United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi guys, as in the subject I'm coming on for 10yrs with this injury, total loss of the left arm, and sadly the pain is as bad as it was from the start. Im taking Oxycontin for the pain, about 5 20mg tablets per day. Ive still got the arm, not brave enough for the chop just yet, but keep thinking about it. Sadly no recovery in my case.
Anyway, heres some of my biking pics from recent events, I hold my ACU race licence, started in 2008 and have completed 2 part seasons, many ups and downs including the odd broken bone or two, but the ups far outway the downs!!





The last pic is my new bike for the 2011 season, its based on a Suzuki SV650, They call them a supertwin, Ive only had one test session but the early signs are good!

Any questions please feel free to ask.

Hi Mitch,

Nice pics and bike! Question for you - how do you keep your bad arm secured to your body? Do you have a special jacket or suit that does it?

Thanks,
MW

Hi MW

I have a strap (seat belt material) attached to the chest pocket area of my leathers that go's around the wrist of the bpi arm, and underneath the elbow area of the bpi arm there is velcro holding the arm close to the body. It works a treat.

Hope this helps.

Mitch

hi mitch. i'm coming up on the 3 month mark. dirt bike/me meets tree, tree wins. no use of right arm presently. great pictures. very tempting. in fact i just got done doing a google on "left hand throttle motorcycle" and yes; it has been done by some brave/crazy riders. i wanted to mention in case you had not tried it that tramadol helps me with a specific part of my pain, its like a throbbing pulsating burning clamping. hydro and/or oxy don't do much for it. dr says my right scapula (shoulder blade) 'exploded' and the pieces that remain cause problems sometimes, the opiates handle those. anyway, i'm 59 and do not even want to think about 10 years after, but congratulations on making the mark. it takes a bunch of courage and work, and i respect anyone without knowing anything else about them for being able to carry on, not to mention riding damn well again.

Mitch,

I had my injury while training on the road. I wanted to be an Olympic cyclist but one summer night in July 1968, I was hit by a car while riding home from a day of training. I have never had any pain medicine. No operations except to reduce the compound fractures of my leg and for arm.

In my opinion the best thing you can do is continue to live your life. yes I still have the "phantom pain" in my left arm but I learned to XC ski, swim and fly fish after my bpi. I got married and raised 3 children; went to college got a degree. As a disable athlete, I have competed in 5 Paralympic trials and been a member of 3 Paralympic teams( twice as a skier, once as a cyclist).



Me riding the 4000 meter pursuit at the Major Taylor Velodrome 1995

Mitch, that is amazing!
how do you clutch?
do you run a steering damper?
must be hell on your right arm after a few laps?
every day im resembling hell boy a little more.

shaun

Mitch,

The pics are nothing less than awesome. I'm glad to see you going on with your life despite difficulties and pain. You keep on keeping on Bro!

Thanks for the support guys. Bob respect to you for gaining your medals while living with this injury!
Shaunn, I have adapted my bike by moving the clutch accross from the left hand side to the right, two levers on the right hand side works a treat! Yes I run a steering damper on both my road bike and my race bike, defianately a must have addition for a bpi rider. After a days racing Im exhausted, and pay the price for the next few days afterwards, obviously Im pretty strong in my good arm anyway from working it all the time, but its still hard work, but without doubt worth every single bit of it!

Cheers

My husband would like to know how you switch gears?

Hi Aimee

I have moved the clutch from the usual position on the left to the right hand side, all other controls are normal.
Heres a link with a bit more explanation and some photo's of the adaption on my race bike, this site is well worth a look called the NABD, National Association for Bikers with a Dissability.

http://forum.disabledbiker.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5227

Please feel free to ask away any questions.