MVA Motorcycle Accidents

[Rosewater]

Just wondering if anyone here had a motorcycle accident or the aftermath of one as the trauma that caused their PTSD?

Mine was caused by a low speed incident which caused a lot of physical injuries. The trauma was exacerbated by various problems with the emergency treatment and then aggravated greatly by workplace issues when I tried to return to "normal".

I'm interested to hear from anyone who had similar experiences.

Thanks.

 

[UnluckyGuy]

An old thread, but yes - see my post in dissociation if you're still around.

Something I don't mention is that I was made redundant a year after the..

 

[Esterio]

Thanks for the post Rosewater.
I suffered sever head injury in a motor cycle wreck. If you are still around I would talk about it. Most is vague memories I do have some. They tell me that I have cPTSD and everything In the way of trauma is involved.
Peace be safe

 

[Rosewater]

Thanks for the post Rosewater.
I suffered sever head injury in a motor cycle wreck. If you are still...

Hi, I haven't been on here for a while. Happy to chat if you want to send me a message. Hope things are improving for you.

 

[Esterio]

Hi, I haven't been on here for a while. Happy to chat if you want to send me a message. Hope things a...

Hi Rosewater
Sorry I missed your reply. Things have not been going good for me I am supposed to be in EMDR therapy. But My T has canceled so many sessions and left me hanging with no support. So I think I have quit therapy again. I did find out some things with the little therapy I had. I have very few real memories of my bike wreck. For that mater I have a lot of memories and blocks of time gone. I do get some of the disturbing images flashing to me more now as to the therapy has woken every thing up. I would be Interested to talk any time. I get notices now when anyone response to me. I need to have alarms and notices for all things Important so that I am sure to get what ever done.
Did you or do you still ride after your wreck? I did until The year that my brother was killed on his motor cycle. I quit riding for peace of mind for my mom. I thought she had been through more than anyone should. My Brother and I were best of friends and we were both wild with very few controls. My bikes were A 1967 305cc Honda Dream, !972 500cc Triumph Daytona, 1969 650cc Triumph Bonniville and A 1949 Harley Davidson Pan Head (Chopper). Hope that I have not said too much.
Peace be safe

 

[Rosewater]

Hi Esterio

I started EMDR recently and have had 3 sessions. The first was just the usual introductory interview & case history. The two actual EMDR sessions have been intense and very productive at bringing out and releasing things that would never have surfaced in talk therapy. I like the EMDR because I can just let the images arise and then follow were they go, including physical sensations. This is getting me right into the pain that underlies my remaining symptoms & I'm starting to feel a lot better. Maybe it will help if you have little conscious memory of your crash ?

After my crash I gave up riding because I decided it wasn't fair on my family. I couldn't ride anyway, as I still get stressed on car journeys & occasionally get totally overwhelmed for hours after a short car journey. So I wouldn't trust my reactions on a bike any more. The EMDR seems to be helping me get rid of these reactions/symptoms though.

My bikes were a 2009 Triumph Speed Triple 1050 & a 2003 Triumph Bonneville that I had upgraded to 900cc & I got it up to 72bhp with 42mm flat-side carbs. I miss it - sometimes when I see someone ride by I can physically feel their acceleration and torque, and feel the bike underneath me. It's a way of getting some vicarious pleasure without endangering myself I suppose...

Feel free to carry on the conversation in direct messages if you like.

Take Care.

 

[Esterio]

I have had 5 sessions now for EMDR only one was actually with EMDR. The first 3 were for discovery and that last one was main for him to apologize to me for standing me up on the last session. I should be at 12 sessions now and he has cancelled on 7. I also had a very bad neck and was in no shape to be at therapy. He told me at that session that he would be there for me and then I get a call to cancel the next session and now the next one too. So like I say this one is most likely over. I could see how the EMDR help to make your memories flow. I have trouble with doing two things at once so we moved away from my eyes and he gave me to little probes One for each hand and told me to just sit back and relax in insert a memory and holly cow it was just like a fast running movie. The first session was intense we started with an incident that happen only a couple of years ago With A verbal altercation with my Sister with in seconds I was seeing all the violence that was coming out of her when she was about 14. After that we did a few more times with tough stuff then came a good memory of being with my Mom in Mexico walking on a beach talking My Mom and I were fairly close and had good conversations. The last shot of EMDR was all good memories of my mom and there was so many I feel really good when I walked out the door. Didn't last long and I started to have flash backs to my M/C wreck. The seen is sudden impact. I remember very little I remember sitting on the side walk and talking with EMT's. I remember talking to the doctor as he was putting me back together and I remember a cop trying to take a statement. The next thing Remember Was my brother picking me up to drive me home and a got sick at lunch. This was about 40 days. The bike was my 1969 Bonneville.
I really liked my Triumph motor cycles I liked my Harley too. Now I don't think I would own a Harley if I was to get a new bike it would be a new Triumph. I have seen a few of them they are nice looking and go way more faster than I need to go any more.
I don't even ride a bicycle any more My hands go numb from my neck. I have been looking into electric trike as I may not be able to continue driving. I am having too many incidents dissociating not good. So I don't drive much any more and I am really careful. I live about 5k from town, the stores and doctors. I don't go for much else.

 

[Jules]

Just wondering if anyone here had a motorcycle accident or the aftermath of one as the trauma that cau...

Hi mine was a motorcycle accident - how you doing now ?
Jules
x

 

[Esterio]

Hi there Jules.
I am not doing very good. Don't know how much is related to the M/C wreck. I had a few accidents in 1976 that one being the worst. A lot of my ptsd comes from the wreck and the aftermath I had a few surgeries and they had a hard time keeping me alive. So they don't treat you gently when they are trying not to loose you. I am physically disabled have been since 1999 everything came crashing down mentally at the same time.
How about you how are you doing? What kind of injuries did you receive? How long ago was your accident? If you can talk about it.
Peace be safe

 

[Jules]

Hi There, its Jules here.
I have a Kawasaki ER650n but its been in the garage for years now. The crash was 7 years ago this October.
My crash was when i was pillion with my then boyfriend who didnt see traffic sitting there after a hump back bridge (70 mph).
Spinal in 4 places and hit my head - other things as you can imagine.

I am disabled now but still work, although only part time from home.

Anyway he left me after the crash - devastated at the time as i needed help. But thats ok now.

Im not doing so good either - was doing better, started 'proper' therapy 18 months ago - 'trauma therapy' hadnt heard of it before then. But its through my local neuro hospital and its very intense.

My mum has recently been diagnosed with cancer - i am finding it very difficult to show her my feelings like i know i am supposed to. I struggle to cope with that and continue the therapy sessions - because there isnt enough room in my head for bot, i dont seem able to deal with either at the moment.

With the therapy, i guess i am feeling frightened.

We you riding the bike at the time - what happened ?

Note:
I do know it is 'stupid Oclock' (3.30am) i have big problems sleeping still with it. Do you ?
Jules
x

 

[Esterio]

I had two accidents in less that 12 months. First was an industrial accident a hit on the top of the head. 23 years later I found out that that hit compressed multiple disc in my neck and back this is what disabled me. My motor cycle wreck we were riding after a shower roll through and the heat had brought up the oil in the road it was slick. Came around a bend in the road and the street light turned yellow a car had already pulled into the intersection I couldn't stop and neither could my buddy. I hit the front right fender and my buddy just missed the back of the car. It is him that told me most of what happened. Major head injury left side of my face was smashed bad spent a long time in hospital 40 day or so first time. I remember talking to the doctor that was trying to put me back together don't remember anything that was said.
I have no memory until my brother came to pick me up and take me back to our home town, I got sick when we stopped for lunch. He got me home and the next day a bunch of friends showed up to visit I was watching them leave and blood vessel let go in my sinuses and blew blood everywhere. I was back in hospital and they had another ruff time keeping me alive in the OR. They operated on me that night twice, I was in the or for most of the night. I lived I spent another long time in hospital. My brother had repaired my bike. The day after I got out of hospital I took my bike for a ride down the strip and back and I never road again for a year. It was just getting back on so that I new I could.
I don't remember dates only the year. I loose all kinds of time some is big blocks of time. Memory seems to be selective. I have lots of anger issues, flash backs and panic and anxiety. I also have lots of other issues from before these accidents. So it is hard to tell what is really going on at times. I am not in therapy at this time I had to quit the T was screwing up really bad missing more sessions than he kept.
I go through times of very little sleep. With one treatment of EMDR and I found out that what had me waking up in full panic and not knowing why, was the sudden impact of that crash. I also now have a vision of the car. It was an older model yellow Thunderbird. Since found out what it was it has not been waking me up any more.
I am sorry to hear of your Mom. She could use you to be there for her if you can find the strength
Therapy is hard and if you don't have a good T you are going to have an even harder time. I have been in therapy twice. First was 18 years ago the last was this winter.
I tried very hard to go back to work but I found the only people that would hire someone that is disabled are bottom feeders and treated me really bad my doctor told me to stop beating myself up and find a volunteer position and he was right I feel better and I am valued by the people I help at a senior care facility.
I am sorry your b/f left you when you really need him.
Motor cycle accidents cause a lot of damage. My brother was killed on his motor cycle 8 years after my accident.
I have needed therapy for a long time but have not been able to complete any of it it is to hard on me. I know it all meeds to come out and be process. I think it should be part of the care that anyone involved in a series crash gets debriefed by victim services or someone as close to the accident as possible so you don't have to fight it for years or decades as my case goes.
Sorry this got kind of long.
Peace be safe

 

[Jules]

Hi, Jules here.
Reading all that brought back some flash backs for me -
I have been in therapy before, but they were just 'passive', almost like putting a plaster on it. This time i know these are professional people. But, you know, at the end of the day they are just people like you and me - human, and they havent experienced a TBI.
Anyway, why are you still awake tonight ?
Your not a female biker are you by any chance ?
Bikes have been in my blood since i was very young, from about 10 years old. I grew up with a love of old British but then got my first Kawasaki Z back in 1998 i think it was. My husbands a biker - also into Kawasaki and old British. I met him when he was with his friends doing an Easter Egg Run day for charity. Hes a good bloke - also had a TBi when he was much younger.

I go and see mum every day at hospital - i just wish i could feel what i am supposed to - naturally. If tht makes sense.

Work - yep, same happeed to me, i am doing the work i wouldnt otherwise have chosen and am not treated well now.

Anyway mate - lovely chatting to you - really pleased i found this site now.

Please chat anytime - i am usually around.

jules