Originally Posted by Jeff Bipes

First of all, many thanks to all well-wishers.
I'm very humbled and grateful for your outpouring of support.

here is the story as I know it.

Accident happened Jan. 17
First edit Friday Jan. 28
Latest Wed. nite Feb 2


I got into a near head-on crash with a cattle truck, west of Mpls near
Long Lake.
I was traveling westbound.
It was snowing all day and icy under the overpasses. It happened
about 2:30 Pm. I have no recollection at all what I was doing that
day, that afternoon, or the crash or after-math.
The reports said I was swerving, and the truck driver tried to avoid
me be going for the side.
He hit the guard rail
We hit left fronts, not head on.
Reports from other drivers said there was an explosion form my car.
Hood blown off.
Drivers door blown off.

I was thrown from the car; not wearing my seat belt, yes, bad. The car initially saved me, but the car
behind me, a Honda Civic, drove over me, dragging me 4-6 car lengths.
I was trapped underneath.
The driver of the Honda tried to stop, but slid, going up on the curb
with me under the car.
There was a woman in a Jetta behind the Honda that also slid to a
stop, and guy driving a propane truck behind her that stopped short of
hitting the Jetta.
All got out and were looking for the driver of the Audi, but the guy
that drove the propane truck, saw my hand sticking out from the bottom
of the Honda.
It took 3 guys, adrenalin-reinforced, to move the Honda off me. They
put their jackets on me; I wasn't moving.
The paramedics came and put a sheet over me. All thought I was dead.
This is the most complete story I have. It was told to me 2 weeks ago,
but I have no memory of it at that detail
I do not know the complete story; I've not read the police report.
written reports on-line are not accurate. See the links.

i have a small fracture of my left hip socket. no surgery needed to
fix it but cant walk, cant put weight on it for weeks.
i have a stretched brachial-plexus left, my arm is immobile, but
getting better every day. therapy is helping.
i struggle to lift it, squeeze things.
i had my right eye-lid get torn and fixed.
My right ear was torn, mangled, fixed.
i have a 3-pt scar back of the head, that had 25 staples
No solid concision, but some trauma to my head.
i have a large cut on my left leg that got 20 stitches.
both backs of hand are scrapped, bruised.
i had my cath. removed today, Friday, Jan. 28, and peed standing up
for the first time, into a urinal bottle in front of my 2 nurses. I
was very relieved. They clapped.

I'm at North Memorial, 7th flr, into training and recovery. i can walk
with a walker, but i tire.
I'm exercising my left arm, but, it's all frustrating want it to go faster.
i don't really hurt that much, but my left area gives me problems.
i'm on percacet, methadone and a blood-thinner.
Methadone is reduced, and the Percocet is only needed when I have a lot of pain
nurses like that i'm strong.
i like most of the nurses.
i'll be in recovery/therapy for some months.
6-8 weeks before I can put weight on my left leg.



today -Friday, Feb. 4

a bit of good news this morning.

I had been concerned regarding the pain I was still having in my left
shoulder and upper arm.
I understand that I was hit from behind and struck. Also, I was told
the brachial-plexus stretch I had was the cause of my left arm not
responding. Yes, it has been getting better, and therapy has helped.

Today, in consultation with the lead doc., he told me the MRI doesn't
show a stretch in the brachial-plexus band of nerves.
The cause then of my pain is most likely skeletal-muscular damage from
the trauma of the accident. This also is impeding my arm control,
still causing pain.
The good news then is that this potential for this healing drops to
weeks instead of months.
Yes, I will still have pain, but I can expect to see better
improvement in arm/motion control sooner. Also, he said, the MRI can't
see everything, and there still may be damage to the brachial-plexus
area. It's not a complete science.

The fact that my arm appears to get better every day, helps me to
understand this all better, and relieves me a bit as to not make this
all a nerve-related injury.

Therapy helps.


oh and yes, we will be looking for another Audi.
I made a bad, habit decision not to wear my seat belt. The car did save me in spite of myself.

My wife wants an A4 Cabrio. I wrecked her car, so she's entitled.

size of pics are large, sorry, no p-shop here in the hospital

--
Best regards to all,

Jeff

763.218.7710

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Originally Posted by Alpha D (Post 374157)

I dont understand why bikers are not required to wear helmets . . . ?

Originally Posted by A//// Guy (Post 374335)

Commmon sense!