I have always loved to ride motorcycles. My Mom hates this and even though I’m 56 years old, my Mom still hates motorcycles. Ha! Ha! But that is not why I ride. I started riding motorcycles in my teens and never looked back. I believe motorcycle riding is the best way to travel if there is no rain involved. I also believe that a strong faith and a motorcycle ride can cleans the soul and even mend a broken heart. Since my retirement from the U. S. Army in 2008, every day without rain is a great day to ride. I have experienced two lower back surgeries and a neck fusion surgery since 1998 due to injuries caused by my work in the Army as a Supply Sergeant. Sometimes I experience a great deal of pain due to my spinal condition. Motorcycle riding is awesome therapy for things like pain, dealing with problems and decisions and matters of the heart to name a few. I have often been told by non riders that “those things (meaning motorcycles) are gonna kill me”. If I am killed by riding motorcycles, than I will die doing something I truly love to do. Sometime in November of 2010, I left my house in Elkton, Florida on one of my motorcycles. I was going to meet my son at his house off of Old St. Augustine Road in Mandarin in Jacksonville, Florida. My son Kameron and I were going to ride what we call the Fernandina Beach loop on our motorcycles. Kam had learned how to ride motorcycles safely and correctly at an early age and this route was one of our favorite rides. As I approached the Old St. Augustine Road exit going North on I-95, I experienced a sciatic cramp in my right leg as I entered onto the exit ramp. At 60 mph I had to think fast. Sciatic cramps will cause you to straighten out whichever leg gets cramped. This is not usually a disastrous situation unless you are slowing down on a high speed exit ramp and you need your right foot to operate the rear brake on the bike. There are also balance concerns, gear downshifting, leaning inertia and gravity issues as well as other motorists. Realizing that I was not going to make the exit ramp curve and slow down in time, I straightened up the bike, and went into the grass. I was doing OK until the front wheel lost traction on the sand and dry grass and I pulled the bike down on the low side (right). Now I was sliding on the right side of the bike in the sand and grass. I felt the edge of the sole of my right boot catch in the sand and grass. My right leg began to flex outward at the knee until it got resistance from the ligaments around the knee and the knee itself. It felt like my right leg from the knee down was being pulled off. I was taken to the ER at Baptist Medical South, which was at that exit. I received X-Rays and was examined. I didn’t have any cuts or scratches and no broken bones. Thanks to the awesome protective gear I always wear, my head and external body was safe and not mangled.
After the accident my right leg was weak and although I could walk, there was no strength in that leg. I went to the Southeast Jacksonville Branch of the Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute and was examined by Doctor Solis. After the MRI imagery and examination by Doctor Solis, Dr. Solis said I had torn two ligaments on the left side of my right knee completely in half! Dr. Solis is a knee specialist and said the damage was beyond his scope of expertise. Dr. Solis said that I would have to see master (genius) of orthopedic knee repair. I was referred to Dr. Kevin Kaplan of the Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute. When I met with Dr. Kaplan for the fist time, I was impressed by his awesome knowledge of the knee and his understanding of my injury. I felt sure that if there was a way to restore my knee to good working order that Dr. Kaplan would be able to do it. Dr. Kaplan indicated that due to the extent of the injuries to my Anterior Cruciate Ligament and my Posterior Cruciate Ligament that they would have to be reconstructed! I was amazed that this was even an option. Dr. Kaplan also indicated that he would be able repair the Medial Collateral Ligament as well as some of the damage to the knee itself. This was awesome news because it meant that I would be able to ride motorcycles again as well as I ever had!
The operation was scheduled and was a complete success with no complications! Dr. Kaplan had done what I did not think was even an option. After Physical Therapy by Ryan Wooley at Star Physical Therapy in St. Augustine, I was able to walk and ride as well as I ever had. Dr. Kaplan is a genius at Orthopedic Medicine and a great person. I never once felt like he was not capable of doing what he said he could do. I think about Dr. Kaplan whenever I am doing something that I would not be able to accomplish without Dr. Kaplan‘s mastery at Orthopedic Surgery. I would not hesitate to recommend Dr. Kaplan to anyone who is experiencing problems and has the opportunity to be one of Dr. Kaplan‘s successes. Thank you Doctor Kaplan for restoring my life and my abilities.
Multiple Ligament Reconstruction (ACL/PCL/MCL)
I have always loved to ride motorcycles. My Mom hates this and even though I’m 56 years old, my Mom still hates motorcycles. Ha! Ha! But that is not why I ride. I started riding motorcycles in my teens and never looked back. I believe motorcycle riding is the best way to travel if there is no rain involved. I also believe that a strong faith and a motorcycle ride can cleans the soul and even mend a broken heart. Since my retirement from the U. S. Army in 2008, every day without rain is a great day to ride. I have experienced two lower back surgeries and a neck fusion surgery since 1998 due to injuries caused by my work in the Army as a Supply Sergeant. Sometimes I experience a great deal of pain due to my spinal condition. Motorcycle riding is awesome therapy for things like pain, dealing with problems and decisions and matters of the heart to name a few. I have often been told by non riders that “those things (meaning motorcycles) are gonna kill me”. If I am killed by riding motorcycles, than I will die doing something I truly love to do. Sometime in November of 2010, I left my house in Elkton, Florida on one of my motorcycles. I was going to meet my son at his house off of Old St. Augustine Road in Mandarin in Jacksonville, Florida. My son Kameron and I were going to ride what we call the Fernandina Beach loop on our motorcycles. Kam had learned how to ride motorcycles safely and correctly at an early age and this route was one of our favorite rides. As I approached the Old St. Augustine Road exit going North on I-95, I experienced a sciatic cramp in my right leg as I entered onto the exit ramp. At 60 mph I had to think fast. Sciatic cramps will cause you to straighten out whichever leg gets cramped. This is not usually a disastrous situation unless you are slowing down on a high speed exit ramp and you need your right foot to operate the rear brake on the bike. There are also balance concerns, gear downshifting, leaning inertia and gravity issues as well as other motorists. Realizing that I was not going to make the exit ramp curve and slow down in time, I straightened up the bike, and went into the grass. I was doing OK until the front wheel lost traction on the sand and dry grass and I pulled the bike down on the low side (right). Now I was sliding on the right side of the bike in the sand and grass. I felt the edge of the sole of my right boot catch in the sand and grass. My right leg began to flex outward at the knee until it got resistance from the ligaments around the knee and the knee itself. It felt like my right leg from the knee down was being pulled off. I was taken to the ER at Baptist Medical South, which was at that exit. I received X-Rays and was examined. I didn’t have any cuts or scratches and no broken bones. Thanks to the awesome protective gear I always wear, my head and external body was safe and not mangled.After the accident my right leg was weak and although I could walk, there was no strength in that leg. I went to the Southeast Jacksonville Branch of the Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute and was examined by Doctor Solis. After the MRI imagery and examination by Doctor Solis, Dr. Solis said I had torn two ligaments on the left side of my right knee completely in half! Dr. Solis is a knee specialist and said the damage was beyond his scope of expertise. Dr. Solis said that I would have to see master (genius) of orthopedic knee repair. I was referred to Dr. Kevin Kaplan of the Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute. When I met with Dr. Kaplan for the fist time, I was impressed by his awesome knowledge of the knee and his understanding of my injury. I felt sure that if there was a way to restore my knee to good working order that Dr. Kaplan would be able to do it. Dr. Kaplan indicated that due to the extent of the injuries to my Anterior Cruciate Ligament and my Posterior Cruciate Ligament that they would have to be reconstructed! I was amazed that this was even an option. Dr. Kaplan also indicated that he would be able repair the Medial Collateral Ligament as well as some of the damage to the knee itself. This was awesome news because it meant that I would be able to ride motorcycles again as well as I ever had!
The operation was scheduled and was a complete success with no complications! Dr. Kaplan had done what I did not think was even an option. After Physical Therapy by Ryan Wooley at Star Physical Therapy in St. Augustine, I was able to walk and ride as well as I ever had. Dr. Kaplan is a genius at Orthopedic Medicine and a great person. I never once felt like he was not capable of doing what he said he could do. I think about Dr. Kaplan whenever I am doing something that I would not be able to accomplish without Dr. Kaplan‘s mastery at Orthopedic Surgery. I would not hesitate to recommend Dr. Kaplan to anyone who is experiencing problems and has the opportunity to be one of Dr. Kaplan‘s successes. Thank you Doctor Kaplan for restoring my life and my abilities.