Serious concussions and bone breaks result of being distracted and underestimating

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THESE SALTWIRE VIDEOS

TRURO, N.S. — Even for experienced cyclists, quite often one small mistake leads to a major blunder.

This is part one of two of accident stories from cyclists in Truro, N.S. and lessons learned from their experiences. Next week will include tips and more stories on the importance of helmets.

Despite the close calls, these reflections are a love message to biking from cyclists who want to help others ride safely and not be deterred from the invigorating sport.

Danger on the road lies not just with motorized vehicles, but in road conditions and curbs.

In August 2020, Wilson was biking back from a group ride, with another ride. They headed east on Queen Street, which was under construction, intending to turn left on Walker Street. The middle turning lane was the only part not paved.

But after doing a shoulder check and going across, the height was much bigger than anticipated – Wilson's wheels caught, the bike went out from under her and she landed on her head.

“I know to be careful for those sort of things, I know better,” said Wilson. “I made a mistake in my estimation of the pavement heights and that drop.”

She normally rides alone and feels lucky and grateful that people in traffic stopped to help and get her to the hospital. The result was a cracked helmet and four months off with a concussion.

But incredibly, the accident was a blessing in disguise that saved Wilson’s life. Persistent pain continued for two weeks, and Wilson returned to the ER. A brain scan showed that she had a 9.5 mm brain aneurysm.

“I would never have known that this brain aneurysm was sitting there, just kind of waiting, tick tick tick, waiting until it made itself known,” said Wilson. “Where it was and the size of it, if it had decided to pop, it would have been ugly. I would have been dead before I hit the ground. So, I'm just very, very lucky.”

Months later, the aneurysm was surgically clipped, and she is grateful for the great care she had.

“I can't stress that enough, how important that little funny-looking piece of equipment is, but I mean I really feel it saved my life,” said Wilson. “You don't know how necessary it is until you're flying through the air, landing head first on pavement.

“Second message – brain injury is nothing to mess with. You don't even want to risk it.”

“Even now in traffic, if somebody goes by too close, I kind of shudder, like I didn't before."

Wilson took it easy the next summer, building back her confidence on the bike.

“Even now in traffic, if somebody goes by too close, I kind of shudder, like I didn't before, but it's just a time thing and it's just something you have to get used to again. But I feel great and I came out of it all with a whole new sense of gratitude just for the people around me and the things that I'm able to do, and just the recovery because a lot of people they get an injured brain and they never come out of it the same again.”

On the road bike, she loves exercising hard outside in the fresh air.

“I cycle on roads that I've driven a thousand times before, but I never really saw them until I biked them,” said Wilson. “The smell of the lilacs and the roses are just really strong when you’re biking and you miss that when you’re in the car.”

In May 2021, with her sister in British Columbia on life support, Natasha Tobbins headed out on the trail to clear her head and think about her next steps.

“Lesson number one – probably should not engage in activity when you're distracted,” said Tobbins.

Not long into her ride at The Railyard Mountain Bike Park, she went up a hill and then smack – her front wheel hit a tree root.

“It was like hitting a cement wall and I came to this abrupt stop – threw me from the bike," said Tobbins. “I tore some cartilage in my wrist, I broke my elbow and I tore some tendons in my shoulder, all on the one arm.”

She thought it was just a broken wrist, and sat “feeling woozy” for a while. Then, she took a shortcut back to the parking lot, attempting to bike at first but realizing she could not steady herself. Other bikers helped her load the bike and she went home, then to the ER. Expecting just to get an X-ray done, she started having pain up through her arms, signalling a bigger problem.

“I'm glad I went because the pain and from the elbow it took a few hours to kick in because I thought it was just my wrist,” said Tobbins.

“I now wear full padding – I hate it, I'm melting in it, but I wear the full padding on my knees and my arms and still wear my helmet, of course.”

It was a significant injury, requiring months of physio and visits to doctors in New Glasgow and Sydney and her riding season done. As a musician, it impacted her pick-playing mandolin and guitar, but she did take up viola again.

She can use most functions now and has been sticking to easier trails this summer. Looking back, she knows she should have lowered the tire pressure after returning from a road ride. The accident prompted her to upgrade from a front-suspension to a full-suspension mountain bike.

“Physically, it was hard at first, it was uncomfortable,” said Tobbins. “Mentally, emotionally, oh God yes, to get back on the saddle. My riding experience is completely different now. Before the accident, I would do daring stuff.”

She used to be a “daredevil,” but she no longer enjoys that notoriety like she used to.

“I now wear full padding – I hate it, I'm melting in it, but I wear the full padding on my knees and my arms and still wear my helmet, of course.”

Still, even with her outlook changed, it’s worth it.

“I love the feeling of the freedom on the bike and I love that I can push myself on the bike,” said Tobbins. “I like challenging my body and feeling like, wow, I definitely earned that beer today … I love the camaraderie with it.”

At Poley Mountain in New Brunswick on Canada Day, Robbie MacGregor went down a jump line trail he had never ridden before.

It was a frustrating ER wait, but it was good thing he stuck out the night. He had a fractured C6 Vertebrae which he was told was one centimetre away from potential quadriplegia.

His mistake was staring too much at his front wheel, not looking far enough down the trail and riding too quickly for being unfamiliar. The cyclist went over top of a berm feature, which dropped into another berm on the other side. MacGregor’s front wheel went over, rebounding down with MacGregor bucking right over his handlebars. His head nicked the top of the berm before he landed in some bushes.

For the first 15 seconds, his fingers went numb due to a stinger (quick spinal shock). Luckily, his buddies noticed he was missing and returned to help. Getting right side up, he sat and assessed himself for a while, then rode to the base of the trail. The ski patrol did a concussion check and offered to call an ambulance, which he “stupidly declined.”

“Hockey player mentality – if you're still walking, you're not that hurt,” chuckled MacGregor.

Feeling like just a tight neck, he bowed out and rested at home, with limited movement already loosening by the next morning. Even with his family telling him to get it checked out, he did not go until a friend, an ex-RCMP officer who is one of “the toughest guys” he knew, highly recommended that he go.

It was a frustrating ER wait, but it was good thing he stuck out the night. He had a fractured C6 Vertebrae, which he was told was one centimetre away from potential quadriplegia.

“I don't want to live my life in a bubble," said MacGregor. “Every risk I take is calculated. But there is always the possibility of getting injured … proper gear is definitely paramount.”

He has been undergoing physical therapy to build back his strength. His residual pain is gone, and he feels optimistic about his cervical collar coming off soon.

The hardcore biker is itching to get back into it. With doctor permission, he has been able to keep peddling on a stationary bike.

“It has gone an absolute tremendous way for my mental health because I noticed kind of being sanitary and such, I was getting a little on the grumpy side,” said MacGregor. “When I'm biking or just exercising in general, it helps my mental health, not just the physical.”

He is considering purchasing a neck brace for mountain biking which prevents neck hyperextension, and his biking buddies have also been supportive, giving him a plaque commemorating his crash during a get-together at the Nook and Cranny. He hopes to start riding again soon with the doctor’s permission and be ready for the hockey season, with his 11-year-old daughter accompanying and keeping him in check.

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