Who’s Bruised:

For those that don’t subscribe to the Google Group, here are a few emails relating to the multiple bike crash on the Sunday 19th June.

Sunday 19/6: Official: Four crashes at the same corner on today's ride. Cliff Peters, Tony Stegmar, Pina Garasi and Tom Bartus (3rd ride) crashed on the same corner, within seconds of each other. (Tyers - Traralgon Rd) today at 12.18 pm. (Turned out to be the Tanjil East Road ...Ed.)

Cliff sustained a broken hip and underwent surgery this evening to reattached the ball to the top of his leg. He also suffered a couple of broken ribs. He expects to be in Traralgon Base Hospital until at least Tuesday. Bike destroyed.

Tom sustained multiple fractures to his collar bone and will be operated on soon. Bike destroyed.

Tony broke his scaphoid bone (wrist) and another small bone in his hand. It has been put in a plaster cast. He caught a taxi home around 9.30 pm. Bike probable write-off.

Pina survived with cuts and abrasions and was able to ride her bike home. Minor cosmetic.

Three ambulances, one each. Two divvy vans and one Accident Investigation 4WD. One tow truck, all three bikes unceremoniously dragged up and on to tray.

Monday 20/6 Official: crash update. Cliff Peters is expected to be at Latrobe Regional Hospital for at least the next four days and possibly more. He is beginning the long road to recovery. Should anyone be visiting, his address is Bed 206, Tarra Ward, Latrobe Regional Hospital, Princess Highway, Traralgon West, Vic, 3844. Visiting hours are from 3 pm to 8 pm.  Cliff can be reached directly via the Ward admin people on 5173 8050  (ask for Cliff).

Cliff is in good spirits - just happy to be alive, though in pain everywhere except his head and neck! He is bruised from top to bottom, and everywhere in between. Four broken ribs, broken wing bone lower back, and post operative battering from hip carpentry. And previous hand damage with him wearing a splint at the time of the crash, it taking longer (and more pain) to heal than expected. He can barely stand on his good leg, which is swollen and bruised. He reckons every muscle in his body is wrenched and torn. On the up side, the hip operation was very successful with good prospects of a complete recovery. Blood vessels were all intact.

Members Lyn Duncan and Peter Hill visited today. Cliff was very pleased to see them as hospitals can be lonely places. Barb Peters is tracking back and forth between Geelong and Traralgon each day, dealing with medical issues at the both ends.

Tom Bartus is still in LRH and hopes to be relocated to the Epworth as an in-patient tomorrow (Tuesday 21/6) for further testing and better medical expertise. He has been diagnosed with three breaks in his collar bone and complicated rotator cuff (shoulder) damage. He has a broken left foot and his left leg is in a removable cast to manage the swelling. His mobile phone is flat but he can be reached via the hospital main number: 5173 8000. His mobile numbers are 0437 859 985 and 0425 717 336 which should be active in a day or so.

I spoke to Tony Stegmar in a taxi on his way home from the hospital last night and again today. His arm is set and splinted. The best outcome is that the scaphoid bone break and the related chip heal naturally and no operation is required. Today's conversation concerned how to get his bike back to Melbourne from the wreckers yard. He can be contacted on 0459 210 993 and would welcome calls and photos!

Pina Garasi worked today: mildly depressed, hurting and bored with the process of organising insurance claims and getting the bike quoted, assessed and repaired.  Clearly her protective apparel did its job - the Dainese pants shredded and to be replaced. Sore, as you are after any crash, muscles you never knew you had aching. Bored with having to go through with the whole process - again.

Monday 20/6 From John Willis: Just wanted to say that Lou Tickner and I spoke to Tom tonight on the phone and he DEFINITELY is still at Latrobe hospital. He thinks his riding days are over. Such a shame as he seems a really nice bloke, the bit we have learned of him. He lives in Dandenong and takes the train into the city to work in a bank. I know Cindy was given bad info but if anyone does go down to see Cliff, please try again. He didn't seem to know when he was moving or what his next steps re: operation would be. Even if he doesn't need an operation he will be in for rehab for a bit as he lives by himself. 

Wednesday 22/6 From Barb Peters: Hello to all MSR riders. Cliffy asked me to send you a note. He says a big thankyou to all who have visited, phoned, text messaged and emailed him. He appreciates all your well wishes and looks forward to your calls and visits. Unfortunately, I bring some bad news. Today they x-rayed his left leg and discovered his knee has two fractures. Hence the pain he has been feeling every time he tried to stand.  This means that he will now be in hospital for weeks until he can walk again. They are trying to get him transferred closer to home. It also means that he will not be riding his motorcycle for quite a while and I think that is what hurts the most emotionally. You can be reassured that he will be back riding as soon as he can. Please keep phoning, texting (when he gets a phone) and visiting him, as I reckon it will help with his healing.

Thursday 24/6 From Ben Warden: Cindy Lee and I visited Tom (also known as Tamas) and Cliff yesterday afternoon/night and note the following: Cliff is alive and in a world of pain – if he moves.  Not only does he have a broken hip, 4 broken ribs, pre-existing broken hand, broken wing bone in back, but recently discovered double break in his knee – large chip off the bone up from the ankle and another large chip off the inner knee bone. They’ll probably pin the former and leave the latter to heal itself, in another operation, time yet to be announced. He has a bucket load of x-rays and scans which made interesting reading. The worst part about the knee is that it must remain non-weight bearing for three months. A nasty shock.

Tom Bartus (known as Tamas at the front desk) was easy for us to find; he was outside having a gasper, still on the original Sunday pack. At that point he was extremely frustrated with the lack of progress in any aspect. He was still located in the 24 hour emergency accommodation, and had no idea of when an operation was scheduled for.  On top of his triple broken collar bone breaks and rotator cuff damage, the hospital had, similarly to Cliff, discovered a depressed fracture of the knee squashing the cartilage and requiring a minor operation. According to the junior ward nurse, fundamentally Tom isn’t damaged enough and keeps getting bumped down the operation queue as more serious cases arrive –and there were plenty of them. The whole hospital system appears to be at capacity or worse. Relocating to Melbourne offered no better chance of being operated on. And his injuries can be left unattended for up to two weeks! Not what want you want to hear.

As if by magic a surgeon appeared and discussed Tom’s latest knee scans and offered this Saturday (26/6) as a highly probably date to perform both shoulder/collar bone and knee surgery. Tom reluctantly agreed. At last, progress; his first positive news in four days. He visibly improved as he now had something to tell his ever ringing family and friends.

Peter Hill and Lyn Duncan were coincidentally visiting, travelling across from Stratford/Dargo. Peter brought and left his laptop, and a bunch of DVDs. Fantastic effort. Thanks Pete. I brought a USB stick of crash photos on the off chance, so we ran a slide show or two between the two Wards (Tom is in Tambo and Cliff is in Tarra). Tom hadn’t seen the photos so was suitable impressed.  Similarly, Cliff was amused by the half that he hadn’t seen.

See attached photos of the wounded and visitors. Note Cliff’s bruised arms – bones undamaged, just beaten up. Most of his body is similarly colourful!  Both Tom and Cliff will be there for at least another week as they can’t be moved for a few days after their respective operations. So get organised and visit.

Saturday 26/6 From Barb Peters: Hi Ben, This morning, before going to see Cliff, I went out to where he crashed and found that they were repairing the road. I stopped up the road and walked back as far as I could and took some photos. I couldn't get any closer was a bit afraid they might try and confiscate my camera lol Paranoid I guess. I went back later in the afternoon with Jason and Heidi and we collected a few items, including Cliffy's key and ignition. OMG! We could see where he landed in the tree. No wonder he is bruised so much. He is doing a bit better today. I massaged his feet and one leg and washed then rubbed some soothing cream into his sore back. He enjoyed that!

Monday 4/7 Official: From Ben Warden: Ben and Tony Stegmar visited Tom and Cliff Friday afternoon (1/7) to check on progress. Both still at LRH and will be until at least tomorrow, Tuesday.