One-handed, indefinitely

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Jul 08

One-handed, indefinitely

wtf?, berkeley, education, exercise Add comments

I'm lucky I can type this at all; if only one-handed.

(I decided to type this once here instead of numerous times. So, if all you get from me is a URL in an email, know that my one hand is probably tired.)

While biking to Cal today I got hit by a Dodge Ram 2500 Truck. I didn't see him until it was too late; he didn't see me either. It was a big fucking truck. Long story short, I broke the scaphoid bone in my left wrist (non-dom). I will probably have to have surgery to insert a Ti screw.

I'm very lucky... and happy to spend more time on planet Earth with quality earthlings.

Anyway, I'm still trying to process this all... an can currently type with just one hand. (Try putting on your clothes with one hand. It's fraking hard. Now try tying your shoes!)

(And yes, I was wearing a helmet. That's the most asked question after, "Are you ok?". And yes, I'm ok.)

Tags: fracture, medical, scaphoid, wrist

10 comments

§ Ryan said on : 07/09/08 @ 00:02
Man, that sucks. I got hit in the intersection of MLK and Channing this spring by a guy who ran a red light. Fortunately it just knocked me off my bike and I didn't break anything. Who was at fault?

Being here in Amsterdam I've really come to appreciate a good bike path system. Sharing the road with cars just doesn't work.
§ Judd said on : 07/09/08 @ 08:29
So glad you're ok, Joe! Let me know if I can help with anything.

And, in the meantime, shall we make a list of all the things you can do with one hand? No, let's not. ;)
§ katster said on : 07/09/08 @ 09:27
Glad you're okay!

It's things like this that make me a bit nervous to try bike commuting, even though it's probably better for both me and the environment.

-kat
§ joe® said on : 07/09/08 @ 09:34
@ryan: Yeah, most bike-friendly cities in Europe seem to separate bike and car traffic by a barrier or something. The case in my accident was a bit of both our faults (although I was in a crosswalk when he hit me)... prolly more his fault than mine.

@judd and kat: Thanks!
§ Nancy said on : 07/11/08 @ 07:36
Ah -- saw the photo on Flickr and followed the link here. When I dislocated my shoulder and typed one-handed for 6 weeks, I did email haiku:
no caps
no punctuation
spacing
to make my points
it worked
i think
people liked it
SHORT
§ Michal Migurski said on : 07/11/08 @ 11:12
Yar, so sorry to hear about this! I would have thought that drivers would be more careful around Berkeley, given how cavalier pedestrians are about wandering into the street there.
§ zephoria said on : 07/11/08 @ 12:59
Oh. My. God! ((hug)) I'm sooo sorry. Ouch ouch yuck. I'm sooo glad you're (mostly) OK. I love you dear!
§ joe® said on : 07/11/08 @ 13:08
fanx darlin'
§ Julia Sampaio said on : 07/12/08 @ 12:27
Hope you are okay now.Let me know if you guys decide to come to Brazil w/ Rich.
xo
§ Igor said on : 07/18/08 @ 13:07
Wow Joe, that really sucks. One handedness is still quite fresh in my head and it sucks. Glad you're ok otherwise.