Bad Bob Archer

ABATE Officer Seriously Injured in Right of Way Accident

Bad Bob Archer on February 3, 2007

While riding his motorcycle Bad Bob Archer was struck and seriously injured by a cage at 7:30 PM on Wednesday January 24, 2007. The driver of the cage has been cited for causing the accident and violating Bob's right of way. The accident occurred in Lexington County on Midway Road.

Mystery Poker Run to Benefit Bad Bob Archer

Registration and run starts at Anthony's located at
1121 Calks Ferry Rd., Lexington, SC 29072
(Directions to Anthony's)

April 7, 2007

First bike out at 10 AM
Last bike out at 12 PM Noon

Last bike in by 6 PM

Best hand prizes:
1st $300
2nd $200

For more information call Thumper 803-892-6572

Help promote this event and help Bad Bob!
Print and post copies of the flyer promoting Bad Bob's Mystery Poker Run (pdf)

Bob preparing to ride lidless from Saluda, NC to WV, Fall 2006

Blood Donations Requested in Bob Archer's Name

Please give Blood in Bad Bob Archer's name at your local blood bank. According to Bad Bob there is a dire need for blood in Columbia South Carolina!

Bad Bob Archer Fund Setup for Donations

Those wishing to make donations toward the medical care of Bob Archer may do so at any branch of First Citizens in South Carolina or Eastern Georgia. You make checks out to "the medical care of Bob Archer." Bob's lady Gwendolyn M. Harvey is the caretaker of the account. If you have any questions you may contact First Citizens at (803) 356-8081. Alternately you may make contributions to Bad Bob's Recovery Fund by mailing a check made out to "Bob Archer" care of the following address:

Bad Bob Archer Fund
PO Box 62708
North Charleston SC 29419

Use this contact link to join the team helping Bob and his family!

Bob and Gwen at Whitewater Falls, Summer 2006

Tuesday February 20, 2007 Update:

Bad Bob is finally getting a brief vacation from the hospital after spending nearly a month away from home. He still faces major surgery on his right leg to replace the five inches of his femur lost in the accident. Several of Bob's close friends worked hard to build a ramp deck and new door big enough to get Bob and his bed into his living room. Bob was impressed by the workmanship of the project and is very appreciative of everyone's efforts.

Keep your prayers and best wishes coming; Bob still has little feeling a virtually no use of his right arm. With your help Bob can pull through these trying times and make a full recovery.

Bad Bob and Gwen at a stop along the lidless WNC waterfall tour 2006

Wednesday February 14, 2007 Update:

Bad Bob called today just after 2:30 PM. He was just coming out of surgery. Bob says the doctors feel good about the skin graphs they made to his upper and lower right leg. He sound just a little shaky. If you are in the Columbia area you may want to drop in and pay him a visit this evening after he has time to rest up a bit. Bob has email access again; I'll spare him spam and just tell you to ask him for the address if you'd like to converse with him via email. Please do NOT post Bob's email address online.

Tuesday February 13, 2007 Update:

I've been on the road visiting Bad Bob and taking care of some ABATE business in the Midlands, Coastal, and Lowcountry Areas so updates weren't made as often as I would have liked.

Bad Bob is moving to a new room in the hospital. His new address will be room 805. I was not able to talk with him long as they were moving him during our call this afternoon at 2:45 PM. He sounded pretty happy and buzzed so they may have given him a shot first.

Over the past weekend a lot has been happening. Bob's friends really came out to support him at the benefit BBQ. The sold plates for $7 and raised $3,100 toward his bills. The Jasper Chapter of ABATE of SC is organizing a blood drive in honor of Bad Bob Archer stay tuned for details. Additionally his friends in Lexington are organizing a poker run and invite others to attend and setup their own poker runs during April and May. More details will be provided soon.

Bob says to tell everyone he is very grateful for all the support and well wishes

Wednesday February 7, 2007 Update:

Bad Bob's spirits are higher than ever since the accident. Bob is happy with the result of Tuesday's surgery on his right leg. A rod has be inserted in his lower leg and ankle; plates were placed in thigh to stabilize his femur. Bob is just beginning his long hard road towards recovery. He faces more surgeries including bone graphs from his hip to rebuild the missing 5 inches of his femur. Folks this is serious business please keep Bob in your prayers and the well wishes coming.

Monday February 5, 2007 Update:

Bad Bob is scheduled for a big day tomorrow (Tuesday). Please keep Bob in your thoughts and prayers. He is facing major surgery on his right leg. Tomorrow could be a major landmark along his long road to recovery. Bob sends his best to each and all. He says to keep the prayers and well wishes coming as they are helping him a great deal.

I finally paid Bad Bob a personal visit Saturday morning prior to our ABATE Legislative Meeting. Bob seem to be in high spirits than one would expect. While Bob has been through hell and had one side of his body smashed he looked remarkably better that I expected. The color of his right leg looked good. However the vacuum pumps attached to his upper and lower leg are harsh reminders he is not out of the woods as yet.

After the legislative meeting many of us went to Bob's room for a non-smoking and alcohol free after meeting party. Gwen and Bob's mother were there and seemed to enjoy the after meeting as well. Bob conducted some official ABATE business from his hospital bed as he issued checks to cover recent legislative and membership expenses. It was painful watching Bob learn to write with his left hand but his hand writing was remarkably legible.

A BBQ Cookout Benefit for Bad Bob is scheduled for this upcoming weekend on February 10th at Ray's Place. Call 803-781-7550 or 843-609-5027 for more information.

Thursday February 1, 2007 Update:

I spoke with Bob at 9:00 AM; he seemed a lot happier today. Bob's mom was there taking care of him. He is beginning to get sores from being in bed 24/7. I think he could use some Wet Ones or antibacterial moist towelettes to help keep infections at bay.

Monday Bob will face yet another surgery. They will re-evaluate his leg and remove some of the current hardware holding it together before installing newer hardware. This will just be one of many surgeries to follow. Please give blood.

Wednesday January 31, 2007 Update:

I spoke with early Wednesday morning and it appears his pain medications were not doing the job but at least he is finally out of ICU! While Bob was not feeling well he did his best to keep a positive attitude. Lexington ABATE's DRAF Coordinator Kathy Foster also paid Bob a visit. Her report follows.

Kathy's Comments: I went to Palmetto Richland Hospital this morning to see him. A DRAF application was delivered (Down Riders Assistance Fund) and I helped him to fill it out. His spirits are good, he is not bitter towards the young people that cause the accident. He is trying to see what he may be able to accomplish with this, after he is out of the hospital. There are a few things that he asked me to help with. The most important was the donation of blood. There has been some confusion over the exact way to do it, so please look at the list below. At the end of this email you will see a sample "In Honor Of" card. [FF Note: the scan of the card is too low a resolution to post here; efforts are being made to get a better scan.]

To donate directly to Bobby Archer you MUST be a compatible blood donor (same type) and have a report from the doctor.

To donate "In Honor Of Bobby Archer" which will help to replenish the blood that he uses from the Red Cross you DO NOT have to have a Dr's order all you need to do is fill out an IN HONOR OF card. Bobby will receive the very same card that you fill out to let him know that you donated for him.

Bad Bob hopes that when he is able to, to get some sort of blood drive going for ABATE and its members to not only supply blood for our friends in ABATE but to also get more awareness out there to help our cause. He also plans on lobbying more to get the fine for FAILURE TO YEILD increased from $50.00. He understands that he has a long way to go in recovery but has so much that he wants to accomplish during and afterwards. I told him that he has a lot of people behind him and not to let his pride stand in the way of allowing people to help him. He and Gwen have such a long road ahead of them and friends are going to be so important along the way.

This bring me to the cause that I am so strongly held to in ABATE, the DOWN RIDERS ASSISTANCE FUND (DRAF) this fund is set up so that we may be able to help our fellow ABATE OF LEXINGTON members. This instance is another reason why it is so important to keep the donations coming in. Please make it a point to donate what ever you can, you never know when YOU may be the one in need of the assistance. If you have any questions or comments PLEASE email me!

As of today, Bad Bob is in Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital #731. He is his stubborn self, complaining about what is not right and what is still wrong (go figure). Please send your cards, sign the visitor book when you go visit, take him a magazine or two. He does not have any diet restrictions as of right now take him something to snack on. Just let him know you care. He estimates being in the hospital at least another 3 - 4 weeks if not longer. Just some of the things you need to know about donating blood:

Without an appointment you could wait up to 2-3 hours, I strongly suggest making an appointment to get in and out quick.

PLEASE SIGN THE IN HONOR OF CARD TO BOBBY ARCHER

Tuesday January 30, 2007 Update:

I spoke with Bob and Gwen today. Spirits seem high today other than Bob's frustration with the morphine pump. Apparently the pump is not helping him if he is asleep and misses a dose. When I spoke with Bob it was quite apparent he was in a great deal of pain. Despite this Bob was in a good mood and chatted for quite sometime. Bad Bob is also busy recruiting new ABATE members even from his hospital bed.

Bob is hopeful he will finally get a real room on a different floor of the hospital today. However he had to raise hell with one of the hospital employees for sweeping in his room rather than mopping. Bob certainly does not need to breath dust let along have any dust land in an open wound where it may lead to infection. One of the nurses backed up Bob and supported him in the effort to have his room mopped rather than swept.

Gwen went back to work today for the first time since the accident. During her lunch break she managed to setup an account for donations to Bob's care. Special thanks is also due to Becky Herrman and Christy Rayman for helping get this account setup so quickly. The bikers of Lexington County and South Carolina are really coming together to form a team to get things done.

Details concerning how to make donations to the Bob Archer fund are provided above. We hope to have a PayPal feed setup soon.

Monday January 29, 2007 12:00 Update:

Bad Bob called me from his bed in PCU. Although Bob is heavily medicated I can still hear the pain in his voice. He asked about his "web page" he has been hearing about. He said to tell all his friends they are welcomed and encouraged to come visit him in the hospital.

On a more serious note Bad Bob says there is a dire need for blood in the Columbia, SC area. He is requesting we all give blood to the Red Cross in his name at our local blood banks. Bad Bob says he will likely need more blood for upcoming procedures.

Bad Bob says he greatly appreciates everyone's concern and support!

Bob when on to remind us all to ride carefully and look out for the other guys because they are not watching for us. The driver who struck Bob said he did not see Bob after taking a quick look both ways. However Bob did say at least the fellow did stick around.

Ride safe and look out!

Sunday January 28, 2007 Update:

Doctors have requested we make blood donations to the Red Cross in the name of Bob Archer. To schedule your appointment to donate blood please visit www.givelife.org or call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543).

Bad Bob is scheduled for another review by the orthopedic surgeon tomorrow. Bob is still in ICU on the 5th floor but he has been moved to a new room by himself in PCU. Daily Visiting hours are 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM and 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM.

Bob is still really self conscious about his leg but Rob and Gwen report he his spirits are better today; Bob says he will ride again. Bob being more the type of person to help another rather than receive help still hasn't figured out how to deal with all the attention he is getting.

Saturday January 27, 2007 Update:

Bad Bob awakened today and man is he pissed. Well we don't call him Bad Bob for nothing. He has already told the doctors they are not cutting his leg off too. I take this news a good sign the old Bob is back. By the way Bob is really subconscious about his leg injury. He told Gwen he did not want anyone to know he might lose a limb. Granted he generally does not want anyone to know what he does for ABATE either; he always avoids the spotlight. Please for Gwen's sake don't say anything to Bob about his leg. On a brighter note Bob also told Gwen where he needed rubbed and scratched.

Bob might be moving from the Trauma Unit to Step 1 today. However he will also have to pass through Step 2 and Step 3 before reaching his own room. As a result of all these upcoming moves Gwen is asking we hold off sending flowers at this time. We hope to share more information soon about how you can help. In the meantime I am collecting emails of encouragement and will hand deliver those next weekend.

Friday January 26, 2007 15:00 Update:

Bob is out of surgery and according to Gwen he looks good. However Bob has lost a a considerable amount of bone in his upper leg. Several inches of Bob's right femur bone was crushed in addition to a large hole in his leg further complicating his recovery. Doctors now say Bob has a 55% chance of losing his right leg above the knee.

Friday January 26, 2007 10:00 Update:

Bob is currently in surgery. The doctors are cleaning up his arm and leg;
inserting rods and attaching halo devices. He is expect to be out of surgery
sometime after 10 AM today.

Gwen is working up a list of items they need help with now.

Top of the list is a ramp to get Bob in their trailer once he is released.
Their furnace also broke last night. Additionally some work will need to be
done to the porch and entrance of the trailer to get a wheelchair in and out.
His home is located in Lexington.

If you'd like to help please use the contact link below. We are assembling a team to help now.

Thursday January 25, 2007 Update:

Bad Bob did not suffer any injury to his head or back. However his right arm and leg were seriously injured. Bob may lose his right leg. Last night the doctors said he only had a 10% chance of keeping his leg. However they found a pulse in his foot this morning, Thursday January 25, 2007.

Bob is not out of the woods yet by far but he is currently in stable condition as of Thursday morning January 25, 2007. He is still in ICU! Gwen was not riding with Bob at the time of the crash. However she is not taking all of this very well as you can imagine. Bob's mother has come from out of state to be here in this hour of need.

While Bob stays out of the spotlight he has done a great deal for ABATE. Bob serves as the current Treasurer of ABATE of SC. Bob has additionally played a major role in member recruitment and the creation of a new and growing chapter. Please consider showing support and helping Bob and his family in their hour or need.

Please keep Bob and his family in your thoughts and prayers. I would like to extend special thanks to Tom Herrmann for helping us in this hour of need.

~FF

Bad Bob Archer climbing a mountain near Big Bradley Falls, Summer 2006