Originally Posted by Drey Samuelson .
I broke my clavicle two weeks ago, riding in RAGBRAI (bikeride across Iowa) in a pace line led by Lance Armstrong (true story!). The problem with pacelines is that you can't see the road in front of you until you are virtually on top of it, and I hit an unannounced hole in the pavement as we were completing a turn--going about 18 mph (RAGBRAI is a ride, not a race--if it had been a race, I wouldn't have been able to see Armstrong w/a telescope!).
I've seen three orthopedic surgeons--one while I was at the ER in Des Moines, who said I didn't need surgery; one in DC, where I live, who said I definitely do need it (and perhaps, not a coincidence, he doesn't take Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance, and charges almost $4k to perform the surgery); and one who does take BC/BS insurance (which allows about $900 for the surgeon) who told me he is "on the fence" about it, and wants to see me in a week to see how I'm doing. Weirdly, I'm in almost no pain, and really wasn''t in much pain even close to the accident--I must have literally had a lucky break, as most folks (I'm told) find it excruciating. I'm inclined not to get the surgery, especially after reading about the risks, as I seem to be doing fine, have a little weakness in lifting things, but my last doc told me that would get better, too... so, unless something changes for the worse, I'm probably gonna call it good.
