The day I left Kampong Cham ... or thought I left to head for Neak Loueng, I had to come back to Kampong Cham because of a very bad fall and a very injured shoulder.
The ride started nice and easy over the bridge crossing the Mekong river and up to the first major junction the road was good and then I turned right heading south towards Neak Loueng. The road turned to gravel & sand with many pebbles and with the rain the previous day, muddy and red.
I could do dirt road I thought. It was just slower and more bumpy anyway. No time to see the sights and pure focus on riding. The road was long and the lousy road conditions looked like never ending.
What I underestimated was the trucks and big vehicles in Cambodia. The big bully wins in Cambodia and they have not learned how to be civilized in driving yet. A few trucks blared their horns and overtakes me since four wheels on dirt road is pretty stable compared to two wheels.
Then came this large huge timber logger truck from far behind me which I saw on my mirror blaring his horn angrily non stop while speeding up to catch me. In front of me was another motorbike, local and he could see the same thing as I could.
He went off to the sides and I thought ... ok if he is going I am going to follow.
The sides was muddy, soft and the moment I followed him off the more hard road, I saw him slip in front of me, his bike skidded and I knew in my mind that f*ck I am going to be next. The local bike in front of me manage to regained his balance but when it was my turn I could not.
Speed was about 30km/hr ... I went sliding towards the left side and my bike went down sliding on the dirt gravel muddy road .....
This was bad cause there was more cars and trucks overtaking on the left side. My legs was firmly clench to Bluey knowing if I open them up I’ll just injured myself. The left handle scratch the road as I fall but it was not enough and my shoulder was next and even my left head. Thanks for the helmet I am still alive.
The ride started nice and easy over the bridge crossing the Mekong river and up to the first major junction the road was good and then I turned right heading south towards Neak Loueng. The road turned to gravel & sand with many pebbles and with the rain the previous day, muddy and red.
I could do dirt road I thought. It was just slower and more bumpy anyway. No time to see the sights and pure focus on riding. The road was long and the lousy road conditions looked like never ending.
What I underestimated was the trucks and big vehicles in Cambodia. The big bully wins in Cambodia and they have not learned how to be civilized in driving yet. A few trucks blared their horns and overtakes me since four wheels on dirt road is pretty stable compared to two wheels.
Then came this large huge timber logger truck from far behind me which I saw on my mirror blaring his horn angrily non stop while speeding up to catch me. In front of me was another motorbike, local and he could see the same thing as I could.
He went off to the sides and I thought ... ok if he is going I am going to follow.
The sides was muddy, soft and the moment I followed him off the more hard road, I saw him slip in front of me, his bike skidded and I knew in my mind that f*ck I am going to be next. The local bike in front of me manage to regained his balance but when it was my turn I could not.
Speed was about 30km/hr ... I went sliding towards the left side and my bike went down sliding on the dirt gravel muddy road .....
This was bad cause there was more cars and trucks overtaking on the left side. My legs was firmly clench to Bluey knowing if I open them up I’ll just injured myself. The left handle scratch the road as I fall but it was not enough and my shoulder was next and even my left head. Thanks for the helmet I am still alive.
 |
| Bluey on the Ground after the fall |
I got up immediately not feeling anything but not two seconds later my whole left arm was in intense pain. I could not move it and I could not even pick up the bike. I keep screaming softly and in anger removed my helmet, arm sleeve and gloves and sat on the floor off the road near someone house.
I was shivering, panting, felt like vomiting and shitting at the same time. I knew this was bad, I only feel this way when I go through some bad shit trauma. The locals staying by the side of the main road help me pick up my bike and wheel it away off road to prevent any other vehicles crashing on it. I could not move.
They all speak Khmer to me and I just shook my head. Someone came with oilment and showed it to me. I was already in so much pain that anything right now was better than doing nothing. The oilment was like deep heat or counter pain and once applied a searing pain came to my shoulder. They put it everywhere from my wrist to my shoulder to the back of my neck and i could feel the head and blood gushing thorough my left hand.
A few moments later I did an assessment check to myself. Fingers moves, OK that's a good sign. Wrist can be move a bit .. but elbow movement and shoulder movement was out ... shooting pain.
I rested an hour, by the side of the road and by now I had an idea how bad my body was. It was mainly the shoulder, which the muscle were now numb refusing to do any work. I could move my left hand using supports of my right hand but any strength from the left hand itself was out of the question.
Pain was still bad but now mentally in check I went to Bluey to see how he was doing. Its always a big concern on my mind when something happen. First check myself to see how bad it was then check Bluey to see if I am in shits or not.
I was shivering, panting, felt like vomiting and shitting at the same time. I knew this was bad, I only feel this way when I go through some bad shit trauma. The locals staying by the side of the main road help me pick up my bike and wheel it away off road to prevent any other vehicles crashing on it. I could not move.
They all speak Khmer to me and I just shook my head. Someone came with oilment and showed it to me. I was already in so much pain that anything right now was better than doing nothing. The oilment was like deep heat or counter pain and once applied a searing pain came to my shoulder. They put it everywhere from my wrist to my shoulder to the back of my neck and i could feel the head and blood gushing thorough my left hand.
A few moments later I did an assessment check to myself. Fingers moves, OK that's a good sign. Wrist can be move a bit .. but elbow movement and shoulder movement was out ... shooting pain.
I rested an hour, by the side of the road and by now I had an idea how bad my body was. It was mainly the shoulder, which the muscle were now numb refusing to do any work. I could move my left hand using supports of my right hand but any strength from the left hand itself was out of the question.
Pain was still bad but now mentally in check I went to Bluey to see how he was doing. Its always a big concern on my mind when something happen. First check myself to see how bad it was then check Bluey to see if I am in shits or not.
Gear was stuck from the local forcing Bluey to move without changing to neutral but I manage to kick it back to neutral and Bluey started fine. One broken left blinker light cover and a slightly dented handle bar but other than that everything was working fine.
 |
| Bluey Broken Signal Light |
I rested at the local house/mini shop, kept buying water and drinking up and constantly massaging and stretching my left hand with the help of right hand
 |
| The local Mini Shop where I rested regaining my strenght |
I fell down around 10am ... barely 30km out of Kampong Cham and I had another 100km to go to reach Neak Loueng.
By lunch time I still have no confidence to ride.
The local tried to talk to me but with limited Khmer language all I could tell them was I am from Malaysia.
Some sign language was use
Do I want to go to the hospital .... No ... I cant leave bluey
Do I want medicine ... ok .. f*ck it ... so some medicine was given and I have no idea what it was but I took it anyway hoping it was useful
Do I want an injection ..... errr what ?? f*ck ... I think if I said yes, I would have morphine injected to me but luckily I had a few hours of rest and my mind was thinking properly now ... no no injection.
By lunch time I still have no confidence to ride.
The local tried to talk to me but with limited Khmer language all I could tell them was I am from Malaysia.
Some sign language was use
Do I want to go to the hospital .... No ... I cant leave bluey
Do I want medicine ... ok .. f*ck it ... so some medicine was given and I have no idea what it was but I took it anyway hoping it was useful
Do I want an injection ..... errr what ?? f*ck ... I think if I said yes, I would have morphine injected to me but luckily I had a few hours of rest and my mind was thinking properly now ... no no injection.
 |
| The mysterious local medicine |
By lunch the locals shared their meal with me ... I rested and sleep and massage and stretch as much as I can keeping up the arm movement constantly ...
 |
| Locals Sharing their lunch with me while I rest at their place |
By 2pm I tested mounting Bluey. My left arm cannot even reach the handle ... no strength or movement capability of any kind. Used my right hand to plonk my left hand on the handle and thankfully I could still grip the clutch with some shooting pain on my shoulder.
I need more rest ... but the hope was there now ... I could ride ... given time
By 3pm I bid the locals farewell thanking them ....
Painfully with my left arm like a prosthetic that seam to be dead, I plonk it to the handlebar with only movement from my wrist and fingers available.
Riding very slowly barely switching to 3rd gear, I made my way back to Kampong Cham checking back into the guesthouse which the family was surprised. Hospital was just next to the guesthouse so I went in to get some help.
Do you want an x-ray the doctor asked .... seriously if I have a broken shoulder it should be much much more pain than this and if I really had some broken bones, this trip will come to an end. I wanted to continue so I said no. I got injections and anti inflammatory medicine plus muscle relaxant/pain killers
I need more rest ... but the hope was there now ... I could ride ... given time
By 3pm I bid the locals farewell thanking them ....
Painfully with my left arm like a prosthetic that seam to be dead, I plonk it to the handlebar with only movement from my wrist and fingers available.
Riding very slowly barely switching to 3rd gear, I made my way back to Kampong Cham checking back into the guesthouse which the family was surprised. Hospital was just next to the guesthouse so I went in to get some help.
Do you want an x-ray the doctor asked .... seriously if I have a broken shoulder it should be much much more pain than this and if I really had some broken bones, this trip will come to an end. I wanted to continue so I said no. I got injections and anti inflammatory medicine plus muscle relaxant/pain killers
 |
| Injection at the Hospital in Kampong Cham |
 |
| Anti Inflammatory & Painkiller Medicine |
The next day with pain medicine numbing my left arm, I packed up in the morning slowly and headed out but this time to Phnom Penh. If I was going to be in pain and have to rest a few days, I wanted to do it in a city where there are more facilities and a casino to distract me.
A few days later I left Phnom Penh for Kep and by the time I reached Kampot my left hand was now mildly working without troubles yet certain movement was beyond me with constant shooting pain. The healing process took nearly one month while I watch my shoulder change color from red to blue to blackish blue to greenish blue to yellow greenish and finally back to normal.
The things I go through for the adventure ....
Traveled on : Nov 2018
#blurtravels
A few days later I left Phnom Penh for Kep and by the time I reached Kampot my left hand was now mildly working without troubles yet certain movement was beyond me with constant shooting pain. The healing process took nearly one month while I watch my shoulder change color from red to blue to blackish blue to greenish blue to yellow greenish and finally back to normal.
The things I go through for the adventure ....
Traveled on : Nov 2018
#blurtravels
No comments:
Post a Comment