catching up with Allison and Jennifer

RE:FORM Body Clinic teammates Michelle, Jennifer, and Allison

It's been over a month since that fateful race for two local racers on the RE:FORM Body Clinic team, Allison Lampi and Jennifer Stephenson. We wanted to catch up with them and ask them a few questions to see how they are doing, and to update the Ottawa cycling community on their progress. Here are Allison and Jennifer, in their own words.

Question: How are you feeling these days? Back to work, or regained some semblance of a normal routine and family life?

Answers:

Allison: It's been 5 weeks since the crash and everything is starting to feel more stable now. I'm still walking with crutches. I have been back at work for 3 weeks- it's keeping me busy and therefore, from going crazy.  I am slowly resuming my in the heat of the action at Preston Streetshare of the household duties (Michael has been doing a lot for me lately). Last week, I rode my bike on the trainer for the first time for 15 minutes. I worked up to 40 min in the basement and then this Sunday, I got out on my bike outside. It's kind of funny to crutch to your bike, get on, and ride away, but that's where I'm at now.

Jennifer:  I am feeling better.  About a week and a half ago the traction pin was removed from my finger and I stopped wearing the arm splint, which has really improved my mobility.  At least I can hold and carry around my son without sticking him with pins or having them become painfully entangled. However I still am wearing a 'SOMI' neck brace and I have two screws in my finger, which are both uncomfortable.

I am returning to work this Monday and I'll see how it goes.

Allison in recovery mode

I finally sent my parent's home last week, although my Dad is going to be with us again at the beginning of this week because my daycare provider is on holidays.

Question: What was the extent of your injuries?

Answers:

Allison: I had comminuted fractures of my pelvis in 3 places.

Jennifer:  I broke my C6 vertebrae at the facet joint and I have an inter-articular fracture of my right middle finger.

Question: What is your long-term prognosis for recovery? When do you expect to be back on the bike?

Answers:

Allison: I will need the crutches to walk while I heal for another 3-5 weeks. I don't think I'll have any long-term problems.

Jennifer:  I am operating under the assumption that both fractures will heal and that with time and perhaps physio I will regain most if not all of my mobility.  My finger is already 'mobile' and I am doing finger excercises-very strenuous.  My neck is still healing and until the brace is removed I am not sure how my mobility will be affected.

keeping the legs turning

My Doctor gave me the o.k. to ride my trainer a while ago, and I've been riding the trainer most days.  I hope to be out of my neck brace/collar in about 4 weeks and with the o.k. from the Doctor will resume riding on the road.

Question: Do you think injuries like this will affect your ability to return to a high-level of racing? Is it important to just "get back on the horse" as they say?

Answers:

Allison: I broke my kneecap once while mountain biking. It was 2 years of rehab before I could train and race again, and because of that accident, I don't mountain bike anymore-  I kind of lost my nerve for it. My coworkers who have seen all of my injuries in the past 8 years suggest that I should take up swimming. As bad as my injury may have seemed at the race site, it is Jen's injury that day that I think about most. I wonder how long I can do this before, one these times; it will be a really bad injury.  One thing I know from my knee injury: training and racing are part of my lifestyle and personality and I'm miserable without it. So for now, my plan is to get back into the races and do my best to mitigate the risks that come with the reward and adrenaline of bike racing. Part of that might be deciding to skip the rainy criteriums in the future.

Jennifer:  out for a walk with NoahQuite honestly this crash scared the s%$t out of me.  Until I am out riding my bike on the road again and feeling like myself, I am trying not to make any decisions about racing.  I have never been so impacted by a crash before, it is more important for me to just be healthy and myself again with no appliances strapped to me or pins sticking into and out of me, than it is for me worry about whether I will be racing again.

Question: Anything else we should know about how you are doing, and plans for the future?

Answers:

Allison: I just bought a cross bike so if everything goes well and I can learn how to ride 'cross, I'll be seeing everyone at the races this fall. I don't expect to be in any kind of racing shape though!

I would like to thank everyone who called, facebooked, emailed their support and thoughts in the first couple of weeks.  I couldn't help but notice that for every one I cheered up Fortune at the Grand Prix, I had as many cheers back from my friends in the peloton. It was a pretty nice feeling.

Jennifer:  enjoying the nice weatherI am so thankful for my family and friends for their love, support and laughter, I am the luckiest lady in the world.

Thanks very much Jennifer and Allison for doing this! Really appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions. Best to you both and continued good healing.

Comments

[Sophie Matte]

It's so great to hear from you guys and to see that you are getting better...slowly but surely.

Looking forward to seeing you on the road!

Take care,

Sophie