Biking Whiteboard -- email addresses for automatic updates at very bottom.
Contents:
- well wishes from you all
- copies of email with details of Bethany's accident
- the original contents of the cycling whiteboard (which you all should feel free to update)
**** WELL WISHES (not counting dozens upon dozens of individual emails -- thanks everyone!) ****
I wanted to say Congrats to Bee for getting into Columbia University for Computer Science recently!
Bravo! Encore! Yay!
Kapoodle
I heard the news, and have been thinking about you. I'm so glad to hear you are doing better.
It's a crazy world, but please don't become crazy. Always wishing you well, Peter W.
Bethany,
I am so glad to hear that you are doing better and are up and around. Chris and I send our best
wishes and want you to know that you are one brave woman! Take care and let us know if we can do
anything to help make your recovery a little easier.
Sincerely,
Ashley B.
All SoarTech hopes you are rapidly healing, can soon laugh without it hurting somewhere, and looks
forward to your return when you are really ready. take care!
Jim R.
Hey, Bethany...your Portland family sends love and good wishes, sweet heart!! We're plugging for
ya out here and hoping that the surgery went well.
We love you.
Mary, Tillay and Amanda
Bee! Bee! Bee! I wish only the best for thee, thee, thee! I was in hysterics when I first got the
email from Danny. You are such a trooper. See you soon and all the best, darlin'! Kapoo, poo,
poo!
Bethany- Glad to hear your surgery went well. I hope that your recovery is speedy. Love, Clare
and Rob
Bravo, brave Bethany!!
It's been heartening to hear your voice, both on the phone and via email.
You are indeed a trooper. All I have to think of is the "thigh bagel" on Tour to Tanglewood and
I'm reminded of your indomitable spirit! :)
Love from Laurie and Martin
I've seen Danny and my Dad bounce back from these unfortunate events so many times ... I know
you'll kick their butt at it! Bouncing back from this, you'll have already reached your Human
Machine goal!
Love CaMeLina of CaMeLot
Bethany,
Polina and I were stunned to find out what happened, but we are very happy to hear the good
news that recovery should be complete. We are very impressed at your courage in dealing with
this (based on what I heard from the above sources) and wish you speedy recovery.
Polina and Eugene
**** UPDATES **************************************************************
2006.08.07 Got the wires cut today, I can open my mouth again, but just barely -- the joint is
really stiff. Also, it turns out that chewing is a more complex skill than I'm sure
most of us have ever given it credit for, so it's actually going to take some
re-learning. Thursday I go in, and provided my jaw hasn't fallen off in the
intervening time, they take the screws out. Life is approaching a state of normalcy
once more.
2006.07.17 Doc apt today: took the sutures out of my left eye (still goopy and swollen, but
getting more useful by the day), sentenced to three more weeks with the jaw wired
shut. Guard change this week: Danny arrived yesterday, and my parents headed home
this afternoon. Oh, and I've graduated from the syringe to a straw! Infinitely more
dignified.
2006.07.14 This from Lisa - Bethany looking excellent. She's tooling around the apartment at
normal paced walking, eating cream of asparagus soup and smoothies and boost through
a syringe/hose.
She's cracking jokes and progressing well! I have to go out of town today so the
more visitors the better!
2006.07.13 Visitors encouraged. 316 Beakes, Apartment 1.
Kapoo visit - B lookin' damn good and about to smell better too (shower)! :D
2006.07.12 18:00ish Bethany is home!
2006.07.12 07:18 -- B looking much better and docs say can go home if eating
2006.07.11 21:40 -- drank some Boost/Ensure. hard to talk. collarbone doing better today.
2006.07.11 12:30 -- B groggy, hit of morphine this morning; can't articulate lips enough to use
straw yet, IV nourishment.
2006.07.10 24:30 -- surgery went great; half as long as expected. she looks a little worse, beat
up around the eye etc.
2006.07.10 16:30 -- Bethany went in for surgery for her jaw and cheekbone, broken in
several places. Surgery should take about 5 hours. I think she'll go home tomorrow.
--Danny
2006.07.10 02:00 -- Email with subject "Bethany escapes collision with car with only
broken bones" (see below for original email from Saturday 2006.07.08)
Sorry I haven't returned most of your calls. I've been really touched by
the flood of support. Bethany seconds that. I read her some of the
deluge of email from you all, which was really wonderful.
Pardon the quick brain dump here with all the updates I can think of, and
sorry again for not responding individually!
Bethany's parents arrived this evening and I'll resume my trip to
California in the morning. Erica O and Valerie have been with her pretty
much nonstop. Shana and Alexis have spent big chunks of yesterday and
today with her. Thanks to Kevin L and Cyrus for spending hours with her
too.
They are keeping her one more night in the hospital, but I'm 99% sure
she'll go home tomorrow, with surgeries scheduled this week.
Phone numbers: her parents (Bob and Judy): 703-298-9147 which can receive
text messages. the hospital room: 734-936-5415. and of course I'm
PEG-ARM-PAUL.
They had her motionless for 30some hours which got to be pretty
uncomfortable to say the least but they finally signed off on her spine
and neck being fine and a couple hours ago she was able to stand up and
walk across the room.
There's no question that the recovery will be 100%.
Her jaw is broken in two places (in front and near the joint) but the
joint itself is ok so the surgery will be straightforward (though will
involve plates). Several bones in her face are also broken, in the
cheekbone area, but a little reconstructive surgery there will straighten
all that out.
Her collarbone is fractured in two places but will heal fine with no
surgery.
Oh, and her thumb I think is fractured but probably not too bad.
(Hmm, those may have been my exact words about my wrist -- that was one
year ago today, incidentally.)
Road rash and bruising are both pretty minor. And all damage is on her
left side only, so that'll be handy. Oh, wait, except the thumb. Damn.
More details about the accident itself:
No one interacted with the driver so can't say much about him. The police
gave him a ticket and all that. He did stop and his insurance I'm sure
will cover everything. (If you've dealt with anything like this before,
do let us know.) Her bike -- the shiny new Lemond titanium bike she just
got -- is an impressive sight. The front wheel is utterly pringled and
may have been literally run over. Both the fork and the handlebars are
snapped in pieces. Et cetera.
A piece of the truck's front bumper was torn off and it was probably the
side mirror (this was a very big pick-up truck) that Bethany's face
impacted with.
Also, it was a stop sign, not a red light that the driver blew through.
2-way stop and no question at all that it was 100% the driver's fault.
They cut off her jersey, which has an impressive bloody hole, and her
watch is smeared with red paint from the truck.
(Ha, love the apropos random quote at the bottom of this email.)
Anyway, Bethany is absolutely herself, irrepressible spirit and all.
Prepare to be amazed at the rapidity of the bounce-back!
Thanks again, everyone!
Danny
--- \/ FROM Daniel Reeves AT 06.07.08 12:30 (Yesterday) \/ ---
> Sorry for email; quickest way I can get this to everyone, particularly those
> in ann arbor who can visit her fastest if she's going to be held at the
> hospital which I don't know yet. Erica O'Connor is with her now.
>
> Everything I know (from talking to Erica):
> They were on the Helluva Ride bike tour.
> Elderly-ish man in big pick-up truck flew through red light, hit her.
> Wearing helmet.
> Never lost consciousness or lucidity or anything.
> No one else hurt.
> In ambulance with Erica (who was skating it) arriving at UM hospital now.
> Likely injuries: collarbone and jaw broken, possibly lost teeth; i wasn't
> clear on that.
> Police have her bike, tons of witnesses.
--
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/dreeves - - search://"Daniel Reeves"
"Helmet laws are bad for the gene pool." -- Bicycling Magazine
*** ORIGINAL CYCLING WHITEBOARD FOLLOWS -- EMAIL LIST AT BOTTOM ****************************
Hi, welcome to the biking whiteboard. This is a place to share info about
upcoming bike trips of interest. Feel free to add others who might be
interested, or to remove your email address if you don't want to receive
these updates.
Anybody interested in learning bike repair? Any mechanics out there
interested in swapping information? Email andersok@umich.edu.
All: add your speed by your name below to help find similar-ability riding
partners...
Add ideas for bike trips and such here: -----------------------------------
2005 7/9 One Helluva Ride
www.aabts.org (click on OHR)
They have lengths that are good for beginners and century-riders alike.
15, 30, 39, 54, 63, 76, 100 mile rides Starting in Chelsea (right down the
road--I would be willing to drive) All of the routes have the same lunch
area.
The two longest go through Hell, MI. Registration through the day of the
ride (but you save money if you sign up early).
If you are interested in carpooling or joining up for lunch, email me
andersok@umich.edu.
2005 7/9-7/10 STP (Seattle to Portland, registration open)
http://www.cascade.org/EandR/stp/index.cfm
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/dreeves/whiteboard/stp
Email Danny (dreeves@umich.edu) for more information
Signed up: Danny, Bethany, Kapoo, Danny's Mom, Danny's Dad, Bethany's Mom,
Bethany's Dad, Melanie, Cameron, Nate(?), Amity(?), Jake(?), Steven(?)
7/24-7/30 RAGBRAI XXXIII (Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa)
http://www.ragbrai.com/
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/99999999/LIFE04/50218014
One of the first cross-state bike rides...33 years old and counting. Great
food, great people, always a great route. About 10,000 riders every year.
This year, it is 485 miles long (without the usual century loop). The second
link above is the route map. Deadline for registration is April 1st, but
that is when your waiver must be in, so I would decide soon. I usually ride with
the Grinnell Bike Charter, run by the lovely Craig Cooper, owner of the local
bike shop. Email me (andersok@umich.edu) if you have any questions about the
ride. My mom rode last year and had so much fun, she's joining me again this year!
2005 8/31-9/4 DALMAC (all routes now full)
http://www.biketcba.org/DALMAC/dframe.html
Signed up for quint route: Karen, Danny, Bethany, Kapoo, Kevin McGowan
People interested in updates (SPAM list):
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- {SPM}
ALL FAMILY: reeves-hayos@umich.edu reeves-kalkman@umich.edu soule-dingle@umich.edu
Sarah sarahrn@umich.edu
Michelle mjste@umich.edu
klochner@umich.edu
mrudary@umich.edu
Brian brian.renaud@gmail.com
tallmarsk8@aol.com
----------------- People above get updates -- people below don't --------------- {NSPM}
Danny dreeves@umich.edu 16+mph skating, 20+mph biking
Martin mreeves@citybluetech.com 20+mph
Bethany bsoule@gmail.com 17+mph
Kapoo ckapoo@gmail.com 17+mph
Erica ericaco@umich.edu (officially faster than Danny)
Karen conneely@umich.edu 20+mph
Markus markusn@umich.edu 20+mph
Kate andersok@umich.edu 16+mph or 18+mph depending on my mood
Andrew aeppig@umich.edu
Amity amitybinkert@yahoo.com
Nate binkertn@umich.edu 20+mph
Rebecca rcsomos@umich.edu
Lisa hsul@umich.edu
Vicki vfossum@umich.edu 17+mph
Kevin klochner@umich.edu 20+mph
Bill wrand@umich.edu 18+mph
Chris cdeline@umich.edu 19+mph
Michael mlmitton@gmail.com
Kevin McGowan clunis@umich.edu 20+mph
Ashley ashley.karlin@gmail.com
Expenses:
o hospital bill (billed to insurance)
o bike (need receipt from paypal)
o helmet (submit receipt for new one?)
o bob&judy hotel
o bob&judy gas + wear&tear on car (standard per mile rate?)
o danny plane ticket
o danny taxi ($60 with tip; have receipt)
o danny rental car (have receipt
o missed work
o general loss of productivity
o future dental costs
o
Daniel Reeves