my comeback...

[ajkirton]

I will start off with the late 80's...

I began racing bmx competitively when I was 8 years old. My family was extremely poor and I was racing on my bike that my parents got for $14 at a yard sale. I was immediately entranced by the sport. My very first race was 3 heats. I placed 1st in all three heats. Over the years I got better and better and finally was receiving better bikes each and every season. When I was 13 I decided to start entering into some bmx "street" competitions. I wasn't as good as the other guys.

In order to move up in the ranks I had to push myself hard, and try tricks that nobody had ever heard of. Within the next 5 years I had had 3 knee surgeries, a broken femur, broken ankle, and multiple other injuries. Through all of that I began to develop a god complex.

I remember riding with a friend just messing around. I did a simple gap-to-manual when I fell. Wasn't a hard fall, but it hurt, and instantly made me sick. What I found out in the next few moments was that I had broken my back.

I was sitting in the hospital getting all types of xrays. I overheard the doctor calling an emergency surgeon. I didn't realize it was me, they needed the surgeon for. Apparently I had shattered my l3, l4, and l5 vertebra, and had severed most of the nerves. I thought the paralysis was from swelling or something along those lines. The doctor tried to explain the severity of my injury.

I was rushed into surgery, and that's when things took a turn for the worse.

It was a couple days and a 16 hour long surgery later that I awoke in intensive care. Apparently my body was shutting down, and I had severe internal bleeding. I still wasn't aware of the severity of what was going on.

All of the doctors insisted that I would never ride a bike, run, and most likely never walk again. That was devastating.

It took me 2 years of intense pain and rehab before I walked again, but I did it. Then I started running. And just last year I started biking again. It took 12 years, but I am finally riding again, and I hope to be able to ride in some competitions in the future.

There isn't a single moment of any day that I am not in pain, but I have recovered from a life changing injury, and am back riding.

That's my story of the worst injury of my life.

[jhhall]

Wow, that's quite a story. Glad to hear you pushed through and riding again, things you were told you'd never do. Congrats on your progress to date and continued improvement. Inspiring for sure!

[ajkirton]

Luckily during my recovery I was able to get a good education, a good job, and have a beautiful wife and 3 kids to use as inspiration.

Its hard being back at a beginner level.

[ajkirton]

Just did 38 miles today. Mostly gravel trails.

[ajkirton]

Just did 38 miles today. Mostly gravel trails.

[Carloswithac]

Wow, what a story! My hats off to you.

[grumpstumper]

Luckily during my recovery I was able to get a good education, a good job, and have a beautiful wife and 3 kids to use as inspiration.

Its hard being back at a beginner level.

Great story, congratulations.