Any other disabled riders?

[marcusorelius]

I have been suffering with CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome ) since 1994. Spend 10 years and seen dozens of docs trying to find out what the heck I could do about it. Well I finally gave up trying to find an answer and just live with it now. 4 years ago after moving to AZ from LA I noticed a lot of m/c's here and thought that looks like fun, very dangerous sport in LA anymore with the huge amount of crazy drivers (had a few bikes in my teens and 20's) So I bought a kawi vulcan 800 and wow it was just what I needed. Ride'n a bike keeps ya in the moment and I never think about any problems when ride'n. Best therapy I have tried! Bought a concours and made a bag for my dog to ride (take him to visit my pop in an alztimers place in vegas) It is pretty cool how many people duke and I have made smile! So now I sold the connie and got and FJR and I'm have'n a blast ride'n it (duke is too!) If any of ya disabled don't know ya can get a free life time pass to national parks (i been to the grand canyon twice so far)

 

[rushes]

I thought I was disabled too. Chronic fatigue BIG time.

My doc ordered a sleep study. 2 hours in to it, they come in and tell me I stopped breathing 4 times.

Got my CPAP machine and it's a whole new world....

But that's a smart lookin pup ya got there... :thumbsup:

 

[08FJR4ME]

marcusorelius

I have a brother with the same issues. He has been dealing with it for over 10 years now. He bought an HD (According to him the only bike to ride.) about 6 years ago. In the last year he has dumped it twice. Nothing to serious. I don't think he's been riding it much anymore. It spends more time being repaired that ridden. Wouldn't surprise me if he sells it this spring. Every year he seems to get a little worse and i think he has tried just about everything also. He has been to several specialist and had more test done than you want to know.

We still go to YES concerts when they are in town. He even fly's to other states and overseas to go see them in concert. Now that i think of it maybe Cyclebable can work in some YES tunes for EOM. That would be awesome.

Good luck with the issues and hope you can keep riddin a long time.

 

[happyPuppy]

I have a fused left ankle ( one reason I ride an AE) so I can't walk very far without my foot swelling up, and I have a variant of Parkinson's Disease. I use a different machine for nighttime breathing called BiPAP, for hypo-ventilation at night due to the neurological problems. No problems riding a motorcycle to speak of other than I put both feet down at a stop vs using my left.

 

[FJRay]

I have spinal cord damage c4-c7. I am able to ride just fine until the road gets rough and then its time for a break. I didn't plan on getting hurt to retire but other than lack of money its not to bad.

 

[2WheelTiger]

As disabled riders, I think we tend to pay a bit more attention to what our bodies are telling us. I know I'm not afraid to pull over, stretch, or check into a hotel room early.

Priorities change, and we realize there are more important things than getting to a destination tonite. To contrast the old commercial:

"When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight, don't call me."

 

[marcusorelius]

We still go to YES concerts when they are in town. He even fly's to other states and overseas to go see them in concert.

Seen yes many times, in Los Angeles, Long Beach, San diego , Buffalo NY, Colorado springs Have seen most of the greats. zepplin, pink floyd, genisis, tull, eagles, elp, aerosmith, stones, jeff beck, and many more- ahh the good old days!

 

[Bounce]

neck fusion C5,c6,c7 and a left knee that didn't take well to arthroscopic surgery so, got better but not completely. limits distances walkable and stairs/inclines. got the HC placard but tend to park in the HC zones farther away so that those who are in wheelchairs and crutches can use the closest ones. my main concern is that some a-wipe might steal my placard on the bike dash some day.

 

[UselessPickles]

I've been a disabled veteran since I was 19. It's pretty minor, though (10% disabled). I just have some nerve problems in my elbow that developed after a nasty break and a couple surgeries. I usually don't even notice it as a problem unless I do some hard work (lifting, pushing, etc.). It just gets sore much more easily than normal, stays sore much longer than normal, reduces feeling in my pinky finger a bit and my elbow pops and cracks loudly (and painfully) occasionally.

 

[bikesniffer]

I have been suffering with CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome ) since 1994. Spend 10 years and seen dozens of docs trying to find out what the heck I could do about it. Well I finally gave up trying to find an answer and just live with it now. 4 years ago after moving to AZ from LA I noticed a lot of m/c's here and thought that looks like fun, very dangerous sport in LA anymore with the huge amount of crazy drivers (had a few bikes in my teens and 20's) So I bought a kawi vulcan 800 and wow it was just what I needed. Ride'n a bike keeps ya in the moment and I never think about any problems when ride'n. Best therapy I have tried! Bought a concours and made a bag for my dog to ride (take him to visit my pop in an alztimers place in vegas) It is pretty cool how many people duke and I have made smile! So now I sold the connie and got and FJR and I'm have'n a blast ride'n it (duke is too!) If any of ya disabled don't know ya can get a free life time pass to national parks (i been to the grand canyon twice so far)

I am happy for you that you've found a very enjoyable pastime/leisure activity

as for your CFS I think a sleep study is in order and if it's only to eliminate sleep apnea as a cause

Good luck and enjoy your rides

Alfredo

 

[Patriot]

I'm bipolar, but it's pretty well controlled with meds at this time (compared to 2001-02 before meds and yes I have stories; even bought a sports car with a credit card when manic)

My mother was bipolar, her brother was also and never worked a day in his life (back then there was only lithium which wasn't a great solution for many), and now my oldest teen daughter has it as well and is on meds. My brother suffers with depression.

Was medically discharged from the Navy which I considered making a career, but after 6.5 years, I couldn't fly anymore and it wasn't any fun anymore staying in anyway. So much for my dream of flying for Southwest.

Became a computer guru geek and made it a career for 20 years until I was declared 100% disabled by psychiatrists and SS.

Thank God mental illness stigma's have improved much over time in our culture and society or I pretty sure I wouldn't be here anymore. I had two really dark days that I was on the edge, but got over them and with the support of all family members never did or wanted to repeat.

I'm retired and poor, but happy with my time being my own other than family committments and priorities.

 

[marcusorelius]

Yep, that depression is a bitch. Had my share, sickness and depression go together. I've had 2 brothers commit suicide (found my little bro july 4th 1998 with a gunshot through his head) My mom had mental illness (she passed away in 02) pops is in a alztimers home and the only bro I got left is a severe alcoholic. My girlfriend has major depression as her pop, sis and her 30 year old son have died recently (drugs) and she's been disabled with a broken back. But life goes on no matter what and ya gotta play with the hand yer dealt and ya gotta be tougher than life.

 

[dcarver]

I'm not disabled but sure am broken up from various activities.

Broken back, broken femur, 15 ribs total broken, 1 rib removed, torn achilles, knee surgery, kidney surgery, broke jaw, burned quad-could see the femur, and the list goes on.

Now I just want to be comfortable.

 

[Patriot]

Yep, that depression is a bitch. Had my share, sickness and depression go together. I've had 2 brothers commit suicide (found my little bro july 4th 1998 with a gunshot through his head) My mom had mental illness (she passed away in 02) pops is in a alztimers home and the only bro I got left is a severe alcoholic. My girlfriend has major depression as her pop, sis and her 30 year old son have died recently (drugs) and she's been disabled with a broken back. But life goes on no matter what and ya gotta play with the hand yer dealt and ya gotta be tougher than life.

geez, God Bless ya marcus

I'm glad you have Duke...I find pets quite theraputic as they give unconditional love and it's good they can't talk, huh?

I have four dogs in the house (they let me live here with them) and they are all sweethearts with quite different personalities

My first dark day was after stayin' in bed for a year and becoming bitter at friends and church for ignoring me.

had the shotgun in my lap dry firing it when it hit me: Mike, do you want your family to find ya in your bedroom this way?

put the weapon away and never touched it again.

about 3 months later, after purchasing the Eclipse GT with the no/no/no loan backed by a credit card, would frequently take it out on the causeway bridge (straight as an arrow for 23 miles over Lake Ponchartrain - world's longest bridge) in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, in a manic episode and take it up to the rev limiter in high gear - about 140 or so. One "bad" night, I cycled from manic to depressed in a flash and started imagining what it would be like to just yank the wheel to the right. Yeah, the family would think I just had an unfortunate accident. Well, then it hit me: Mike, this is a very modern and safe car. Airbags, steel reenforced inner body shell, crumple zones, seat belts, traction control, strong roof, etc. How would you like to survive as a paraplegic ? Slowed down below the speed limit, and at the very next crossover, U turned and went home never to repeat.

 

[marcusorelius]

Yep Patriot Ya don't want to cause any one in your life that kind of pain. I am still liv'n every day the best I can! I drank beer tonite had pizza and my g/f came over and we had Dynamite Sex! YEE HAAA!

 

[Fastfar]

Not really dis-abled, just less-abled than I used to be:

L. shoulder grade III AC separation (bike crash), both knees compromised (snow skiing), C-spine has a reverse curve from auto accident, lumbar spine has healed micro-fractures and a thinning disc between L2 and L3 (either a dirt bike get-off or a snow skiing accident or both), about 1/3 of my hearing is gone and my ears ring constantly (firearms, motorcycles and other LOUD noises), vision correctable, some early male pattern baldness setting in...but my arches haven't fallen and I can still sit the bike for a 1000 mile day...although I may have some trouble standing/walking after I get off the bike...