TUSCANY ON THE MED -4

SPECIAL EDITION

Leaving the winery, I’m following Brenda downhill, going maybe 15 or 20 mph.  All of a sudden, I’m on the pavement.

There are two ways to fall off a bicycle, and you never have a choice of which it is.

• In the first situation, you observe yourself falling, almost in slow motion,  You know what caused the fall and maybe know how you’re going to land.  You might even be able to put your hand down and brace the fall.  This is one of the reasons, cyclists wear gloves.
• In the second situation, it’s instantaneous.  One minute you’re riding the bike, the next minute you’re on the ground.   You don’t observe the fall. You know of no reason why.  This was my fall today.  Did my wheel hit something?  Did I brake too fast?  Who knows?

   

I’ve been riding seriously for 46 years.  In that time I’ve fallen maybe 5 times.  I don’t think any of these required me to have stiches. (Although falling on a railroad rack on the tandem  in the  rain in 2010 (also in Italy)  required Brenda to have a few stiches.)  And this is the first  time in over 70 years that I’ve ridden in an ambulance.

When I was 5, I ran across the street chasing a ball and was hit by a car – driven by a doctor.  I was taken to the hospital for observation (in an ambulance?). The next day  the doctor brought me a pair of Roy Rodgers cap pistols with holsters!  (Guess he didn’t want  to be sued.)

The ambulance attendants, wearing Red Cross badges, were efficient.  It was probably 35 kilometers to the hospital.  I also thought  the hospital people were efficient, even if it seemed to sometimes move very slowly.  My wounds were dressed and a doctor applied 5 stiches.  He also ordered an ultrasound inspection of my abdomen and a CT scan of my head. The CT scan operator looked me, smiled and asked “Bichlette?”. I had to answer “Si.”

So I had a long ride in an ambulance,  was treated by emergency care staff, had some stiches by the doctor, had an ultrasound and a CTC scan – and our bill was $218 Euro ($259).  Tell me that single payer insurance doesn’t work. (and their health is much better than ours as measured by several health factors.!

Our tour leader Stephen and friend Lou picked us up at the hospital.  The hotel personnel were waiting with late dinners for us.  After a couple of Advil and a couple of  glasses of wine. I’m feeling pretty good.  Let’s see how I am tomorrow.

Thanks for Brenda for riding with me in the  ambulance, staying at the hospital and taking care of me. True love.