Blog for Megan Hottman
CRASH! Panorama/Dr Rowland to the rescue!
July 20 -- day 2 of the Cascade Cycling classic, a 6-day stage race, 5 miles into the race, a race moto swerved in front of our 109-women peleton causing riders to swerve and brake. At the same time, the other half of the field was trying to swerve to avoid bottles and debris left by a crash in the men's field before us. The culmination: I was in the sweet spot of the peleton where the swerving combined and as we descended at high speed downhill, a rider to my left came into me and down I went -- HARD.
I landed on my left shoulder, elbow, hip knee and somehow smashed in the back of my helmet. Immediately I knew something was wrong in my shoulder. I tried to get back on my bike to race, but my race director gently pushed on my collarbone to wake me up and let me know that -no - I wouldn't be racing anymore that day. I agreed to the ambulance ride to the ER where I was told I had broken my clavicle, 2 ribs, and had a pneumothorax and was kept overnight for observation.
I was released the next day and lived with the broken clavicle until July 28, when I was able to get back to Denver and to get surgery scheduled with Dr Rowland.
This was my first broken bone ever-and therefore my first surgery ever. Needless to say I was apprehensive and nervous. Nervous the surgery could go poorly, nervous I might not be able to ride my bike right away, nervous the scars would look bad. All my fears dissipated when I met with dr rowland at panorama. He explained EVERYTHING to me and even shared his own broken collarbone experience with me.
When I arrived at OC the staff was so friendly and helped me get my nerves settled and prepared me for what to expect. Michele was superb at getting my IV started and answering my questions. My anesthesia doctor (wally hyasaka) came in and assured me he would take good care of me, which made me feel better since I was going to be put asleep with no control over my own breathing, etc. He also addressed potential nausea by giving me a drug that would ensure I wasn't sick post-op.
Then surgery was underway - of course I don't remember a thing, but dr rowland worked so hard to get all of my collarbone pieces collected and screwed to the plate- in the xray I can see my bone looks perfect, as though it was never broken! I can also see that the bone is now very strong thanks to the plate he installed, so I didn't have to baby it I could just get right back to cycling!! The area was bandaged well so that I could return to exercise right away.
The post op crew was also amazing, so friendly and patient with me. Jenna dressed me and helped me get sorted, and then time to go home!! Just 5 hours after I arrived I was all finished. I was able to ride my bike on the trainer the NEXT DAY. And 2 days post op I was riding my bike outside! 3 days postop I rode 50 miles outside with my husband. AMAZING. My recovery has been smooth sailing ever since.
This was a major surgery but was made so easy and tolerable for me by dr rowland and the entire staff- I can't say enough positive things about my experience and will recommend dr rowland/panorama/oc to everyone I know!!
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