Dr. said stay off the FJR (&%$#

[zorkler]

Dont know if anyone wants to here my story . Friend at work that i know for 12 years had a very bad accident that night we were working on high voltage cables 600 volts 10000 amps . I was 12 feet away from him when this happened . this is all i can say about this right now . He is a very lucky man to be on this earth right now . I now have what the doctors call post-traumatic stress disorder . I am on different meds and one of the meds decreace my distance perception so riding a motorcycle is out of the question i cant even drive the car at night . And theres is no time frame when i am going to come off the meds . But one day i will be back in the saddle and it can not come soon enough .

 

[Thor's-FJR]

Sorry to hear about your post-traumatic stress disorder :blink: Hope you get over it soon and ride again.

I'm curious, my wife is from Brooklyn, and I could not imagine riding in that area. Did you go upstate or ride in NJ?

 

[C&C]

Not to belittle your condition but it might prove that if the medication is for your frame of mind (in dealing with the events you saw/involved in), you might get more recooperative powers by dropping the drugs and hopping on the bike and taking a ride(s). I for sure don't know all of the details, nor am I in any way a physician but I myself try to remain drug free (even the prescripted one) if possible. Of course you would need to consult with your Doctor on this approach. Hope you heal soon, good luck.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

1) Always consult with your provider(s) before doing anything.

2)I know no specifics so take this with a huge grain of salt, but...

If you don't have a professional, licensed counselor, get one. Preferably with a counselor who specializes in trauma work, but all get training in this area. According to the literature, the best treatment in this kind of situation involves counseling and often medication(s). Neither works as well as the combination, usually.

Does PTSD fade away? Sometimes. But if left untreated and it doesn't go away it becomes chronic and sometimes debilitating.

If any medication has an unacceptable side effect, talk to your prescribing provider about alternatives. There are always alternatives for PTSD, especially if you have only been tried on one or two meds.

If your provider says, in essence, "just take the medication", find another prescriber, preferably a psychiatrist or other specialist in psychiatry that prescribes psychiatric medications, and knows what they are doing with PTSD.

The sooner you are treated, the faster the recovery from trauma. Don't delay.

Limiting lifestyle choices, avoiding things and withdrawing from people are results of the trauma. Try not to fall into the trap. A counselor will help in this regard.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[zorkler]

yea i see the psychologist every 2 weeks and the psychiatrist 2 times a week .

 

[Bounce]

So much for gaining/maintaining certain security clearances or concealed carry permits.

re: "have you ever...?"

 

[FJRottie]

I agree with ShinyPartsUp. I am no doctor or shrink but have seen cases of PTSD being in the military.

I have seen my share of death and trauma so it is not new to me.

I don't have it but understand a few things through others and from reading.

I will be blunt so read on with an open mind.

The memories and emotions of an event will always be there and you must acknowledge that.

You must find your way to come to grips with the event and move on, but don't relive the events to an excessive degree.

You must get back to an active lifestyle (many find routine physical exercise an excellent way to combat stress) and live your life as normal as possible.

Don't keep things suppressed, avoid the event, or use physical exercise as a distracter.

I have not seen benefits of medication, but a further and continual reliance of escaping and suppression.

It may be an immediate assistance, but not a primary or continual method.

You must push yourself to a normal and healthy lifestyle. Find a good professional or good person to help you come to terms with the event face to face.

The professional part you must be weary about. Being a doctor, makes you a doctor, but not necessarily a good one or a specialist in the area you are trying to fix. Find a specialist with PTSD. IMHO.

 

[Geezer]

Damn! Sorry to hear about this. I have a very good friend who works for ConEd in the manholes in Manhattan. He had some close calls with high voltage and did get zapped pretty good one time.

Best wishes and I hope you're back on the bike soon. You're missing out on the best therapy.... riding.

 

[zorkler]

You have that right a nice 300 miler will do the trick all the time . I thought i saw your daughter in one of the pic. at boone ? how do she like the ride . Thanks for your post ...... mike

 

[FJRZON]

Mike, I am truly sorry to hear about you and your friend at work. I empathize with the emotional trauma you are going through. A good friend of mine lost his father next to him while working near a live-wire. He keeps strong, positive and always looks at the good in life. He is fine.

You are a strong person and will get through this! God speed my friend and to many more road adventures!

Steve

 

[waldmana]

So much for gaining/maintaining certain security clearances or concealed carry permits.
re: "have you ever...?"

This type of acciedent thus causing trauma needing counceling would not effect a security clearence. A buddy of mine lost his wife and kids in a car crash and he was the one driving. He had to see a counseler for about a year and a half and he to this day still has a clearance.

Not sure about the weapons though. I would imagine if you are not suicidal and do not entertain thoughts of visiting violence on others you would be ok as wel.

 

[Bounce]

So much for gaining/maintaining certain security clearances or concealed carry permits.

re: "have you ever...?"

This type of acciedent thus causing trauma needing counceling would not effect a security clearence. A buddy of mine lost his wife and kids in a car crash and he was the one driving. He had to see a counseler for about a year and a half and he to this day still has a clearance.

Not sure about the weapons though. I would imagine if you are not suicidal and do not entertain thoughts of visiting violence on others you would be ok as wel.

i was thinking the "under medical care for 'psycological issues' that included 'certain' medications".

 

[zorkler]

shooting for april 2007 to get back on the bike . thats the latest news the dr. gave me . thanks all.

 

[nusman68]

Just remember:

Zorkler...I see bad trauma, violence, dead people, kids, etc. in my job. There is a 'team' available to us, 24 hrs/day, to help us deal with such things. The big difference is that they are peers, and have 'BTDT'...so they truly understand what we feel or are going through...a different viewpoint from a psychiatrist/psychologist...perhaps there is a similar group of people you could talk to you? I have no idea, of course...just a thought. Try to get up, get out, exercise and eat healthy..yeah it really does make a difference in your recovery.

 

[TheRepairMan]

Hey Zorkler, I too, am sorry about your situation. They say time heals all, but I know for sure letting yourself get back on the motorcycle is good therapy. You just can't rush the process.

I haven't been able to ride for a month now due to an injury resulting in excruciating pain in my right shoulder, arm and hand. I am unable to slow down the pain meds long enough to clear my head and try it again right now, but I did wake up feeling some better on a Saturday morning two weeks ago and saw my future. I thought for a while that I was nearing recovery and it seemed the day had come that riding my bike was an option again. It was the one thing I hadn't been able to do that I missed the most.

I managed to slowly get my gear on, do a walk around of the machine performing my preflight inspection because she had sat covered a while. I got so excited and was taking deep breaths of fresh morning air as I rolled her out of the stable. With a push of a button she roared to life and my heart started pounding so hard I could hear it in my helmet.

I pulled myself together and became focused on the ride. As I started out I felt like I was testing my physical condition so I was stuck in that mode for a few miles to see if this was going to even be possible to continue. I was slightly uncomfortable due to the weight on my shoulder and palm of my right hand because of the position my bike forces you to lean into, but my mind wanted to continue on so the discomfort became secondary.

I rode, and rode, never leaving one set of mountain and valley routes within my County but enjoying the activity to the highest degree. I don't know when I've ever enjoyed riding so much. The pain even worsened as I got further into the ride but I wouldn't let it affect my control of the bike. I sat up and took my hand off the throttle to stretch almost every time I was decelerating down into a valley.

After nearly an hour and a half it dawned on me that my Wife would come home and wonder where I was. She had no inc ling that I was going to try to ride again so soon after my injury, so not wanting to get my ass chewed off when I got back I turned down a series of roads that would lead me back to the house. The scenery was new to me and so beautiful that I even turned around at the next intersection and covered the section of country road again and once again back the original direction.

I was, for the first time in weeks able to forget about my situation and the chronic pain and enjoy my life for a moment. That made me more determined than ever to see myself through whatever had to be done to heal up so I might continue on living normally and never taking advantage of the days I had my health and the ability to do whatever I want.

The recovery has slowed some, partially I think, due to the fact that I had to return to my job this week. I'm pretty much in pain all the time again, and didn't realize just how hard physically my job is until I had to do it with limited use of my right arm, and being right handed even made it more difficult. The results aren't back yet from my MRI so I don't even know what's torn up in my shoulder, but I was guaranteed by the Doctor that either way, whether surgery was in my future or not, that physical therapy would be. I really don't mind because if it will enable me to ride again someday then I can continue my mental therapy.

I wish you the very best in your recovery and hope this personal story of mine has inspired you.

Roger

2006 Shift Red Yamaha FZ1

Looking for a Red 07 FJR

 

[zorkler]

thanks roger great story . i have come to terms that i have a problem and time just might get my head straight again but the doctors say it going to take alot of time . And start thinging about some other feild of work because he does not see me working on the railroad ever again I have been riding since i was 12 and i really miss just getting out there in the open air and just going be it to the store or to the mouintains i really do miss it very much. Thanks again mike

 

[waldmana]

So much for gaining/maintaining certain security clearances or concealed carry permits.

re: "have you ever...?"

This type of acciedent thus causing trauma needing counceling would not effect a security clearence. A buddy of mine lost his wife and kids in a car crash and he was the one driving. He had to see a counseler for about a year and a half and he to this day still has a clearance.

Not sure about the weapons though. I would imagine if you are not suicidal and do not entertain thoughts of visiting violence on others you would be ok as wel.

i was thinking the "under medical care for 'psycological issues' that included 'certain' medications".

Possibly, but if you let your SSO know what is going on and why, the most they will do is suspend your clearence until you are "cleared" by the doc. So long as you are upfront and honest about your situation most SSO's will work with you.

 

[zorkler]

So much for gaining/maintaining certain security clearances or concealed carry permits.

re: "have you ever...?"

This type of acciedent thus causing trauma needing counceling would not effect a security clearence. A buddy of mine lost his wife and kids in a car crash and he was the one driving. He had to see a counseler for about a year and a half and he to this day still has a clearance.

Not sure about the weapons though. I would imagine if you are not suicidal and do not entertain thoughts of visiting violence on others you would be ok as wel.

i was thinking the "under medical care for 'psycological issues' that included 'certain' medications".

Possibly, but if you let your SSO know what is going on and why, the most they will do is suspend your clearence until you are "cleared" by the doc. So long as you are upfront and honest about your situation most SSO's will work with you.

what is and sso . i work on the railroad

 

[dcarver]

TheRepairMan.. Exactly. Well said. Hope springs eternal. To all wounded warriors I say, Time Will Tell. You may have to adapt. It may not be the same as before. But you will go on. For you ride. And your spirit, long after the riding years have passed, will always be free.