First bump on the road

​Sunday July 9th was a gorgeous day, not a cloud in the sky and the perfect temperature. I decided to go for a long training ride and left home at 7am. After 5 solid hours and 100 miles, I was riding back home on the outskirts of Belmont, MA. I was going downhill, just 5 minutes from home, cruising at around 25mph when a car going the opposite direction, suddenly turned left in front of me and cut me off. I was probably no more than 2 seconds away from impact, and there was no way to avoid him. In those 2 seconds, I knew my life was about to change and I was just hoping that it wouldn’t be for the worst.
 
After Mount Rainier last May, I had already planned adventure #3. Last year, I did Mont Tremblant Ironman Triathlon in Quebec to try to qualify for the Kona Ironman. However, I couldn’t run during the marathon, as I was still plagued with severe calf cramping. Soon after, I registered for Mont Tremblant IM again in 2017. During the winter and spring, I maintained a good level of training in swimming and biking, and tried to incorporate more running as it is my weakest specialty by far. With Mount Rainier behind me, I increased the swimming and biking, while still being careful to not get injured while running. Everything was going smoothly and I was hopeful that this year would be the year I could qualify again for the Kona Ironman, 25 years after my first Kona experience back in 1992. But, things don’t always go the way we want them to.
 
The hit was violent, as I didn’t have time to brake. I flipped over the car and while airborne, I was able to see the windshield completely smashed. When I hit the ground, everything stopped. I never lost consciousness and soon after, the pain started. I couldn’t move my left leg and I couldn’t breathe. However, I was immediately able to move my fingers, toes and neck. That’s what 15 years of working in a Para- and Quadriplegic clinic had taught me. I was not paralyzed. Once at the hospital, they found that I had a broken femur, 4 broken ribs, a small pneumothorax and bruises all over. I had surgery the next day and after several days at the hospital, I was finally able to go back home. Physical therapy has already started. I know it’s going to be a long road to recovery but I hope to be back to 100% in a few months.
​
I would like to thank all the first responders (EMTs, firefighters and police officers) as well as the people on the scene of the accident that helped me tremendously. A big thanks also goes to the personnel (ED, surgeon, trauma, cardiology and radiology teams and all the nurses of the SICU and 6th East floor) of The Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA. Finally, I would like to express my absolute love for my family. Damien was shaken but took it in stride. Estelle immediately drove up from NYC and spent the next 5 days in the hospital, putting into practice what she has learned at Columbia Nursing School. Anne-Cecile was terrified when she received that phone call that no one wants to ever receive, but she was as strong as one could possibly be under the circumstances. Now that I write this, we are all doing fine and looking forward for better days to come.