Evolution in Action!

"In ironic twist, while her husband lay in his hospital bed yesterday,
Cr Blumel was launching a major council project to promote mountain
biking in the region."

Evolution in action!

Mike


http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/09/26/cycle-crash-breaks-pelvis/

Cycle crash breaks pelvis

Kieran Campbell | 26th September 2011

Cr Debbie Blumel visits husband Ross with their daughters Bonnie,
Ellie and Theresa after he crashed his bike and brike his pelvis.
John Mccutcheon

CAREERING through rocky terrain in the Coast hinterland, Ross Blumel
suddenly found himself in real trouble.

Tossed over the handlebars of his mountain bike, he landed heavily,
breaking his pelvis in three places.

Several kilometres away, his politician wife, Coast councillor Debbie
Blumel, knew something was amiss.

Yesterday, by her husband's bedside in Nambour General Hospital, Cr
Blumel said she sensed her husband of 30 years would run into trouble
before he went riding on Saturday morning.

Mr Blumel said he considered himself lucky to have only broken his
pelvis and not have a vertebrae injury that could have put him in a
wheelchair for life.

The 53-year-old "over-ambitious" mountain biker said he would be back
on two wheels after many weeks recovering at home.

"I've crashed before ... but this is the most debilitating, I think,"
he said.

"I just can't get up."

Medics rushed Mr Blumel from a mountain biking track at Pomona to the
hospital, where a CT scan revealed the three breaks.

There is no brace holding him still but he is being medicated to ease
the pain.

The best medical predictions are that he will be unable to move around
for at least six weeks - a speedy recovery helped by his good health
and fitness.

In ironic twist, while her husband lay in his hospital bed yesterday,
Cr Blumel was launching a major council project to promote mountain
biking in the region.

Despite seeing the sport's huge potential, she admitted she had been
forced to give the sport away after a series of crashes, the most
serious last Christmas when she broke a rib.

The avid road cyclist and campaigner for improvement of the Coast's
bike riding facilities, said conquering mountain trails on two wheels
was not the sport for her.

"I don't intend to do it again," Cr Blumel said.

"I'm just going to stick to road cycling now.

"I think (mountain bike riding) is very technical ... I don't really
have the opportunities to master the skills so I think personally I
will steer clear of it."

Cr Blumel was on a morning bike ride to Twin Waters when her husband
was rushed to hospital.

"I had a sense it was going to happen and when it happened I was
calm," Cr Blumel said.

"I've been married to this man for 30 years now. I knew when he left
yesterday morning that something was going to happen."

The fall has not shaken Mr Blumel's confidence.

As soon as he recovers he will be back to Pomona to conquer the track
that brought about his downfall.

And Cr Blumel said she had no plans to discourage him.

"I would never try to put the brakes on him," she said.

"It's in his nature and his character to do these things."

"It was an accident from him pushing the limits, which is what he went
out to do.

"It was a risk he was prepared to take."

The councillor, who has ambitions to run as a mayoral candidate in
next year's local government election, said she would reshuffle her
diary in an attempt to have time to care for her husband.

"I've got some pretty big things coming up - I'm certainly going to
have a look at my diary this week and review it.

"I'll be looking to see what his level of care is going to be.

"We've got three daughters as well and they're already fussing over
him."
.