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Messages - wild bill

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General Banter / Re: My BIG Motorcycle Crash!!!
« on: October 30, 2012, 01:40:24 PM »
From my point of view, the frank discussion of my accident is doing exactly what I wanted it to do : initiate conversation. Nothing anyone says or does at this point can change what happened to me. I crashed a beautiful bike REALLY HARD & have been suffering the consequences of that crash ever since. In some way, I know I'll never forget the lessons of that crash. I haven't taken any of your responses too personally, yet (LOL!), but they have added to my knowledge base. Especially the one from "Aprilian" re: the acronym "I'm Safe." I will forever be using that on my own rides in the future & encouraging others to use it, too.
Just remember, "there but for the grace of God go I." This means what happened to me could happen to any of you. Trust me, it's not an experience that anyone should want to have happen to them. It's much more fun & exciting to actually ride a motorcycle. Crashing sucks!
I have learned or re-learned 3 concrete lessons from this particular accident: 1) Read & heed the disclaimers/warnings that accompany any newly-prescribed drug. Ask your doctor any questions, before leaving his office, so that you truly understand how that new drug could/will affect you. 2) All The Gear, All The Time (ATGATT). I know it's been said before, but it bears constant repeating. As a result of my being fully-suited for riding, my injuries were seriously minimized compared to what they would have been w/o all the gear, all the time. 3) Stay hydrated. When my doctor tells me that at any given moment, 80% of Americans are dehydrated,[/b] I'd say that's a serious problem. Few of us drink as much water as we should, or as often as we should be drinking it. Since my accident, I'm w/i sight of a water bottle, and I use it regularly. 
I know going forward I'll be a wiser, smarter & safer rider. However, I'll still be "Wild Bill !!!"  8)

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General Banter / Re: My BIG Motorcycle Crash!!!
« on: October 29, 2012, 07:31:38 PM »
Oh, Tim, I'd actually feel a lot less dumb if I could blame this accident on being hungover. Regrettably, I honestly can't offer that as an excuse!
After an exhausting series of medical tests on my lungs, my heart, my respitory system, & my brain, the consensus is that I'm in much better than average physical condition for a man my age & there is no medical cause to my fainting, other than dehydration in conjuction w/new to me blood-pressure medicine. According to my doctor, under the circumstances that caused my fainting, I couldn't possibly have stayed awake!
The rest, as they say, is now history.   

Wild Bill  8)

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General Banter / Re: My BIG Motorcycle Crash!!!
« on: October 29, 2012, 05:53:45 PM »
Tim,

Thank you! I'm happy to report that I'm recovering nicely. I even have a new bike sitting in my garage, waiting for me to ride it for the first time...next Spring! However, I'm not looking for sympathy here. The only reason to share my story is to help others learn from my mistake. You are correct. I f-ed up! Trust me, I will NEVER MAKE THAT EXACT MISTAKE AGAIN, Tim. I only hope that others heed my words & stay hydrated, wear all the gear all the time & be careful out there. That's all....

BTW, "volume depletion," or "dehydration," is why I fainted at the controls, which led to my crash. Like you said, my mistake...

Wild Bill   

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General Banter / My BIG Motorcycle Crash!!!
« on: October 29, 2012, 01:38:09 PM »
If you're a "Facebook Friend" of mine, you've probably seen a version of this story already. Sorry about that.
The following is the most up-to-date version.


Hola,

For those of you who haven't heard, I had a bad motorcycle accident this year on the 19th of August. I fainted while riding my new (to me) 2010 Honda GL1800 GoldWing motorcycle & drove off the road into a ditch. According to witnesses, the crash was horrific!

Thankfully, I was wearing safety gear, including padded pants & jacket, sturdy boots, good gloves & a full-face helmet. Thanks to the friends I was riding with & our proximity to Star Prairie, WI, emergency medical help was quickly on the scene. Once stabilized, I was rushed via ambulance to a hospital in New Richmond, WI, where a Med-Evac chopper was waiting to airlift me to Regions Hospital, one of the top trauma hospitals in the country. The care I received there substantiates that, too.

After 8 days in Regions (2 in the ICU!), I came home w/2 broken ribs in my back on the right side, a broken right hand @ the base of my pinkie (there was a steel rod in the bone in my palm to the pinkie finger that was removed 9/25/12), an old injury in my back, vertebra T7, that was "awakened" after 15 years to remind me it's still there (!) & a slight concussion that resulted in some short term memory loss.

I spent 2 weeks recuperating @ home before returning to work September 10th, 2012, on a restricted & shortened schedule. Now I'm working full time with few restrictions.

A full & complete recovery is expected.

The doctors consensus of the cause of my accident is "volume depletion," or dehydration, which was made worse due to my recently beginning to take blood pressure medicine 10 days before the accident.

Please remember to keep yourselves hydrated while you're out & about, no matter what you're doing, but especially if you're operating a motor vehicle!

My accident could have been much, much, worse & certainly would have been w/o my protective gear @ clothing. Please be sure to wear your own safety gear while riding any 2-wheel vehicle, but especially a motorcycle!

Above all, enjoy your life & be careful out there.

Wild Bill

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