View Full Version : message from tt stu - UPDATED 10/09/05
I have been asked by TT Stu to inform you that his Ducati 999 is no more!!!
My name is Hayley and I am TT Stu's P.A. at work and a fellow biker outside of work ('93 Honda CBR900RR Fireblade)
I met up with him on a slightly overcast Thursday evening (25 August) at Hunters Lodge, Wincanton. We had the usual biker chats whilst wandering the car park eyeing up all the two wheeled beauties.
The clouds in the sky were getting nearer and darker so the car park emptied quickly! We decided to make our way home too, together with another work colleague and my boyfriend.
We went through Wincanton town centre taking the A371 toward Castle Cary. Our engines were just starting to warm as were our tyres. The four of us stayed close together Stu was leading, I was 2nd with the other two following we were flowing round the bends. Then, just coming up to a left hand bend we saw the tanker going in the opposite direction and Stu getting too close for comfort!!!
There was nothing we could do, he was banked over into the corner but not enough to stop him from having a very near head on with the tanker. BANG - The bike breaks up into a million pieces, just like a party popper, Stu, narrowly missing me, fly's in front of me towards the hedge. I ride through a shower of Ducati with something getting caught in my front wheel, which, after giving me my first tank slapper experiene, works its way loose and I come to a halt up the road.
Stu was upsidedown in the hedge, surprised and relieved to hear that he was alive and screaming in pain he was taken to Frenchay by Air Ambulance.
Extremely lucky to still be alive he has a broken femur and collar bone and lacerations to his upper arm and foot.
Thankfully he was wearing all the right gear as he had a boot riped off, which would of otherwise been his foot, and the paramedic said it was only his leathers that was holding his leg together!!
Stu has now been moved to Taunton where he is doing well, everything is healing as it should and he is appreciating the fact that he is still alive.
I will print off any replys/comments to this and pass them onto him. I'm sure he would be pleased to hear from you.
Ride safely...you can't enjoy your bike from a hospital bed!
Hayley x
[Edited on 10-9-2005 by ttstu]
[Edited on 10-9-2005 by ttstu]
Damn, that's not good news at all, I've just bought a few things off Stu too!
Hayley, send him my regards, please keep us updated on his progress
Jon
:barfy: DOH! Get well soon..remember what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger!!
butch890
05-Sep-2005, 17:48
Hayley,
Sorry to hear of Stu's misfortunes ,Hope somebody collered the tanker driver.
Wish him a speedy recovery ,i know it may seem odd but it sounds like he was very lucky.
Butch
Sorry to hear about your spill - if you need any help - I live in Glastonbury - you can call me anytime.
Good Luck and hope that you heal soon.
Khushy
07966 454874
Holy sh....
Sounds like you all escaped that one by a whisker. Left handers eh....I've never liked 'em much, there's always that little voice saying "if you run wide old son..."
Get well soon
:o
Hayley,
Please pass on our best wishes and GET WELL SOON mate.
Richard, Christine & Sons.
Stu!:o:o
you poor sod!
We will def make a detour, when we come down to the west country in a couple of weeks time, as obviously you wont be able to make the rideout now!
Take the time you need to mend mate,
All the best
Charlotte & Alan:)
edited to add: maybe Age 996 can help us organise some termi music - as we will be about an hours ride from Taunton
[Edited on 5-9-2005 by CK and AK]
Ferking hell! And there he was trying to sell the bloody thing!
Thank God he's still alive, all the best mate.
Crikey, thats terrible news!!
Get well soon Stu. Thank god you're ok (ish).
Take care fella
Dom
Henners
05-Sep-2005, 18:05
... met Stu on the trip to Weston - great guy, give him my best please Hayley. He lives to ride another day thank God :)
Get well soon Stu and speedy recovery.
guest1
Howsabout a ward name/number so peeps can send a card? Just a thought.
[Edited on 5-9-2005 by guest1]
Get well soon Stu.
Rgds, Rob
bradders
05-Sep-2005, 18:37
GWS:)
[Edited on 5-9-2005 by bradders]
sorry to hear of your off
sounds like you are pretty bashed up
but than god it wasn't any worse
hopeing you make a full recovery
and that the healing isn't to painfull
Glyn
Hayley,
All my very best wishes go to Stu, with hopes for a speedy recovery. I met him on the Weston ride out in July, only to end up in a hedge half an hour later. I was very grateful for his help then, and am so glad that although clearly nasty, this incident wasn't worse for him.
Dave
swannymere
05-Sep-2005, 20:23
:rolleye:Bloody hell,hope you get well soon,remember the nurses like innuendo:rolleye:
GsxrAge
05-Sep-2005, 20:24
DOH
Sorry to hear of your missfortune stu :( Hope you get beter soon mate.
If there is anything I can do give us a bell he has my mob number and I am only in wellington.
CK I have no rythum but I can make LOTS of NOISE:lol::lol::lol:
Jeeeez :( Hope you get well soon stu , Keep your chin up m8 .
Paul
Crunchy
05-Sep-2005, 21:21
Thank God you were wearing the right clothing. I hope they got the tanker driver.
I've never you ttstu but as one biker and Ducatisti to another get well soon;)
dickieducati
05-Sep-2005, 22:32
stu, sorry to hear the bad news but hopefully its all stuff that will mend in time. keep your chin up. we're all thinking of you.
Dementor
06-Sep-2005, 00:23
Only met Stu once on the Cheddar ride-out, get well soon M8
Roy
:sing:Thanks for all your support for Stu, I rang him yesterday and made him chuckle with some of your replys.
Here is the address for the hospital he's in as some of you have mentioned sending cards etc.
Steuart Saunders
Gould Ward
Taunton & Somerset Hospital
Musgrove Park
TAUNTON
Somerset
TA1 5DA
Age996 - Let me know if you want to detor your next trip to Taunton as CK suggested. It would be good to meet you all there and I can let you know if he's still in the same ward etc.
Catch yas l8tas
Hayley;)
I'll go get an insulting card of sorts:P
and bring it to Brands on Sunday, if anyone wants to put a paw print on it before we send it off:D
C
psychlist
06-Sep-2005, 13:13
Get well soon Stu, thank you for keeping us in touch Hayley.
Stu Thank god i got the Termis off you 2 weeks ago, hehe.
Hope you make a Full recovery buddy !!
/ian
Half man half mole
08-Sep-2005, 16:34
Get well soon, dude,
Mike (the mole)
:rodent:
GsxrAge
08-Sep-2005, 19:46
Originally posted by ttstu
:sing:Thanks for all your support for Stu, I rang him yesterday and made him chuckle with some of your replys.
Here is the address for the hospital he's in as some of you have mentioned sending cards etc.
Steuart Saunders
Gould Ward
Taunton & Somerset Hospital
Musgrove Park
TAUNTON
Somerset
TA1 5DA
Age996 - Let me know if you want to detor your next trip to Taunton as CK suggested. It would be good to meet you all there and I can let you know if he's still in the same ward etc.
Catch yas l8tas
Hayley;)
Hi Hayley I will try to pop in over weekend and see him,
Age
hi all
i'm typing this from my hospital bed, don't ask how!
Thanks for your kind words.
I broke my femur and have had a rod inserted through the hip. I broke my collar bone which is being plated on Tuesday next week. I've severed two tendons and an artery in my right foot and almost severed the main artery in my bicep.. Stopped just short!
I have also damaged the crushiate ligament in my knee and am awaiting an mri scan on it.
Apart from the collar bone I seem to be repairing well with most the bruising now gone. I will be in hospital for a further two weeks.
Rehab wil take many more months even without any setbacks.
ruth is I shouldn't be alive now and if I was lying here with a limb missing I'd still be counting myself lucky, so to get away with these injuries is a miracle.
When the police went round to tell my wife they told her I was probably going to die! You can imagine what she has been thru'.
Take it easy all.
BFN
Dementor
10-Sep-2005, 21:17
Glad to hear you are on mend Stu, lucky in deed by the sounds of things.
Hope the rehab goes well.
Cheers, Roy
ericthered40
10-Sep-2005, 21:18
When the police went round to tell my wife they told her I was probably going to die! You can imagine what she has been thru'.
(must have been the Two from Little Britain)
Take it easy all.
( you take it easy man, and well done for making it through )
Good luck with your mending and best wishes to your friends and family.
saint:
GsxrAge
11-Sep-2005, 01:37
Hi stu
I will try to get in to see you, I was trying to do so this weekend but can't make it.
hope the nurses give you a nice bed bath mate :D:D
take care
Age
Stu - you dont need me to tell you, that you are a dipstick:P - but you are of course!:lol:
We'll do our very best to pop in this coming Sat on our way to Cornwall.
Anything you need? ;):lol: (tho dont listen out for termis - the bikes will be hidden in the van, as I think we are taking 3 of them now:o
C:ninja:
Hi CK
I'll keep you posted on my progress. Having op on Tuesday. Will be a couple of days before they try and get me walking again I guess. I'd like to be home for the weekend but history tells me that may be wishfull thinking!
Hope to see you anyway.
Half man half mole
12-Sep-2005, 20:58
Thoughts are with you,
Moley
chris999
12-Sep-2005, 22:57
best wishes & get well soon
chris
:(
Stu/Hayley - any news on how the op went yesterday?:puzzled:
Looks like we will be popping in for lunch on Sat, but let me know if you are moving before then mate!:lol:
C:)
Went well but bloody painfull. Had to rebreak it and sep. to put back straight and then plate it. It's by far the most pain I've been in so far.
Thanks for the cards they are really appreciated.
I'l keep you posted.
there is talk of being sent home on Friday.
skidlids
16-Sep-2005, 00:41
Originally posted by ttstu
there is talk of being sent home on Friday.
Lets hope so, always better to have the comforts of home around you
Still here. Seems the registrar wants to check the latest x rays. No one can find him though!
May have to be in for another night.
My PMI pays me #50 for every night I'm in an NHS hospital so I can't grubble I suppose.
Consultant too busy to look at x-rays. Looks like another weekend in here. Been waiting since Thursday morning for them to be looked at. What a waste of resources when I could be sat at home.:flame:
Good news!
I was released at 5pm this evening. Sat at home for the first time in over 3 weeks. Bit tired. Hard work starts now.
Thanks for all your kind thoughts and please take care out there.
GsxrAge
17-Sep-2005, 22:17
Great news Stu Glad your at home :cool:
Sorry I did not get in to see ya but I have been very busy in work (63 hours in 5.5 days)
If you need anything give us a shout
philthy
17-Sep-2005, 23:37
So, have you started the re- build yet?
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.;)
Apparantly only thing left is the dash and number plate. Obviously not seen it myself. Have to wait for insurance to sort things out.
Rattler
18-Sep-2005, 11:16
Stu
Sorry to hear of this, just picked up this thread - glad to hear you are on the mend.
Take it easy fella and GWS
Tim
OMG!!! :o :( :(
I just saw this now.
I'm truly sorry for what happend to you.
I had an accident in November 2004 and also broke my femur (besides my right fist) and they also inserted a stell bar inside the femur from the hip to the knee.
Just last moday i did the last surgery to take the stell bar off and i'm still having to use cruthes.
It seems that unfortunatly we suffered similar injuries, so if you need any help or want to talk about it, feel free to u2u me.
Hang in there and heal up quickly :)
Stu can you remember what happened m8? Good to see your on the mend. GWS
/ian
Thanks Ducnow and Weeian.
I was under the impression the rod stays in, unless there are complications. Hope so as I want to get on with some physio. I've also got ligament damage in the knee. Can't spell crushiat so I'll stick with ligament for now. When do you think physio will start Ducnow? Am I being unrealistic? Not been counciled on it yet so really don't know the POA.
Weeian I remember everything. Except the few seconds between hitting the front corner of the tanker to hitting the ground. Everything either side of this I remember.
Hitting the gound and rolling so fast I thought I'd never stop. Realising I was still alive, checking I still had my limbs and then the pain kicked in. Guys I was riding with refused to come over initially as they thought I was dead then when they realised I wasn't didn't know what they would find.
I'm with Norwich Union so just call me lucky!
Originally posted by ttstu
Thanks Ducnow and Weeian.
I was under the impression the rod stays in, unless there are complications. Hope so as I want to get on with some physio. I've also got ligament damage in the knee. Can't spell crushiat so I'll stick with ligament for now. When do you think physio will start Ducnow? Am I being unrealistic? Not been counciled on it yet so really don't know the POA.
Weeian I remember everything. Except the few seconds between hitting the front corner of the tanker to hitting the ground. Everything either side of this I remember.
Hitting the gound and rolling so fast I thought I'd never stop. Realising I was still alive, checking I still had my limbs and then the pain kicked in. Guys I was riding with refused to come over initially as they thought I was dead then when they realised I wasn't didn't know what they would find.
I'm with Norwich Union so just call me lucky!
Weird that! I had the same experience when I fell off earlier this year on the continent negotiating a rather nasty hairpin in the French Alps. :o
Anyway, I remember everything apart from the second or so when it all went t*ts up. Can remember clearly the sliding across the road and hitting the bank on the other side thinking - phew Im glad nothing was coming down the other way! But ask me what happened at the crucial moment and Im completely blank, must be to do with shock.
Sorry to hear of your accident stu and hope you make a full recovery. I still love riding despite my spill and time in hospital etc and if anything its made me a better rider... :) Im sure you'll feel the same when you get back in the saddle. :D
I had a compound fracture of my right femur in 1997. I also had a steel bar inserted from hip to knee. I had fully intended to leave it in there, but eventually had it removed in 2000.
The removal was basically because the screws holding it in place were causing me pain. When climbing stairs the screws near my knee were rubbing against something and causing pain. I walked with a noticeable limp because otherwise the screws near my hip rubbed against something else.
I'd put on quite a lot of weight in those 3 years and removing everything was a bit of a bugger the surgeon told me. My scars are about 3 times bigger after pin removal than before.
One thing I will say is DO THE PHYSIO! I was pretty slack on this front and now have a big "dent" in my right quad. Basically the muscle is now in two halves. They joined themselves to the bone and scar tissue rather than back to themselves. If I had of done all the physio properly this would not have happened. I guess it's a talking point.......
Glad you're on the mend though sstu, it all sounds pretty horrific.
[Edited on 26-10-2005 by phillc]
Originally posted by ttstu
Can't spell crushiat so I'll stick with ligament for now.
Having had a rupture of my anterior cruciate ligament playing basketball I can tell you that it's spelled - cruciate.
:)
Sounds like a fair bit of grief. Like Phil says, do the physio properly.
I'm losing strength and movement in my left hand right now because my left shoulder is pinching a nerve. Why? Because I dislocated my shoulder, collarbone and tore the cartilage off the bone in there last year. After the operation I had to screw the cartilage back on I didn't finish my physio properly ... this is why I'm having the nerve problems now.
DO THE PHYSIO!
[Edited on 26-10-2005 by TP]
psychlist
26-Oct-2005, 15:35
...do what the physio tells you, when the physio tells you or suffer the painful consequences later ;)
I've still got the carbon fibre cage and titanium rods n screws holding my spine together and my ribs have all been cut'n'shut to fit my smaller chest cavity so they've still got the wire holding them all in place. The spinal fittings will always be there, even though they're rubbing on my shoulder blades, the rib-wires are staying too, even though they feel like they're digging into the muscles alongside.
I suppose the moral is, don't be a muppet in the first place, but when you do, get the best opinion you can afford (yes, pay for it if you have to!) and then make sure you LISTEN TO THEM ;)
bike mad
26-Oct-2005, 18:09
sorry to hear about your crash.:barfy:
good luck and have a fast recovery time,:burn:
I had a crash that broke my cruciate ligaments and it took 6 week before they took the cast off and 2 or 3 mouths of physio to get it to move probably,
:flame::burn::burn:
Originally posted by ttstu
Thanks Ducnow and Weeian.
I was under the impression the rod stays in, unless there are complications. Hope so as I want to get on with some physio. I've also got ligament damage in the knee. Can't spell crushiat so I'll stick with ligament for now. When do you think physio will start Ducnow? Am I being unrealistic? Not been counciled on it yet so really don't know the POA.
Weeian I remember everything. Except the few seconds between hitting the front corner of the tanker to hitting the ground. Everything either side of this I remember.
Hitting the gound and rolling so fast I thought I'd never stop. Realising I was still alive, checking I still had my limbs and then the pain kicked in. Guys I was riding with refused to come over initially as they thought I was dead then when they realised I wasn't didn't know what they would find.
I'm with Norwich Union so just call me lucky!
ttstu, the doctor said that in some cases the steel bar can stay, but in my case it was too painful as they let around 5 cms of it coming off from the hip bone, so that really affected my mobility.
Here check these
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/whatever_nomatter/Misc/2PICT1618.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/whatever_nomatter/Misc/2PICT1624.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/whatever_nomatter/Misc/2PICT1628.jpg
as for physio.... start it ASAP!!! I had my accident on the 14th of November, had surgery on 15th, went home on the 19th and started phsyo on the 19th.
Yes, you must take it slowly at first and it can be quite painful, but it's essencial for a good rehab.
In March i was back on ridding, and in April i was in a trackday :D:D (but yeah, it was too crazy and i still had crutches :D), that's just to show you how important physio is.
As for my accident, i remember every single bit (i still have the slow motion image in my head of the car cutting my lane and just getting in fron of me :mad:).
Ok, be strong and heal fast.
Also, try to set a goal for yourself. My goal was to be back on ridding bikes in April, and, for general surprise (doctor, physio etc.. said i was crazy and that it was impossible), i was doing it on March.
Crunchy
26-Oct-2005, 19:51
Glad to hear your out now. Have to agree with starting physio early and completing it till you're a 100%. These injures have a habit of biting you in the arse later on in life.
What's happening with the (w)anker driver. Are they going to charge him and can you sue him for damages?
Blimey some interesting stuff in those last few posts. Makes me feel even more fortunate. I went to the Consultant today 5 weeks after leaving hospital. He was amazed how well I have mended.
I am now allowed to build up to 100% weight onto the broken femur. He doesn't think the PCL cruciate ligament is ruptured now or if it was it's sorted itself. The plate and screws have to stay in the shoulder for now as there isn't any sign of calcium building up between the two parts so have to go back in 6 weeks for more x rays. Was hoping I could get them out asap as they do cause a lot of discomfort. Can't understand why I have lost movement in 3 of my toes as I can curl them down but not up. Leaving for now to see if it improves with walking.
Physio starts next Thursday! Bought a multi gym and looking forward to getting the Trek on the rollers again! Got no thigh or calf muscles so plenty of work to do.
As for a goal I was thinking the Etape du Tour next July but quite frankly I think that is a bit hopeful so may settle for something smaller in this country.
Unfortunately Crunchy I was to blame. One accident in 5 years, not even come close to one before and it was my fault. Otherwise I would be looking forward to a nice pay out. As it is I'm looking at a hike in insurance and probably prosecution by the police.
Oh well I'm still here.
Crunchy
27-Oct-2005, 03:32
Originally posted by ttstu
Unfortunately Crunchy I was to blame. One accident in 5 years, not even come close to one before and it was my fault. Otherwise I would be looking forward to a nice pay out. As it is I'm looking at a hike in insurance and probably prosecution by the police.
Oh well I'm still here.
The French are always to blame :D As you said, you're still here, that's the main thing. Airport security going to be interesting though :borg:
Glad you are making a good recovery.
Just to reinforce the good advice of your well wishers: Do the physio......and keep doing it!
Looking at the X rays has just made me go rather light headed - best I go for a cup of tea! :o
Take care
SupraWoman
29-Oct-2005, 00:30
oh, God.. Just came across of this post. I havent been on here lately..
reading all this and seeing X-rays pix, its so good to see that you and others still here - very important.
I wish u a speedy recovery even though its not gonna be easy. Will keep fingers crossed for u!
[Edited on 28-10-2005 by SupraWoman]
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