It's been a bit of a tough off season for me. Less than 3 weeks back in the country and just back on the bike after some time off. Bang, two broken arms after hitting a tree at high speed. 

My right arm took the brunt of the impact, shattering the radius and ulna and displacing it so far that the bone punctured the skin.
I knew it was bad as soon as I'd done it, looking down at my deformed arm, in a lot of pain, I just wanted to get out and under an anaesthetic as soon as possible! After walking out of the track with the help of fellow mountain bikers it was a long and painful 5 hour wait before surgery. Despite obviously been in shock I wasn't put onto Intravenous fluids, instead I was given occasional doses of morphine. The morphine didn't seem to control the pain so I was given a big bolus of ketamine. This was probably one of my most scariest moments, it sent me into a dysphoric reaction which felt like I was leaving my body!
In surgery they placed two plates and put a cast on both arms. I spent most of the next week in hospital. I recovered well initially although I didn't have normal sensation in my right hand due to nerve damage. I then had a reaction to one of the many drugs I was given making me feel nauseous for 2 days. My IV catheters kept blocking and in the end they couldn't get any veins to give me fluids. The nurses were absolutely lovely but I wanted to get out of there so badly. I made myself drink a small amount every 2 hours- all I could manage without vomiting - despite anti emetics. Thankfully it worked and I persuaded them to let me go home!
It's been a roller coaster of a recovery since then. Initially 6 weeks off the bike but that didn't stop me getting on the turbo trainer and going to the gym. I'm so lucky to have such a great support network here in Nelson. Check out my video by Stuff.co.nz showing me now back on the bike and what I've been up to in my recovery time.

The secret is out! I can't wait to get racing on my new Fuji Auric. Check out the full release on Pinkbike:
​http://www.pinkbike.com/news/fuji-bikes-meggie-bichard-2016.html