On the.24th of oct I fell afoul of rough road. Pothole & gravel.and wound up.head putting a tree.

One that bot was over I then spent 3 hours by myself waiting for someone to find.me while I faded in and out of consciousness until.an off.duty polo emanates who was out for.a.ride. on his pushbike heard me calling for help.

I then got a helicopter ride to the Alfred hospital in Melbourne where they.worked.pitted.damage

From.the.top
A sub-arachnoid hemorrhage
Broken cervical spine c1 c2 & c3
Factored thoracic spine t1 - t7
Fractured lumber spine l6 & l7
6 fractured rib
SqFractured sternum fractured right collar bone my
amd a torn and collapsed lung.

the first few days I was in an induced coma. then when I finally wake up I had post traumatic amnesia, so I was having trouble telling what was real amd what was not. I thought the docs and nurses were trying to kill me! very frightening.

they operated on my back putting in a couple of rods to hold me together, and they fitted me with a brace to keep my head on my shoulders and sent me to rehab where I'm going to live for the next few months.

Pammy my (zx14) didn't make it.......... rest in pieces baby

Oz

Damn OZ! Sorry to hear that but at least you are alive to tell the story and to ride again! Pammy didn't make it? Too bad. You cant salvage her? I would guess the damage is way to much. When you get some picture, post them of you and Pammy, if you have any.

Once again, glad you are alive, Brother!

I'm just glad to hear you are still alive. If that guy hadn't come along, who knows how long it would've taken for someone to find you. I wish you a speedy recovery.

Shit ozjohnno sad to read about yer accident mate, the main thing is yer here to tell the story, your number was not up thanks to some good luck at such a bad time, chin up mate .

Pretty bad wreck, glad you survived it. Extremely lucky though with the cervical fractures, there's a saying in my profession that goes "C-4 breath no more" a C-4 fracture usually severes nerve flow to the lungs and they shut down. Heal up quick bro.

Cheers guys. It was touch and go there for a little while but things professing well now. Still in quite a bit of pain bit that's been brought under control with patches and generous doses of oxycodone every 6 hours and a half hour before physio. I'm wearing a minerva brace which is a pain in the ass but hey, I'm still here.
The warm wishes of family and friends are the thing that keeps me going when times get tough and make me wanna try that little bit harder.

OZ

Heal up man! I'm just sorry to hear it took someone so long to stop and help you. That sucks! I totaled my green '14 September before last and bruised up my ribs, broke left hand and pride. Thankfully I was wearing full gear (mesh jacket & pants, gloves, arai helmet, boots).

'Tis a dangerous game we play every day,
Yet further the ride we must.
Some folks say we don't have a pray,
But for me, it's ride hard or bust.

Yeah, just made that up. lol!

I'll be praying you recover proper.

I thank God for you NOT getting killed there oz.My prayers are with ya for your recovery.....take it easy and keep yer chin up!Best to you...Monty.

hey guys me again,
Just thought I would give you guys an update as to how I was progressing good news is that they reckon Im ready to go home. last w/e I had overnight leave from the hospital and it went so well that I am doing it again this w/e, leaving just after physiotherapy and returning about 8pm on sunday.

And next weekend, Im going home for good !!!!

I cant help but feel amazed and just a little bit humble when I think about all the support I have been receiving from the riding community. In the last few weeks I have had visitors from Riding SA, netrider, Far riders (the australian arm of the IBA) and the ulysses club who have given me everything from financial support (enough to fly my kids interstate to see me), to food (chocolates, donuts and coca cola), to more motorcycle mags than I can jump over and most importantly their best wishes for a full recovery, which they have travelled as much as 500 miles to give me.

So I say again thanks guys for all your support and I look forward to getting back on the bike feb/mar next year

Cheers

OZ
P.S. the bad news is i have to wear the neck brace from hell untill at least the end of january :(

Great to hear some positive things are helping you move forwood mate,my therapy is spending up on my ride(min/fian/not/happy) im pushing like mad to go on the Christmas Toy Run next Sunday,just need to bend my knee 30+ degrees Have you got any photo's of the bike mate,if so post them, anyway im glad to read up on your improvement and wish for a quick recovery ozjohnno, here's a photo of whats pissing the M/O/F OFF!

* Last updated by: bean07 on 12/3/2010 @ 9:45 PM *

awwwwwww now your just teasing me bean07 :)

OZ

Im teasing both of us "Really" how do ya think it feels like when my best mate (Goodie) is the only one thats ridden her since she came from the repairer AND THATS WITH ALL THE MODS $$$$$ I gotta get my leg to bend 30+ degrees more so I can ride the XJR1300 (Goodies) to the Christmas Toy Run Sunday week Tall order johnno ! but its a challenge to go for

* Last updated by: bean07 on 12/3/2010 @ 9:44 PM *

Teasing hey! gunna Goodie take my bike for a run to Manum this morn Im a jealous he and not me is riding the "BigRED" ZED Hey johnno got some pics of you n bike cobbar? any idea how long before yer "Riding" again ?. I see the doc for x-rays Wednesday to see if it's OK or do I have a Bonegraft ( I dont want the Graft )Keep focused mate you can only improve from now on! I will keep intouch with ya mate, seeeeeee ya

Now """""this"""""" is teasing mate HEY I got both feet on Goodies XJR quite easilly operated the brake ( im sat 6-7" back)In a pinch I could have rode his bike right now plus Ive got 6 more days, to the " CHRISTMAS TOY RUN " hey johnno this is "Proof" things do Improve !!!!!!!! and this aint no lip service Mate

* Last updated by: bean07 on 12/4/2010 @ 7:49 PM *

me again with another update,

Friday morning I went to the alfred hospital for review. they are pleased with the alignment of my neck and they will review my neck xrays in 4 weeks. There is a chance my neck brace will come off then (hoo bloody ray)
My collar bone however is not so good and they need to do a bone graft from my hip once my neck brace is off.

anyways here is me having a welcome home bbq on sunday

Cheers guys

OZ

* Last updated by: ozjohnno on 12/12/2010 @ 10:43 PM *

Good to see you escaped johnno "Great" to hear your improving mate !I had xrays last week,now have to have a CT scan this friday, doc said my bone aint healling right but after looking at previous xrays and this one I reckon HE'S "Wrong", oh well I see them on the 22nd for results !! so mate how long is your gestemit for resuming normal life mate (5months more for me)and wheres photos of yer bike is she definately f--d ? if so r u going to get another? better still r u gunna still ride

Way to go OzJohnno...yer just about ready!Glad for ya.And you Bean....you best be ridin yer 14 rocketship to that Christmas deal....we want PICS...not of GOODY....pics of YOU on YOUR bike!!!!!If you can sit on his...by God,you can sit and ride YOURS!!!!(Glad yer healin up perfecto as well Bean!!)

* Last updated by: blue07 on 12/13/2010 @ 1:09 AM *

Yeah Bean old man,the bike is well and truely f**ked. The insurance assessor wrote it off from about 30 feet away. Closer examination revealed that the frame was cracked in 6 places. This apparently meant that it cannot ever be registered again.

The good news is that my insurance company will replace a write off up to 2 years old........ The bike was crashed 1 year and 11 months from the time I brought it.

Fingers crossed :)

OZ

* Last updated by: ozjohnno on 12/13/2010 @ 3:07 AM *

Cheers blue Glad your gunna get another bike johnno at least thats not one thing you have to worrie about and you can look forwood too!

OZ, Gotta love the hospital staff no matter the shit they go thru. Saved your ass for more ride time. Your bike though, took on some obamacare I hear? Oh wait, wrong ambulance chaser.

So buddy how ya feeling ? any progress mate ? at least I got a date with the surgeon 22nd Feb. then start all over again Oh well johnno you got one over me buddy it means you probably be riding before me,(AUG/SEP) I wish you well for a speedy recovery mate and hope ya get your new ZX1400 real soon

HI bud, update time.....
Getting pretty heavily into rehab at the moment. I go 3 days a week and it feels like I never left !

My collar bone has officially been declared a 'non union' and after I get the neck brace from hell off (possibly this Friday), they are going to cut the ends back so they have nice fresh bone to work with, then graft a piece of my hip into the 2" gap. They will then tie the whole box and dice together with a metal plate that will stay there for good.

(the hip bone's connected to the...... collar bone?)

Im having some problems with my balance and visual scan (not good for riding a bike). Apparently this is not all that uncommon with the 'bop on the bean' that I received in the accident, and my neuro physiotherapist (didnt know there was such a thing) says that this can be fixed, but it will take 6-8 weeks of treatment.

Another small problem Im having is swallowing (my wife has the same hangup), Except in my case this again is another side effect of the head injury and as a result food sometimes gets caught in my throat. This again can be looked at by a speech therapist and is treatable.

Over all however, My outlook is pretty damn good considering my injury list. I am told that I will most likely have problems with back pain now or later in life, but that is a small price to pay for what I have put my wife, family and friends through.

My wife says she has only cried 6 times in her life, and one of those times was when she saw me writhing around on my bed with my eyes rolling around in my head, making strange sounds while I was coming out of my coma. Even though the doctors told her this was a good thing, that I was getting better, She just couldn't take seeing me like that.

Im gunna make sure she doesn't have to see me like that ever again.

The boy racer days are over.

OZ

* Last updated by: ozjohnno on 1/12/2011 @ 2:52 AM *

G'day johnno sorry to hear that your collar bone is non union (same as me too 22/dec.)I have to see the surgeon on the 2nd of feb. to ask about ? surgery on 24th graft bone has to be taken of my hip l/h + r/h for my femur too ! to fillin a 5" gap !!! damn ! we both will have pain and have to start re_hab again @ zero, hell in two days its been 7 months for me so far + just short of 6 weeks before here I go again (rehab) oh well mate at least we can talk to each other for ages before lifes normal hic_ups start again, best wishes before your uncomfortable sleeping nights (hip) owch !! for you cobbar at least its one side of yer hip too! catch up with ya buddy good luck with yer op! from Stephen

* Last updated by: bean07 on 1/12/2011 @ 2:48 AM *

Cheers mate, thanks for the get well soon, but I reckon your situation is waaay worse than mine cause at least I dont have the temptation of having the machinery sitting there tempting me every time I walk past the garage (..... go on, ride me.... just round the block.... that wont hurt.....)

I was bummed out that the insurance company elected not to replace the bike. They did however pay out the loan for the beast and Im getting $3500 in my pocket as well. So if I think about it, its $500/month (payment and insurance) that I dont have to find now that Im not working and since they paid out exactly what I paid for the motorcycle (16,500 on road) I have effectively had 63,500km (40,000 miles for our septic tank mates out there) of the 'most fun I could have with my pants on' motorcycling for next to nothing !!

My dad died the week before my accident (yup october last yeah was one of the worst on record for our family) and Im getting money from his estate so Im already thinking about a 2010 red zx14. In the mean time, my dad left me his BMW R65 bike so I can use that to 'get my eye' back in

I'll bring it across to show you mate.

OZ

Shit mate sorry about your dad too! I still think about my oldman (John M) hes bin gone since 11/11/85 !! It was a really crap year for you johnno my sincere condolences for you & family ,mixed news about ya bike too mate, hey as ya know im rooted for awhile, would be nice to see a forum buddy ? when ya right mate I ll look forwood to that, in the mean time again mate thinking positive for your date with the knife mate yup too I like my "RED Colour" too ! so speak to soon johnno