A sad tale of Closed Head Injury
Noted actress Natasha Richardson, is being listed as brain dead after suffering a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) while taking private ski lessons in Canada. The TBI occurred after a simple fall at the bottom of a beginning ski slope, where the actress hit no person or object. She was not wearing a helmet.
She is the wife of Liam Neeson and daughter of Vanessa Redgrave.
The instructor witnessed the fall and arrived at her side in seconds. She remarked she felt fine, but the instructor and two ski patrolman followed strict guidelines and escorted the actress to the lodge and stressed medical attention. After staying with her for an hour, the actress complained of headaches and was rushed to a nearby hospital.
While the accident is different, the next few hours played out almost exactly as my Closed Head Injury (CHI). Far too often these start out so similar. I was fine after my accident and several hours later after complete normalacy I began having headaches, then seizures, then woke up and lost a whole life of memory's to amnesia.
Now two decades and a dozen more Traumatic Brain Injurys (TBI) later, all concussions, I read these stories and just know that God has a plan for my life. With all that I have been through, dare I say survived, between multiple head injury's, multiple heat strokes, kidney failure, liver failure; and not to forget my adventurous activities, I am one damn lucky dude.
So yes, I may get some odd looks because I use a super cool, kick ass helmet for odd activities, in my case any activity I could fall, but its a life insurance policy for me. Fashion be damned. Hell I own more spandex tights than running shorts. It can't be worse than that.
But my heart does go out to the family of this actress and I truly hope that the reports are wrong and she makes a miraculous recovery.
UPDATE 3/18/09 @ 1900 HRS.: Natasha Richardson has passed away due to a Traumatic Brain Injury suffered during what appeared to have been an unspectacular fall on a beginner ski slope. A tragic ending and accident. The affects of even the most mundane hit to the head cannot be dismissed or excused. Always error on the side of caution and after a hit to the head, PREPARE for medical attention before it becomes an emergency.
She is the wife of Liam Neeson and daughter of Vanessa Redgrave.
The instructor witnessed the fall and arrived at her side in seconds. She remarked she felt fine, but the instructor and two ski patrolman followed strict guidelines and escorted the actress to the lodge and stressed medical attention. After staying with her for an hour, the actress complained of headaches and was rushed to a nearby hospital.
While the accident is different, the next few hours played out almost exactly as my Closed Head Injury (CHI). Far too often these start out so similar. I was fine after my accident and several hours later after complete normalacy I began having headaches, then seizures, then woke up and lost a whole life of memory's to amnesia.
Now two decades and a dozen more Traumatic Brain Injurys (TBI) later, all concussions, I read these stories and just know that God has a plan for my life. With all that I have been through, dare I say survived, between multiple head injury's, multiple heat strokes, kidney failure, liver failure; and not to forget my adventurous activities, I am one damn lucky dude.
So yes, I may get some odd looks because I use a super cool, kick ass helmet for odd activities, in my case any activity I could fall, but its a life insurance policy for me. Fashion be damned. Hell I own more spandex tights than running shorts. It can't be worse than that.
But my heart does go out to the family of this actress and I truly hope that the reports are wrong and she makes a miraculous recovery.
UPDATE 3/18/09 @ 1900 HRS.: Natasha Richardson has passed away due to a Traumatic Brain Injury suffered during what appeared to have been an unspectacular fall on a beginner ski slope. A tragic ending and accident. The affects of even the most mundane hit to the head cannot be dismissed or excused. Always error on the side of caution and after a hit to the head, PREPARE for medical attention before it becomes an emergency.
Labels: TBI
posted by Comm's @ 12:12 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
You called it, you are one lucky dude!!
We both know well that the sequelae from what are originally considered to be minor head injuries can result in life long challenges.
And yes, we will hope that when the family issues a statement today it will be better news than the worst case scenario.
Very sad to hear. The girls and I just watched Parent Trap not long ago. Must be a curse on the actors - Lindsay Lohan is a train wreck too....
Screw fashion! Better to be safe than sorry. I went snowboarding a few years ago and I there were a few kids from the beginner's class that were in the "snake" formation with the rest of their class. I was trying to get by them when the last 4 of them fell and I had to bail in the woods. Almost had a Sonny Bono incident, and guess what I was not wearing a helmet. Worn one ever since. I hope Natasha Richardson gets better.
Yes, a good wake up call to all of us. I was involved in a head-on car collision in college and refused going to the hospital for what I thought was a minor head injury (it had hit the windshield and cracked it -- no seat belts required at the time). Had a friend take me there a few hours later, though, as after the adrenaline wore off I had a bad headache and couldn't focus on studying. Lucky it was not so serious for me but head injuries are not to be taken so lightly, I learned. Very sad about Natasha passing away from one.
This is a wake up call to everyone. I know I always think I've got tomorrow to worry about doing my will and looking into .life insurance. Stories like this remind us that every day is precious and there might not be a tomorrow.
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