concussions and recovery from them
General Topic
Just 2 evenings ago, Thursday, I had a mishap, something that ended my weekend's plan to go look for a late season black bear. It isomething that could happen on a hunt very easily. I was at the back of my station wagon, set down a large basket we had won at a silent auction, raised the tailgate, bent down to pick up basket, went to stand up and the tailgate came down on my head about 3 inches above my right temple. Cut my head. hurt enough it buckled my knees and it took about 10 seconds to be able to speak again.
After getting bleeding stopped, got in car, drove 3 minutes to get dinner, stood up got light headed and slightly nauseous. Was worried about concussion, but ate, had a beer, and decided to wait till morning to see a doc. Got to a doc Friday noon, still slightly nauseous and light headed. Yes I got a concussion.
It is now 41 hours after and head still hurts from top of my head to a spot halfway down the right side of my head and in one specific spot at right base of skull.
Doc said NO activity that would increase blood pressure including walking except around house through the weekend, and possibly longer depending on how symptoms subside.. So no hunt and just resting and tv time. Doc said it could take a couple weeks for all symptoms to completely go away.
So, it got me to thinking, if something like this happened on a hunt what would you do considering possible internal bleeding and possible long term effects, and all you have put into your hunt or even paid for a guide or outfitter.
And, for those of you who have had a concussion, how long did it take for your recovery. This is my 4th known concussion in life, and by far the worst.
I guess I am just wondering the experiences of others, and suggestions for preparing for something like this in the back country.
And
So are you trying to tell us not to enter silent auctions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hope you feel better
I took a nasty spill 8 miles in and broke 5 ribs,I couldn't walk out so my friend took off to get help and three hours later I had a helicopter over top of me,that was a long day!
My advice is try to always bring a friend when you go in the backcountry or leave explicit direction with a map of your travel route and always bring a sat phone.
Hope you feel beter
I am usually in good hands when out hunting if something happens. The 2 friends I hunt with are an RN and a respiratory therapist. The last 2 hunts we had a doctor friend along also!! But.........sometimes I am on my own and that is when I am wanting to be most prepared!
Elmer, not to make light of concussions as they can be dangerous but the current attitude is very conservative. I had at least 4 concussions playing football back in the day. I would vomit, the trainer would ask my name and where I was at and send me back in! Not the best course of action for sure:)
The chances of a bleed are pretty small but do happen so caution is best.
Listen to your doctor and watch for signs and all should be good. I had 2 friends growing up that had bleeds from hits to the head. It was much harder than what a lift gate could do.
Good luck and feel better.
I was in a car accident july 23rd. 48hrs in the hospital and six weeks off work. The nausea subsided within the first 48hrs, but the dizziness headache and ringing in my ear went on for quite awhile. I'm only just beginning to get back into bowhunting form. Had to lower my poundage as low as my bow could be set. I've been practicing for small sessions just a four to six arrows and then rest a couple days. I also broke my sternum and fractured my clavicle so that has a lot to do with the weakness.
In any case I would say if you feel okay enough to hunt then go for it, but if you really got a good concussion I don't think your going to feel like it. I couldn't even stand up without feeling like I was going to puke.
If you ever hit your head, don't drink alcohol.
I don't have any sage wisdom for you but I've had 12 concussions including some good ones that involved amnesia. Never had one while hunting but I doubt it'd slow me down much :). I'm definitely not right in the head though, particularly when it comes to bowhunting. I'll let ya know when I start seeing double or soiling myself
I had them playing football but back then little was known and now I suffer memory issues and it gets worse each year or so. Don't screw around and listen to doc.
On a side note..... Don't anyone be a tough guy and put off going to the doc with symptoms described above. It can be fatal to do so believe it or not.
Nausea has gone away this evening...Saturday...Now 48 hours after the WHACK on the head' But think I over did it today. Did a little lifting....tv set to head height, moved 4 boxes of belongings down the stairs, heaviest was probably 15 lbs. Then did a 10 minute drive to a friend's place to check it out while friend is out of town, then 15 minutes of grocery shopping. At checkout I noticed delayed thinking, slow processing of thoughts and about a 21-2 second delay in me being able to respond to questions. Got home, put things away and have laid low doing nothing but laying down and eating dinner. Pain on top of head and back of head are gone, and thinking/response time is better.
Looks like a day on the couch watching football is in order!!
Hammer I am with ya! Had 8 concussions in high school and college and spent a couple of nights in the hospital with bad ones. Suffer major short term memory loss, my wife says it's just an excuse for not listening. Nothing to mess with. Now what was I saying?
Symptoms can last for days or longer. When i was in 1st grade i once broke the concrete sidewalk with my skull!!!!! Just last month i wacked my head suffering severe headache almost instantly felt sick to my stomach . I just took two and went about my work ,no work no pay for me !!Whats great about short term memory is 5 min after u hit your head u forget about it !!! Elmer u will be fine !!!
Listen to your Dr.
Concussions can be, and often are,very serious.
You may lose a bit of time outdoors, but you've only got one brain, one life and but all kinds of people that will tell you to put both at risk.
A buddy got several when he was younger, and as he got older his memory got worse and worse.
Now he jokes it's so bad he can hide his own Easter eggs or buy his own Christmas presents and still be surprised.
He laughs at the jokes, but only for a little while.
Another very good friend went against what his Dr. told him, and followed the advice of his "Well by gosh it wouldn't stop me..." buddies.
We buried him about a month ago. He was 54, and left behind three grandchildren that desperately needed him for a steadying influence in their lives.
I agree! Like I said I had them in HS but they were all minor ones but I had many minor ones that added up. Then about 15 years ago I got one that was very severe and knocked me unconscious. Required 6 stiches to the back of my noggin. Now my wife or kid can tell me about something we must do the next day and I will have to think real hard to even remember part of it after I forgot and they yell at me. I have to program reminders into my phn for everything now. Even had to do so to pick my kid up everyday because I would forget. My long term memory is starting to go little by little as well and I am only 44. It sucks!
DONT MESS AROUND WITH CONCUSSIONS. I firmly believe the science is all wrong and it takes months or perhaps wayyy longer to fully recover from one and have the brain be considered 100% safe again even though there are no symptoms. Perhaps it takes years and maybe 100% recovery never happens.
These folks that get one and go back to things that jar their bodies or head to soon IMO are at extreme risk later in life. To soon is all relative though.
Look at boxers. They can have a granite chin and go 10 years getting hammered and not get knocked out or even close to it. They can get hammered and not even become staggered. Then they get knocked out just 1 time and then after that they are wayyyyyyy more susceptible to getting knocked out or staggered and usually do several more times after that by hits that are nothing like what they took in the past that they just walked right though. IMO it is because the initial injury does heal a bit but the effects of that injury are permanent and the brain is damaged for life making you more apt to get damage again much easier after that.
Now....What were we talking about again? :o)
do what Dr says, I had to go hunting after my acident, I lost conciousnes from, I went four days later and shot a 8pointer, while dragging ot out I had 4 strokes and dropped to my knee twice or more, I cant spell that well and lost a few abililtys as well, I have seizers near daily, luckly there small ones. My memory is not far from being 50 first dates, and now I cant remember where I put my stand three days later. I may have lost 60 or more IQ points. It also effects my concentration which afects my arrow launching skills to. goodluck and take it easy
I've had at least 13. Ended my rugby career because of it. Simple rule of thumb is: symptoms equals sedentary. Don't stress your brain with blood or work as long as you experience symptoms.
There is no "bible" to go by on concussion. I spent 20+-years in pro rodeo, 10, as a bullfighter. I have had 13-conucssions. There is no set recovery time. The problem comes years down the road.
if this is your first and (1) If you have no headache and, (2)your vision is clear and (3)you have no memory lapses, I would say you are good to go.
But I am not a doctor.
4th day down from the concussion. Still a little pain on the upper right side of my head. Less co ordination issues, and head feels a little clearer. Starting to get itchy to get out and at least go for an hour walk or back to Karate classes, but will wait more, especially for the karate class. More energy today....probably due to finally sleeping better last night. Hope the progress continues.
Last concussion I had was in Gatlinburg kayaking the little river after a rain.
Thank God I wear a helmet because I only ended up with 9 stiches instead of a new hairline!!!
I have had 7 diagnosed concussions that I know of. I am sure I had 2-3 that I never went to the Dr. about.
I would say they last no longer than 2-3 days until perfect normal again. I had 2-3 that had vomiting and I still have no rcolection of hours after but those two was when I was in grade school back in the 70's
Ok now I now what up with us bowsitters....Many of us have had to many concussions.... lol
Yay.... Big improvement today. Spot of headache is about 1/4 the size of when I woke up this morning. Managed to get over to where we have stuff stored at a friend's and brought 5 small boxes of stuff home along with our coffee table which is ectremet light. And it didn't make things worse. Energy didn't fade till about 6 pm where yesterday it happened at 3.
Looking forward to more improvement tomorrow!
Halloween night, and I am finally feeling normal again. Might have to go for an easy hike/walk tomorrow.
Must have been pretty bad for it to take this long. That's over 2 whole weeks so it was a hell of a whack to your noggin.
My nephew had a double concussion 2 years ago play college soccer. He still can't read for more then a couple minutes, and can't be in a room with more the couple people talking with out terrible headaches. He moved to my place to help recover and met one of the Wounded Warriors I take hunting. This hero had terrible concussion symptoms from an IED explosion. It took him 5 years to recover. Talking to him about the recover helped my nephew a lot. The hero is now finishing college and is symptom free. I am telling you this to make sure you are patient and don't rush back as it can take a lot of time to heal properly.
My last concussion, I was unconscious for three hours. It was a pretty hard hit. I had some problems for a couple months. That was four years ago. Thankfully, so far, after all my concussions, I am symptom free.
I attribute the problems with my memory to just getting old. I seldom have headaches and have no vision or balance problems.
I think quitting drinking may have helped, too. :)
