I'm not sure how and why I keep getting bucked off the "horse" but I continue to get back on and keep riding.
It happened... the crash after the crash. On Thursday morning I was enjoying my mountain bike ride. I was working on my skills, riding single track and having so much fun. I didn't see anyone all morning until I decided to take the long way around to stay off mid-mountain. I was descending down a gravel road (right above the water tower in Park City) and somehow slipped off my grips going 20mph. It felt like it went in slow motion, as I lost control slid over the handle bars and crashed onto the gravel road. I hit my left side, arm first, hip, then legs with the bike twisting around me. I sat up and looked at the blood dripping down everywhere. It's never easy crashing, but this moment felt very scary. When I was descending back down to Main Street I kept saying "I love to ride, I love to ride, I love to ride" The bloody mess that I was, thankfully a old guy in a truck picked me up on Empire Pass to drive me to Andy's shop. Right away they hosed me down to rinse me off to see what was really underneath all the blood and gravel. Andy decided on my left arm it really needed a clean at the PC clinic. As the nurse cleaned the gravel out of my body I kept looking at Andy saying "I am so happy to feel the pain" the doctor said "you're tough, you sure you don't want any pain medicine" my response, nope! I did get talked into a antibiotic since infection would be possible if I didn't take it. I will be smart and take the medicine. As we left the clinic I felt like a walking mummy with gauze from arm to legs. That evening the pain in my elbow was horrible and Andy talked me into taking Tylenol PM. That being said it was my first time since August 3rd taking any pain medicine. I cannot stand drugs of any kind and believe in nutrition, exercise, love and strength will heal you. It truly does and I know this from experience. The fact that I can't remember my July 28th cycling accident is scarier now that I have crashed again. I know riding with vision in one eye can be tricky with depth perception and focus, but I focus on the abilities I do have right now. I had a hearing test done recently and it's improving every time. My TBI will always be a roller coaster, but for the last month things are on a uphill climb. The BPPV however has creeped back for the last week and I will start doing my exercises again. The facial paralysis is improving everyday and slowly can see the smile get bigger. I have to work on my blinking powers but when I manually close my eyelid it stays shut longer for when I go to sleep. The tears haven't returned yet, nor can pucker my lips, raise my eyebrow or crinkly my nose. The moisture in my mouth and chewing on the left side is still non functional. Whelp, that's the latest y'all on me post accident(s). The doctors are pretty happy on my improvements and believe I will have full recovery. Until next time... wear a helmet! Even when your out commuting around town. Wear a helmet... again wear a helmet. I have a great 12 mile commute to work everyday and enjoy seeing everyone out biking this month to celebrate national bike month. Keep it going all year round!
To help with my commute I depend on Ibex Wool Cycling Jersey to keep me comfy at 0700 with a pair of knee warmers and skull cap. http://shop.ibex.com/Apparel/Womens-Ride I have sunglasses now that protect my eye from dirt/wind. Made by Wiley X they have a facial cavity seal so I ride when it's windy outside. They are not fashionable like my Maui Jim's but considering I can't blink or see out of my left eye they work great. The basic idea is to slowly recreate the brain-to-nerve-to-muscle routine. At first, the goal is to regain the capability of doing correct movements voluntarily, while mentally focusing on the action.
But over a period of time, these movements may finally become automatic, natural movements and expressions. While it is a slow process, performing the exercises below may be beneficial.
What if you couldn't just say 'cheese'? http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2013/02/21/172504277/what-if-you-couldnt-just-say-cheese Facial palsy UK Charity. The charity has an information video explaining some of the realities of living with facial paralysis. http://vimeo.com/49032228 However you smile, you do need to keep smiling, and it really doesn't matter what you look like, it's what is inside that really matters...
Since my weighted eyelid surgery I have been experiencing energy on the left side of my face and it feels great!
A week after surgery I went to Tadasana Yoga Studio for my power vinyasa class. Even though I'm not suppose to put my head down or look up during class because it otherwise felt like my face would fall off... I still was able to do all the poses. I was sweating and had moisture in my eyes and nose. I felt rounded again to be able to have my left eye open. Then on Wednesday after working and feeling totally exhausted I came home took a nap and woke up an hour later. At 730pm I felt like today was the day to get on the trainer and ride my bike. After sweating on the trainer I started to experience the moisture in my eye and nose... the sweating is generating the nerve system and producing the moisture. I like this! Yesterday I went to Longevity Acupuncture Clinic and always have the most amazing experience. Melissa is very talented in her practice. She cares and listens and has been addressing my facial paralysis for the past two months. I look forward to my treatments weekly and feel incredibly balanced and enjoying the flow in my life. I am continually amazed by Melissa's fire and energy! She is truly amazing. In this journey Andy has introduced me to ice fishing and we've been enjoying trout for dinner fresh from the reservoir. I went down hill skiing which equaled swelling of the eye... thinking the swelling was from the goggles and higher elevation?!! Not sure but will try again. On the next day tried skate skiing again and that left me feeling exhausted. Which meant it was a great experience! I truly feel like a kid again with recreating and doing something new everyday. I count my blessings each day... I think positive to achieve positive and I look for the hidden ways to be thankful. In this fabulous journey I have been patient and thankful for each and every one of you that I have been able to talk and listen to and I thank you! Six months ago on July 28th I was in a bicycle accident. The amazing faces I have seen of myself and I am everyday seeing the slow process of healing.
I came across this photo of me that Andy took on 7/26/12 and to think my face would change 2 days later. This photo is funny to me because I never style my hair... I'm always wearing hats/helmets and sunglasses. I'm not sure if you'd even recognize me. hehehe! On January 28th I had surgery on my left eyelid to help me with blinking. The surgeon placed an weighted gold plate in my eyelid that will help me with my blink reflex. I still have no vision out of this eye but really looking forward to NOT having to tape my eyelid closed everyday! "Hi!!!" "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE?" This is a question I go through everyday. I know people are curious and concerned, not hostile. What I say however, is up to me. I may not feel like answering or I may feel like telling all the details. It depends on who they are, what the occasion is and how I am feeling at the time. My golden rule is I'm prepared. I may think that questions about my face is the thing that I dread most, but most people find that anxiety is completely resolved by having an answer prepared. "I was injured in a bicycle accident 6 months ago, but it's not a problem now" (simple and closes down the subject) “I damaged my facial nerve in an accident. I never think about it now. Tell me, what do you think of this weather?” (This is also closing down the subject of your face, and is very effective when you follow that immediately by a question about the other person?”) “Oh, I don’t want to bore you with all my medical details, it’s not a problem now.” (Assertive and reassuring, but makes the point clearly that it is not something that you want to discuss.) It is always worth having some answers prepared. If you don’t, then you leave yourself open to the question that catches you completely off guard, and makes you anxious about future social occasions. The other strategy you can use, is to bring your appearance into the conversation yourself, on your own terms. You will be surprised at how skilled you will become at doing this. When your face is clearly noticeable and people often ask you about it, then this is worth considering. “The advantage of an unusual appearance is that people can always remember who they spoke to.” If you can bring some humour into your statement, you will go a long way to reassuring the other person that you feel comfortable about your appearance and that they can relax and treat you exactly as they would treat anyone else. More importantly... "What happened to the snow?"
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October 2016
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