The Chainlink

     On wednesday the 10th I was bicycling around Albany Park delivering sandwiches for Jimmy Johns.  At around 1:30pm, I was struck down.  I have no memory of what happened.  The last thing I remember is riding east on lawrence between kedzie and kimball and waving to a friend of mine.  A witness called an ambulance and I was rushed to St. Vincent's in Evanston.  I woke up a day later.  I had a severe concussion and a head wound down to the skull, but very luckily not a skull fracture.  I have to take anti-seizure medication and am forced to stay off the bike for at least 6 months.  If anyone has any information as to how I was struck down it I would be eternally grateful. There are some odd clues though.  There's no damage to the bike.  I ride a single speed origin 8 frame with a weinmann 18dp wheelset.  The last time I had a minor fall I at least knocked the headset off.  but nope- all components are in perfect working order. The fingerless gloves I wear are completely covered in blood, like I protected myself or at least tried to.  Again, any information would be helpful.  Also, I'm now in the market for an adult tricycle if anyone knows of one for sale somewhere.   

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I am so sorry to hear of your injuries.  I hope you get well soon and that a witness steps up to tell you what happened.
I hope that you can make a full recovery and get some answers.

Did the witness see the accident?

 

If not, are you sure you were run down? It could have easily been road debris/pothole/etc. and you went down and hit your head. This would explain the bike having no damage.

sorry to read this. wishing you a quick and full  recovery.
ditto.

dan brown said:
sorry to read this. wishing you a quick and full  recovery.

Sorry to hear what happened and hope you have a full and speedy recovery.  

 

From reading your story, I wonder if someone threw a brick or bottle and hit you in the head. That happened to me some years ago by Humboldt Park while I was in my car stopped at a red light. I was able to speed away in a daze but didn't snap out of it until 2 blocks later when my friend screamed that I was bleeding. I had blood and broken glass all over me but barely remember what happened. 

 

Get well soon

Agree. It's not that hard to go over the handlebars for next to no reason (e.g. front wheel twists in a small pothole, road debris lodges in the front brake.)  Happened to me-- I ended up with a neck injury and a rock embedded in my helmet, but no head injury. No cars in sight.

Head wounds notoriously bleed a lot.  

Adam "Cezar" Jenkins said:

 

If not, are you sure you were run down? It could have easily been road debris/pothole/etc. and you went down and hit your head. This would explain the bike having no damage.

Holy hell. Hope you get well soon. I ride around that area too, and I hope someone who saw this happen comes to your aid.
I wish you a speedy recovery Carly... and an answer to the question of what the heck happened.
I think it could've been any number of little things, but the fact that I remember no final 'snapshots' or moments leading up to the incident really bugs me the most.  I remember everything I come across like- "thank goodness I missed that screw" or "dang that's a long piece of string" or "some poor woman lost her weave".  I mean, I pay attention to shit.  I have a photographic memory and I am as sharp as a tack and have been delivering sandwiches in that neighborhood for years.  I know all the potholes.  This is driving me crazy.
Hope you get well soon.  I had a slighlty similar (though luckily less severe) head injury a year ago while snowboarding in Utah.  I remember absolutley nothing about how the injury happened.  One minute I was zooming along on a trail that was well within my skill level and the next I was waking up at least 30 minutes later on a backboard attached to a snowmobile. I'll never know if I made a mistake on the board or if someone else crashed into me and caused the accident.  Unfortuntately, it's pretty common with a serious conscusion to lose memory before and after the event.  The not knowing part can be a very unsettling feeling for awhile for sure.  I wish you luck and hope you get some clues and closure soon. 

I had been shot in the head by a what I think was a BB gun in that neighborhood several years back. Don't know if those kinds of things still go on there. So I was totally caught off guard.

Did your friend who you waved at see anything?

It is really scary that you are super aware and yet still have something like this happen to you.

Get well soon, so glad you are going to recover.

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