Monthly Archives: August 2009

Sign Language

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Posted by admin on August 29, 2009 – 11:16 pm
Filed under Uncategorized

It has been 2 weeks and 5 days since my bike accident.

When you are a young boy and you want to find out how strong someone is you will ask them to “make a muscle”. At which point the other person is supposed to flex their bicep muscle and show you just how strong they are. Today for the first time I was able to rotate my wrist around far enough to let this muscle fire. Since the accident, I have not been able to flex my arm muscles without considerable pain. Today I turned a corner in my healing. Since muscle protects bone I figured it was about time to test my arms. Today I tried driving for the first time. I managed to work it out thanks to some help with power steering. I also tried to give my son Milo a haircut. At 14 months old he knew that his dad was up to something. He shot me several dirty looks through the process. He moves his head too quick for me at the moment. I managed to cut a few hairs in between headshakes. I gave up trying for now.

I made it to the baby sign language class with my wife as promised a few days back. She wrote the instructor ahead of time to let her know that I would be attending, but I would not be signing very well with two broken arms. A few of the signs I managed to do without too much difficulty. The sign for tree was one that was near impossible with my current situation. I took a mental note that I could work on some of them once I get more mobility. Milo is learning on average one new word a day. Today he learned to say more while he made the sign that involves touching ones fingers together. He did this after being fed only one slice of pear on the ride home from the Chinese Gardens. I ended up feeding him the whole thing after seeing his enthusiasm.

Shout Out section:

I received an email from a few people in Portland who have had severe bike crashes over the past month. Paul I am sorry to hear of your hit and run crash, I hope your concussion gets better. Thank you for helping me with my son at the park. Ronnie, although we have never met, I hope that you heal after your facial surgery. I am glad to hear that you are back to work doing what you love to do. I would also like to that my clients who been kind enough to send cards and offer help. I also called David the good man who stayed with me after my accident. He informed me that I am not the first crashed cyclist he has helped on Lovejoy. During our conversation he told me that I “landed like a pancake” and that my crash “got a ten for style points”. David you are a gentleman and I look forward to giving you the haircut I promised you in the future.

I am healing quickly and I remain optimistic that I will be strong again. I hope to be back doing a small number of clients each day starting in a week or so. I am taking it day by day.

Updates to follow

email: Jeffdavidsonhair@yahoo.com

Mobility Update

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Posted by admin on August 25, 2009 – 11:12 pm
Filed under Uncategorized

It has been two weeks since my bike accident.

If you ever happen to break an elbow and you want answers about rehabilitation chances are you will start with Google. At least this is what I did after seeing the Orthopedic Specialist. Much of what I have read is similar. One website stated that you are healed when “your broken arm has the same mobility as your non-broken side”. I’m sitting in front of my computer, and I’m looking at both broken arms. Obviously this site was not written for me. When I want to know how my arms used to function, I now defer to my wife. Last night I asked her to put her arm out in front of her with hands open and her palms facing the floor. “How far can you rotate your hand?” , I asked. She spun her hand 180 degrees so that her palm faced the ceiling. It looked to me like magic to me. I can’t even do a thumbs up yet. I also learned tonight that I don’t have the rotation to use a remote control.

The Bad:

All of this lack of mobility is beginning to cause other problems in my arms. Heavy bruising has started on the underside of my elbows on both sides. I also have muscle strains on both sides of my forearms from having crooked arms for two weeks. I have strange nerve sensations in my right hand when I move my ring finger. I still have scabs on my elbows. Arm rotation feels very far away at this point. Pain is now normal to me.

The Good:

I can almost straighten my arms. My face has full feeling. The former cuts all over my chin are closed, slightly pink, and are now covered with a two-week beard. Ice Cream, Pizza, and Beer still taste just as good now as they did before the accident. My neck pain is gone. My family and I stayed in a nice home on Puget Sound in Washington over the weekend. I did not do a minute of driving. Every day my young son learns a new word and I am there to witness it. I still miss doing hair.

Tomorrow I will accompany my wife to a baby sign language class. I cannot think of a stranger scenario to walk into with two broken arms……………………perhaps an arm wrestling match.

I pray I will be ready to go in two more weeks.

Updates to follow

email: jeffdavidsonhair@yahoo.com

Orthopedic Follow Up

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Posted by admin on August 19, 2009 – 7:34 pm
Filed under Uncategorized

It has been 8 days since the bike accident.

I was instructed to go see an orthopedic specialist a week after my accident. I looked forward to getting some solid answers about my two broken elbows. The doctor came in with a smile. Naturally I didn’t shake his hand. He looked pleased as he said, “In my twenty five years as a doctor, this is the first time I have seen someone break both of their radial heads. Your breaks are nearly identical on both sides.” I told him that I was really into symmetry. One of the most challenging aspects of cutting hair is to get each side to match. I have now learned that it is equally difficult when breaking bones.

My break is below the joint. It is expected to heal without complications. I am now officially allowed to stop using the slings. He said that the reason they will not cast my injury is that it would result incomplete use of my arms for six months. He expects I will use my arms well in three weeks time. Five weeks from now I should have full mobility. In three months I will have fully healed. He sent me home with some instructions.

1. Don’t fall on your arms

2. Do self-rehab. This includes trying to relax and let my arms hang straight, bending the arms, and trying to twist my wrist.

3. I will not need a follow up appointment unless I do not have full range of motion in 6 weeks

4. I may return to work when I feel ready

5. Do not bike for 6 weeks

6. No lifting

Yesterday I started trying to use my arms. It feels like I have now landed on Jupiter and I have shifted into another system of gravity. I now reclassify bath towels and coffee pots as extremely heavy. Current impossible tasks for me include: recorking wine, comfortable sleep, working the pepper grinder, picking up my son, straightening my arms, opening jars, and winning a boxing match. If you have ever wondered what it’s like to break an elbow you can try this. Drive to the gym. Hit the weight rack. Do 25 sets of bicep curls 8 reps each. Wake up and try to straighten your arms. Even though it hurts I would much prefer this to casts. At least I’m not the guy with two arms in casts. That guy is a bring down.

My face has now almost totally healed. It’s a bit red in areas, but for the most part I look normal. It has recovered much faster than the skin on my elbow. I mentioned this to my doctor and he replied, “The face heals faster”. Yes it does.

I’m going to begin some daily yoga to work on straightening and twisting the arms. I’m also eating lots of home cooked meals courtesy of my beautiful wife. Life is good.

Updates to follow

email: jeffdavidsonhair@yahoo.com

Pin Cusion

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Posted by admin on August 16, 2009 – 8:27 pm
Filed under Uncategorized

It has been five days since my bike accident.

The doctors in the ER sent me home with three sets of instructions. First was to wear slings on both of my arms for two weeks. Second was to take Oxycodone for the pain. Third was to follow up with a bone specialist in a week. This plan has been modified.

I quickly realized that the slings that they give you in the ER are medieval torture devices. I probably will pay ten times their cost when I get the bill. They drape over each shoulder and after five minutes began to cut into the skin on my neck. When you wear them as a pair, you get choked. I sent Catherine out for a new set and also some knee pads so that I could play on the wood floors with my son. The kneepads cut off circulation to my legs so they lasted about 20 minutes. I now have to practice getting up off the floor from a seated position without using my arms. The new sling set was black, padded and much more comfortable, they had the added feature of a waistband and Velcro straps. I looked like a bat wearing both of them. After two days the neck pain began. I have given up on slings. I now keep my arms bent at a 45-degree angle and I drape my hands across my stomach. It’s not comfortable but it usually doesn’t hurt. Today I had three people offer to shake my hand after an introduction. It’s a bit strange to refuse a handshake. “I would shake your hand but my arms are broken,” I said.

I got off of the painkillers after 24 hours. Pain pills and my stomach is a bad match. I find it ironic that the doctors give you pills to cure one problem, and it creates other problems. It took me 17 years to give up smoking, the last thing I need is another addiction. My friend Tom was smashed on his bike between two cars. Since his accident he swears by acupuncture for pain relief. He recommended “Seven Stars Acupuncture” in SE Portland. They are a community-based clinic. They charge on a sliding scale. Since our family brings in zero income until I heal, this seemed like a good place for me to try.

I was introduced to my healer Sebastian. He is tall, thin, caucasion and sort of dressed like your typical East Side hipster. I was immediately put at ease. He asked me a lot of questions about the accident. He met a lot of my answers by saying “right on.” Since my elbows are broken he decided to work mostly on my knees. “Knees are connected to the elbows. Don’t ask me how it works,” he said. I trusted him. I lay on my back with a pillow under my knees. He asked me to breathe in and out. On my exhale, he would stick the pin in. He would ask me what I was feeling with each pin prick. I would describe each one differently since each pin caused a new sensation. I might say “I felt electricity going into my right toe with that one.” Sebastian said I was very connected with my body. Blankets were placed over my feet and Sebastian left the room for a bit.

After ten minutes of lying motionless, I made a big mistake. I moved my left pointer finger one inch to the left. Pain shot into my hand. Suddenly I felt claustrophobic. I was nervous and I couldn’t relax. I called lightly for Sebastian and waited. Nothing. I called out louder. He eventually came back, took the pins out, and he gave me his recommendations. I now need to get some Chinese herbs to drink and rub on my arms. I return in a week. The pain in one side of my neck is gone. Success.

This morning I visited a church. I have not gone to church in quite sometime. The message was about being content with your current circumstances. The pastor told a true story of a family he knew who had a child with a rare disease known as Kinky Hair Disease. Their child died at age 14. He was 36″ tall. Throughout his life the parents of the child stayed positive, bonded as a family, and did the best they could with what they had. The message spoke directly to me. We then finished with some songs. The church echoed with one worship song. Its chorus was repeated again and again. “When I fall face down…your glory shines around” they sang. I thought of the crash. I thought of my face. I wondered about the meaning of all of this.

Updates to follow

email: Jeffdavidsonhair@yahoo.com

My Broken Elbows

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Posted by admin on August 13, 2009 – 7:50 pm
Filed under Uncategorized

I am broken.

Perhaps you have been wondering, “what happened to Jeff?”  I have neglected to post for a little while.  Actually life caught up with me these past few weeks. I have moved into a new home. I have traveled to Los Angeles for the wedding of a client. I have seen my young son learn to walk. I have broken both of my arms.

Usually this blog is about hair. According to the doctor in the ER on Tuesday, I will not be doing hair for the next 4-12 weeks. I cannot straighten or rotate my arms.

Rewind to Tuesday, August 11th.  The rain started 20 minutes before I left work for home. It was the first rain in Portland in 30 days. The roads are often slick with oil from cars.  I was on my bicycle traveling through the Pearl District.  As I made a left turn onto Lovejoy my front tire hit the trolley tracks.  I went face first onto the pavement.  I slid for a bit until my chin slammed into the curb.  I lay there for a bit.  A man came to my aid.  ”Stay still, you are in shock” he said.  ”Do I still have my teeth?” I asked, as I tasted the asphalt in my mouth.   My arms were stinging with pain.

The fire department came.  They asked me lots of questions.  I declined the ambulance ride to the hospital since I knew it would cost me.  I couldn’t lift my arms.  ”Can you please call my wife?” I asked the man.   I waited for her to show up.  I sat shivering on a bench and waited.  My skinned chin dripped blood on my shirt.  Cars occasionally stopped and rolled down their windows to ask if I needed help.  People from Portland are cool like that.  My friend Tracy showed up and put my bike into the back of her car.  My wife and child showed up minutes later.

In the ER I got one of those neck collars, an IV, morphine, Oxycodine, a cat scan, X-Rays, a tetanus shot, and a tuna melt.  I answered the question “were you wearing your helmet?” six times.  I was wearing a helmet.   The doctor came in.  ”I have good news and bad news”  he said…….The bad news is that I have fractured the radial bone in both elbows and I will be wearing slings on both arms for a few weeks.  From then on, I will be forced to push through the pain until I regain mobility. It will take between 4-12 weeks for me to heal.  The good news is the breaks will not require casts, surgery, or metal pins.

I have road rash on my face and lip.  Those areas are currently numb.  Today is two days after the accident.  I was able to brush my teeth without help today.  I consider this progress.  I see the bone doctor next week.  Today I had two clients ask me when I will be able to do hair again.  I don’t have a good answer to that question yet.

I have a few goals over the span of my recovery.  To come back stronger than before, heal, get my legs limber, fully straighten my arms, strengthen my core, get back to the salon as soon as I am ready and spend quality time with my wife and son.  I am now a work in progress.

I thank God I still have my family, my teeth, and my legs.  I look forward to full use of my arms soon.  To the clients that are in need of service, the members of Tribe Hair Studio will take good care of you until my return.

Stay Tuned

Updates to follow.

Jeff Davidson

Email jeffdavidsonhair@yahoo.com