Déjà vu!
Published: 12th September 2007
Author: Stephen Sword Photo by Alex Hodgkinson
Stevie’s killer comeback comes to a complete halt at Namur after an argument with a haybale…
Things took a turn for the worse last month! Everything was getting back on track for me until the fifth lap of the first practice at Namur. I clipped a haybale which made me crash – the unlucky thing was that the bike landed on my foot, crushing it against the ground. Immediately I knew something was wrong as the pain was pretty bad. It was the same foot as my old injury but I didn’t have any pain around my ankle so I knew this was a new injury.
I got back on the bike and nursed myself back to the pit box where I took my boot off and could see that there was already a lump developing just below my toes. The mobile medic centre has an x-ray machine so I headed in there to be told by the doctor that I’d broken three bones and would need to have them pinned. I was devastated. My Belgian doctor – Dr Claes – was at the track and he came over to see me, we had a chat and he arranged for me to come back over on the Wednesday to have surgery.
I’m gutted to be missing the rest of the season and I was so looking forward to the British GP. But I guess things could have been much worse, especially as my old injury isn’t affected. So I headed back out on the agreed day to get operated on – the amount of times I’ve been in that hospital in the last 18 months is not normal. I’m on first name terms with all the staff and they put me in the same room almost every time – although this time I ended up sharing a room with a mad South African who goes by the name of Tyla Rattray! Tyla was in having surgery on his knee ligaments and we had a laugh and a good chat about all kinds of stuff. Sam (Tyla’s girlfriend) was good company for Jodie – normally the WAGs get the raw deal with us motocrossers as they take us to hospital, sit by the bedside, hang around while we get operated on and then sit by our bedside again while we sleep off the anaesthetic.
I was wheeled down to theatre where they told me I wasn’t going to be put to sleep although luckily they planned to numb me from the waist down so I wouldn’t feel any pain. What a strange feeling that is – I was chatting to the doc throughout the whole thing who was basically talking me through the op and reassuring me that everything was going well. It’s a weird, weird feeling watching your legs being lifted up and down and not being able to feel it. Anyway, the operation went well and they wheeled me into the recovery room where I was greeted by Tyla before we were both carted off to find Jodie and Sam who were waiting for us with much-needed food and drink.
I only had to stay in for one night so the next day we made our way home. My foot was painful and swollen for a few days but after that it’s been feeling good. The pins stay in for three weeks, then I have them removed, then I have to wait another three weeks before I can start walking again. At times things are difficult but staying positive is a must. I’m a racer so obviously I want to be racing and doing well. My focus is now all on next year so I’m going to get myself fit again, start enjoying normal everyday life, have a good winter training and testing and come out fighting for the start of next season – I’ve got a two-year contract with Molson Kawasaki so nothing changes for me there. Roll on ’08!
I drove up on the Sunday to the British GP at Donington although I must say I don’t like watching when I should be racing. All the same it was good to catch up with the fans, sign some autographs and watch DT take victory in the Vets race. And well done to Tommy Searle for taking his first GP overall as well.
I haven’t really been up to much else and I’m pretty limited to what I can do on crutches. I’ve been going to the gym most days just to get out of the house more than anything. With the pins in my foot I can’t put any weight on it but I can still do upper body weights so it’s not too bad and by the time you read this the pins should be out and I’ll be well on my way to recovery – I reckon a nice little golfing break’s what’s needed to get that foot moving again!