Conklin Update 9/10

[SlowOldGuy]

Thanks again guys, it's pretty amazing that I survived the trip down the hillside through all the rocks and trees, one of the guys said just a little more to one side and I wouldn't have made it, or if I did survive it would be one of those Evil K. broken bone count deals.  I hear you Henry on the slow to heal.  I've been lucky so far, no infections and all the closed breaks are healing nicely.

Wow, reading that almost makes me feel lucky.  I'm a little further down the road to recovery, but it's nice to see you actually writing on your own.  Take care and heed the doctor's advice.  Don't rush it, we'll wait.

DavidR.

[Mark Olson]

Not sure if I will be working on the FJ EFI or not, depends on what the boss lady says about me riding again.  Right now she's not crazy about the idea and I can't say I blame her. 

Steve C.
[/quote]

Steve,

that is a decision to be made at a later time after you are healed up enough to ride again. you will need to climb back on the horse just  for your own sake of mind. even if you just borrow a friends bike and go around the block.

if you don't it will eat at your soul.
you are  gonna have a case of the yips anyway.

After my highside dismount , riding again was in question as well.
good friends and a supportive wife make all the  difference. 

[Klavdy]

So, you can't get on a bike for a year or so coz of your sore leg and you won't be able to go up the stairs too well either.
Guess this means the main bedroom is spare for while, huh?
Good.
I'll come and stay for a while, keep you company.
Still got all them big arse cats?

[FJ Flyer]

So, you can't get on a bike for a year or so coz of your sore leg and you won't be able to go up the stairs too well either.
Guess this means the main bedroom is spare for while, huh?
Good.
I'll come and stay for a while, keep you company.
Still got all them big arse cats?

Oh man, lock up the sheep!   

[CodyNKR]

Steve,
It is good to see you posting for yourself! I'm just sorry it took me so long to get to this thread. I just know that 'couch-potato' kitty you have will just love having you home and sitting around, now doesn't he?

You were missed at the rally.

If/when Jeff or I are up in that neck of the woods, we'll give you a heads up and stop in.

NancyK

[dduchene]

Steve I do not get over here much but it is so good to see you home and a little mobil. I really do hope that you keep riding but really can understand that feelings that all are having right now. Get well and I hope to talk soon.

Denis

[Brook]

..... Hi Steve,    That is one thing in life, and riding a >> Suzuki<< just kidding. When you get up in the morning, and you leave the house, you near know, if you are going to return the same way.
  Glad you are doing better,.... Riding or not, I and many others, I'm sure.  hope you stay on this site, Knowing you have a great deal of knowledge with bikes.
                                           Get well Soon

[Steve C.]

I've been slacking lately and haven't been on the PC for fun much, just trying to stay caught up with work as much as possible without being able to travel or even get into the office.  A laptop with a VPN connection, cellphone with a spare battery and headset is the extent of my office these days.

Lets see, Klavdy fortunately for me we have a one story ranch style house so there are no steps to deal with, at least once you're inside there are no steps to deal with but come on by, there are plenty of chores that need to be done and we pay three squares a day plus a place to flop.

Mark, I've been working on the GSXR as therapy, I've got all the bad stuff off, and working on getting some of the new stuff on, ebay has been the source for most everything and I've scored some great price vs new.  Still not sure about the riding again part.  We will have to cross that bridge sometime in the future.

Nancy, sorry I missed seeing everyone at the rally, but I was on a morphine drip at the time, soooooo I wouldn't have been much company anyway.  All the cats are bonded to Janie except our older female Savannah, she's mine but doesn't have the best indoor manners.  You guys are welcome to stop by if you are crazy enough to leave the warm florida weather for the cold NC winter (soon).

Denis, I was supposed to be out your way last month but of course that didn't happen.  It'll be awhile before I'm back in the weekly travel mode.  Ya the whole riding thing is up in the air and the level of recovery and the level of tolerance Janie has will dictate the future two wheeled activity.

Jeff, just saw your post as I was hitting send.  You are right about not know what's going to happen next in life.  Just have to roll with the punches as best you can.

Here's the med update, Gary Mastro is going to post it on the Yahoo Group for me:

The update is..............our latest visit to the ortho doc on the 7th here in Raleigh revealed the plates in the right leg are holding the bones in good alignment but there is still a significant gap between the ends of the  tibia at the fracture site.  There isn't much use in waiting another 30-45 days to see if things improve so we have elected to have bone graft surgery on the 20th.  We discussed using my bone vs synthetic and due to a number of factors the decision was made to go with the my bone, taken from the hip.  I will have another surgery site to deal with but a clinically better chance for a good fusion/healing process.  It will take 3 or so months to heal and a couple of years before things settle down due to all the trauma.  The biggest question is how much movement will I have in the ankle and therefore what level of athletic activity will I be able to participate in down the line.

I was wearing all my gear, Joe Rocket Speedmaster Jacket and Pants (360 zip), Held Phantom gloves,  Sidi Vortice boots and HJC Carbon helmet and I still got beat up pretty good.  Plenty of bruises but no rash anywhere.  All the other breaks are healed so if it wasn't for right leg I would be back to normal, whatever normal is these days!!!!  I might have come out slightly better with my race suit on due to the extra padding and built in back protector so my suggestion to everyone is wear your gear!!!!


Steve C.

[Klavdy]

Ranch style house huh?
Hmmm, means you got livestock, right?
O.K, I'll come and see you next May.

[rktmanfj]

Ranch style house huh?
Hmmm, means you got livestock, right?
O.K, I'll come and see you next May.

Don't get your hopes up, I'm pretty sure they don't have any sheep.           

Randy T
Indy

[Mark Olson]

Steve,

working on a bike is great therapy and your spirits sound in good shape, sorry to  hear you need a bone graft, thats gonna suck. Just a little more down time than you wanted i'll bet. keep your chin up and get a little better every day.

[racerman_27410]

Hang in there Steve,

I been praying for ya brother


KOokaloo!

Frank

[Ned]

G'day Steve

It's the first time I've logged in for ages so I've only just caught up on your current state of health. Life can be a bugger at times. I'm back on my bike after almost a year after my puny little "climbing accident" so I can imagine you're possibly suffering a lot more than I was. If nothing else, a major accident makes you realise how fragile the body is and how long it takes to mend at our age. I still don't have full strength in the ligaments I tore and the metal plate irritates the hell out of my leg especially when I jamb my bike boot on and zip it up. I have no doubt that you will get back on a bike of some sort.

Listen to Janey - Mrs Ned still tells me I should give up riding after the orthoped told her about the consequences of bike accidents! The trouble is now I have a newbie to look after in the form of my younger daughter's man who has just bought himself a Hyosung GT250R to learn on. I have already imparted to him the need to ride to his abilities and not try to emulate someone else's speed.

Hope you have good insurance - I was lucky to have my full pay via sick leave entitlement that I haven't used for years and ACC benefits and all surgery etc was paid for by ACC.

Best wishes
Ned

p.s. If Klavdy is visiting you may want to shift any sheep to higher ground or get a very big dog to guard them...

[Steve C.]

Well folks I went back to work on November 16th at my office in Raleigh.  I had been telecommuting from Virginia and then from home in NC trying to get back up to speed after 6 weeks flat on my back most of the time.  Had bone graft surgery to repair the non union of the right tibia and fibula on October 20th at Wake Med by Dr. Tim Harris (great guy, hope you never need his services) using the traditional method of harvesting bone from the hip.  Most painful damn thing I've ever been through in my life and that includes breaking the right leg twice.  The TI plates are still in place and holding everything in alignment. Everything has healed on the outside but we still have another 6 weeks to go before I can put full weight on the right leg, right now I am limited to 50 percent.  Which means I can take a normal shower etc. .  Doesn't seem like much but just being able to stand on my own is a major victory.  Starting PT (again) on the 29th which should be pretty painful given the limited range of motion in my right ankle.  Probably not going to get all of it back even with the PT but hopefully I will walk without a cane once things are healed.  I've been tinkering with the GSXR on the weekends and have it running again thanks to Janie's help and some serious scrounging on ebay.  Got it fired up a couple of weeks ago with just the headers in place, damn is that thing loud!!!!!  Got a set of KR Tuned CF cans and SS Y and Mid Pipes from Hotbodies on closeout which was basically less than the cost of a new Y pipe and one Yoshi CF can to fix the old system.  Also got new set of FZ-1 bars and right side control pod.   Just trying to figure out what paint scheme to do on the bodywork and she'll be back on the road.  Not sure it I'm going to be back on the road, that remains to be seen.  I did make sure to get a set of shorty CRG levers for the 1000 so now it's just like the 750 track bike.  Hopefully that will eliminate me flipping it over forward in the future (if I do ride).  Just to recap the get off, apparently (I don't remember a thing) I passed a buddy of mine on his Buell and then decided to slow down and get back in behind him.  Don't know if I was distracted or what but I pulled on too much front brake and did a mega stoppie and then some.  The guys said I looked like Superman flying through the air.  The only thing I can figure is the 1000 has OEM long arsed levers and the 750 track bike has CRG shorties.  I was use to some pretty serious braking on the 750 and could modulate the pressure to just have the back tire skimming the track up at VIR coming into T-1, 7 and 14.  Guess I just grabbed too hard/quick on those long levers and over she went.  Probably would have been less beat up if I hadn't gone to one side and down the hillside though all the rocks and trees etc.

[racerman_27410]

Thanks for checking in Steve,

i hope the rest of your recovery is speedy and complete!


Merry Christmas and happy new year brother!


Frank