to having a one month anniversary of my crash. Today, as a gauge on to where my riding is, I headed out to Dorthea Dix for the BHB Criterium series. I went out just to get the experience of a road race, and I will tell you straight up: I am not cut out for crit racing. I had only one goal: Don't crash. So, once the race started, I went away from the peloton straight out of the gate. I had around a 10 second lead, and then another guy caught up to me. I asked him, "Do you want to go?" And he said he would rather just sit up with the group, so I went back with him. We got through the laps, and as we came up on 3 laps to go, the group upped the tempo to very quick. We were moving pretty quick, and on a pretty crappy course. I got cut off at a double corner, and almost lost control. Right then, I just was done. I coasted off to the side of the road, and walked my bike back. I couldn't get over a paralyzing fear of crashing again, guys. I was so scared, it made me quit a race. I mean, I'm fine just riding by myself, but when I'm in a peloton with a lot of guys I don't know and may or may not have more experience than I do, I get really scared of getting taken out. I really hope that eventually I'll get over this fear, but for now, I'm sticking to riding by myself. So, I'll be out and about on the roads, training some, but I'm still coming back. We'll see how it goes. I'm still really messed up about the whole thing, so I apologize if I'm writing weird, I guess.
Happy training.
So, I'm getting close to having a one month anniversary of my crash. Today, as a gauge on to where my riding is, I headed out to Dorthea Dix for the BHB Criterium series. I went out just to get the experience of a road race, and I will tell you straight up: I am not cut out for crit racing. I had only one goal: Don't crash. So, once the race started, I went away from the peloton straight out of the gate. I had around a 10 second lead, and then another guy caught up to me. I asked him, "Do you want to go?" And he said he would rather just sit up with the group, so I went back with him. We got through the laps, and as we came up on 3 laps to go, the group upped the tempo to very quick. We were moving pretty quick, and on a pretty crappy course. I got cut off at a double corner, and almost lost control. Right then, I just was done. I coasted off to the side of the road, and walked my bike back. I couldn't get over a paralyzing fear of crashing again, guys. I was so scared, it made me quit a race. I mean, I'm fine just riding by myself, but when I'm in a peloton with a lot of guys I don't know and may or may not have more experience than I do, I get really scared of getting taken out. I really hope that eventually I'll get over this fear, but for now, I'm sticking to riding by myself. So, I'll be out and about on the roads, training some, but I'm still coming back. We'll see how it goes. I'm still really messed up about the whole thing, so I apologize if I'm writing weird, I guess.
Happy training.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Day 25
Hey guys,
Well, today my jaw was in really good condition. I'm starting to work the muscles that move my jaw a good amount each day, from talking, chewing a few foods, and yawning, and today was the first day that it's started to feel pretty good, almost close to normal. So, right now, I'm starting to think about how I'm going to return to normal nutrition and such. I think my current plan is to start eating more fruits and vegetables, soft things that I can mash up with my tongue, such as peas, blueberries, and similar food items. I'm going to try to increase my time spent training a little bit, so I can start to just get consistent again and get into a routine. Honestly guys, I'm getting to the point of regular training again. I mean, from a mental standpoint, I'm still pretty messed up, and I'm just doing my best to get over it. In fact, the other day I was taking a nap, and I remember dreaming about a bike race, and it was the Firecracker ride setting. The dream went like the race, if I remember correctly, and someone swerved, hit me, and on the bone-crushing impact with the ground, I woke up in a panic. So, I may be getting some memory back, but I'm not sure. But, I am getting better, for real guys. So, I'll give more updates as they come, but for right now, I'm just taking time to be lazy, which I feel like I need. But for all of you guys out there, being healthy and enjoying summer and stuff, go hard!
Happy training!
Well, today my jaw was in really good condition. I'm starting to work the muscles that move my jaw a good amount each day, from talking, chewing a few foods, and yawning, and today was the first day that it's started to feel pretty good, almost close to normal. So, right now, I'm starting to think about how I'm going to return to normal nutrition and such. I think my current plan is to start eating more fruits and vegetables, soft things that I can mash up with my tongue, such as peas, blueberries, and similar food items. I'm going to try to increase my time spent training a little bit, so I can start to just get consistent again and get into a routine. Honestly guys, I'm getting to the point of regular training again. I mean, from a mental standpoint, I'm still pretty messed up, and I'm just doing my best to get over it. In fact, the other day I was taking a nap, and I remember dreaming about a bike race, and it was the Firecracker ride setting. The dream went like the race, if I remember correctly, and someone swerved, hit me, and on the bone-crushing impact with the ground, I woke up in a panic. So, I may be getting some memory back, but I'm not sure. But, I am getting better, for real guys. So, I'll give more updates as they come, but for right now, I'm just taking time to be lazy, which I feel like I need. But for all of you guys out there, being healthy and enjoying summer and stuff, go hard!
Happy training!
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Day 24-Inspiration
Hey guys,
So, today I was feeling really tired. Maybe that was because I got up at 5 AM this morning and went to the UNC Wellness Sprint Triathlon in Chapel Hill, to support my mom. Funny, because it was very close to the hospital I spent so much quality time in a few weeks prior. So, we get up, and mom eats her pre-race meal; a bagel with peanut butter. A few minutes later, one of my brothers from another mother, Caussin, shows up. He's a good friend of mine, one I gave the triathlon bug to, and he loves my mom like I do, so he came out to support her with me. We got to the race on time for packet pick-up, and then Caussin and I went out for a little bike date. We have these dates from time to time, where we go out and ride together and talk about life. It's a high school triathlete thing. So, we rode the course, and got back just in time to see my mom go off in the swim. After she got in the water, we rode down the bike course a little bit and got off our bikes to cheer and spectate. We noticed that the race seemed a little mellow, with unenthusiastic spectators and volunteers, and we were like, "Guys, come on, it's a triathlon!' So, we decided to spice things up a bit. I was wearing my Castelli bib kit, and so I took of my jersey and ran with the cyclists, cheering and doing my best to hype them up. Caussin and I took turns running with the cyclists until mom passed through.
From there, we headed to the run turnaround. We cheered on everybody, yelling out special characteristics about the athletes, such as "Looking good, green shoes!", "Keep it up, polka-dot jersey guy!", and just specific numbers we saw who were struggling. Me and Caussin deemed ourselves the best spectators ever, because of how excited we got everybody. Once mom came by, we headed to the finish line to watch her come across. She ended up getting second in the Athena category! So, she was happy, and we were happy for her.
But I have to say, I met arguably the greatest and most inspirational triathlete ever today. I remember him well, because he responded to Caussin and I cheering with a lot of energy. We saw his bib number, 51, and cheered at him, specifically. He returned that with "Am I finished yet?", with a huge smile and waves. We said "Not yet, but you're close!" After that, we saw him pass by again after turning around, and he gave us the most joyous smile and waved. Later on, after mom passed, we biked down the run course cheering on the athletes as the ran back to the finish line. We came up on number 51, who insisted we cross the street before we did. As the best spectators ever, Caussin and I were like " No way man, this is your race, it's all you! Good job, you're almost there!" So, he crossed and gave us a wink and a thank-you. So, we made it back to the finish line a few minutes before him, but when he crossed, we were waiting for him in the chute. He greeted us with that unmistakable smile of a finisher, but we would learn so much more than that. He came straight to his family, who had come to watch him. They gave him a bouquet of flowers, and he was just gleaming with pride. So, this is a very emotionally inspiring story, prepare to be amazed. We walk up to this man, who is near tears of happiness, and he grabs my hand in a tight handshake/high-five, and pulled me in close for a huge, sweaty hug, which I did not mind at all. He did the same for Caussin, then introduced us to his family. "Hey, these are my buddies!! They were cheering for me on the run, come on, get a picture of me and my buddies!" I was thrilled, and me and Caussin posed for his picture, and we all had the biggest smiles on our faces. After the picture, we started to talk to this man for the first time, on a real note. We asked him all of the regular questions, you know, "is this your first race, How'd you get started, and so on and so forth." Boy, we did not expect this answer. First off, this man looked like a big teddy bear. He was about 5'6, and looked to weigh about 250-280 pound range, just a warm, round ball of a man. He had a young-looking face, and an amazing, vibrant personality. This man told us he was turning 69 years old in September. We were absolutely SHOCKED. I would've placed this man at no older than 35 or 40 years old, not almost 70! So, that isn't even close to the whole part of his amazing story. He gave us a big background, starting many years ago. He told us that in New York City, he was hit by a taxi cab, and, barely surviving, spent two years of his life completely paralyzed. We were shocked to hear that, but he got some vertebrae in his spine removed that allowed him to learn how to walk again. So, after that whole story, he tells us that a few years later, he was walking his dog and was hit by a truck, and dragged for about a quarter of a block. His injuries were minimal, compared to being paralyzed for two years. But, even afterwards, he told us of his recent surgery, only THREE weeks prior to this race. And what was the surgery for, you ask? He had tumors removed from his lungs, making him a recent survivor of lung cancer. I have a personal hatred of cancer, and I noticed the Livestrong bracelet on his right arm. I touched his arm there, with my Livestrong bracelets, which I wear two of at all times, and he gave me another hug. From then in his story, he tells me that he is currently struggling in a battle against prostrate cancer, another blow to me. I absolutely hate cancer and all the pain it causes people. But the people who do have cancer or people who have been affected by cancer's deadly ways, have my full love and support. I stood by this man as he told us of all his plights, and then the last thing on his list was a form of a stomach disease, which required him to get a quarter of his stomach removed in October. Why so long from now? He is training for a race in September, one he hopes to complete. Very much touched by this amazing man, we talked for a few minutes more then went our different ways. I thought about him on the whole car ride home, and he is truly a inspiration to everyone in the triathlon world, and an even bigger inspiration to the entire world. I think we can all learn from this man, his vibrant appearance could not be deterred by any of his experiences. He radiated pure happiness and joy, which is really what our sport is about. He really needs to serve as a beacon of triathlon, he is an amazing athlete. I will forever be affected by meeting this man, and he will inspire me for years to come. I hope that although I couldn't tell his story with the emotion he put forth in person, it still inspires all of you to do great things.
Happy training guys. Take nothing for granted, and never give up, never surrender. Happy training.
So, today I was feeling really tired. Maybe that was because I got up at 5 AM this morning and went to the UNC Wellness Sprint Triathlon in Chapel Hill, to support my mom. Funny, because it was very close to the hospital I spent so much quality time in a few weeks prior. So, we get up, and mom eats her pre-race meal; a bagel with peanut butter. A few minutes later, one of my brothers from another mother, Caussin, shows up. He's a good friend of mine, one I gave the triathlon bug to, and he loves my mom like I do, so he came out to support her with me. We got to the race on time for packet pick-up, and then Caussin and I went out for a little bike date. We have these dates from time to time, where we go out and ride together and talk about life. It's a high school triathlete thing. So, we rode the course, and got back just in time to see my mom go off in the swim. After she got in the water, we rode down the bike course a little bit and got off our bikes to cheer and spectate. We noticed that the race seemed a little mellow, with unenthusiastic spectators and volunteers, and we were like, "Guys, come on, it's a triathlon!' So, we decided to spice things up a bit. I was wearing my Castelli bib kit, and so I took of my jersey and ran with the cyclists, cheering and doing my best to hype them up. Caussin and I took turns running with the cyclists until mom passed through.
From there, we headed to the run turnaround. We cheered on everybody, yelling out special characteristics about the athletes, such as "Looking good, green shoes!", "Keep it up, polka-dot jersey guy!", and just specific numbers we saw who were struggling. Me and Caussin deemed ourselves the best spectators ever, because of how excited we got everybody. Once mom came by, we headed to the finish line to watch her come across. She ended up getting second in the Athena category! So, she was happy, and we were happy for her.
But I have to say, I met arguably the greatest and most inspirational triathlete ever today. I remember him well, because he responded to Caussin and I cheering with a lot of energy. We saw his bib number, 51, and cheered at him, specifically. He returned that with "Am I finished yet?", with a huge smile and waves. We said "Not yet, but you're close!" After that, we saw him pass by again after turning around, and he gave us the most joyous smile and waved. Later on, after mom passed, we biked down the run course cheering on the athletes as the ran back to the finish line. We came up on number 51, who insisted we cross the street before we did. As the best spectators ever, Caussin and I were like " No way man, this is your race, it's all you! Good job, you're almost there!" So, he crossed and gave us a wink and a thank-you. So, we made it back to the finish line a few minutes before him, but when he crossed, we were waiting for him in the chute. He greeted us with that unmistakable smile of a finisher, but we would learn so much more than that. He came straight to his family, who had come to watch him. They gave him a bouquet of flowers, and he was just gleaming with pride. So, this is a very emotionally inspiring story, prepare to be amazed. We walk up to this man, who is near tears of happiness, and he grabs my hand in a tight handshake/high-five, and pulled me in close for a huge, sweaty hug, which I did not mind at all. He did the same for Caussin, then introduced us to his family. "Hey, these are my buddies!! They were cheering for me on the run, come on, get a picture of me and my buddies!" I was thrilled, and me and Caussin posed for his picture, and we all had the biggest smiles on our faces. After the picture, we started to talk to this man for the first time, on a real note. We asked him all of the regular questions, you know, "is this your first race, How'd you get started, and so on and so forth." Boy, we did not expect this answer. First off, this man looked like a big teddy bear. He was about 5'6, and looked to weigh about 250-280 pound range, just a warm, round ball of a man. He had a young-looking face, and an amazing, vibrant personality. This man told us he was turning 69 years old in September. We were absolutely SHOCKED. I would've placed this man at no older than 35 or 40 years old, not almost 70! So, that isn't even close to the whole part of his amazing story. He gave us a big background, starting many years ago. He told us that in New York City, he was hit by a taxi cab, and, barely surviving, spent two years of his life completely paralyzed. We were shocked to hear that, but he got some vertebrae in his spine removed that allowed him to learn how to walk again. So, after that whole story, he tells us that a few years later, he was walking his dog and was hit by a truck, and dragged for about a quarter of a block. His injuries were minimal, compared to being paralyzed for two years. But, even afterwards, he told us of his recent surgery, only THREE weeks prior to this race. And what was the surgery for, you ask? He had tumors removed from his lungs, making him a recent survivor of lung cancer. I have a personal hatred of cancer, and I noticed the Livestrong bracelet on his right arm. I touched his arm there, with my Livestrong bracelets, which I wear two of at all times, and he gave me another hug. From then in his story, he tells me that he is currently struggling in a battle against prostrate cancer, another blow to me. I absolutely hate cancer and all the pain it causes people. But the people who do have cancer or people who have been affected by cancer's deadly ways, have my full love and support. I stood by this man as he told us of all his plights, and then the last thing on his list was a form of a stomach disease, which required him to get a quarter of his stomach removed in October. Why so long from now? He is training for a race in September, one he hopes to complete. Very much touched by this amazing man, we talked for a few minutes more then went our different ways. I thought about him on the whole car ride home, and he is truly a inspiration to everyone in the triathlon world, and an even bigger inspiration to the entire world. I think we can all learn from this man, his vibrant appearance could not be deterred by any of his experiences. He radiated pure happiness and joy, which is really what our sport is about. He really needs to serve as a beacon of triathlon, he is an amazing athlete. I will forever be affected by meeting this man, and he will inspire me for years to come. I hope that although I couldn't tell his story with the emotion he put forth in person, it still inspires all of you to do great things.
Happy training guys. Take nothing for granted, and never give up, never surrender. Happy training.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Day 23
Hey guys,
So, today was a pretty solid day. When I woke up this morning, my jaw felt a little better than yesterday. I was able to get up, chill a little bit, then climb on the bike. I rode 25 miles out into Smithfield, where my summer league swim team was having the League Championships, at SRAC. I got there on time for warm-ups, and got in a swam some, for the first time in a couple of weeks.
You know, it felt amazing. I was so glad to be back in the water, with some people I love and doing a sport that I love. It was a really special experience, and I knew I could do well. My first event was the 50 backstroke, due to the fact that I got entered late into the meet, so I could only do two races. So, I strapped on a Speedo, and got to stretching. Now, I have a scar from the crash on my hip that is just below the speedo, high on my hip, but very much exposed. It is about 2 inches across in a circle, so I got a good amount of questions about what it was, which I was happy to answer. Anyway, the event rolled around, and I had to think back to my days of a year round swimmer. I started, hit 5 dolphin kicks off the wall, and went as hard as I could. I took 2 strokes under the flags, flipped, and hit another 4 dolphins off that wall. I finished in 29.6, a good time for a 50 back, I think. But, I won the heat, always a good sign. The next race, the 50 freestyle, is a classic. This is just a straight up, balls to the wall race. I dived in, hit 4 dolphins, and came out of the water like a machine, throwing water behind me, going as fast as possible. Once I flipped, I was a good half a body length ahead of the guy on my right, and so I knew I needed to move on the last 25 yards home. I went harder, and hit the wall in 24.9, which is solid for no blocks. So, it was a great day. I'm recovering pretty well.
Happy training!
So, today was a pretty solid day. When I woke up this morning, my jaw felt a little better than yesterday. I was able to get up, chill a little bit, then climb on the bike. I rode 25 miles out into Smithfield, where my summer league swim team was having the League Championships, at SRAC. I got there on time for warm-ups, and got in a swam some, for the first time in a couple of weeks.
You know, it felt amazing. I was so glad to be back in the water, with some people I love and doing a sport that I love. It was a really special experience, and I knew I could do well. My first event was the 50 backstroke, due to the fact that I got entered late into the meet, so I could only do two races. So, I strapped on a Speedo, and got to stretching. Now, I have a scar from the crash on my hip that is just below the speedo, high on my hip, but very much exposed. It is about 2 inches across in a circle, so I got a good amount of questions about what it was, which I was happy to answer. Anyway, the event rolled around, and I had to think back to my days of a year round swimmer. I started, hit 5 dolphin kicks off the wall, and went as hard as I could. I took 2 strokes under the flags, flipped, and hit another 4 dolphins off that wall. I finished in 29.6, a good time for a 50 back, I think. But, I won the heat, always a good sign. The next race, the 50 freestyle, is a classic. This is just a straight up, balls to the wall race. I dived in, hit 4 dolphins, and came out of the water like a machine, throwing water behind me, going as fast as possible. Once I flipped, I was a good half a body length ahead of the guy on my right, and so I knew I needed to move on the last 25 yards home. I went harder, and hit the wall in 24.9, which is solid for no blocks. So, it was a great day. I'm recovering pretty well.
Happy training!
Friday, July 26, 2013
Day 22
Hey guys,
So, today was a great day. I was able to ride my bicycle, do strength workouts and rest. I drank some protein shakes, ate roughly 5000000 calories worth of jello, and was able to finish off the day with ice cream for dinner. I know, being injured sucks. But, on the bright side, I am getting better. Although my jaw does hurt when I open it too much or move it side to side, it seems to be getting used to more movement. The muscles on the side of my jaw seem to have atrophied, however, making it very difficult/painful to open up my mouth to talk. So, all in all, today was a good day. Short and sweet.
Happy training!
So, today was a great day. I was able to ride my bicycle, do strength workouts and rest. I drank some protein shakes, ate roughly 5000000 calories worth of jello, and was able to finish off the day with ice cream for dinner. I know, being injured sucks. But, on the bright side, I am getting better. Although my jaw does hurt when I open it too much or move it side to side, it seems to be getting used to more movement. The muscles on the side of my jaw seem to have atrophied, however, making it very difficult/painful to open up my mouth to talk. So, all in all, today was a good day. Short and sweet.
Happy training!
Day 21-Three Weeks and Peas
Hey guys,
This blog post was meant for yesterday, but so much happened yesterday that I couldn't get to it. So, yesterday, June 25, marked 3 weeks since my crash. This meant a return to the hospital to get checked on how my jaw was healing. Now, I was excited, but a little nervous on the way out there. Once we got to the clinic at UNC Chapel Hill, I waited around for about 20 minutes, then I was called back into the hospital to see the doctor who had originally gave the order for my surgery 3 weeks ago. So, we talked about doctor questions, you know, diet, how much weight I've lost, and other broken-jaw specific questions. Then, he inspected my wires. So, you guys know how I said my lip had grown around the bottom left screw? Well, apparently, that's not uncommon. But, what is uncommon is the feeling of a doctor ripping your skin out from being grown around a metal object screwed into your bone. That hurt. But, on the bright side, he said my jaw looked good enough to cut the wires! I was so happy, and he got a pair of pliers and cut out the wires. Then, for the first time in a very stressful 3 weeks, I opened my mouth about half a inch. It was magical, to say the least.
However, I am now in rubber bands. These are very small, taut rubber bands that stay around my screws and allow me much more movement than metal wires, but nothing large enough to chew any food. But, I thought of an alternative! See, on the drive home, I was experimenting on how to move my mouth again. As I remembered how to open and close my jaw, even a little bit, I figured I might be able to fit a spoon in between the rubber bands, due to the fact that I can now open my jaw a little bit. So, as soon as I got home, I ran to the kitchen to see if a spoon would fit. To my disappointment, it did not. But then, I had another idea! What about the little sample spoons ice cream places give to you? I knew for a fact they would fit! So, excited, I went to the store to search for tiny spoons. After visiting three grocery stores, I could not find any. Determined, I set out to find such spoons. Finally, after searching for around a hour, I pulled up to Pelican's Snoballs. I went up to the window and asked, "Hey, you guys have little sample spoons, right?" The guy at the window was like "Yeah...why?" Laughing, I said "Just bring my some, I promise I'll tell you the whole story." The employee was awesome, he brought me an entire styrofoam cup full of mini spoons. Ridiculously thankful, I started from the beginning. I told the employee about the Firecracker ride, the hospital visit and surgery, and the following weeks. Then, I ordered a Snoball-one of the Red Velvet Cake flavor. As I took my tiny spoon and scraped off some shaved ice, I was able to open my mouth and fit the spoon in. As I felt a solid object on my tongue, even for that second before it liquefied once again, my eyes filled with tears. I was absolutely so happy to eat the smallest thing again, and it was a special moment. Once home, the possibilities for my nutrition seemed endless! I had pudding, jello, and ice cream! And, as a special treat, I figured out I could eat peas by mashing them on the roof of my mouth. Guys, I ate an entire can of peas. A WHOLE can. That's like 500 peas. My stomach was a little sore afterwards, due to how small my stomach has become. Now, I've got to be careful with how much I eat, but yesterday I did not care. I was one of the happiest people you had ever seen.
So, that was yesterday, and it was amazing. Word of advice-guys, enjoy your food. Because you never know if that will get taken away from you. It took me about 20 minutes to eat that Snoball, because I was savoring how amazing it tasted. So, experience your food, it really is an amazing thing on this Earth.
Happy training everyone!
This blog post was meant for yesterday, but so much happened yesterday that I couldn't get to it. So, yesterday, June 25, marked 3 weeks since my crash. This meant a return to the hospital to get checked on how my jaw was healing. Now, I was excited, but a little nervous on the way out there. Once we got to the clinic at UNC Chapel Hill, I waited around for about 20 minutes, then I was called back into the hospital to see the doctor who had originally gave the order for my surgery 3 weeks ago. So, we talked about doctor questions, you know, diet, how much weight I've lost, and other broken-jaw specific questions. Then, he inspected my wires. So, you guys know how I said my lip had grown around the bottom left screw? Well, apparently, that's not uncommon. But, what is uncommon is the feeling of a doctor ripping your skin out from being grown around a metal object screwed into your bone. That hurt. But, on the bright side, he said my jaw looked good enough to cut the wires! I was so happy, and he got a pair of pliers and cut out the wires. Then, for the first time in a very stressful 3 weeks, I opened my mouth about half a inch. It was magical, to say the least.
However, I am now in rubber bands. These are very small, taut rubber bands that stay around my screws and allow me much more movement than metal wires, but nothing large enough to chew any food. But, I thought of an alternative! See, on the drive home, I was experimenting on how to move my mouth again. As I remembered how to open and close my jaw, even a little bit, I figured I might be able to fit a spoon in between the rubber bands, due to the fact that I can now open my jaw a little bit. So, as soon as I got home, I ran to the kitchen to see if a spoon would fit. To my disappointment, it did not. But then, I had another idea! What about the little sample spoons ice cream places give to you? I knew for a fact they would fit! So, excited, I went to the store to search for tiny spoons. After visiting three grocery stores, I could not find any. Determined, I set out to find such spoons. Finally, after searching for around a hour, I pulled up to Pelican's Snoballs. I went up to the window and asked, "Hey, you guys have little sample spoons, right?" The guy at the window was like "Yeah...why?" Laughing, I said "Just bring my some, I promise I'll tell you the whole story." The employee was awesome, he brought me an entire styrofoam cup full of mini spoons. Ridiculously thankful, I started from the beginning. I told the employee about the Firecracker ride, the hospital visit and surgery, and the following weeks. Then, I ordered a Snoball-one of the Red Velvet Cake flavor. As I took my tiny spoon and scraped off some shaved ice, I was able to open my mouth and fit the spoon in. As I felt a solid object on my tongue, even for that second before it liquefied once again, my eyes filled with tears. I was absolutely so happy to eat the smallest thing again, and it was a special moment. Once home, the possibilities for my nutrition seemed endless! I had pudding, jello, and ice cream! And, as a special treat, I figured out I could eat peas by mashing them on the roof of my mouth. Guys, I ate an entire can of peas. A WHOLE can. That's like 500 peas. My stomach was a little sore afterwards, due to how small my stomach has become. Now, I've got to be careful with how much I eat, but yesterday I did not care. I was one of the happiest people you had ever seen.
So, that was yesterday, and it was amazing. Word of advice-guys, enjoy your food. Because you never know if that will get taken away from you. It took me about 20 minutes to eat that Snoball, because I was savoring how amazing it tasted. So, experience your food, it really is an amazing thing on this Earth.
Happy training everyone!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Planet Smoothie
Hey guys,
I know I just posted, but this has to be said. Over the past 2 weeks or so, I've since discovered Planet Smoothie. This fantastic smoothie company provides a wide range of options and nutritional replacement smoothies in all flavors and sizes. I found out about them through the Internet, and headed out there to try one. My first smoothie was called the Tropic of Mango, and it was really good. Consisting of mangoes, strawberries, orange juice, and lemonade, it tasted amazing, to my food-deprived mouth. Another great plus Planet Smoothie has is you can add in what they call "Blasts". These blasts can really serve any purpose you need, whether it be a protein blast for a post-workout smoothie or a energy blast just to get you through the day. I myself add in a blast of multivitamins, to help with my recovery. They really are good ways to keep healthy, and I think I'll be going there even after I can eat again. Anyway, the next day, I tried a smoothie called the Islander. This smoothies is pineapples, raspberries, orange sherbet, and strawberries. This one was absolutely fantastic! I've gotten it every time since that second day, and it hasn't gotten old with me yet. Planet Smoothie has really awesome sizes, like a large smoothie is 44oz. Which is crazy big, and I love it. The smoothies can range anywhere from the 250-1000 calorie range, and they have additional meal-replacement smoothies. So, all in all, Planet Smoothie has really been helping me get through this injury, and I will continue going there after I'm fully healed. If you ever have some time, you should go out and try them. They're really good. That's all.
Happy training guys!
I know I just posted, but this has to be said. Over the past 2 weeks or so, I've since discovered Planet Smoothie. This fantastic smoothie company provides a wide range of options and nutritional replacement smoothies in all flavors and sizes. I found out about them through the Internet, and headed out there to try one. My first smoothie was called the Tropic of Mango, and it was really good. Consisting of mangoes, strawberries, orange juice, and lemonade, it tasted amazing, to my food-deprived mouth. Another great plus Planet Smoothie has is you can add in what they call "Blasts". These blasts can really serve any purpose you need, whether it be a protein blast for a post-workout smoothie or a energy blast just to get you through the day. I myself add in a blast of multivitamins, to help with my recovery. They really are good ways to keep healthy, and I think I'll be going there even after I can eat again. Anyway, the next day, I tried a smoothie called the Islander. This smoothies is pineapples, raspberries, orange sherbet, and strawberries. This one was absolutely fantastic! I've gotten it every time since that second day, and it hasn't gotten old with me yet. Planet Smoothie has really awesome sizes, like a large smoothie is 44oz. Which is crazy big, and I love it. The smoothies can range anywhere from the 250-1000 calorie range, and they have additional meal-replacement smoothies. So, all in all, Planet Smoothie has really been helping me get through this injury, and I will continue going there after I'm fully healed. If you ever have some time, you should go out and try them. They're really good. That's all.
Happy training guys!
Day 20-Altercation
Hey guys,
Soo, we have an interesting development. A few days ago, I started to taste a lot of blood in my mouth. This wasn't really a concern to me at the moment, I thought "Hey, my jaw is broken, bleeding is probably normal." Yeah, I was wrong. Yesterday morning, I got up and inspected the screws in my lower jaw. The way that they're screwed in is there is one on the right and one of the left on the bottom, with similar screws on the top part of my jaw. The screws on top of my jaw looked absolutely fine, which was good. Then, I pulled down the right side of my lower lip and inspected the lower screw. That one looked good too. Finally, I go to pull down my left lower lip to look at the final screw, and something strange occurred-it wasn't there! I was shocked for a moment, how could something literally screwed into my body be missing? And then, I looked closer-My lip has grown AROUND the screw. It's completely enclosed now. The screw enters your gum line, and the inside of my lip had just cocooned around it, hiding it from my sight. This freaked me out a good deal, for a minute I just stood there contemplating how weird it was to have my body grow around a metal object. But then, I just shrugged and went about my day.
However, tomorrow I have an appointment at the hospital for the surgeon to check up on my healing process. I'm just a tiny little bit scared for what they'll do about my in-grown screw. I'm thinking they'll just cut it open to get the skin away, but guys, that's going to hurt! Like, it's the inside of your mouth! Think about that! I don't want people cutting away the inside of my mouth, that would hurt! But regardless, I'm not worried. Hopefully I'll be showing good progress and be on the right track to healing quickly.
Today's update is the usual: I woke up, drank a nutritional Boost shake, then did some strength workouts. Those were followed by yet another trip to the chiropractor to work on my hips, and then back home for movies and rest all day. So, just another normal day in the life of a injured triathlete. But, I am thinking of a new training plan, one that will hopefully help me make a comeback once I can train again. Stay healthy out there guys, being injured is hard.
Happy training!
Soo, we have an interesting development. A few days ago, I started to taste a lot of blood in my mouth. This wasn't really a concern to me at the moment, I thought "Hey, my jaw is broken, bleeding is probably normal." Yeah, I was wrong. Yesterday morning, I got up and inspected the screws in my lower jaw. The way that they're screwed in is there is one on the right and one of the left on the bottom, with similar screws on the top part of my jaw. The screws on top of my jaw looked absolutely fine, which was good. Then, I pulled down the right side of my lower lip and inspected the lower screw. That one looked good too. Finally, I go to pull down my left lower lip to look at the final screw, and something strange occurred-it wasn't there! I was shocked for a moment, how could something literally screwed into my body be missing? And then, I looked closer-My lip has grown AROUND the screw. It's completely enclosed now. The screw enters your gum line, and the inside of my lip had just cocooned around it, hiding it from my sight. This freaked me out a good deal, for a minute I just stood there contemplating how weird it was to have my body grow around a metal object. But then, I just shrugged and went about my day.
However, tomorrow I have an appointment at the hospital for the surgeon to check up on my healing process. I'm just a tiny little bit scared for what they'll do about my in-grown screw. I'm thinking they'll just cut it open to get the skin away, but guys, that's going to hurt! Like, it's the inside of your mouth! Think about that! I don't want people cutting away the inside of my mouth, that would hurt! But regardless, I'm not worried. Hopefully I'll be showing good progress and be on the right track to healing quickly.
Today's update is the usual: I woke up, drank a nutritional Boost shake, then did some strength workouts. Those were followed by yet another trip to the chiropractor to work on my hips, and then back home for movies and rest all day. So, just another normal day in the life of a injured triathlete. But, I am thinking of a new training plan, one that will hopefully help me make a comeback once I can train again. Stay healthy out there guys, being injured is hard.
Happy training!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Day 19
Hey guys,
So today marks the 19th day since the crash. Since that fateful day, I have lost about 20 pounds, and my body is still very much into the healing process. Although most of my road rash is gone, I have a few scabs that still bleed regularly. My arms and right leg experienced long abrasions that not only left me bleeding the day of the accident and the days after, but also went very deep into my skin. So now, the surface has healed, but it has left the skin spotted and white. I don't think these will be here for a long time, but friends and others have expressed their concern that they will become scars that will last a few years. The one on my right leg is the most noticeable, and then the one on my right arm is a little longer, but not as noticeable. All in all, my road rash is mostly almost maybe healed. We'll see.
On the internal injury side, I have some kind of ligament issue around my sacroiliac joint. As soon as my road rash was healed enough, I scheduled a few chiropractic sessions. I still have a few more. Anyway, I went in to see my chiro for the first session, where he could instantly feel my pelvis very much off center. Also, my shoulders and spine were somewhat out of line. So, he cracked me up and sent me home on rest. I came back 2 days later, and he still felt that I was very much screwed up. He ran some tests and said that although he couldn't be sure, my sacroiliac ligaments were somewhat torn, and that they would require a few more weeks of healing. So, I'm just chilling around the house. Like I've been doing for the past few days. I'm going crazy.
On a nutritional note, my taste buds are rejecting a lot of mixed foods. I have been trying some crazy things: such as blending up a hamburger, blending up a hot dog, blending cookies, blending granola bars, anything I think will taste good. But, nothing ever does. So, right now, I'm mostly on nutritional shakes and smoothies. So, it's not all bad, but I miss regular food.
Well, I think I'm going to do my best to do a daily update, and so today is the Day 19 update. I'll do my best to keep you guys updated.
Happy training!
So today marks the 19th day since the crash. Since that fateful day, I have lost about 20 pounds, and my body is still very much into the healing process. Although most of my road rash is gone, I have a few scabs that still bleed regularly. My arms and right leg experienced long abrasions that not only left me bleeding the day of the accident and the days after, but also went very deep into my skin. So now, the surface has healed, but it has left the skin spotted and white. I don't think these will be here for a long time, but friends and others have expressed their concern that they will become scars that will last a few years. The one on my right leg is the most noticeable, and then the one on my right arm is a little longer, but not as noticeable. All in all, my road rash is mostly almost maybe healed. We'll see.
On the internal injury side, I have some kind of ligament issue around my sacroiliac joint. As soon as my road rash was healed enough, I scheduled a few chiropractic sessions. I still have a few more. Anyway, I went in to see my chiro for the first session, where he could instantly feel my pelvis very much off center. Also, my shoulders and spine were somewhat out of line. So, he cracked me up and sent me home on rest. I came back 2 days later, and he still felt that I was very much screwed up. He ran some tests and said that although he couldn't be sure, my sacroiliac ligaments were somewhat torn, and that they would require a few more weeks of healing. So, I'm just chilling around the house. Like I've been doing for the past few days. I'm going crazy.
On a nutritional note, my taste buds are rejecting a lot of mixed foods. I have been trying some crazy things: such as blending up a hamburger, blending up a hot dog, blending cookies, blending granola bars, anything I think will taste good. But, nothing ever does. So, right now, I'm mostly on nutritional shakes and smoothies. So, it's not all bad, but I miss regular food.
Well, I think I'm going to do my best to do a daily update, and so today is the Day 19 update. I'll do my best to keep you guys updated.
Happy training!
Saturday, July 20, 2013
I'm Still Alive
Hey guys,
What has it been? A week? Two weeks? I haven't posted anything for a long time, which I apologize for. I have been in bed for around a week, fighting crazy headaches and hip pain. But once I was able to get off the pain killers and get on different medicines for my headaches, I was able to start functioning like a human again. As of now, my road rash is gone! I have some light patches on my skin that will probably just be scars, painful reminders of how I went down. But, as we know, injuries happen, and we all have to live with them.
That really got me thinking: As I've been in bed for the past few weeks, I've considered how much stress my young body has gone through. I'm not 16 yet, and I've already experienced shin splints multiple times, a stress fracture, a concussion, a broken jaw, a good amount of bleeding with a large amount of scars to go with those times, over 4 pulled muscles, at least 2 strained muscles, I've torn every ligament in my ankle 3 times, had muscle weaknesses in multiple muscles from cycling crashes, Achilles Tendinitis, and the constant tweaks and pains that come from intense training. It's a long list for a young kid, don't you think? It's just crazy all of the pain I've endured over the past few months and years. This doesn't really bother me, but I look at kids my age and see them all running and biking and swimming ridiculous amounts of distance and intensity, but they never get hurt. It's very frustrating for me.
But, on a good note, I'm losing weight SUPER fast. Today marks 2 weeks and 2 days, and I have lost 20 pounds. I went from 185 to 165, and I'm expected to lose more somewhat rapidly. This is really crazy to experience, because I'm getting really, really skinny. Like, REALLY skinny. My shirts are starting to get really loose on me, and I'm looking like a skeleton. You can see my rib cage very easily, and even my face has seemed to get leaner. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but doctors and my parents are concerned at how quickly I'm dropping weight. I'm loving it, and hoping that I can keep the weight off, but it's forcing me to get really creative with my blender. Yesterday, as a joke, we baked a cake and added milk and ice cream to the cake and blended it, and it tasted like real cake! It was crazy, and I was really happy. I've got I think 2 or so weeks with my jaw still wired shut, then I can go on to rubber bands. But the rubber bands aren't going to let me open my mouth still, however, I should be able to get a spoon in my mouth for jell-o and such. Which I'm excited about. But it's been a real journey, with a lot of new experiences and adventures.
So, as of now, I'm up and around, and my head is feeling good enough to write some more blogs now. I'll start to write a few more just to pass my time. I'm really bored at home now, I don't have much to do.
But as for all of you guys, I hope your summers and training years are doing better than mine, and that you're enjoying racing season!
Happy training guys!
What has it been? A week? Two weeks? I haven't posted anything for a long time, which I apologize for. I have been in bed for around a week, fighting crazy headaches and hip pain. But once I was able to get off the pain killers and get on different medicines for my headaches, I was able to start functioning like a human again. As of now, my road rash is gone! I have some light patches on my skin that will probably just be scars, painful reminders of how I went down. But, as we know, injuries happen, and we all have to live with them.
That really got me thinking: As I've been in bed for the past few weeks, I've considered how much stress my young body has gone through. I'm not 16 yet, and I've already experienced shin splints multiple times, a stress fracture, a concussion, a broken jaw, a good amount of bleeding with a large amount of scars to go with those times, over 4 pulled muscles, at least 2 strained muscles, I've torn every ligament in my ankle 3 times, had muscle weaknesses in multiple muscles from cycling crashes, Achilles Tendinitis, and the constant tweaks and pains that come from intense training. It's a long list for a young kid, don't you think? It's just crazy all of the pain I've endured over the past few months and years. This doesn't really bother me, but I look at kids my age and see them all running and biking and swimming ridiculous amounts of distance and intensity, but they never get hurt. It's very frustrating for me.
But, on a good note, I'm losing weight SUPER fast. Today marks 2 weeks and 2 days, and I have lost 20 pounds. I went from 185 to 165, and I'm expected to lose more somewhat rapidly. This is really crazy to experience, because I'm getting really, really skinny. Like, REALLY skinny. My shirts are starting to get really loose on me, and I'm looking like a skeleton. You can see my rib cage very easily, and even my face has seemed to get leaner. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but doctors and my parents are concerned at how quickly I'm dropping weight. I'm loving it, and hoping that I can keep the weight off, but it's forcing me to get really creative with my blender. Yesterday, as a joke, we baked a cake and added milk and ice cream to the cake and blended it, and it tasted like real cake! It was crazy, and I was really happy. I've got I think 2 or so weeks with my jaw still wired shut, then I can go on to rubber bands. But the rubber bands aren't going to let me open my mouth still, however, I should be able to get a spoon in my mouth for jell-o and such. Which I'm excited about. But it's been a real journey, with a lot of new experiences and adventures.
So, as of now, I'm up and around, and my head is feeling good enough to write some more blogs now. I'll start to write a few more just to pass my time. I'm really bored at home now, I don't have much to do.
But as for all of you guys, I hope your summers and training years are doing better than mine, and that you're enjoying racing season!
Happy training guys!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Recovery Update
Hey guys,
First of all, I have to say that the support I've received from the triathlete, cyclist, and just overall athletic community has been amazing. My friends and family have really reached out to me and made me feel great, I've been visited frequently during my bed rest hours and I love all of you guys, each and every one of you has made this accident a little easier on me. The last blog post I wrote describing the crash is by far my most viewed post at this point, and I just want to thank all of you who read this blog for your thoughts and prayers. Thanks again to everyone who reads this blog, it really helps me express my thoughts and I'm glad that some people are actually hearing them out. So a big thanks to everyone.
Now, today is the 5th day after the crash, and I have to say, I'm very blessed for my recovery. Yesterday I left the house for the first time, my road rash all bandaged up and me looking a little bit like a mummy. But the wounds on my face have really recovered well and their shouldn't be excessive scarring. I was able to take my bike to the shop to get it looked at, and it seems to have fared well, with just a few chips in the paint, scratched bar tape and possibly a damaged rear derailleur. So that was a good first step in the recovery process, because I was able to leave the house and get up out of bed.
There is a lot to get used to, and that's for sure. The liquid diet I'm forced to be on is difficult to live with, especially when events are going on. For example, today is my little sister's birthday, and so they can eat cake to celebrate, while I'm just sitting in the background sipping chocolate milk. It's very hard to get used to. It's the little things that I'm finding hard to deal with, such as yawning. I cannot open my mouth due to my jaw being wired shut, and so whenever I have to yawn it pulls on the wires and my jawline and creates pain. I also can't lick my lips, which is kind of funny, because if I get a bit of milkshake on my lip, I can do nothing. It's hard to get used to, but the liquid diet is giving me some peace of mind, because it will help me lose the weight I was struggling to lose and keep off while eating regular food. In summary, the liquid diet is helping me out, but it also brings it challenges.
My injuries are doing extremely well. The road rash on my face has cleared up the fastest, and so I am almost looking normal again. Apart from the deep cut on the bottom of my chin, my face has healed very well. The road rash on the rest of my body is shrinking as well, with the biggest problem region being my right leg. The left leg wasn't hit as hard, and so it has less to heal, and less severe wounds to heal, but the right side took the brunt of the force and impact, so my right hip and right knee have very sensitive, very large areas of just raw, inflamed skin. My biggest concern right now is the hip wound, because it is the deepest wound and also the largest. But time will help heal it, as only time can. My jaw is doing pretty decent as well, with only minor flare-ups of pain now. Two or three days ago, I would have my jaw flaring up very often with intense pain, but now the pain comes in less intensity and less frequency as well. So my jaw is improving, as well as the rest of my body.
Working out has been at zero for the past few days though, which is driving me crazy. I'm going to get back on the bike as soon as I can, and ride a few miles again. A better option prior to riding will be to hit some weight training in the gym and strengthen some weaknesses.
So all in all, I am doing very well and my recovery is going swiftly. Again, I thank you all for reading this blog, keeping me in your thoughts and prayers, and for visiting me! It really has helped me immensely. Stay safe out there everybody, don't end up like I have.
Happy training!
First of all, I have to say that the support I've received from the triathlete, cyclist, and just overall athletic community has been amazing. My friends and family have really reached out to me and made me feel great, I've been visited frequently during my bed rest hours and I love all of you guys, each and every one of you has made this accident a little easier on me. The last blog post I wrote describing the crash is by far my most viewed post at this point, and I just want to thank all of you who read this blog for your thoughts and prayers. Thanks again to everyone who reads this blog, it really helps me express my thoughts and I'm glad that some people are actually hearing them out. So a big thanks to everyone.
Now, today is the 5th day after the crash, and I have to say, I'm very blessed for my recovery. Yesterday I left the house for the first time, my road rash all bandaged up and me looking a little bit like a mummy. But the wounds on my face have really recovered well and their shouldn't be excessive scarring. I was able to take my bike to the shop to get it looked at, and it seems to have fared well, with just a few chips in the paint, scratched bar tape and possibly a damaged rear derailleur. So that was a good first step in the recovery process, because I was able to leave the house and get up out of bed.
There is a lot to get used to, and that's for sure. The liquid diet I'm forced to be on is difficult to live with, especially when events are going on. For example, today is my little sister's birthday, and so they can eat cake to celebrate, while I'm just sitting in the background sipping chocolate milk. It's very hard to get used to. It's the little things that I'm finding hard to deal with, such as yawning. I cannot open my mouth due to my jaw being wired shut, and so whenever I have to yawn it pulls on the wires and my jawline and creates pain. I also can't lick my lips, which is kind of funny, because if I get a bit of milkshake on my lip, I can do nothing. It's hard to get used to, but the liquid diet is giving me some peace of mind, because it will help me lose the weight I was struggling to lose and keep off while eating regular food. In summary, the liquid diet is helping me out, but it also brings it challenges.
My injuries are doing extremely well. The road rash on my face has cleared up the fastest, and so I am almost looking normal again. Apart from the deep cut on the bottom of my chin, my face has healed very well. The road rash on the rest of my body is shrinking as well, with the biggest problem region being my right leg. The left leg wasn't hit as hard, and so it has less to heal, and less severe wounds to heal, but the right side took the brunt of the force and impact, so my right hip and right knee have very sensitive, very large areas of just raw, inflamed skin. My biggest concern right now is the hip wound, because it is the deepest wound and also the largest. But time will help heal it, as only time can. My jaw is doing pretty decent as well, with only minor flare-ups of pain now. Two or three days ago, I would have my jaw flaring up very often with intense pain, but now the pain comes in less intensity and less frequency as well. So my jaw is improving, as well as the rest of my body.
Working out has been at zero for the past few days though, which is driving me crazy. I'm going to get back on the bike as soon as I can, and ride a few miles again. A better option prior to riding will be to hit some weight training in the gym and strengthen some weaknesses.
So all in all, I am doing very well and my recovery is going swiftly. Again, I thank you all for reading this blog, keeping me in your thoughts and prayers, and for visiting me! It really has helped me immensely. Stay safe out there everybody, don't end up like I have.
Happy training!
Saturday, July 6, 2013
The Big Bad Firecracker Ride
I know what you're all thinking-am I ok, what happened, was I in a crash, etc. Yes I was. But that I will get to later. I've got to tell you about the Firecracker ride first!
So I got up early on Thursday morning for the Firecracker Ride, a 50k and 100k cycling event that leaves from All Star bike shop in Saltbox Village in Cary, NC, for Multiple Sclerosis research. This is a chilled ride, it isn't timed, just a fun ride to get out, celebrate the 4th of July, and help out a good cause. Regardless, we all were going to treat the ride like a race anyway, let's be real. So, we get to the race and register, then ride around the parking lot waiting for the ride to start at 8am.
This is a picture of the over 1000 amazing people who came out to support the ride, and the other picture is of me under the start banner. I lined up next to the Capital Cycling Club, a group of riders who seemed very fast. We started out at 8oclock, and started to casually ride out of the parking lot. Once we got on Kildaire Farm road though, the pace quickened. We started rolling down this road in excess of 26-27mph. I stayed tight on the CCC guy's wheels, and just was catching an easy draft, having a good ride. We caught up with the Lonerider Cycling team, and those were the two big groups that established themselves early in the ride. We approached the big hill on Kildaire Farm road, you guys know, the big one the is super long and winds up towards Penny road? Well, to get home from work, I have to climb that hill. I thought to myself, even though this is a huge peloton and it's really early, this is MY hill. No one climbs it better than I do. So, I went off to the left of the peloton and started to climb the hill by myself. I quickly pulled away from the group.
In this picture, it's hard to see, but that is me, with a big smile on my face, pulling away from the main peloton, in the left-hand side of the picture. I led all the way up to just across Penny Road, because I sat up on the pace and waited for the group to catch up, then tucked myself back into the group and caught my breath. I sat up and talked with people in the group, until we got to around 25k, where we started another steep incline. I was third in line for the leader, and when it was my turn to pull, I started to pull well. I went straight up the hill and when I looked back, I had distanced the pack again! But after a while, I sat back into the group and just hung out, again talking with friends and making new friends. In fact, I passed my boss at one point descending down a big hill, which was awesome to me. So, the overall ride was a lot of fun, and I was getting a ton of great experience drafting off of experienced roadies.
Finally, I'll tell you guys about the crash. We were approaching 70 kilometers, and truthfully, I was feeling like a Tour rider. I remember a plethora of details very well: We were descending a good hill, I was about 15 riders behind the front of the race, and I looked down at my computer and I was going 57kph. Jordan lake was approaching on my right, and it looked very pretty. Then, it gets hazy. I believe someone on my right started to get wobbly and lose control, but I'm not for sure. The next thing I know, I'm looking up at three other cyclists over me and in the one closest to my face, in his sunglasses I see my reflection-I'm on the ground, my arms are sprawled on the asphalt and I'm bleeding heavily from my face and ear. I couldn't feel the right side of my jaw, and my whole body felt bruised and scraped. He was saying words but I couldn't understand him at first. A few seconds later, I could hear him, and then I started responding. I would later learn I had been unconscious for quite a while and was very unresponsive for a span of time, not sure how long. Even now, I cannot recall crashing. But, the man who was helping me got someone to call 9-1-1, and he called my mom for me. The ambulance came quickly, and they put me on a stretcher. This was a very surreal, scary moment for me. When I woke up looking at those cyclists, my first thought was "Is this real?" After all of how this year has gone, another crash wasn't possible. At least I thought. Once I was on the stretcher, the EMT's strapped me down and carried me and another man involved in the crash into the ambulance. The EMT asked me a few basic questions and wrote down my answers, and then told me he was going to start an IV. Guys, I hate needles. I absolutely HATE them. So I kind of got a mini panic attack in my head, but I contained it. He started the IV and got some fluids pumping into me, and I was good to go. We were quiet for the rest of the ride to UNC hospital, which kind of freaked me out. Once we got to the hospital, I got unloaded and taken into the ER. As they were checking me in, I'll tell you guys: I was on a backboard, you know, one of those things that keeps your neck in a neutral position in case you have a neck injury; but out of all my injuries, my butt hurt the most. Backboards are the most uncomfortable things EVER. I couldn't wait to get off the backboard and into a hospital bed, to be honest. Once I was off the backboard, I was rushed into a CT scan, an ankle X-ray, and a pelvic X-ray. The CT scan revealed that my jaw was broken, which made sense, but my pelvis and ankle was OK. I was relieved to hear this, and I'm glad that I wasn't too badly hurt. The doctors came in very regularly to keep checking my vitals, and were all spectating my wounds. I had road rash all over, mostly on my legs, knees, hips, shoulders, arms, elbows, and face. Other areas too, just not as bad. I tore my jersey in the shoulder area, and my cycling shorts have a HUGE hole in them in the right hip where I made impact with the ground. My helmet is also broken from impact, but my bike survived with some damaged shifters and scratched bar tape, which I was relieved to hear. Anyway, the doctors recommended immediate surgery for my jaw. I agreed, and went into surgery shortly after. The surgeon installed screws into my gums and wired my jaw into place. This has forced me onto a liquid diet for the next 6 weeks. So, on the plus side, maybe I'll lose that weight! Haha after the surgery, I had 4 stitches put into my face for very deep holes in my face from the road. I was up all night, constantly awoken by doctors, nurses, and pain. So, when the morning rolled around, I was delighted to be able to watch the Tour de France from the comfort of my hospital bed. It was a great stage. But, all in all, that was my crash in a nutshell. I tried to sum it up so I don't force you guys to sit and read this huge article, but this was my big one. My big crash that puts a lot of other stuff on hold. I'm still adapting to this new lifestyle, but I'm getting used to it.
If anyone knows any good recipes, please comment with good liquid recipes! I have to thank all of you for being concerned, all of my friends and family have made this so much more bearable for me. This has been a life-changing experience, and I hope to be able to influence some of you positively with this story.
This has really been a life-changing year for me, and it's taught me so much. I'll follow up with additional blogs after, but just make sure to keep your head up and stay motivated. I love all of you guys, as fellow triathletes, athletes, and followers.
If you are training this summer, be careful, and just be smart. It's never any fun when you get hurt.
Happy training!
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