Update on Gene Bazyl - see page 10

[Spiderman]

Update on Gene's specific injuries and condition added to this post by Ralph.

As some of you already know, Gene (ebazyl) was involved in a bad crash yesterday at the track in La Junta. He is in the hospital in pretty serious condition at the moment.

We will post more details here once we find out from his family what their wishes are, but until then, we ask that you politely respect their privacy and not post up any details you may have heard.

Please keep Gene in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanks

Update, 7/3 9:02PM:
I just got off the phone with Josh, who echoed family consent to tell you what I'm posting here regarding the circumstances surrounding the crash, and his medical condition.

On Sunday afternoon, Gene was involved in a crash with another rider at La Junta Raceway. The end result was that Gene T-boned the other rider hard enough to tear his own bike in two. Both riders were airlifted out of the track to a hospital in Pueblo with major injuries. The other rider died from his injuries last night, though I don't know the extent of what those injuries were.

Gene is in stable but critical condition in the ICU right now. His injuries include swelling around his brain, two fractured vertebra, broken ribs, and a broken wrist. I am also told that both lungs were collapsed initially. He is on a respirator, in a medically induced coma. Right now his prognosis is not so good - at last check he was given a 50/50 chance of survival, and expectations for permanent brain injury if he pulls through. The hospital was hoping he would stabilize enough for air transport to a Denver trauma center for better care, however that doesn't appear to be possible so the hospital is bringing a team of neurologists from Denver to Pueblo within the next 12-24 hours.

Right now, it's just a lot of wait-and-see. Gene was responding to voices he recognized, which is a good sign. The downside to that is it elevated his heart rate, increasing the blood pressure in his skull. As a result, anyone in the room with him at this point cannot talk, touch, or make any noise. Several people have been with him nearly constantly; I will also be going to see him tomorrow with some more folks. I do not want to post hospital information on here since I'm not 100% of it, however anyone wishing to go down can contact myself or Bob for more information. Obviously the visitation hours are going to be strictly controlled by the hospital.

I'll try to keep this updated as I know more information. That's all for now.
- Ralph

Update, 7/13: The latest turn of events is documented on page 10 of this thread. Click here to go directly to the post.