I won't be posting much for awhile

I figured that eventually someone would wonder what happened to me.

I had a bicycle accident a few days ago.
My bike stopped suddenly due to a hole in the road, and I didn't.
I landed on my left shoulder and basically crushed it.

My left lung was mostly collapsed. Two ribs were broken.
My scapula was shattered. My clavicle has 11 screws in it.

I'm typing this with my right hand.

The good news is that eventually my left shoulder will return to mostly normal.
The bad news is that this is months away.

In the meantime I will practice the fine art of sleeping most of the time, and taking pain killers.

Peace out!

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mimi's picture

and end to pain and painkillers in the near future.

All the best to you.

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Lookout's picture

I assure you that you will be missed. You are a such a great collector of important news and I appreciate all your efforts.

Rest and knit those bones!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

something similar, very painful and takes a long time to heal.

I feel for you, g. Take it easy and let it mend.

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thanatokephaloides's picture

There is nothing so critical that it cannot wait for you to heal.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Please recover quickly!

Smile

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Bollox Ref's picture

Good luck.

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Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

Azazello's picture

that will result from your accident but I can't. I don't have your drive and dedication. Damn few do. Good luck and get well soon.

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We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.

Wink's picture

@Azazello

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

dervish's picture

I'm sorry to hear that it was this. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

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"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."

Carol Joy's picture

Sounds like a long road to go.

As you start to get better, consider spending time in a pool. You can at least keep your legs moving around, even if you need to use your good arm to hold onto a floatation device.

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Believing in the improbable can make your life a miracle.

Steven D's picture

I'm very sorry for your accident and the injuries you sustained. Rest. Be good to yourself. I'll miss your work, but not as much as I want you to be healed.

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"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

dance you monster's picture

Actually, I kinda know what you're going through, from an injury I had some years ago. It will take a long time. The first month is the worst, of course, but you'll have pain meds for that, so kick back. In month two, as you are definitely getting restless, dial those meds back enough to feel your body telling you when you're overdoing it. You really will want to know. After that, it should be mostly twinges as you push the boundaries -- you still have a bunch of structural reinforcement taking place.

Eleven screws in a clavicle, eh? As always, you impress.

Heal up, we'll have a place waiting for you on your return.

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Unabashed Liberal's picture

that you were taking a well-deserved break over the holiday weekend.

I may not always get to comment in your essays, but as somewhat of a news hound myself, I always 'rec' them, and very much enjoy reading your work. Also, appreciate your dedication to C99P--including, when we were still a small blogging community of mostly Lifeboat or GG folks.

Hey, take good care of yourself. Look forward to seeing you back when you've healed.

Pleasantry

Mollie


"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."--Will Rogers

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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Wink's picture

@Unabashed Liberal
many of the "newbs" or lurkers have joined the party here!

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

We will miss you. Here's hoping for a rapid and complete recovery. Sleep, rest, and take care.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

snoopydawg's picture

I was hoping that you were on vacation and having tons of fun. Sorry to hear about why you have been gone.
Lots of good advice, especially spending time in a pool.
I would add eating foods that are rich in calcium and taking glucosamine with MSM and turmeric.
Glucosamine helps rebuild cartilage and lubricates joints turmeric helps with inflammation.
I buy the glucosamine from target and look for deals on turmeric. I buy the Shiff brand glucosamine 1500 mg because it's made with high potency glucosamine. I buy it online and buy enough to get free shipping.
Two summers ago, Abby who is part lab could barely walk because of her arthritis and after I started her on this, people couldn't believe she was the same dawg. It took less than a month for me to see the difference.
I take it during the winter when my ankle flares up because I broke it a few years ago.
Take care and please check in now and again to let us know how you are doing.

IMG_1202.JPG

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

gjohnsit. Rest and heal. All our best wishes are with you. You are priceless.

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enhydra lutris's picture

Rest, take care and get well soon. It sounds like even reading would be a hassle, but you could take up mindfulness (or other) meditation, it could even help you heal. Make sure to keep that lung and ribs doing what they should as best as you can. Good luck.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Not Henry Kissinger's picture

Your voice will be sorely missed.

Speaking of voice, have you though about some voice recognition software while you recuperate?

In any event, heal well and quickly.

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The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

Raggedy Ann's picture

and a complete recovery. I'm going to miss you.

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

mhagle's picture

We will miss you, but hopefully there is a silver lining in the cloud. Not as bad as your accident, but two years ago I broke my ankle and was mostly in bed for 3 months. Got to do a bunch of reading and that was wonderful.

So while you physically heal . . . hopefully you have an opportunity for lots of intellectual (and spiritual? . . . if you want) healing!

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

For what it's worth, though I work from home these days, I was a long time cycle-commuter and I've been in that same boat (truck ran me down from behind...leveled me).

Try to stay sane, you'll go a little stir crazy after a few weeks if you're accustomed to a lot of cycling. When you're able, do your physical rehab! Especially working on your range of motion. I must have missed a spot and as a result, can't just tuck my left arm behind my back without grabbing it with my other hand to help pull it back there...kind of amusing now, but I regret not noticing that piece of motion I should have worked on.

Broken ribs are a real bummer. A cosmetic surgeon gave me some advice for getting out of bed in the morning (it sucks and hurts to do the typical prop up and out and he once broke a couple ribs getting tossed off a horse, so offered me his tidbit from his own broken rib story); he suggested to tie a rope to the end of the bed and use that help pull yourself up, obviating the need to engage those muscles that will wreak pain around those ribs.

Wishing you well for your healing.

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Best of luck in your recovery and thank you for all your work. You've been a font of information and inspiration. I appreciate and admire your writing and activism very much. You're going to leave a pretty big hole in C99. But hey, you wrote this with one hand...so there's hope. Hang in there, my friend, and again, thanks and good luck.

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Citizen Of Earth's picture

Sounds like a tough fall. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. We'll miss you excellent analysis on all things economic.

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Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.

EyeRound's picture

I'm one of the ones who read your great posts but don't comment so much. I'll miss you while you're healing, but the healing is the important part.

All the best while you knit yourself back to good health!

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gulfgal98's picture

to you, my friend. I hope your healing will be relatively quick, one that is complete and hopefully with as little pain as possible.

You had one hell of an accident. Many years ago I suffered a bicycle crash which left me with a separated shoulder and a nice little gash in the head. Later in a separate accident, I once broke a rib and found it to be very painful, more so than the separated shoulder.

But you, my friend, decided to do it right with multiple and severe injuries. Ouch! That had to be one hell of a crash and I hope you will never have to endure one like that again.

I hope you will heal quickly and completely. Your voice and your outstanding essays will be sorely missed by all us. Please keep us up to date on how you are progressing. Until then, I am sending you peace, love, and healing vibes your way. Take care of yourself. Give rose

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Guess you will have a hell of an article about the state of infrastructure when you heal up? Do take care and know you have all of our best wishes and those are pretty powerful in sending you healing energy.

You might think about the voice to text simply because you mgiht want to take notes from your reading. The cell phone has some capability but I also have installed Dragon Software. You have to work with it a bit to get it to understand the way you make sounds (at least I do (I must have a hell of an accent!))

Get well quick but enjoy the excuse to take it easy and know that it ISN'T an excuse as you really really have to take it easy!

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glitterscale

divineorder's picture

Guatemala had no probs there but was coasting downhill in natl forest adjacent to Boulder and had a deer step out in front and fcked him up pretty good. All the best on your recovery.

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A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

OLinda's picture

So sorry to hear this gjohnsit. Take care of yourself and get well soon.

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GreatLakeSailor's picture

If you do feel like writing and can not type with one hand, consider Dragon Naturally Speaking.
https://www.nuance.com/dragon.html

Oh, hang on. It's like $300 now. Some time back I think I paid about ⅓ of that.

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Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.

Wishing your a speedy recovery. Your diaries are highly appreciated. You keep us informed of the issues.

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It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back. Carl Sagan

Shahryar's picture

Our granddaughter fell off the mountain bike trail yesterday. We've spent all day dealing with that. Fractured jaw, lost teeth. But she's bored already and texting.

Hope you get to that point quickly and find you want to and can write. I've been away from the site for a few months because I think things are not going to change but I do check in every once in awhile for your doomsday predictions.

Get some rest, get better and get back!

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divineorder's picture

@Shahryar wondered where you two were.....

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A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

Centaurea's picture

I'm a relative newbie around here, but I enjoy and appreciate your posts. Take care of yourself and let the healing process do its thing.

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"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi

"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone

karl pearson's picture

Sorry to hear of your accident and hope you are not in too much pain. I always look forward to your economic posts--and graphs, too! Get lots of rest and treat yourself well. You will be missed.

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earthling1's picture

No pun intended.
Gonna miss your writing greatly.
On the plus side.......gonna be one hellova celebration when you return!
Take care my friend.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

going down the tubes for a loooooooooooooooong time, and, ya know what?

next weekend more people will know more of the NFL team they'll know about their local mayor & city peeps, their state legislature peeps, and their congress critters. people keep choosing to keep their heads in their asses, and they will get ...

what they got.

rmm.

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But then I sigh; and, with a piece of scripture,
Tell them that God bids us do good for evil:
And thus I clothe my naked villany
With old odd ends stolen out of holy writ;

JekyllnHyde's picture

You've been a tremendous contributor to this website for a long time, writing and commenting on a wide range of policy/political topics. And in the process, have established a degree of credibility which only comes with dedication and hard work.

The very best to you as you recover over the next several months. In the meantime, until you return, we'll try to keep each other amused!

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A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma

Pricknick's picture

sit down for a while.
Rest easy or hard. Your choice.
Kush is good.

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

lotlizard's picture

To draw a Harry Potter analogy, may your next few months be as unlike Azkaban as possible and as much as possible like a time under the care of Madam Pomfrey.

That beakerful of Skele-Gro, for example, would probably come in very handy.

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Anja Geitz's picture

That doesn't sound like much fun Sad

Something similar happened to a friend of mine who was riding her bike while visiting her sister in L.A., except in her case it was a bad break in her ankle. Left her stranded for months in L.A because she couldn't travel, or walk up the four flights of stairs in her New York apartment.

Will miss seeing your daily reports. Hope your family and friends are spoiling you with a lot of attention and sympathy.

Get well soon ❤️

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

studentofearth's picture

I will be waiting patiently for your return as a frequent diary writer.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Is the bike OK? Wink

But, yeah shit that must have been spectacular. I've crashed in a lot of awkward ways over the years and have had several of those injuries. But holy hell not all at once!

I hate to offer advice because it feels like it is talking about me and not you, but fuck it, I care about you. It looks like a lot of us do.

So: if you don't already know, go see your PT if you can sooner rather than later. Really. Just go. Get out of the house and see what they say.
They can help you with advice about pillows for sleeping, sling adjustment during the day etc., that can make the difference between being in extreme mind-numbing make-it-fucking-stop pain and kind of being able to tolerate it.
That in turn, can keep the opioid use down a bit.
For some of us, that is important.

Sleeping can be hell after this kind of thing, I hope your dreams are beautiful and heeling and you are able to get back on your bike as soon as you are able.

Sweat dreams to you for now, and come back to us when you are healed.

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@peachcreek
All I know is that the bike looked better than I did, and it's somewhere at the hospital.
I don't know how I'm going to retrieve it.

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Thanks a lot for typing one-handed to send your message. No wonder the Accordion Crone photo for September is an Outhouse! Last month was Hell City. hmph. Will miss your signal, hope it's restored to full strength soon. Sweet dreams.

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Hopefully the rest and the painkillers will work and maybe you won't have to be on the painkillers for too long.

Sending you some get well soon karma and hopefully something that will give you a chuckle.

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good luck with the recovery!

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I quess you have to expect getting rolled when you pedal ass all over town. The rest of your life allow an extra six hours entering courthouses and boarding planes for the depantsing and wanding.

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There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.

@ghotiphaze
I'll get the extra special treatment from TSA from now on.

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orlbucfan's picture

posted that the jg Energizer Bunny was using this holiday weekend to recharge. Welp, they were right (kinda) on the recharging, wrong on everything else!! Take it easy. Rule #1--listen to your body and that will help big-time! You will be missed fer sure. However, we will hold the fort until you get back fully healed. Thank gawd, it was a bike and NOT a motorcycle! Vitamin B-12, calcium, and vitamin C are definitely needed here. And....fer what it's worth: REC'D!!! Smile

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Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

Amanda Matthews's picture

reasons this is such a great place. You definitely will be missed.

EDIT: took out a 'definitely'

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I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

ggersh's picture

it can't be said as to what you mean
to us all.

So here's to an easy and speedy recovery

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

joe shikspack's picture

take care and heal quickly. we'll miss you around here.

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Audio book selections from your loyal readers might be one tool to help you through the non-sleeping hours.

Would reader/commenters like to propose books for collective selection and/or purchase?

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Fighting for democratic principles,... well, since forever

Mark from Queens's picture

Hope you'll be on the mend soon. If reading and holding books/computer is too much maybe you can find yourself getting into podcasts and lectures off YouTube. Best Of the Left is an excellent one we've always loved.

Far too many bicycle accidents in this car-obsessed country. In NYC we're always hearing of yet another one, many times fatal. You'd think people would be more open to riding, and therefore more aware too, for so many obvious reasons.

Bicycling is much more ingrained in the cultures of the rest of the world, whereas here it's almost looked at, as part of the capitalist conditioning, as lower class or trivial or something. I'll never forget being in the middle of Sweden in the winter, in a small town on a beautiful snowy night, and walking to a nearby train station. There were literally hundreds of bicycles chained up and even people riding on that night. Another is something that to this day is the snapshot in my mind of sheer beautiful femininity embodied. It was in a small village in Switzerland, the kind with uniform flowers on every window sill. I saw an elegant older woman in a dress, riding a bicycle with a basket in front, filled with groceries from the market. To me it was the picture of vitality and well-being. I immediately thought of how few older woman ride bicycles in America, or if they do it's as a novelty, not really embraced as an integral, essential part of their lives as it was there.

Heal up, we'll miss you. I'll be on hiatus very soon too, with the expectation of a second baby.

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"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:

THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"

- Kurt Vonnegut

Injury/accidents must be going round. I had mine..fell down a concrete slope a week ago.Six breaks to my dominant wrist and lower arm and a broken nose.My first plate and will ask how many screws next week at followup.
You are one of the posters I regularly read. The information you share is valuable enough to me, along with your reasoned and reasonable approach to contentious topics, that I had to comment.
I too wish as speedy,fullish recovery as possible. I too suggest getting out and as much movement as possible in some parts of the body.I too recommend watching for when you can reduce the amount of prescription pain medication so that the pain is tolerable.I also want to suggest meditation,self hypnotherapy, and a couple homeopathic medications, aurnica montana and symphytum officinale.Complex healing needs multiple solutions. Please stay in touch...good for the spirit and psyche

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