So I'm lying here in bed at home, recovering from my accident and writing in my journal, and I read a page that I had written on the night of my crash to distract myself from the pain that will scrounging through my entire left side.

I don't usually share my journal entries, I write for relief, and so that as I grow as a person, I am able to reflect on myself and see how I've changed through my life. But I thought this might be something good to spread around and share with you guys.

Hopefully it will be something that will make a slight difference in the way we see life and the things around as we get on with today. Because for me, meeting Joe was something that really opened my eyes to how fortunate I am. It really sometimes take seeing someone else to realize how much worst things could be and that we should really take time off from the hustle and bustle of life, to just realize how lucky we are to be living the lives we do, riding our motorcycles and being free!

if anyone's interested to read about my accident, it's in this thread.
(https://www.hdforums.com/forum/gener...towing-12.html)

anyway, here goes.


As I hit the cold hard tarmac right seconds after experiencing what no biker ever wants to go through, the first thought that ran through my mind was “what the ****? NOT AGAIN!” I had just skidded in West Covina en route to picking up my girlfriend from her motorcycle safety class. My second thought was actually, “dammit, I’m going to be late!” And then I saw the deep cut in my knee that showed the bone, and I started to freak out.

I must have gone over an oil or gravel patch because I wasn’t speeding nor did I hear skid screeches when I went down. It’s amazing how perceptive time is because when you get into an accident, seconds feel like minutes and suddenly your senses get shots of adrenaline, making everything around you seem heightened. The lights seem brighter, people’s faces more expressive, blood redder and the wail of the ambulance and police car excruciatingly loud.

Anyway, fast track to when I got to the hospital, I had to get stitches, and I ****ing hate stiches. I loathe the thought of a needle, pointed and sharp, piercing through my skin, and worst, I hate it when it’s at a joint. Jab me in the arm, it’s bad enough, weave through my skin at a joint, that’s just pushing it.

So I’m sitting in the ER bed, just whining to myself about how shitty it is that I now have a possible broken knee, a cut so deep you can see the bone, and that the tow company was going to charge me $285 for towing and lock up in their compound, with the bill racking up at $50 for each extra day that they had to store it. My Harley! My pride and joy, alone is a desolated metal junkyard, possibly broken. Life just started to take a major southward turn.

As I was limping out the hospital on my new crutches which I was instructed to utilize for the next ten days, I saw a man in a wheelchair, with eyes grey as the tarmac I had just a while ago make a very unwilling contact with, scruffy beard that looked like it hadn’t been washed in weeks. We made eye contact and stared blankly at each other for a good five seconds before I finally opened my mouth and muttered, “Hey what’s up?”

He introduced himself as Joe and told me that we made meager conversation for a bit about the weather and my Harley. I then asked him, “So what happened to you?”

“I’m getting my leg chopped off, I’m diabetic” said Joe in the most forlorn voice I had heard in the past month. He turned and showed me his foot. Part of it was missing, and part of it was blackened, with a pump sucking blood and poison out into a unit that he had on his lap. “It’s my birthday next week and they’re going to cut it off for my birthday present. You don’t happen to have a cigarette do you?”

My heart sank as the words “they’re going to cut it off for my birthday present” resounded like a shout in a deep empty cave, echoing through my mind. Here I am, bitching about how my leg is all ****ed up and my bike is in a tow company that is obviously ripping the cash right out of my wallet, and worrying about the states of my motorcycle, and here is a man, that is going to lose his leg. Suddenly my troubles juxtaposed to his, seemed like a piece of rock lying beneath Mt Everest.

I replied, “Sorry man, I don’t smoke. I’m sorry to hear about your leg, I’ll pray for you. And good luck man.”

As he rolled back towards the ward, it struck me that Beth could offer Joe a smoke. And she was just around the block getting her car to come and pick me from the lobby so I wouldn’t have to hobble all the way around. Such an absolute sweetie.

“Hey Joe, hang on right there, my girlfriend is driving over and she smokes, I’ll ask her to offer you one.”

As we left the hospital, I couldn’t help but keep thinking of Joe, the guy is going to lose his leg! I dare not fathom how it might feel if I had to be in his situation, or have someone I care about go through an amputation.

Thing is, whenever we feel that our problems are dominant and that it’s all about “FML FML **** MY LIFE” and things like that, if we only step back for a second and think about how great and blessed we are to just be alive and being able to do the things we want to do, and enjoy life comfortably, our problems really aren’t that big.

I mean, considering how I went down and how it happened to be on one of those short rides that I didn’t wear full protective gear on, I could have been hurt way worst. In ten days, I will be walking again, hopefully with no inhibitions except for memories of the crash. But Joe, he’ll never walk ever again, not the same way at least. In a few months, I should have my motorcycle running again, roaring through the wind, throttle wide open, without a care. But in a month, Joe will be without a leg.

Be thankful even in the worst of situations, because the fact that we are alive is already something to be thankful for. I love, and to have a great life that I’ve been blessed by God with.

Live Free, Ride Free.

 

careful on the slick turns, they will drop you in a split sec.

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Enjoyed the read.

 

Nice read... thanks for posting. Puts things in perspective.

Can someone explain to me what a slick turn is that Wheels 752 refers to and what I should be looking out for?

 

I have the same feeling as you do. Even though I have had medical issues (heart, kidney)etc, I am so lucky to be living and being able to enjoy my life. I know many people who have died young, disabled, homeless,in poverty that my problems pale in comparison to theirs.
Always been grateful for the life that I have.

 

u live well bro, I hope u get better soon but keep doing the things that make you and your people happy and don't let anyone tell u otherwise

 

i believe he meant in context of me slipping off my bike

 

Life is short, left here three yrs ago in November, kissed wife good bye, said bye to the kids, had heart attack at work, died twice, both times they had to jump start me. Now I look at life so different. Lucky to be alive, lucky to have the family I have. Tell your loved ones how you feel, you may not be able to tomorrow. I know Joe is feeling bad and rightfully so, but he is alive, for this we all should be grateful.

 

Hey Harlot,

Sorry about your leg and the bike man. But the leg will heal and the bike is just metal and can be fixed.

Regardless of what you are experiencing there is someone (actually many many others) experiencing a whole lot worse that you. One thing I learned long ago is that no matter how bad you have it, it can always get better BUT it can also always get worse.

Hope you heal up quick and saddle back up soon.

 

glad to hear that you're doing good now my friend