Wednesday, 10:52AM, May 22, 2024 – Old Edwards Road
I had just gotten to mile 17, of a 20 mile ride and crossed over Hwy 78 to Old Edwards road when a black dog behind a fence started barking and running my way. I was thinking there was an opening in the fence up ahead, so I increased my speed and got my water bottle ready to squirt water at the dog if he got out. From a wooded area in front of me the dog came running, fast straight at me. The last thing I remember before getting to the hospital was squirting the dog with water as he got closer. I’m not sure of the actual event but i guessing the dog got scared of the water and tried to stop, but his momentum took him into my front wheel causing me to go down. From the data collected from my riding apps and phone records, we were able to figure out that I went down at 10:52AM the first person got to me at 10:59AM and 911 was called at 11:01AM. I have no memory of the accident, paramedics or the ride to the hospital, where I spent 1 night. I ended up with 7 stitches in my face, above my left eye, 4 fractured ribs, fractured scapula, clavicle, and hip. Below are the official results from the 4 CT scans and xrays taken at the hospital.
Narrative
HISTORY: Bicycle versus pedestrian, left shoulder pain, chest pain, head injury TECHNIQUE: Routine CT scan of the chest abdomen and pelvis was performed with contrast. Delayed images as well as sagittal and coronal reconstructions were also performed.One or more of the following measures were utilized for radiation dose reduction in concordance with the ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable): Automatic exposure control, adjustment of the KV or MA according to patient’s size, iterative reconstruction. COMPARISON: CT 6/17/2021 FINDINGS: CHEST: There is an area of pleural thickening or small hemothorax at the left apex related to fractures of the left first through fourth ribs anteriorly and posterolaterally. A fracture is also present of the left scapular body extending to just inferior to the glenoid. Aorta is without aneurysm or dissection. There is motion at the aortic root. Heart is without a pericardial effusion. There are a few tiny dots of gas in the anterior mediastinal fat without a pneumothorax. The lungs otherwise demonstrate dependent atelectasis. There are scattered calcified granulomas. Some calcified lymph nodes are also present in the mediastinum.
ABDOMEN: The liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen are intact. The pancreas demonstrates 2 small pancreatic cyst at the pancreatic neck measuring up to 11 mm. There is an additional cyst at the pancreatic body measuring 1.5 cm. The main duct is not dilated. The adrenal glands are normal and symmetric. The kidneys demonstrate normal cortical enhancement and excretion. No stones or hydronephrosis. Visualized bowel is intact. No free air or free fluid. PELVIS: The bladder is well-distended with normal wall thickness. No free pelvic fluid identified. No abnormal pelvic adenopathy identified. Vascular structures are without aneurysm. There is a subtle nondisplaced fracture of the left anterior acetabulum
FINDINGS: There are partially visualized posterior left second and third rib fractures. No evidence of acute cervical spine fracture. No evidence of traumatic subluxation.
Impression
1. Fractures of the left first through fourth ribs anteriorly and posterolaterally. Likely adjacent small hemothorax at the apex. 2. Fracture of the left scapular body extending to just inferior to the glenoid. 3. Subtle nondisplaced fracture of the left anterior acetabulum. 4. Incidental small pancreatic cysts. Recommend nonemergent follow-up MRI abdomen with and without contrast in 6 months. This could be related to dilated side branches or intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms. Outpatient GI consultation should also be considered.
I make this post 3 weeks after the accident and I’m starting to feel pretty good. However, my clavicula quickly reminds me I try to do much. I did get a slow, easy 30 minute ride on my stationary bike this morning.
