Mountain Biker Breaks Her Neck, but Has "No Regrets"

Evolution in action....

Mike


http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/mountain-...serious-injury

Mountain biking: MacLeod refusing to give up after serious injury

By Alistair McMurran on Sat, 24 Jan 2009

Dunedin mountain biker Sheryl MacLeod is recovering at her Pine Hill
home after breaking her neck. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
Sheryl MacLeod still wants to get back on her mountain bike but knows
there is a chance her international career is over.

MacLeod (30) broke her neck and dislocated her second and third
vertebrae when her bike slid on a muddy surface halfway down a course
on a training ride on Signal Hill early this month.

She returned to Dunedin a week ago to recuperate at her Pine Hill home
after having an emergency operation in Christchurch to fuse the
vertebrae with a bone graft from her hip. The surgeons also wired the
broken bones of the neck.

MacLeod, New Zealand's top female downhill mountain biker, was
targeting August's world championships at Canberra.

"I'm still feeling positive and am not planning to give up," she said
yesterday.

MacLeod is keeping her options open but she knows that downhill
mountain biking is risky and will not make a decision on her future in
the sport until she has made a full recovery.

"I still want to have fun on the pedals," MacLeod said. "But I might
concentrate on less risky bikes on the road or in cross-country
mountain biking."

MacLeod, a qualifications assessor for Work and Income in Dunedin, is
able to walk around her home and section unaided but must use crutches
for balance on a long walk.

"I have to wear a neck brace for a few weeks and may need another
operation," she said.

The orthopaedic surgeon at Christchurch wired the back of the neck.

"If it doesn't heal properly, I may need to have a plate and screw
inserted through the front of the neck."

The original plan was for MacLeod to have two operations on her neck.

"But the surgeon in Christchurch thought it was too risky to have the
second operation because my spinal cord was exposed. It was very
dicey," MacLeod said.

She was put in traction in Christchurch Hospital to see if the bones
would return to the correct position.

MacLeod's bike slipped on a muddy patch on a retaining wall drop and
slid sideways. The handle bars twisted and a tree sapling pulled her
off the bike.

The straps of her helmet grazed the neck and crushed her voice box.

"My neck was swollen and I talked like a 5-year-old for a few days."

MacLeod was in the best form of her mountain biking career. She was
expected to dominate this month's North Island and South Island
national series and be a top 10 contender for the world championships.
But she does not have any regrets.

"A lot of people expected me to be frustrated by not being able to
race. But the overwhelming feeling I have is a sense of relief. I feel
so lucky. I've been given a second chance and am happy for that.

"I've beaten the odds and I'm still alive and able to walk. Someone up
there was looking down on me and people were sending me good vibes."

She is being assisted during her recovery by her partner, Warren
Black. His mother, Rhonda, and McLeod's mother, Dale, have come to
Dunedin from Riverton and Geraldine to assist.

MacLeod, like most downhill mountain bikers, is used to injuries.
During her career she has had serious injuries to an elbow, shoulders
and knees.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

On Jan 25, 10:14*am, Mike Vandeman wrote:
Evolution in action....

Mike

http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/mountain-...in-biking-macl...

Mountain biking: MacLeod refusing to give up after serious injury

By Alistair McMurran on Sat, 24 Jan 2009

Dunedin mountain biker Sheryl MacLeod is recovering at her Pine Hill
home after breaking her neck. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
Sheryl MacLeod still wants to get back on her mountain bike but knows
there is a chance her international career is over.

MacLeod (30) broke her neck and dislocated her second and third
vertebrae when her bike slid on a muddy surface halfway down a course
on a training ride on Signal Hill early this month.

She returned to Dunedin a week ago to recuperate at her Pine Hill home
after having an emergency operation in Christchurch to fuse the
vertebrae with a bone graft from her hip. The surgeons also wired the
broken bones of the neck.

MacLeod, New Zealand's top female downhill mountain biker, was
targeting August's world championships at Canberra.

"I'm still feeling positive and am not planning to give up," she said
yesterday.

MacLeod is keeping her options open but she knows that downhill
mountain biking is risky and will not make a decision on her future in
the sport until she has made a full recovery.

"I still want to have fun on the pedals," MacLeod said. "But I might
concentrate on less risky bikes on the road or in cross-country
mountain biking."

MacLeod, a qualifications assessor for Work and Income in Dunedin, is
able to walk around her home and section unaided but must use crutches
for balance on a long walk.

"I have to wear a neck brace for a few weeks and may need another
operation," she said.

The orthopaedic surgeon at Christchurch wired the back of the neck.

"If it doesn't heal properly, I may need to have a plate and screw
inserted through the front of the neck."

The original plan was for MacLeod to have two operations on her neck.

"But the surgeon in Christchurch thought it was too risky to have the
second operation because my spinal cord was exposed. It was very
dicey," MacLeod said.

She was put in traction in Christchurch Hospital to see if the bones
would return to the correct position.

MacLeod's bike slipped on a muddy patch on a retaining wall drop and
slid sideways. The handle bars twisted and a tree sapling pulled her
off the bike.

The straps of her helmet grazed the neck and crushed her voice box.

"My neck was swollen and I talked like a 5-year-old for a few days."

MacLeod was in the best form of her mountain biking career. She was
expected to dominate this month's North Island and South Island
national series and be a top 10 contender for the world championships.
But she does not have any regrets.

"A lot of people expected me to be frustrated by not being able to
race. But the overwhelming feeling I have is a sense of relief. I feel
so lucky. I've been given a second chance and am happy for that.

"I've beaten the odds and I'm still alive and able to walk. Someone up
there was looking down on me and people were sending me good vibes."

She is being assisted during her recovery by her partner, Warren
Black. His mother, Rhonda, and McLeod's mother, Dale, have come to
Dunedin from Riverton and Geraldine to assist.

MacLeod, like most downhill mountain bikers, is used to injuries.
During her career she has had serious injuries to an elbow, shoulders
and knees.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

Mike,

i read that news article too. amazing! If i had broken any bones,
especially my neck, it would be a long time before i got back on my
bike. Hey, if it were my neck, i doubt I would get on at all. too
much risk.

That is one tough lady!

Scott

a href=”http://www.specialized-mountainbikes.com”Specialized
Mountain Bikes/a

On Jan 25, 10:14*am, Mike Vandeman wrote:
Evolution in action....

Mike

http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/mountain-...in-biking-macl...

Mountain biking: MacLeod refusing to give up after serious injury

By Alistair McMurran on Sat, 24 Jan 2009

Dunedin mountain biker Sheryl MacLeod is recovering at her Pine Hill
home after breaking her neck. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
Sheryl MacLeod still wants to get back on her mountain bike but knows
there is a chance her international career is over.

MacLeod (30) broke her neck and dislocated her second and third
vertebrae when her bike slid on a muddy surface halfway down a course
on a training ride on Signal Hill early this month.

She returned to Dunedin a week ago to recuperate at her Pine Hill home
after having an emergency operation in Christchurch to fuse the
vertebrae with a bone graft from her hip. The surgeons also wired the
broken bones of the neck.

MacLeod, New Zealand's top female downhill mountain biker, was
targeting August's world championships at Canberra.

"I'm still feeling positive and am not planning to give up," she said
yesterday.

MacLeod is keeping her options open but she knows that downhill
mountain biking is risky and will not make a decision on her future in
the sport until she has made a full recovery.

"I still want to have fun on the pedals," MacLeod said. "But I might
concentrate on less risky bikes on the road or in cross-country
mountain biking."

MacLeod, a qualifications assessor for Work and Income in Dunedin, is
able to walk around her home and section unaided but must use crutches
for balance on a long walk.

"I have to wear a neck brace for a few weeks and may need another
operation," she said.

The orthopaedic surgeon at Christchurch wired the back of the neck.

"If it doesn't heal properly, I may need to have a plate and screw
inserted through the front of the neck."

The original plan was for MacLeod to have two operations on her neck.

"But the surgeon in Christchurch thought it was too risky to have the
second operation because my spinal cord was exposed. It was very
dicey," MacLeod said.

She was put in traction in Christchurch Hospital to see if the bones
would return to the correct position.

MacLeod's bike slipped on a muddy patch on a retaining wall drop and
slid sideways. The handle bars twisted and a tree sapling pulled her
off the bike.

The straps of her helmet grazed the neck and crushed her voice box.

"My neck was swollen and I talked like a 5-year-old for a few days."

MacLeod was in the best form of her mountain biking career. She was
expected to dominate this month's North Island and South Island
national series and be a top 10 contender for the world championships.
But she does not have any regrets.

"A lot of people expected me to be frustrated by not being able to
race. But the overwhelming feeling I have is a sense of relief. I feel
so lucky. I've been given a second chance and am happy for that.

"I've beaten the odds and I'm still alive and able to walk. Someone up
there was looking down on me and people were sending me good vibes."

She is being assisted during her recovery by her partner, Warren
Black. His mother, Rhonda, and McLeod's mother, Dale, have come to
Dunedin from Riverton and Geraldine to assist.

MacLeod, like most downhill mountain bikers, is used to injuries.
During her career she has had serious injuries to an elbow, shoulders
and knees.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande




Hey Mike. amazing story that one. Saw in the news reader the other
day. She is one tough lady. If I broke my neck while mountain
biking, my bike would be on ebay as soon as i got out of the
hospital. all the joy is not worth the risk of getting hurt worse.
Thanks for posting it.

Scott
http://www.specialized-mountainbikes.com

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:42:53 -0800 (PST), sdkorte
wrote:

On Jan 25, 10:14*am, Mike Vandeman wrote:
Evolution in action....

Mike

http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/mountain-...in-biking-macl...

Mountain biking: MacLeod refusing to give up after serious injury

By Alistair McMurran on Sat, 24 Jan 2009

Dunedin mountain biker Sheryl MacLeod is recovering at her Pine Hill
home after breaking her neck. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
Sheryl MacLeod still wants to get back on her mountain bike but knows
there is a chance her international career is over.

MacLeod (30) broke her neck and dislocated her second and third
vertebrae when her bike slid on a muddy surface halfway down a course
on a training ride on Signal Hill early this month.

She returned to Dunedin a week ago to recuperate at her Pine Hill home
after having an emergency operation in Christchurch to fuse the
vertebrae with a bone graft from her hip. The surgeons also wired the
broken bones of the neck.

MacLeod, New Zealand's top female downhill mountain biker, was
targeting August's world championships at Canberra.

"I'm still feeling positive and am not planning to give up," she said
yesterday.

MacLeod is keeping her options open but she knows that downhill
mountain biking is risky and will not make a decision on her future in
the sport until she has made a full recovery.

"I still want to have fun on the pedals," MacLeod said. "But I might
concentrate on less risky bikes on the road or in cross-country
mountain biking."

MacLeod, a qualifications assessor for Work and Income in Dunedin, is
able to walk around her home and section unaided but must use crutches
for balance on a long walk.

"I have to wear a neck brace for a few weeks and may need another
operation," she said.

The orthopaedic surgeon at Christchurch wired the back of the neck.

"If it doesn't heal properly, I may need to have a plate and screw
inserted through the front of the neck."

The original plan was for MacLeod to have two operations on her neck.

"But the surgeon in Christchurch thought it was too risky to have the
second operation because my spinal cord was exposed. It was very
dicey," MacLeod said.

She was put in traction in Christchurch Hospital to see if the bones
would return to the correct position.

MacLeod's bike slipped on a muddy patch on a retaining wall drop and
slid sideways. The handle bars twisted and a tree sapling pulled her
off the bike.

The straps of her helmet grazed the neck and crushed her voice box.

"My neck was swollen and I talked like a 5-year-old for a few days."

MacLeod was in the best form of her mountain biking career. She was
expected to dominate this month's North Island and South Island
national series and be a top 10 contender for the world championships.
But she does not have any regrets.

"A lot of people expected me to be frustrated by not being able to
race. But the overwhelming feeling I have is a sense of relief. I feel
so lucky. I've been given a second chance and am happy for that.

"I've beaten the odds and I'm still alive and able to walk. Someone up
there was looking down on me and people were sending me good vibes."

She is being assisted during her recovery by her partner, Warren
Black. His mother, Rhonda, and McLeod's mother, Dale, have come to
Dunedin from Riverton and Geraldine to assist.

MacLeod, like most downhill mountain bikers, is used to injuries.
During her career she has had serious injuries to an elbow, shoulders
and knees.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

Mike,

i read that news article too. amazing! If i had broken any bones,
especially my neck, it would be a long time before i got back on my
bike. Hey, if it were my neck, i doubt I would get on at all. too
much risk.

That is one tough lady!

Or, more likely, DUMB!

Scott

a href=”http://www.specialized-mountainbikes.com”Specialized
Mountain Bikes/a
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

On Jan 28, 10:51*pm, Mike Vandeman wrote:
On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:42:53 -0800 (PST), sdkorte
wrote:





On Jan 25, 10:14*am, Mike Vandeman wrote:
Evolution in action....

Mike

http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/mountain-...in-biking-macl....

Mountain biking: MacLeod refusing to give up after serious injury

By Alistair McMurran on Sat, 24 Jan 2009

Dunedin mountain biker Sheryl MacLeod is recovering at her Pine Hill
home after breaking her neck. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
Sheryl MacLeod still wants to get back on her mountain bike but knows
there is a chance her international career is over.

MacLeod (30) broke her neck and dislocated her second and third
vertebrae when her bike slid on a muddy surface halfway down a course
on a training ride on Signal Hill early this month.

She returned to Dunedin a week ago to recuperate at her Pine Hill home
after having an emergency operation in Christchurch to fuse the
vertebrae with a bone graft from her hip. The surgeons also wired the
broken bones of the neck.

MacLeod, New Zealand's top female downhill mountain biker, was
targeting August's world championships at Canberra.

"I'm still feeling positive and am not planning to give up," she said
yesterday.

MacLeod is keeping her options open but she knows that downhill
mountain biking is risky and will not make a decision on her future in
the sport until she has made a full recovery.

"I still want to have fun on the pedals," MacLeod said. "But I might
concentrate on less risky bikes on the road or in cross-country
mountain biking."

MacLeod, a qualifications assessor for Work and Income in Dunedin, is
able to walk around her home and section unaided but must use crutches
for balance on a long walk.

"I have to wear a neck brace for a few weeks and may need another
operation," she said.

The orthopaedic surgeon at Christchurch wired the back of the neck.

"If it doesn't heal properly, I may need to have a plate and screw
inserted through the front of the neck."

The original plan was for MacLeod to have two operations on her neck.

"But the surgeon in Christchurch thought it was too risky to have the
second operation because my spinal cord was exposed. It was very
dicey," MacLeod said.

She was put in traction in Christchurch Hospital to see if the bones
would return to the correct position.

MacLeod's bike slipped on a muddy patch on a retaining wall drop and
slid sideways. The handle bars twisted and a tree sapling pulled her
off the bike.

The straps of her helmet grazed the neck and crushed her voice box.

"My neck was swollen and I talked like a 5-year-old for a few days."

MacLeod was in the best form of her mountain biking career. She was
expected to dominate this month's North Island and South Island
national series and be a top 10 contender for the world championships.
But she does not have any regrets.

"A lot of people expected me to be frustrated by not being able to
race. But the overwhelming feeling I have is a sense of relief. I feel
so lucky. I've been given a second chance and am happy for that.

"I've beaten the odds and I'm still alive and able to walk. Someone up
there was looking down on me and people were sending me good vibes."

She is being assisted during her recovery by her partner, Warren
Black. His mother, Rhonda, and McLeod's mother, Dale, have come to
Dunedin from Riverton and Geraldine to assist.

MacLeod, like most downhill mountain bikers, is used to injuries.
During her career she has had serious injuries to an elbow, shoulders
and knees.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

Mike,

i read that news article too. *amazing! *If i had broken any bones,
especially my neck, it would be a long time before i got back on my
bike. *Hey, if it were my neck, i doubt I would get on at all. *too
much risk.

That is one tough lady!

Or, more likely, DUMB!


Not as dumb as cult followers who were forced to get vasectomies