Kee-rash! Ouch, hurt.
d.kathrens@genie.geis.com
Tue, 25 Oct 94 01:27:00 UTC
To update everyone here, I have been offline for a few weeks. I went on the road
for a short term job and took my daughter's vintage Apple IIe with me. It took a
while to locate a serial card and a cable to drive my modem but now I'm back
online.
I had my first (hopefully last) serious injury while practicing on my uni
about three weeks ago. I had been practicing for almost an hour, when my normal
practice period is 30-40 minutes. I was idling one-footed with one foot hanging
on the frame and I guess I got over confident and let my attention wander.
The next thing I knew, the ground zoomed up and hit me and some adults (who
had been standing about 30 feet away) were helping me up off the asphalt. I
think my foot must have slipped off the pedal at the instant the uni wheel was
behind me and I would normally have pushed down on the pedal to get the wheel
back in front of me. I was practicing in a school playground so my first impulse
was to leave before some official came out and banned me from practicing there.
I assured my helpful onlookers that I was OK and walked my uni off the premises
with all deliberate speed. I did get back on and ride about a block to where my
car was parked but I felt very shaky doing it.
I landed on my right side and shoulder with my forearm arm bent in front of
my ribs. My body and arm took the brunt of the fall, but my right temple hit the
ground hard enough to bounce. I had a bloody lump just at the hairline and 12
hours later I had a wonderful black eye swollen half shut for show and tell my
first day at the new job. I know intimately now what the meaning of the phrase
"rattled teeth". All my upper teeth felt loose and for a couple of days they
hurt when I chewed. A very mild concussion but I felt (reasonably, considering)
OK the next day even though I took it slow.
This was a learning experience for me. What did I learn? PAY ATTENTION!
Just at the moment I felt confident enough to let my attention wander, disaster
struck. Unicycling seems to be one of those activities that lets you know right
away when you are not focused.
Now, the good news:
I have had time to practice every day (yes!) I have improved all my current
skills and learned two new ones -- hopping and a walking rear mount (this may
not be the correct term). I can hop in one spot until I get tired, or I can
rotate 360 degrees in a series of small incremental twists while hopping. On a
good day I can hop with arms outstretched to the side but I normally hold the
nose of the saddle with either hand and hold the other up over my head. I found
that I always rotated in one direction (towards the free arm) so I made it a
point to learn to do it with either hand free and either foot forward..
Now that I have the hang of this, I want to go on to curb jumping and rope
skipping.
PS Anyone know a good ASCII "smiley face" for head injuries?
Dennis Kathrens
Taking my lumps in Ohio