retrosurfer1959 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 You can tell who can handle themselves on here and who can't. Some of you guys are probably scared of your own shadow. Some of you guys are jealous. Hey Retro, how'd you lose your leg? This comes up quite a bit in post's and PM's including 3 PM's and the above question this week, but rather that detour the fascinating Hardy Boys and the fascinating Facebook and Free Guitar mystery that were all following with bated breath. I figured I start a different post I was a young police officer and riding a motorcycle in February of 1986. My partner and I were sitting side by side like cops always do on bikes just stopped at a intersection for a red light, when I heard what was clearly a car impact behind us. I turned around to look and saw a large flatbed truck covered with roofing material and lumber that had just hit a curb and was headed right at me at very high rate speed. One of those weird situations where you know what's gonna happen, and you know it's gonna hurt really bad maybe even kill you but you can't really do anything about it. can really jump off an Harley Davidson Police Electro-glide and sprint clear in the fraction of a second it took to reach me. So he plowed into us still doing 70+ mph. My partner was thrown free into the next lane and lost some skin and cracked a few ribs, but he was able to stand up and even help me, Because unfortunately; I hit the back of the car parked in front of me and was then crushed between the drunks truck and the car in front of me. The truck had enough mass and speed to push the whole accident through the intersection where a few more cars were added to the pile up of mangled metal. Through some miracle I was conscious and able to hold onto the bite wide and bright yellow painted bumper of the truck through the whole thing and when it all stopped moving and it got quiet, I lowered myself slowly to the asphalt thinking I was ok and not seriously hurt since I had little real pain. (broken backs are goof=d for something after all a guess. I actually thought I might be ok until I realized I could see the soul of right boot pointing straight back at me, and the gravel i was wiping of my chest and face mask so I could remove it wasn't gravel but bone chips. Luckily the first Paramedics on the scene were guys off my own SWAT team where I was the Sergeant. So it was a forgone conclusion that they wouldn't really take no for an answer and were not gonna give up period. So even though it took almost an hour to cut me free from the wreckage, they would not stop working me even through four cardiac arrests and 11 units of blood there hard work and dedication got me onto a Medi-vac chopper still alive and they rushed me to a level one trauma hospital where they got me into my first 11 hour surgery with a great team of six of the best trauma doctors available. they kept me alive through another two cardiac arrests (got shocked so many times it left circular scars on my chest and loosened several fillings) I had 42 broken bones including my back in four places, but I was alive and even more miraculous I had no serious head or neck injuries, a combination of luck and a great helmet. I then spent most of the next two years in the hospital and had 31 operations but I finally walked out (Well limped out with a walker and a IV bag and a private nurse) but I was under my own steam. I returned to work four months later although in a support position since i was not able to perform uniform duties anymore. It hasn't always been easy and I added almost 20 more surgeries to the list before I retired in 2010 having worked my way up to the top technical job as CIO/CTO of the organization. And before anybody asks nope I don't ride motorcycle anymore not because of my fear, but my wife at only 24 years old and three years married at that time stuck with me and went through this whole battle with me and made me promise, her i would never ride again because it would scare her too much. She earned much more than I could ever repay with her loyalty and support through three years of me in extreme pain and not very nice at times and the terror of wondering If I would survive every surgery so Ive not ridden again on the street since that accident, and that was February of 1986. I say on the street because I have a good friend that has about five acres and he had built a flat track for M/C in his backyard and he had a Harley Sporster they rebuilt for track and I had been know to take a few laps there from time-to-time before his relocation caused the sale of the track. As for my wife and me? yep were still together and just celebrated 30 years of being married as wall as being best friends. This post was strictly for information and to answer all the questions since I don't want or need any sympathy I lived through something nobody thought I could survive. Even the newspaper printed I was fatally injured (think they meant critically) which made high school reunions a little odd for the first couple, but I was blessed and life is pretty good even though I'm getting pretty creaky and slow moving now that I passed 50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Oh and for anybody that wonder if I got rich - sorry but nope the company went bankrupt the day after the accident knowing what was coming I guess? And the 22 year old kid with a 3.2 blood alcohol level even at 3:15 on a Saturday afternoon was uninsured and unlicensed. He went to jail for 6 months for extreme DUI and aggravated assault because I was in uniform. And I got the whopping total of $1,100 hundred dollars in restitution at 100 dollars per month. Oh and the medical bills were 1.9 million thank god for good insurance back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky4 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Wouldn't the police force be liable considering it was an on the job injury? When I got hurt at work, they paid the medical bills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G McBride Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Yes, it would be a workers comp injury and they would pay so much compensation but you won't get rich with it at all. What a story, I am guessing you are a blues guitar player now and can write about all of your pain and suffering. Congrats on you and your wife sticking it out through all of this. She must be a saint because I am sure that you went through a lot of hardship during these times. Also people were not so quick to sue over anything at the time of your accident. Hell of a story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Ouch! I've been almost that close to croaking, and I make it a point to engage people who have faced that kind of challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 That is a GREAT story, Retro. You are a good guy to have around, so I'm not surprised those that had the oppurtunity worked so hard at it to make it turn out that way. And Women don't stick around for 30 years just because. The fact you returned to the job and kept at it for the duration speaks volumes for your character, as well as that of the department. I think most in your shoe(s) would have been "satisfied" to sue the city for a settlement and spend the rest of life on SSI and free drugs for life. And I also note that the job you had precludes the use of drugs to a great degree if at all. And to put a fine point on it, with you working and well past the sympathy stage, your wife could have walked at any time with a good income in the past 20 years or so. That does say something loud and clear about the both of you. I have to think you had a lot more pulling for you than those here on earth. You needed to live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Now that's a story of a helluva life-changing incident. For both you and your wife and family. Besides the obviously and incredibly challenging physical and emotional obstacles, I am curious as to whether or not playing guitar / music played a role in your embrace of life and the keep on keepin' on attitude? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidl Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 You made it pretty clear that this was not a cry for sympathy so I won't go that route. Just glad you made it and are here on the forum. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Hello Retrosurfer! Your story reminded me of the fate of Hungary's greatest blues singer: Deák Bill Gyula. As someone said about Him once: "God takes away something with one hand, but gives something special with His other hand". That was meant to contrast Mr. Deák's tragedy and talent. Same is true about Your accident and the luck of having such a great partner. Best wishes... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 It's a darned good story even though about a bad thing. My younger brother is about to retire after right at 40 years in law enforcement. Even when he was on SWAT and rescue teams involving mountaineering, the thing I've most worried about has been the traffic "accident" such as Retro's. I've imagined him stopping a car in rain or snow to let the driver know the tail lights were burned out and getting run down by another driver. Bad guys? Not nearly as dangerous IMHO in a lotta ways as the day to day work of a patrol officer. Retro... yeah, such events in life are hard on marriage. It sounds as if you definitely found a life partner, and that is beyond "luck." m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Holy Cow! Retro, no need to tell you, you're a lucky man. Thank God for good women! That explains why you never continued your sport of pole vaulting! Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Great story Retro, now how'd you get so many guitars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 He bought um. Great story man. I think any time you can tell the tale of how you lost the leg it's a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 God bless you Retro!!! You're Aces in my book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57classic Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 WOW!!!! That's a lot to live through but glad you did. I admire the matter of fact way you discuss it and have carried on. You don't need me to tell you but you're lucky to have a wonderful wife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 Thanks all and yep I have a good wife. My agency did supply us with medical insurance so it was all covered thank god. It's funny how much the laws have changed since then. I only had to pay for the first 5k on my insurance policy and workman's comp covered that. The agency I worked for never even separated me which was amazing they wanted me to come back so they just kept me on the salary and I did what I could from the hospital even working on budget reports and grants etc. Strangely enough I could not have a guitar in the hospital. I was allowed a portable cd or tape player and a PC as long as it was commercially made not a put together box, that was it nothing else other than hospital issued. So my Wife bought me a Apple Macintosh (the original one) and I learned a lot about computers and tied that in with my original degree which was in mathematics, I slid right into that new field that was just starting in the early 80's TECHNOLOGY when I went back to work. since then playing guitar has helped me a lot, not just mentally but also physically breaking my back up so bad as well as the compression damage to my spinal chord, did some nasty things to my nervous system as a whole and especially in my arms and legs I've had major issue with carpal tunnel and other nerve related issues and guitar keeps my hands limber and flexible as well as strong which keeps me going especially with my art. and Dave - As for how I bought so many guitars - Money I had never thought about it and sure never planned it but it turned out doing technology paid quite a bit better, than doing police work and when I finally transferred out of just the PD and Fire and did technology for the whole city as the CIO/CTO it paid a whole lot better in fact I made as much as the Chief of Police. And since I retired I still get a pension thats basically almost 2/3 of my salary. Oh and that beautiful and loving wife that stuck with me, well she's a Vice President for the largest company in there international market sector. So she makes a pretty amazing salary herself, she's several years younger than me (OK like 6) so she hasn't retired yet so that takes care of all the toy's. And being an artist full time allows me to still have a pretty good income if I need one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Bone Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Props, respect to you and your wife on several levels. Sounds like you two know how to live, despite the major hell you were put through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 WOW, what a story. Glad you made it out alive. And BTW, thanks for not detouring my thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Good for you Retro... It's so nice to hear such a positive story, talk about against all odds... What king of art do you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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