Head injuries.

Oh and when you start to get dizzy, stay away from caffeine and alcohol and do your best to get your heart rate under control (i.e. deep breathing, yoga style).

 

At 5, I cracked my head open badly.

At 9, I fell onto the back of my head against the sidewalk and got a major concussion.

At 12, I ran head-first into someone at full speed.

At 16, I got kicked in the head at-close range with a soccer ball.

For the few here who know me from past newsrooms and whatnot, they'd attest that I ain't right in the head.

But if you think you have a concussion, get to a doctor pronto, especially if you're puking. DO NOT GO TO SLEEP WHATSOEVER.

 

Oh crap, I guess I forgot to note my experience ...

At four or five, horsing around with brothers, fell off my dad's work bench and cracked skull on cement floor.

At 24, was cheating on a free kick and took the ball square in the nose. Out like a light.

At 30, collided with first baseman, spun, landed on tail bone and then cracked head off ground.

At 31, was cross-checked headfirst into the dasher.

At 35, was walking dog, hit a patch of ice and cracked head off sidewalk.

Had a couple of minor bumps with blackouts of a few seconds last season.

 

Many of the post concussion symptms are often hard to quantify... difficulty concentrating, insomnia, irritability among others. The symptoms can last for weeks after the injury. A good family doc, somebody who does sports medicine or a neuropsychologist can help with the diagnosis and followup.

Many concussion victims are unaware that they have suffered a concussion. Studies from Queens University in Canada tested college football players and up to 80% did not appreciate that they had sustained a head injury.

 

Check for apparently random bleeding from the ears.

Last year I was riding my bike through town. A guy in a pickup turned onto the street down which I was riding.
He took the turn extremely wide and almost hit me. I swerved to my right to avoid him. My handlebars caught the sideview mirror of a parked car.
I went flying and landed on my face.
Road rash across my face, concussion and cracked maxilla.
Ouch.

 

Head On. Apply directly to forehead.

 

Concussion in seventh grade. Had the puking, kept getting tired. My parents yelled at me all the way to the doctor to quit falling asleep. I had double vision for about the next day due to the brain swelling. At the time they weren't taken that serious so I went home that day. I eventually threw up so much I became dehydrated and they had to take me to the hospital. They gave me an I.V. and an X-Ray and sent me home.

Since then I've had migraine headaches, I get lackadaisical at times. My personality changed a bit, too. I know it was junior high and such but I got shy afterward and a bit withdrawn. I'm still that way a bit. I don't know if it was the concussion or just the teenage experience. The timing just seems strange.

Immediately afterward, I didn't remember anything that happened. Things started coming back to me later. Up to that point, I could remember the name of every teacher I ever had and just about every friend but that all went away. It's strange running into a childhood friend and they start talking about stories and you have no idea if it actually happened, he's pulling your leg or the concussion ate it.

I was big into BMX and skateboarding so I've been knocked out a couple times. I'm not sure if that had any residual effects.

Wicked, if you think you may have some problems go check it out. Better safe than sorry. You can't be too careful with your noggin'.

 

Go to Target and pick up one of those do-it-yourself trephination kits.

 

Last year I got really drunk and went head-first into a door frame.

Good times.

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm generally withdrawn and also a bit of an easily agitated person. Always thought it might be other factors, and it very well may be, but maybe this is another avenue to check out, too.

 

Hard On. Apply directly to the ...

 

57 stitches in the shape of a 1980 Ford Pinto steering wheel after I fell asleep while driving my sister's new car.

Concussion, laceration about an inch deep that kept me in the hospital for 3 days.

I didn't puke, but I did keep trying to fall asleep/pass out while waiting on the ambulance to arrive.

Because of the scar, I can't ever go bald. Otherwise I'll look like a Hell's Angel.