Ritter was released from the hospital on Saturday after he was injured early in the morning on March 2. He was in a group of five people just north of the governor's mansion when his wheel hit the wheel of a man in front of him.
Ritter's injuries were very severe and he detailed them on Wednesday during his first trip back to the State Capitol since the crash. Ritter says he has bruising on the lungs, a crack in his sternum, six different breaks in five ribs and a separated shoulder.
"I'm feeling like a person who has six broken ribs, or six breaks in five ribs, and a couple of other injuries as well. I have to be very careful. I have to do what the doctors tell me to do," Ritter said.
Doctors told Ritter to remain mostly immobile so he could heal, but he says at no time did he lose consciousness or have the lieutenant governor assume his job.
One other person was injured in the accident. That person, Ritter said, suffered two small fractures to both his arms. The governor would not name that person, but he did say he is doing fine.
Ritter says he met with his staff every day and the most frustrating thing about his injuries was not being able to laugh.
"It's laughing, absolutely," Ritter said. "You know I have these wonderful children who are very funny and the first thing they wanted to do was get me in a place and put a video in. A video I have never seen, you probably have all seen it, 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.' We were five minutes into the video and I had to ask them, not just ask them, I screamed, 'You have to take it off,' because I was laughing so hard it really caused excruciating pain. So if you can suggest movies that sort of don't hit that kind of a note, I may be interested in seeing them."
Ritter says many people from across Colorado had written him get-well letters, especially those who had also had broken ribs so they could sympathize with his pain.
"It's extremely painful. The interesting thing is I now have met just everybody who's had a rib injury. We're getting mail at the governor's residence from people throughout Colorado who have had a rib injury saying, 'That's the most painful thing I've ever had to endure, so good luck governor,'" Ritter said.
Ritter says he has bruised his ribs before, but it was nothing like the pain from the breaks.
The governor did not say when he would begin riding his bike again, but he said it would have to be after doctors said it was OK.
The governor signed 28 bills on Wednesday, most of them to fix this year's budget. He also met with his staff at the Capitol.
Ritter says he expects to resume his full schedule next week.
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