Bart Bell is Back

[di...@ncs.com]

This was in today's (7/14) Minneapolis paper.

IT IS A BLESSING
----------------
Bicyclist regains consciousness
2 weeks after injury at trials

Two weeks after suffering a head injury at
the Olympic track cycling trials, Bart Bell
regained consciousness Monday at Health One
Unity Hospital in Fridley.

"It is a blessing from God," said his father,
Bob Bell, who along with other Bell family members,
has kept a vigil since Bart went into a coma
after the June 28 crash at the National Sports
Center velodrome in Blaine.

Bart Bell, 24, sat in a chair yesterday, recognized
his family members, spoke on the telephone to
other relatives, conversed in four and five-word
sentences, identified colors and prepared to take
his first steps.

"When you mention the track and the accident he
doesn't want to talk about that," his father said.

Bart now can stay awake for hours at a time before
needing to sleep, but the left side of his body
remains weak, if not paralyzed, said Dr. Paul Seel,
a critical care specialist at Unity who has been
overseeing Bell's case.

"It's hard to tell how far he's going to improve,"
Seel said last night, " But I am optimistic based
on how well he's improved in the last five days."

Bart Bell suffered his injury during the tandem
sprints national championships held at the velodrome
as part of the trials. He and partner Tom Brinker
attempted to pass defending national champions Erin
Hartwell and Marty Nothstein. The two bikes met, and
Bell the driver, steered his bike onto the velodrome's
infield. As he did, the front wheel of his bike collapsed
and Bell went over the handlebars, striking his head
on the grassy infield.

Seel said Bell was fortunate. The "closed-head injury"
he suffered bruised the brain, but the bleeding and
swelling were not severe. Bell also never stopped
breathing.

But extensive rehabilitative therapy will be necessary,
and Bell's familiy is preparing to move him closer to his
home in Anniston, Ala.

"With a severe head injury, everybody looks the same on
the outside, but everyone is different on the inside,"
Seel said. "His brain is still not functioning at normal
levels. But he's making good progress. To say where
that's going to end up is really tough."

--
Dick Anderson
Minneapolis

[Les Earnest]

I am happy to learn that Bart Bell has come out of the coma, having
witnessed that rather ugly crash. It appeared to me that Bell did a
face-plant into the grass at the end, which is the kind of impact for
which bicycle helmets give only limited protection.

While it is disheartening to see an injury of this kind, we can take
some consolation from the fact that serious head injuries, which used
to be quite common in bike races, have become rare since the strong
helmet rule was adopted in 1986.

--
Les Earnest Phone: 415 941-3984
Internet: L...@cs.Stanford.edu USMail: 12769 Dianne Drive
UUCP: . . . decwrl!cs.Stanford.edu!Les Los Altos Hills, CA 94022