I just got out of the hospital after spending five days in the Critical Care Unit with a head injury. I hardly remember the incident. It seemed so minor at the time. I tripped and fell while getting out of a deer stand. My head hit the ground, which seemed soft enough at the time. A few days later, I had a minor headache in the morning, but it faded as the day wore on. This cycle was repeated over the ensuing months, but I kept thinking the ache would go away. In recent weeks, however, the headaches got worse. Then, last Sunday as I was eating dinner, I went to take a bite and was surprised that my fork had disappeared from my hand. I didn't know I'd dropped it, but it was laying on the floor. I reached for it, but couldn't pick it up. My wife rushed me to the nearest hospital where a CT scan showed a third of my brain cavity had filled with blood. The pressure was compressing my brain, affecting my coordination and speech. There was talk of calling in a Medivac chopper, but my wife was allowed to drive me to a major medical center 60 miles away. After surgery to relieve pressure, I was hooked up to a half dozen IV tubes and I don't know how many sensors. They were tripping alarms that woke me up several times an hour all night long. The Medivacs landing and taking off outside my window didn't help either. On my legs were velcroed some air-powered leggings that sort of breathed in and out. They were supposed to keep blood circulating and prevent clots from forming. I was stuck there in an uncomfortable bed with all that going on. Every morning at about five o'clock they hauled me off for a CAT scan to compare with one taken the previous day. Finally, after five days, they determined they had drained out enough blood, and let me go home, along with a supply of anti-seizure pills. I'm not supposed to bend over or lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for at least six weeks.

MORAL OF THIS STORY: Protect your head. Wear a helmut!

 

wow. that was some experience - glad you're on the mend. i totally agree with the moral of your story, although i'm not always compliant in wearing my helmet on my 4 whlr. i do on my Honda Shadow... need to get a spare helmet for my Rancher. Seems i ride it mostly to plow snow/work around the farm at slower speeds, sweating (and the last thing i want is something on my head). but that's what they all say before banging their noggin, eh?

 

Wow, Deeplaker, how high up in the stand were you? Glad you hit soft ground Can't imagine we'd be talking with you if it was hard pack or worse. Glad you seem to be getting good care. Hope everything subsides and you heal up.

 

Dang Deep thats messed up. Glad your OK and hope you have a speedy recovery.

 

Wow, makes us realize how fragile the human system is. Good your doing better.


Hot nurses?

 

I was just stepping down off the last step of the stand when I tripped. I guess if you hit just right, it doesn't take much. A few years ago, I went to ride my snowmobile and had just put on my helmet when I slipped on ice. I fell hard on concrete, but I wasn't hurt at all. When I later took my helmet off. I found it had been cracked. That's really strange that a fall like that didn't hurt me, but plopping on soft dirt put me in the hospital for a week and almost killed me. Guess I owe it to the helmet.

 

Well, I wouldn't exactly call that an "adventure" . . . but I'm glad to hear you're okay! . Thanks for posting your experience so others can lrealize that safety is very important.

 

That's scary. I can't imagine what you or your family were going through while you were in the hospital.

Glad to hear you're on the mend. Make sure you listen to the doctors and don't do anything you shouldn't. Too many of us start to feel better and over-do it too soon. It sounds like you've already had a second chance.

Take care
D

 

Lesson learned wear your helmet!!!

 

Glad to hear you're on the healing end now.

That's quite a bit of lag time.