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04 July 2009

A somewhat stern and unyielding (dammit!) concrete floor just knocked some sense into my head. Does anyone here know anything about potential mild concussion? I AM NOT going to the ER, but should I be worried..? [More:]

1. No alcohol or drugs were involved!! LOL. Although I sure could use a beer now, though alas I shan't.

2. I have naturally low blood pressure and often experience postural hypotension. I've had a TON of physical exertion/exercise and stress lately, and after a long bike ride today I carried some things into the basement. I did a tai chi stretch in which you lean backwards, then:

3. Nada. Blackout. Nothing else until I was woken up by:

4. ...the sounds of the back of my head hitting the concrete and my glasses skittering across the floor.

SO:

5. My scalp is bleeding, but I don't seem to have any gashes that would require stitches. A goose egg, yeah, but not even a big one.

6. My jaw aches from the shock/reverberations of my skull bouncing on the floor like a dropped bowling ball, but no big deal.

7. I'm a little tired and punchy/irritable, but not too much.

8. I feel oddly refreshed (or, as a friend put it, "rebooted".) Heh!

9. My ass doesn't hurt, but I feel a bit like one.

Should I have someone wake me up a few hours after I go to sleep tonight and ask me my name, the date, who the president is, etc.? That's all they used to prescribe for this type of thing. I'll start practicing up now: Shane, July 4th, Nixon...

Kidding.

Thanks.
If you don't need stitches, well, it's up to you. I would definitely have someone around to monitor my mental state, because there's a non-zero chance of seeming fine to begin with then getting very worse quickly (see: Natasha Richardson).

When I got whacked by a 2x4, those questions were what I got asked by my caregiver under hospital discharge instructions. I couldn't stop thinking it was silly, though, and had to prevent myself from kidding too much.

You should probably ask your doctor this but I'd stay off the bike for a while, and be extra careful about using a helmet from now on.
posted by stilicho 04 July | 19:58
Thanks, stilicho -- now that you mentioned Richardson, I'm suddenly taking this more seriously. I'll have a friend call sporadically and come over/wake me if I don't respond.

I just remembered Dr. Daniel Amen on a PBS fund drive mentioning that the brain is the consistency of tofu. And now I keep remembering all these cool Chicago diners and restaurants that have a vegan breakfast option: instead of eggs, tofu scramble.
posted by shane 04 July | 20:26
AskMe has a wealth on this subject. I suppose I would have checked there first if I weren't a bit dazed. Sorry to bug y'all.
posted by shane 04 July | 20:28
Still stilicho
Well, the thing is, being dazed your judgement is iffy.

I hope you don't have headaches for too long. Mine lasted two and a half months. That is, I would have them sporadically.

You still up? Check back in!
posted by dhartung 04 July | 23:39
Heh! Thanks so much for chiming in, stilicho/dhartung. I feel better today, although I couldn't make my right-side upper and lower molars meet until a muscle or ligament snapped back into place (POP!) this morning. Evidently that's "dislocation of the lower jaw" caused by a "sudden jar". Ghaaaah.

Did you ever consider a chiropractor for the headaches? Often they're caused by the neck or spine. I hope you're doing really well now. Take care.
posted by shane 05 July | 13:51
What can I use in place of apple juice in this recipe? || Not My Family:

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