Best Wishes to Keith Reed of Empty Pockets Racing

Just wanted to wish Keith Reed of Empty Pockets Racing a quick recovery from his crash at Nelson Ledges yesterday. He broke his collarbone in three places and will require surgury to repair it
He was in good spirits when he returned from the hospital though so that was good.
It was cool to see all the racers pitch in to get him loaded and packed up. Nelson Ledges might not be the best track around but the people who racer there are!!!!!!!
Keith's a first class guy and I hope to see him back out there real soon.

Ed

 

Get well soon, Keith!

 

Yes, definitely get well soon.

And I'm also glad to hear that you didn't get medical attention anywhere near the track. I'd rather go to a veternary (sp?) hospital than let those butchers work on me.

I'll pay for a helicopter ride, out of my own pocket, before I get medical treatment at the hospital local to Nelson Ledges.

Oh yeah, I can't remember exactly where he's from, but I know a few good orthopaedic surgeons in the Pittsburgh area if he needs one. Both have been personally tested by yours truly. I'm working on getting a volume discount.

 

guys/gals,

wow! thanks for all the kind words. you folks are truly awesome. i mean that.

i want to thank everyone for all your help and support. i'm usually on the other side of things, but i guess this was my turn to need help loading the trailer, etc. i've never been comfortable accepting the kind of help you folks have offered, but i can't describe what it means to me. i have alot of people to thank, but if i forget anyone, please forgive me (i'm loaded up on percocet and typing with my right hand is causing some awful crunching noises in my right collar bone area).

i want to thank everyone for helping me at the track, especially members of my team (scott/kim dengler, sammy gaige), jason/jim temme, don kinsey, jess morgan, greg martin, jeff caco, michael diener (and team), erik kauffman, mike kelly, ed meyer, bob stanley, and everyone else who offered help and support (again, please forgive me if i've missed anyone).

in addition, i want to thank the cornerworkers and the paramedics (although that was one bumpy ride to the hospital and a bigger than normal needle for the iv!).

last, but definitely not least, i want to thank wera for providing us with some of your best people at the track this weekend (note: i said 'some' as there are many, many more). a big thanks to jim sublet for really caring about each and every one of us out there and making sure things go smoothly even when we try otherwise. by the way, as i was flipping around on the ground in pain, many voices told me to 'take it easy', but the only voice i recognized was jim's. thanks for being there bud. as well, thanks to bob weber, rich graver, and the wera folks.

also, thanks to everyone who has called checking on me and offering help (sammy, joey desocio, jess, michael, cork morran, etc.). although, i probably won't remember the conversation in the morning.

i also would like to thank my wife susan who continuously supports me through all of this havoc.

the update is that my right collar bone is shattered (although, you'd think from the support from everyone that the injury was more severe). it's in 3 pieces that don't resemble any history of ever being connected. i'm seeing my ortho surgeon (who i am keeping in business) tomorrow. it's a blessing that nothing was done (surgery) at the hospital by the track as i had mixed feelings about what i was hearing (and seeing). by the way, i have found that arriving at the hospital (although, i'm sure not all) with racing leathers on, does not help to make friends with nurses or doctors. actually, i was hearing some not-so-nice things about roadracing, the racers themselves, and the not-so-welcomed workload that is encountered when it's a race weekend. (mike, i'm in pittsburgh as well. i agree that there are some real good ortho surgeons here. actually, mine rides an r1!)

in closing, i just want to say...

when things like this happen (to yourself or others), you have time to think (although not clearly) about why we do this to ourselves. in the last 24 hours, i've asked myself that question countless times. i am happy to say that i have two very special reasons why i do this.
one is for the love of the sport.
but, the other is for the friends i have made through it. i can't say enough about you folks. when i started racing 2 years ago, i felt that i finally found others as goofy as me. of course, after getting to know some of you better (and see how goofy you really are), i knew i was really wrong! just kidding. a big thank you to everyone for being part of my extended family and making this all truly, worthwhile.

sorry for the lengthy message.
(by the way, this has taken me almost 1 hour to complete. ouch!)

congrats to all the winners out there this weekend (especially my boy sammy).

i hope to see you all real soon.

keith reed
empty pockets racing
#69/expert

 

Bummer about the attitude at the hospital. The proper response is, "Hey, bite me, I'm paying your ass, so stuff your attitude!" Ok, maybe I get a little edgy when I'm the one on the gurney.

The folks at Fairfax (by Summit) are much nicer. Crash there next time.

I've been worked on extensively by Dr. James Bradley at Burke & Bradley Orthopaedics. You've probably seen him on TV; he's the team surgeon for the Steelers, so he's the dude on the field when it all goes bad. He specializes in shoulders and knees and is, in a word, excellent. If you see him, tell him I said hello. He thinks I'm nuts for doing this, but he knows I'm not gonna stop.
My latest get-off is being handled by Dr. Michael Bowman of the Western PA Hand & Trauma Center. He's Dr. Bradley's college roommate and was recommended to be by Dr. Bradley because he couldn't get me in and feet aren't his specialty anyway, while that is Dr. Bowman's. He recommended a few other guys as well who were all "good technicians" in his words, but Dr. Bowman was the lucky winner. He's been very good so far as well.

And yes, Percosets rule! The only thing better is morphine, and they won't let you take that home. Hey, sue me, I don't like pain.

And yes, the WERA folks, and racers in general, rule even more. A race weekend feels like going home to a family reunion. Except this family has more than it's fair share of crazy uncles. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

Keith, hope you get things sorted and heal well.

I agree about the percosets and morphine. Morphine is wonderful. I shattered my pelvis June 9th, so got 2 1/2 weeks of both while in the hospital, and have had 200 percosets prescribed since getting out. Now I am being weaned off them, onto Tylenol 3's. Friday I got 40 of each. The Tylenols do nothing for pain but make me dizzy and a bit nervous using crutches up and down the stairs....

What are the downsides to Percosets? I know they are addictive, but what, would that mean eventually I'd be craving them or something? I don't get any sort of buzz, just relief.

 

holy crap longwinded!! see what happens when i'm not around to tell you what to do? all bs aside, get better fast, call me if you need anything. i've got a virtual pharmacy here if you need anything. talk to you tonight, robbie, don, jess, amy and the rest of TFR.

 

Percosets have 7.5mg of Oxycodone in them, compared to 5.0mg of Hydrocodone in Vicodens. I don't know the differences between the two compounds, other than the Percosets work better. One of those works as well as two Vicodens; verified first-hand. Both of them also bring 500mg of Apap to the table, which is the same stuff as Tylenol as I understand things. But it's the narcotic portion that does the job, not the Tylenol-equivalent. Darvocets are the next one down the list from these two, and they contain 100mg of Propo-N and 650mg of Apap. They're also a step down in performance. Below that, and you might as well just take Advil.

And yes, they're addictive. I don't know if it's physically or psychologically addicting, but that's why some doctors don't like Percosets, since they're the strongest of the bunch. To me, it's all a moot point since they're a controlled substance. Without a 'scrip, you can't get any more. So no matter how big your Percoset jones may be, more ain't gonna happen. Yes, they can be had illicitly, but my understanding is that they go for $5-10 A PILL on the street, compared to $4.00 for twenty at the pharmacy, so that's not really a concern either. At least not with my wallet.

But having had the chance to test all three, head-to-head, in the last month I can say that I much prefer the Percosets. They work as good or better than two Vicodens for stopping pain. And you've got to eat Darvocets like candy for them to even get in the running. And like I said, I don't like pain. It hurts.

So Keith, pop a pill and take a nap. And don't forget, ask for double prints of the X-rays. I got a set of my foot, just so I could show off my two new titanium screws.

 

Get well soon Keith. Although I dont know you, I saw your crash and I did see you in the pits after you cam back from the hospital. Take care and I hope to see you out there soon.

 

Keith and Susan,

Randy and I are covering you both in prayer and wish for you a speedy recovery!

Jill

 

Keith,

I was sorry to hear about your crash when I got there on Sun. Good luck with the recovery and I hope it's a speedy one. I just got off the phone with Doug and he said the same.

Joe
ps. At least this time the injury happened on the track instead of the garage. Then again, a garage injury wouldn't beat up the bike, too.

 

Sorry to hear about your accident!
GOD speed your recovery! Hope all is well!
Rush Hour racing

 

Hope all goes well with the surgery KR! I agree the roadracing family that we are all in is really awesome.

 

Kieth!

Remember your a expert now, your supposed to set a good example for us yellow plates!!

Hope everything goes well & I wish you a speedy recovery!!!!

 

He did; he showed the proper way to do a flying dismount, maximizing style points.

 

Hope you get well soon bud, get some rest and let it heal.
See ya soon,
Telly

 

Keith,
What happened really sucks. I'm sorry you got hurt so bad. I hope your doctor puts you back together right. After you get it on the mend don't forget about the secret healing recipe we shared when you broke your wrist.
Heal fast, we want you back out there with us ASAP! Thank you for the kind words about the people at the track and the riders you race with. You're more than welcome for the help, so many were there to lend a hand, we all wanted to contribute some how. I know sometimes that can be a little overwhelming but it's your own fault for being such a cool dude and making so many friends . You are a class act, I'm glad I've gotten to know you and honored you consider me as a friend. Get well soon!

 

geez....
i am honestly touched by you folks.

i thought i'd post an update now that i have returned from the ortho. the break(s) are pretty bad. as mentioned, the fragments are pointing in just about every direction and they are concerned about the shortened length of the clavicle (if it was left to heal).
as i post this, they are scheduling surgery for tomorrow afternoon. the plans are to plate/screw everything together. although, i tried my best to co-erce the doctor into releasing me tomorrow night (after surgery), it appears that they want to keep me overnight for observation. i guess this is the best approach.

once again, i can't say enough about each and every one of you folks. i am truly touched.

take care and i really hope to be back out there soon with all of you, my friends. thanks for everything.

keith reed
empty pockets racing
#69 / expert

 

Hope you get better soon. Really sorry to hear about your little incident. I was at the track day at beaverrun and missed nelson on saturday. Anyway, hoping for a speedy recovery for ya, after all, you can't keep a good man down. See ya soon Keith.

John Beyrand
#361 Novice

 

Overnight is OK; you get the cool drugs that way.

Always gotta look on the bright side, donchaknow.

So, what's that secret healing recipe Jason? I've got a foot that could use all the help it can get.

Now can we stop this love-in and get back to our regularly scheduled abuse?