On June 9th, 2019,  I was in a motorcycle accident.  I don’t remember the accident.  The last thing I saw was a car cut off the car ahead of me, turning left.  I saw the car ahead slam on the brakes and I heard squealing tires.

Next thing I remember people were holding my helmet (with my head still in it) and talking to me.  And like most bikers, I was freaking about my bike, where’s my bike, is my bike okay, someone
turn off my bike, I can’t see my bike!

I was transported to the hospital by ambulance.  In the ER, I was diagnosed with a fractured collarbone.  Because it was only a fracture, it was non-surgical that I’d heal on my own, and I was sent home.

I was in so much pain, every single breath I took hurt. I couldn’t move without crying in pain.  I lost 10lbs in 6 days because I couldn’t eat. I was eating pain pills like Chicklets.

During those first few days, Bikers Down reached out to me.  I don’t recall all the phone calls, but Tracy kept telling me they were there to help. I was in so much pain and stressing about being off work, about not being able to pay my bills.  I wasn’t in any shape to figure out all the paperwork needed by work, by insurance and I was freaking about my mortgage payments, my power bill, everything. But Tracy kept telling me “we are here to help”.

6 days later when I went into the hospital for my first follow-up. At that point they discovered it was not a fracture.  My collarbone was broken in multiple places, the bones had moved, my shoulder was shorter by 1½”, the bones were moving back and forth against each other with every breath, I had damage to my lung, some internal bleeding, multiple broken ribs (which turned out to be 6) and a crack in my shoulder blade.  I was being booked for rush emergency
surgery.  That surgery still didn’t happen for another 5 pain clouded days, 12 days after my accident.

Finally after the surgery, the clouds began to clear, the pain subsided and I cut back the pain medication significantly.

Tracy continued to call and text, offering suggestions and wisdom. They certainly know more about accidents than I did as it was my first accident. It was sinking in now.

As a single lady with no family close by, fiercely independent, working two jobs, always able to take care of  everything, being injured and unable to even look after myself was a real demoralizing and psychological blow.

Bikers Down was there from the very beginning. Not sure who notified them, but apparently several friends in the biking community contacted them on my behalf.

I’m so glad they did, they were my rock, a stabilizing influence, they kept me grounded with great information.  Last but certainly not least, some financial help to take away the stress of worrying about some of my bills until I could get all the paperwork filled out, so the other pieces could start to fall into place.

If you ever head out for a ride on a Thursday night, please make a point to attend the Bikers Down burger nights at Riding in Style for a sausage or burger.  Skip dinner at home and go.  You are helping the rider community one burger, one sausage at a time.

Bikers Down really helped me. I have been to many Bikers Down burger nights In the past.  I didn’t know I was helping myself in the future.  God forbid, the rider you help thru Bikers Down could be a close friend or yourself.