My Hubby - Ducmarc

[ProudWife]

Hi.  I am a newbie, sounds kinky doesn't it?  lol.   

My hubby -> Ducmarc #359   

Hi, I am Robin, the other half of racer Ducmarc.  In light of trying not to get too mushy on things.... I'll do the best I can to keep this entertaining and lively. 

First, I'd like to thank all of you for such a wonderful forum for racers to escape to and even though I am the quite one, I have laughed with many of you on your posts over the past two years.  How did I get to know you... well through my hubby.  He was in a pretty severe racing accident at the Jennings Track back on April 1st, 2007.  Ok, let me correct something it wasn't very pretty, probably more impressive.....lol.   

I remember the race before, he took 1st place. I was so proud to see him ride his ass off that day (oops sorry if I can't say that here, but the truth is the truth...lol).  I made a bet with him, if he lost the race, I would get my designer handbag, if he won..... Well I can't say what he would get here, let's just say  ...lol.  But lo and behold, damn if he didn't win, so much for my purse, but the trophy was a much better display for the living room.  I was so excited as he got ready for his next race, but reserved at the same time as many people were going down and getting hurt badly this day.  But I set the fear to the back of my mind and went to the back fence to watch the races on the back side of the track.  The first several laps, was the most awesome riding I have ever seen him do... I was so proud that my husband was displaying such riding skills, filling me with such excitement.... And then it happened, I saw him complete the most impressive high side I have ever seen, it was almost as if it were in slow motion right in front of my eyes... it seemed it took forever for it to end.  I saw the bike flip several times and pieces went flying every where.... I saw the love of my life hit the ground on his left leg as if it were digging a hole in the ground while he was face up and then saw his head hit the ground. In an instant I saw him try to get up, which gave me hope he was fine, and then he fell back down in an instant rolling on the ground.... As a beloved spectator, I can not express what I was feeling in words, I just knew in my heart he was in trouble.

It took the ambulance about 20 minutes to get him on the board and ready to go.... It's crazy how rumors get started even before the ambulance got back to the gate, I heard the words "he was paralyzed," "he has no feeling from his waist down," Of course I was scared sh**less of what the outcome was going to be.  The bike, or I should say pieces of his bike made it back before he did, so seeing that did not make matters any better.  And what was crazy, there were many other pieces of bikes that didn't even belong to him. He crashed in the same corner many other people did that day, so my impression was the track was not cleaned up in that section the way it should have been. On some of the pieces that can back with his bike, I felt oil on those pieces, so I was upset that there was negligence partly if not all on behalf of the track officials, the cause of this accident. But finally as the ambulance pulled up, I have to admit the first thing I did was groan out loud and say, oh no the leathers...... they cut them off of him.... The leathers I got him from Europe for Christmas in 2006... I know, what a reaction huh...lol, I never hear the end of that one.  But from there, the paramedics said he was in bad shape and had to get to the hospital, as something was said about internal bleeding and not feeling his left side... and then the panic set in and it hit me, my man was really hurt. 

I believe many of you know his injuries were really bad, his left leg went through his hip, almost into his stomach, he had 8 large breaks in all areas of his hip, the worst being the socket area, and he had 37 fractures.  Even though all of that we know is very painful, the worst part of it was...well kind of hearing a guy scream when they have to insert a catheter... I feel for any of you guys that have had to have that done. All I can say is ... well never mind there are no words to describe that part...lol.

He had to be flown from the Ga hospital to Shands in Gainesville where he spent 17 days in the hospital.  The 1st week was in traction to pull his leg back out.  Unfortunately, his injuries have put him out racing since then, but what has kept his spirits up is finding this forum when he was able to come home but could not get out of bed for 3 months.  You guys kept him going and I would like to thank you for all of your support.

We have tried many things to keep him involved in racing, including supporting him to sponsor people on his bikes, one being an awesome racer... Mark  ... you've done an awesome job and at the same time in addition to sponsoring a rider, putting together a bike shop so that Marc can still be around the sport he loves so much. 

Many of you may ask, why bring all of this back to light now - over 2 years later?  Well, on July 1st, in just a couple of weeks, Marc will be going into major surgery once again.  The doctors had to wait for his hip to actually stabilize in healing before they could do any type of hip replacement.  It has come to that time, Marc has absolutely no range of motion left, and where he bled out in his left side, all of the blood that went into his muscle, calcified into hundreds of pieces of bone, and a new bone growth formed on the outside of his hip - causing a bridge to come together in the form of bone.  When that happened, it caused him to loose all of his range of motion completely. He could no longer be able to even stretch enough to sit on a bike any longer... and I suppose one knows it gets real bad when one has to get the help of their family members to put their socks and shoes on...lol. 

So now comes the rough part, radiation and his, what they call "traumatic hip replacement."  The doctors are telling him he could be in the hospital 2-4 weeks as this is not going to be a typical hip replacement.  And since many of you have helped to pull him through, which has been such a Blessing, I would love to ask for your support and prayers once more.  I know this forum of racers span out through out the US, but some how, even through the laughs and disagreements, you people have made this a fun place to call home.  Thanks again, and my biggest prayer is that once this surgery is done, Marc will be able to race again, even if it's for only a short while. 

[ProudWife]

oops, sorry for the duplicate, I have to figure out how to delete one of them.

[spyderchick]

oops, sorry for the duplicate, I have to figure out how to delete one of them.

Took care of that for ya. ;)

Good luck and of course thoughts and prayers on the surgery.

Here's looking forward to a complete recovery!

[ProudWife]

Thank you spyderchick for your help.

Also:  Geez...being a newbie, I have to learn how to spell and apparently read, forgive me on that one...lol

but where I stated:   "I am the quite one", that should have been quiet..
and
"can back with his bike"  can should have been "came"......

LOL, I promise to do better in the future..

[skiandclimb]

Many prayers going your way!  Heal up quick!!!!!!!!

[xb9racer]

beautiful job writing such an emotional story. It's good to see it through the eyes of the other person affected by such a terrible accident. I wish none of these stories ever had to be told, but I guess it's part of the game.
Here's to wishing you guys the best of luck and whatever the outcome, your husband is lucky to have a wife like you.

[Super Dave]

Thanks for sharing!  Keep the racing spirit!   

[smoke54]

best karma to Marc and u!!
tim

[roadracer162]

Robin,

You had me gripped with interest and anticipation. Maybe it is close to me and what  nancy and I have gone through but it is a good read. I have found that this CCS racing community to be family of some sorts with many people here doing things for many others that they have never met.

I hope you know that we "all" are here for any support that You and Marc will need.

It has been fun and we sure will keep it going.

Mark

[George_Linhart]

Prayers from the Linhart family out in Chi-town for both you and your husband.  We all appreciate the love and support of our family - this can be a cruel sport but, as you so perfeclty point out the feelings, emotions and activity are also so beautiful.

We are pulling for you!

George

[Ducmarc]

hey i really appreciate all the responses to my wifes post although a little embarrasing i guess i never really like being the center of attention i'm more comfotable in the peanut gallery. i do hope they don't give me another catheder thats for sure. if one good thing comes out of this after the time hanging around the hospital my three girls all now have an interest in medicine the oldest is in nursing school and the middle one is going into raiology. hoping the youngest and the brightest will be the doctor

[Ducmarc]

sorry meant to hit the spell check thanks.    marc