The notes and thoughts below are only from the author's mind, they are NOT to be taken as science or given facts, health or reference books were copied or studied on the subjects talked about.
And should it appear that I am way to flippant and unconcerned about what transpired, well, please believe me when I say that it really is how I am; when I am nervous, scared, or in an unfamiliar situation, my defense mechanism is to make jokes.
From then, when it happened, to even now, reliving it to be able to put it in words, the best I can remember it.
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It takes approximately only one minute for your heart to circulate your blood through your body, that's all.
There are a few things that can affect this, such as arterial plaque, narrowing and hardening of the arteries, fatigue, blood pressure, and, when it comes to pumping blood to the brain, yes, gravity.
As for blood pressure, many things can come into play with that, among them, dehydration, medication, AND, rising up from a prone position always includes a drop in blood pressure temporarilly.
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(previously)
I am falling straight backwards, as if I was standing at the edge of a pool, with my back to it.
I am sure that I said a silent, "Oh Shist" to myself, and again, not because I'm fainting, but because I am fainting straight backwards, and this now makes it serious, my head is a long way down to solid concrete.
No, ain't no little gardens of 'tunias or 'pashuns near me, just lot's of concrete.
In a last act of total desperation, even though I was pretty much already unconscious, I thrust my arm out hoping my hand could grab that post and save me.
Grab it, grab it, squeeze it, then just hang on, the feeling will pass, everyting will be allright and we can go on as normal, so just grab the damn post!
It missed.
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Concussions have been used to desribe many injuries a body or object can be effected by, but most recently have been used almost exclusively in pertaining to injuries to the brain.
Football players and hockey players are most susceptible to them, of course, along with boxers, and no, helmets really do not help!
Helmets can help the skull fracture incidents, but a concussion is usually what happens when the brain is suddenly thrown into the side of the cranium and helmets can actually increase the frequency of this happening.
The skull is protected, somewhat, but the brain is still more or less just floating around inside there.
When the brain impacts the skull, the results can be anywhere from bleeding, swelling or hemmoraging, immediately, to long term, un seen results that won't show up for years to come.
Among them, vision changes, changes in personalities, constant dizziness, vertigo, depression, new pschiatric neurosis, difficulties in comprehension, attention disorders, and the onset of early demensia.
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Sunday evening, August 5, "Hammerfall: Hot Fudge Sundae, part two"
"MMmmmmmmm, bmmmbmm, head,,,, under his head,mbbmmmm, might be coming,, membbee."
I heard sound around me, but I had no idea what the source of it was. I thought maybe the TV was still on.
I'm not sure from what, or why, but I'm really not in the mood right now for "Raymond", and no, Everybody doesn't.
I didn't want to open my eyes until I knew, but this was not working, I was too groggy, and nothing made sense.
I could tell I was lying on the ground though, and I felt like I had been sleeping for at least 10 hours, everything was so surrealistic, completely bizzarre and I wanted to go back to sleep.
Then I noticed someone squeezing my left arm,, not in a re-assuring manor, but in a manner that kept increasing that seemed almost threatening and I made up mind that I did not like it.
Nope, not at all!
I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was two strange men's faces right above my own, and one of them hd to be the one squeezing my arm.
I believe I told him to get his ****ing hands off of me, that much I remeber. I was to find out later that I had been swearing at them more than just that. Half unconscious yet I proved to be a real potty mouth and an all around unfriendly person to be hanging around with.
I was to hear later, that I had been swearing a lot and I had no idea I was doing that. I am not a person that swears easily, or accidentally drops a bomb when it should least be dropped. I really have little respect for people that have to use the F word constantly in everyday speech cuz it's the only adjective they know.
However, when I am angry?
All bets are off!
And apparently when I came to, I fell into the angry category.
Sorry, I'm not a morning person that "Rises and Shines."
I was still having a hard time figuring out where I was, then it started dropping in for me, all except the actual fainting part.
And the two men hovering over me had on nice, pretty blue uniforms.
I couldn't see them clearly, so I blinked a couple times, not realizing yet that I don't have my glasses on, but the act of blinking tried to make my head explode.
Oh, ok, I am lying on the concrete somewhere in the Magic Kingdom, yep, Houston, we have a problem!
But Houston already knew that.
We now have further proof that "Nebos wobble and they DO fall down".
The slightest little glance I tried to take around me for bearings only told me that there were a heck of a lot of people formed around me, lookinig at me, wonder what it was that I did that was so funny?
Is my fly open?
I have discovered that, people love to see OTHER people, lying on the ground, bleeding. That will empty a line to get Mickey's autograph faster than a Mickey bar melts walking down Main Street.
That sentance reminds me of Richard Pryor after he talked about self immolating when he burst into flames when he was freebasing and later said:
"People will get out of your way, when you are on fire!"
I was starting to put it all back together and realized they weren't trying to steal my wallet, or get my BTMR fastpass, but were probably here to help me so this time I politely asked them to let go of my arm.
Someone in the background laughed.
After opening my eyes for good, I discovered that the squeezing was a blood pressure cuff, and the two men helped me up to a sitting position, while somebody held an ice pack to the back of my head. I took over that duty myself since I wasn't really doing anything anyway.
Of the "blue shirts" I think one was a cop and the other an EMT, not really sure, my "editor'" will probably correct me. Looking to my left I saw they already had a gurney set up to move me in, I couldn't believe all this took place without my knowledge. When I was in a sitting position they had somebody give me a bottle of water and told me to drink it, even if I'm not thirsty.
"No thanks, really, not thirsty. "
"DRINK IT!" About 8 people seemed to yell at me.
That's when they filled me in;
I could not believe, and I stress this, all that took place while I was napping. Really, they told me I was out about 5 minutes, but from what I heard and saw was done, it sure seemed like it had to be longer than that.
First, the cop told me he was inside Columbia Harbour House just looking outside and happened to be looking right at me when I took my two and a half gainer into the concrete. No, I never did get my score.
According to him, when people faint they are out usually no longer than 5 seconds, but I landed on the back of my head so hard it knocked me doubly unconscious, I have been out for five minutes or more.
Todd said he was looking right at me and watched me go over from about 30 yards away. He said he could hear my head hit the concrete from there. It really ws disgusting!
Diane was the closest, but still too far away to stop it.
According to her, when she saw my head hit, she thought I was dead.
Seriously.
To the point that she started performing CPR on me.
My son has taken a few courses in that in Fireman training, and Diane had to take a class of it for the VFW.
Spiffy, absolutely spiffy, in the middle of the Magic Kingdom in broad daylight when I'm unconscious, now she wants to get frisky!
I can see no one's laughing. Ok, bad joke
It was then that one of the blue shirts, and Todd, told her not to do that since I'm still breathing on my own right now.
Yes, the video will be up on U-Tube shortly, look for it right after the Paris Hilton and Kate and Prince Harry videos.
Listening to all this I soon discovered that I had now grown a second head off the back of the one I'm used to.
It was't bleeding much, just a little since I didn't land on anything sharp, and the ice pack right away helped that.
Then the EMT, and everybody else in hearing and talking distance told me I need to go to the hopisital, (yeah, that's what I called it when I was little), since any time you knock yourself out for that long there is no doubt that at the least, you have a concussion, possibly a skull fracture, bleeding on the brain, brain swelling, who knows what else!
I told the EMT he left out low re-sale value!
The EMT also told me that the greatest danger after a concussion, is another head injury before the first one heals, you definately want to take it easy for a while and not risk anything hitting me in the head. Another head injury in the near future could prove to be fatal.
But I felt like such and idiot, I had screwed up the evening enough already, and I didn't like the look I saw on Jackson's face, it was not a "Oh boy we're in Disney" type of look. Believe me, the last thing in the world that I wanted to have to do right now was make decisions, but it had to be done,
I used my final time-out.
Ok, I hit my head really hard.
This used to be a regular routine when I was young, I really would be hard pressed to come up with all the times I had head injuries and/or required stitching when I was a young, foolish, impetuous kid. Unlike the mature, sensible, stable adult I've grown into. Guess I should have saved that "a dolt" comment for myself, it works better that way.
heh?
Honestly, I could take up a whole chapter just giving brief descriptions of head injuries I had as a child, if you want a bibliography on it, let me know and you'll see how stupid I can REALLY be when I was a kid.
However, by refusing the Magic Kingdom Ambulance of "Picking up the Garbage" Ride, I now had to sign release forms exonerating them of whatevers.
Have you ever been xonerated? I don't think I have.
They then ripped off the bp cuff and started packing up.
And now I am all questions since I can tell my rebuff has brought on the gruff stuff in ripping off the cuff since calling my bluff proved to be tough and they had enough.
( See? I can't help it, I just don't write drama for long)
When they first got to me and cuffed me, my blood pressure was 85 over 50, which is just about hilarious since I have to take medicine to keep it down. To me "good" is 140 over 90, there was a time I went in for a physical about 10 years ago and the nurse almost had a heart attack: 210 over 140 I think it was. She did everything but yell out, "Thar she blows!"
( sigh, ok, I give up)
(no wonder it's always Smidgy that eveybody feels bad for)
I should mention that they did earlier ask me some questions, concerning how much I had to drink, and they weren't talking about liquor.
I told them some coffee in the morning, and a little bit of milk during lunch, and a mug of coke. And a couple of cocktails before we left to come back not two hours ago.
They looked at themselves and nodded as if I had just incriminated myself in the JFK assasination.
So often, I am told, tourists don't take Florida seriously enough and don't realize they are getting dehydrated.
And Dehydration is a major reason for sudden drops in blood pressure, along with rising from a sitting or prone position.
Right, c'mon, how many trips have we taken down here now? This is 21, 22 if you count the Honeymoon out of Miami cruise.
First marriage, for those keeping score.
My problem is I"m not a drinker.
I'm just not thirsty usually, I don't drink much pop, one cup of coffee in the morning now is enough since I'm not at work and don't need to break things up and walk down to the coffee machine, and I rarely get thirsty enough to want a glass or bottle of water.
Plus, if I go to McDonalds or any fast food place, I never get something to drink, really, very rarely, and if I do it's usually a shake. On the dining plan it's a bit different since it comes with it, of course I do then, but if paying out of pocket whether here or at home, nope, nothing to drink.
Unfortunately, in Florida when we're here, it's coffee, Coke, and then cocktails,,,, alll BAD things to drink and that don't replenish yourself at all hydration-wise.
Also, the little bit of water I have now gotten in me has brought my BP up to 105 over 70, a definate improvement and the men in blue were satisfied.
I then asked the big question on my mind, the one I was brought up with being taught, and from a MASH episode, apparently I wasn't the only one:
Can you go to sleep after you have a concussion?
They told me yes, it's an old wives tale that you won't wake up.
"Is that what I just signed, relinquishing you from all responsibility in case I don't wake up?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, just so we're clear on that." I smartly replied.
Nothing worse than taking a nap tomorrow at the Hippy Dippy Pool and waking up dead!
"Wait a minute, you're telling me Hawkeye was wrong?"
No answer
Trying to think quickly, and they have been doing special reports in my daily Sun Times on athletes and head injuries recently, I tried to get everything of knowledge I could out of them. It seemed as if now they weren't all that interested anymore in helping or providing info on their own.
"Ok, what are some signs or symptoms that I'm taking a turn for the worse?"
I thought that was a good one, and almost patted myself on the back but I knew it would make my head explode again.
I was told that sensitivity to light was a common occurance, and not to worry too much about that.
But being confused is not a good sign.
"Being confused?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Confused about what?" I wanted to clarify this.
"About anything, doesn't matter."
"What doesn't matter?"
"Anything at all" he said, "Nothing really matters."
"Nothing really matters, to meeeee" I finished for him. "Now, what are you confused about?"
" I don't remember, " he said.
Ok, so most of that didn't happen, I'm easily confused.
Oh, and vomitting is not a good sign, it CAN happen in more extreme cases, something you should probably NOT ignore if it comes on in the next few days.
This made me wonder, how do you ignore puking?
"Ok, I'm throwing up now, but I'm going to pretend I'm not, and just let it run down my shirt."
Oh, I should have given a disclaimer at the beginning saying not to read this before dinner.
or after dinner.
Or especially, DURING dinner!
Thanks. Vomitting. One of my most favorite things to do in life.
I will fight throwing up to the last man standing, even if I know I'll feel better after I do it, I will fight it to no end, just ask Smidgy.
When we are all finished, I am unanimously informed that my evening at the MK has magically come to an end.
Somehow a Nebo size stroller appears, and I am told to head directly to the busses, and do not pass Go or The Mad Tea Cups.
I told the kids to just keep on touring, have fun and don't worry, you don't need us, but I need Smdigy to drive this fancy stroller they put me in.
Saying goodbye to them as Diane pushed the wheelchair I never felt so stupid in my life. Right, tough guy Nebo who can deal with any pain thrown his way is being led out of the Magic Kingdom by his wife in a wheelchair.
And yes, that's a dangler, live with it!
And I am still holding the ice pack to the back of my head, it's not really throbbing, but just an extreme constant pain, and not from just the area on the back where the impact was, but inside, as well.
( wow, another one, did you catch the dangler there?)
You know, where the brain is?
I think it was doing a little pinball action before it finally came to a rest back at CHH.
It was just starting to get dusky out as we headed on up Main Street, and it was there that we found out that MK wheelchairs cannot leave the premises, they got me on a bus but the chair had to stay. We were told to tell the bus driver to call for one on our arrival at Pop, which she did graciously, taking herself off bus duty until we and our deluxe chair issue was resolved. In less than ten minutes I am offered a new model, but still no cruise control so Diane will still have to push.
Now I"m in a new stroller being pushed past the Hippy Dippy don't get Lippy pool.
In the room, the bleeding had mostly stopped, but I could NOT believe the size of the lump on the back of my head. And it was right underneath the back band that holds the baseball cap on, which I was wearing. I'm not sure if it helped me a bit, or made it worse! It was just a little bit on the port side around from the straight on back of the head, more like 7 o'clock if you will.
I also had issues with my neck and shoulder on that side, as if it had suddenly been snapped out of place.
Gee, ya think?
I want a drink or 4 now, and Smidgy won't let me, I kept hearing "I thought you were dead", but I got her to compromise on a couple vikes and a weak whiskey and Sprite.
I also can't remember if I ate anything that night, I think I did, but I don't remember if she went to the food court and picked it up or made a sandwich in the room, but that was pretty much it, Hot Fudge Sundae mercifully came to a close.
I asked Diane if she was coming to bed soon, and she said yeah, she was tired.
"Really?" "Already" I was surprised.
"Well yeah I'm tired, I didn't get a nap like you did!"
Those ears! That silly cap! The cheesy grin with the equally cheesy moustache! And Mr. Potato head right behind you is kinda funny too.
That's funny.
And did Smidgy finish hers yet? All 850 pages or so?
Poor Smidgy-
)and since my daddy is up there having conversations with Him I think it was their way of telling me that it was OK that I couldn't make the funeral.
