Gol-dang melon-farming cagers!
Man, I'm hurting right now...
This past Friday night, I decided to take Suki out for a short, leisurely ride around the Blowhole/Sandy's area, since I was feeling a little cloistered at home and wanted to feel the cool night air. It was a clear night, and I was happy keeping an easy pace down Kalanianaole Highway, with the moon at my back.
Returning home, I came down the Hawaii Kai Drive Saddle Road towards Lunalilo Home Road, turned left onto Lunalilo, into the left-hand lane, and got about maybe a quarter mile down the road.
This is where my memory stops.
I faintly recall feeling very peaceful, calm, and seeing a still image of a silver Civic or Corolla, parked on the side of some street, in broad daylight. I can sort of remember thinking "I must be having a dream", while feeling very serene. Serenity. What a nice word.
Then my memory starts up again. Choppy. Just bits and pieces.
Flashing lights.
Someone asking me through a wall: "Are you all right? Can you hear me?"
Streetlamp shining in my face.
Silver Civic/Corolla, in the street, big dent in the driver's door.
Dizzy.
Police officer: "Do you know what happened?"
Police officer: "That car tried to make a U-turn from the far right lane, cut across your path right in front of you."
Silver Civic/Corolla again, this time parked across the street.
EMT: "What's your mom's number?"
Suki, lying on her side, leaking.
Can't move real well. Dizzy, no major pain. Am I in shock?
See my mom on the sidewalk.
EMT: "Do you think you need a ride to Emergency?" I refused.
EMT: "Are you sure?"
Police officer: "If you need the police report for your insurance, here is the number." Hands me a card with the report number, his name, type of MVA.
Silver Civic/Corolla is gone.
No more flashing lights.
Suki has been moved to the side of the road. My mom asks me what am I going to do.
I call two of my friends, and they load Suki into his truck and take her home, about 3/4 mile away. Thank God for friends.
Thank God for my mom.
Thank God for the police and EMTs.
It was about 3 AM by the time I got home. I remember feeling sporadic dizziness, a little light-headed, and a feeling like I was coming down with the flu. At the time, I was aware of only two main places my body hurt, my right buttock, which is probably where I landed, and my pubic bone:
Ummmm, ouch.
I knew the next day was going to be rough, even with the Tylenol.
I woke up after sleeping about 4 hours. I was sore and a little dizzy. I discovered how sore I was when I tried to get off the couch. The buttock and suprapubic pain was still there (though I did have the benefit of ice packs while sleeping), but apparently I had hyperextended myself when I took my impromptu Superman lesson off the bike. Turning my head was murder on my neck. Lifting my head was nearly out of the question. My arms were okay; my back was not so okay, as I was experiencing some lower, lower-mid and shoulder pain. My legs were probably the worst. I could not lift them off the couch without extreme discomfort; I had to lift them off the couch with my hands and ease my feet onto the floor. After talking with HPD, my insurance company, and my friends, I decided to go to the Kahala Urgent Care clinic later that day. Since I am currently without medical insurance (perfect timing:really: ), I fear my only recourse is to try getting reimbursed by the other party's insurance company.
When I went to the clinic, the RN who pre-examined me told me she had coincidentally passed by the accident scene last night on Lunalilo Home Road and was wondering if I was involved after I described what happened. She said there were a fire truck, an ambulance, police cars, and nearly the whole road was blocked off. Sheesh, I didn't notice
any of this. She said she saw the driver of the car (young kid), as well as the huge dent in the driver's door, but not my motorcycle or me.
They ran a number of mobility/neurological field tests on me, and determined that it was unlikely that I had sustained any life-threatening damage, but the doctor was concerned about my amnesia. He made a reservation at Queen's Imaging Unit for a CT scan that afternoon.
Here's why I was a little dizzy and a lot forgetful:
Direct impact, lower back of the head. In fact, if I hadn't been wearing my helmet, the injury would have been higher up, and would have resulted in a fracture. Doesn't look like much, but it takes a lot of force to do this to a helmet over this kind of area. This helmet is now compromised. Thank God that I had enough common sense to wear it that night.
The CT scan didn't show any imminently dangerous condition, so the doctor at the clinic told the Imaging folks that it was okay to let me go home. The Tylenol had long worn off by then, and I was staggering like a zombie in a George Romero flick. I went home, medicated myself (not a good thing), and drifted into a broken sleep until 8:30 this morning.
This morning I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. My legs only hurt when I try to move them; when they're static, they're okay. Should I stay in bed all day lol? Back is feeling very stiff. Shoulders, chest, sore. Neck is stiff and sore, no sudden head movements PLEASE! The doc did diagnose me with a moderate case of whiplash, not enough to warrant a cervical collar. Right hand ring finger is swollen. And I'm still a little dizzy, a little peaked.
Guess what? Aside from a minor abrasion on my left shin (from my jeans most likely), I have no external injuries, at least none that I've found. Usually when a rider is ejected from his bike, that's a recipe for very bad things. I don't think anything is broken (although it feels like my whole body is broken). I seriously believe the Big Guy upstairs was looking out for me, because I shouldn't be here typing this. However, I believe there are better ways of reaffirming one's faith, and this is not a method I recommend, not that I could have prevented the accident (aside from staying home).
Right now, I'm very tired. I know my body is using as much energy as possible in trying to repair itself. As I hobble around the house in a semi-daze, I'm still well aware that I fared way better than Suki did:
Bent fork legs:
Headlight and front fender:
Handlebars:
Cracked engine cover:
Look Ma, no footpegs!
She's totaled. Her KBB value in excellent condition would be $1600. Since she was not in excellent condition, but her mileage was "low" (17,000) miles, maybe this is the most I could hope to get from the other party's insurance company.
I do have the parts necessary to get her roadworthy again (except the exhaust, which is a ridiculous $800 from the dealer), but I do not know if her frame is tweaked. I have a GSXR-750 inverted fork, the uber-exotic GSXR-400 braced alloy swingarm with hugger (yes, Jay, I know...), a fuel tank, extra plastic bodywork, a Fox rear shock with remote reservoir, etc. etc. Feeling a bit depressed though. Like a part of my life has been taken away from me. Don't know about fixing up Suki...
If anyone has any advice at all from a legal, insurance, or motorcycle perspective, I'd be grateful for
any advice you could give me, even if I am in a different state.
At any rate, I'm gonna take it easy for a few days. I'll be getting my hands on the police report tomorrow, and seeing where I go from there. My back is starting to act up. Maybe a trip to the chiropractor is in order.
Always wear your gear!
