How well timed. The NFL is undergoing its Concussion Crisis. And I have always believed that things happen in threes. Two famous woman with precious brains had recently succumbed to a fall, hit their heads and suffered the consequences. I refer to Hilary Clinton and Barbara Walters, of course. I do not claim to be famous, but the mere fact that I, too, like Hilary, suffered dehydration, fainted and hit my head has created an opportunity to blog about it.
Who knew? It was a regular weekend with the usual takeout. Then the twist. Well, more like a gut wrenching pain. I never had food poisoning before but I saw more of the bathroom than my grandson that weekend. I dragged myself to work that Monday morning. Note: I never have to drag myself to work. I met with my dear nurse, Dawn, who noted I was listless and tired. "Go home and go to bed". My boss agreed and I left within the hour.
I can't recall many details after that. I know that I arrived home safely and flipped on my favorite reruns of NCIS. I was trying to beat Ducky to the forensic findings when wooziness set in. I knew to drink more water but never made it. The details can only be reconstructed from the findings - an overturned dining room chair, my hands covered in blood. I lifted my head - ouch! I looked at the floor. Blood. I must have reached back in my grogginess to assess the situation. There was a 3 inch gash in the back of my head - you know that area where the hair is shorter and to go the ER would require shaving the area to investigate further. Vanity thy name is Elaine! Not proud. Not proud at all.
The only sensible people in this scenario were my family and coworkers. I staved off any efforts to be driven to the hospital. The bleeding was controlled, sensorium "intact". I promised to follow-up with my doctor in the morning, took 2 tylenol and went to bed. Didn't sleep much, though. (See signs of concussion below).
Now I reported to work the next morning and begin to fax some documents. At least I thought I was faxing - phone numbers were a bit jumbled. But the big AHA moment came when my daughter texted me, wondering why I dare join some dating site on Facebook. WHAT? I called my doctor immediately, got a head CT, and the diagnosis was confirmed. No bleed or subdural or fracture. Thank God. It was a concussion.
I hope you are all dumbfounded by the actions of a medically trained individual who not only knew the signs and symptoms of a concussion, but also survived a previous one in 1989.
My current symptoms are no where as serious - unable to remember how to use my coffee maker, vertigo, headache, putting orange juice on my children's cereal, getting lost in my hometown, word searching, and memory loss. It developed into a post concussive syndrome. To this day I have to walk out of stadiums if the noise reaches a certain decibel.
But I have some classic symptoms which are resolving. My headache is better. I am not in a fog but do record when I last took Tylenol for fear I might double dose. My sleep is, at best, 4 hours per night. I hope that improves soon. I feel fatigued and I want to cry at the drop of a hat.
Here are a list of symptoms that are common:
- Headache or a feeling of pressure in the head
- Temporary loss of consciousness
- Confusion or feeling as if in a fog
- Amnesia surrounding the traumatic event
- Dizziness or "seeing stars"
- Ringing in the ears
- Nausea or vomiting
- Slurred speech
- Fatigue
Some symptoms of concussions may be immediate or delayed in onset by hours or days after injury:
- Concentration and memory complaints
- Irritability and other personality changes
- Sensitivity to light and noise
- Sleep disturbances
- Psychological adjustment problems and depression
- Disorders of taste and smell
Gosh. I didn't realized how many symptoms I had. But you know the most disturbing thing? This could have been prevented. I wish I could have done things differently. Famous last words, right? Not really. Let's revisit the crime scene.
When your going through twice as much Charmin as normal, for God's sake replace fluids - not just with water but with electrolytes. Have Gatorade in your pantry. And don't be so cavalier about your bathroom habits. Any changes from your normal pattern that continue and lead to symptoms like increased thirst, dizziness upon standing, poor skin turgor (you know, that "when I pinch my skin it stays puckered" look) may indicate dehydration.
If you do fall and hit your noggin, please be aware of signs and symptoms of a concussion. And you know what? If you are confused, you may not even know what is happening. Have a friend or family member on speed dial and don't pull an Elaine move - LISTEN TO THEM!
Now I will enlist the help of spell and grammar check. I may feel fine but need to recognize when a little help is needed.
Stay healthy. Avoid dehydration. Avoid falls. Live everyday to it's fullest. Life is fragile. And so is your noggin! Protect it as best you can. Peace.
