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Ouch - Learn about concussions

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:42 pm
by The Phoenix
Last week, I was working in a wiring closet. I was attempting to map out a section of the local area network at my work (since I'm the Network Architect). In going through several wires, a networking switch on a shelf above me fell - onto my head.

It was a 24-port gigabit rack mountable Netgear switch. It was heavy, and it fell several feet. It ended up cutting through my scalp, but not the skull (good!). Needless to say, there was a lot of blood.

I needed two staples, and a tetanus shot. I have a concussion, and it wasn't at all fun.

However, since then (this occurred last week), I've learned about concussions. I always thought a concussion was an event. Like "I broke my arm", the state was "a broken arm". But a concussion is an ongoing issue. Like "I have pnuemonia", being a state of "being sick" that lasts over several days (or weeks, or longer).

Concussions don't just start and stop. Your brain takes a while to get back to normal after being bounced around. It doesn't like that. As a result, I've been incredibly tired, fatigued and nauseous. I've been on and off painkillers for headaches that can last several days. I have a follow-up meeting in a few days to re-evaluate me. I went back to work on day two.

I mention all of this to educate others. Concussions last over time. They are hard to heal, and hard to explain. Imagine just feeling completely "off" for a week, and you'd be close.

The wound itself is healing very nicely. I'd share pictures, but they are rather grotesque.

If you end up with a head injury, don't just assume that it is over when the bleeding stops. :)

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:49 pm
by Kieran Huggins
dude - now whenever I have an off day I'll be wondering if I hit my head in the night...

May you recover swiftly!

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:06 pm
by timvw
Best remedy is to stay in a dark room and rest... If you don't treat it well you'll keep having headaches :/

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:47 pm
by RobertGonzalez
Drink lots of water, try to stay away from sudden changes in your environment (light to dark, hot to cold) and try to stay away from things moving fast. I had a concussion once in high school (Cougar football rules!) and it took about a week to work itself out. It was a mild concussion, too so I made it a point to not tell anyone, so the head banging during the recover week I am sure slowed recovery down.

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:12 pm
by TheMoose
Yeah it's essentially a bruised brain. Bruises take a while to recover. The result is a chemical imbalance in your brain, causing fatigue, nausea, headaches, etc etc etc, all the other symptoms.

As Everah said, hydration and consistency are the best recovery remedies you can do. Changes in light, while not bad for you, cause your optic nerve to react more which can worsen headaches or other symptoms. When there is a lot of light in a room, your pupil shrinks, which is the same as a muscle's tightened state. When in darkness, your pupil relaxes and is more dilated (to let more light in), hence why when you have a headache, you tend to turn the lights out (as much relaxation as you can get).

Psychology learnt me good! (had to learn about brain activity)

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:22 pm
by onion2k
Sounds nasty. Are you going to have a scar?

Scars are ace. I have a great one on my wrist. It's about 4 inches long and on the inside, I had a couple of plates attached to mend a compound fracture I got trying to find out if mountain bikes can fly.

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:14 pm
by The Phoenix
onion2k wrote:Sounds nasty. Are you going to have a scar?

Scars are ace. I have a great one on my wrist. It's about 4 inches long and on the inside, I had a couple of plates attached to mend a compound fracture I got trying to find out if mountain bikes can fly.
Not sure yet.

I have a 6 or 7 inch scar on my right leg already, from a bone spur I had removed over a decade ago. That covers the need for coolness factors. :)

The head wound itself is healing pretty well. The secondary cut is entirely healed, and the cut on either side of the staples is healed. Just waiting on the middle part. Thursday is the return visit, should clear that up.

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:14 am
by s.dot
If I remember right from about 4 years ago when I had my seizures and the doctors didn't know the cause yet, they asked me if I've ever had a concussion. I said yes, because I had been in a car accident about 6 months prior and sustained a concusion. They said that it was a possible cause at the time (but later ruled out).

So let that baby heal nicely!! To avoid any troubles like that.