Crash update from Comfort 2002

[Jimmy_Pop]

I have not done a recent photo lately. Here is one from today and the other nasty one is about 1.5 months and 5 surgeries after the crash at Comfort DH in 2002. It is coming up on the 2 year anniversary of my crash. The short story is a compound fracture of the left heel and a resulting staff infection.

No worries though. I've raced DH since the crash, placed well and am planning on racing alot in 2004. Building a new bike too! Life is good!

enjoy!

joel

[Westy]

That is horrible. Looks like someone hacked up a python and threw a piece at you. Hope you heal up quick.

[Jimmy_Pop]

after surgery

[dougcyprus]

that is the grosest thing that i have even seen. how did u crash?

[Mr Big]

what happened? what is that wrapped around your foot?

[-dustin]

oh good god. should've saved a piece of that and had it clear coated onto the TMX.

[Jimmy_Pop]

After the doctors got thru cutting out all the infected junk, I had a nice sized hole in the side of my foot. That "thing" wrapped around my foot use to be around my rib cage area. They transplanted 3 strands of muscle, tisse and their blood vessels down to the hole left in my foot from the infection. The surgeons basically cut me open, stuffed abunch of meat down in there, stitched it in so it would not fall off, and finally hooked it up to a big blood vessel.

The mesh looking stuff was a large swatch of skin they took from my thigh, punched many holes in it and then stretched it around the transplanted tissue. This skin graft did'nt take, the skin fell off eventually. And that's why it still has not covered up. I didn't want another skin graft. That hurt.

In the recent photo, you can still see the scar that twists up my shin area. The transplanted muscle eventually reduced in size and skin grew over it. I just have alittle more to go.

Pretty cool huh!

joel

[akaeasy_j]

Joel, you are the baddest MF for riding again after all of that!! I remember pulling off the shoe right after the wreck and seeing the blood, dizzam, thats some bad sheet. I think we are gonna try to hit funkytown this weekend, maybe catch the trinity rail from the dart rail, also hit some of the dallas spots. You can check the RP site for detials

ez

[Jimmy_Pop]

I've still got that bloody shoe !


jh

[Jimmy_Pop]

Originally posted by azonicist
what happened? what is that wrapped around your foot?

I jumped off my bike and landed on my feet cause I was off camber over a small jump. I wasn't going that fast or that high in the air. I hit just at the right angle and my heel let go. If I had better shoes and was 15 pounds lighter, it might not have broken. Lesson learned.

Anyone have pics or vid of the crash and aftermath ??

jh

PS I'll always owe you one EasyJ

[AZRacerX]

Dude, I think you got the makings of a kicka$$ malpractice suit! That thing is NASTY! Good that you can talk about it so freely. My next trip would be to the plastic surgeon...

[Honor]

Double damn! Did you undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy for your wound? And kudos to you for getting back on the bike. Comfort is a great place to ride.:cool:

[Jimmy_Pop]

Nothing that sophisticated, only protein, coral calcium and sleep! oh yeah, and time.

jh