Belated sunflower request for my husband

15 years ago

I think I can write about this with some composure. Not at all serious to some, but I'm still having flashbacks to a very scary image. [note: nothing too graphic]

My husband was relaxing in his hammock chair. Chair hangs in the porch which has a concrete floor. Chair falls, and so does he--3 feet down and hitting his back and head. He yells--loudly, which he never does usually--thank goodness I'm home and come running. He can't move for several minutes. I'm telling him we have to go to the emergency room and get an x-ray. He says he just wants to lie down for a few minutes and gets up to go in the house. I'm following, and about to insist. (He argues with me more than he should, because I'm usually right, but eventually will let himself be convinced.)

He walks a few yards and collapses. That's when I start worrying seriously. I rush up to him, and he has a little spasm/seizure. He's staring at the sky, won't respond and is making a horrible sound in his throat. At this point, I'm in full-fledged raging terror. Never felt so helpless and scared in my life. This is the moment of nightmare and thank you mother for teaching me how to be effective in a crisis.

Make sure he's breathing, grab a phone and call 911. Long story short, he's got a cracked vertebra and concussion. By the time the radiology report comes back I can lighten up a bit. Doc said, good news, CAT scan shows he had a brain and it's normal. Me: Oh, then something IS wrong; it wasn't normal before.

Priorities have been re-aligned in my life, let me tell you. Just wish the universe could have contented itself with sending me a telegram.

(very deep breath)

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Comments (14)

Josh
15 years ago
Sunflowers for both of you and so glad it turned out (relatively) well. It's scary, isn't it, to be sitting on your own porch and the next few minutes your world turns upside down. josh
treehouse
15 years ago
Yikes! I am glad things will be fine.
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andie_rathbone
15 years ago
Sunflowers coming from Texas to your DH! I know that was a scary incident. Thankfully, he wasn't seriously hurt. Head injuries are nothing to be casual about.
gabriell_gw
15 years ago
I'm glad to hear things will be ok. What a scare that must have been!
meldy_nva
15 years ago
Sunflowers from Virginia to you both.

Did you really say that to the doc?
leaveswave
Original Author
15 years ago
Yes, I did, but in that deadpan/joking way. It was meant as a joke, you know? By then, I was ready to have a bed of my own from the after-effects of the adrenaline rush.

You should have heard what I said the police officer who responded before the paramedics. What an idiot. Can't believe this person had training as a first responder. t'uh!

What was surprising to me was how long the intensity stayed with me. I cried off and on for four days. Everytime that one image would come into my mind, I felt flooded again. Just a very small taste of what PTSD might feel like. Now, almost a week later, the time and space are doing their very appreciated blurring thing.

Husband is doing fairly well. The first night he put up nicely with my waking him several times (because of the concussion). The first few days he was hardly sore. There have been no symptoms indicative of a small bleed in the brain. He's been having difficulty sitting to do his work, but he sees the family doc for a follow-up soon and I'm going to be around enough to remind him to move around a bit more. Still, we were told that cracked vertebra take about 6 weeks to mostly heal, so he will have a bit of a recovery process. I'll have to find someone else to move all that mulch sitting in our driveway.
lindajewell
15 years ago
Sunflowers being sent your way! Thank goodness your DH is on the mend.
lilod
15 years ago
Lots of sunflowers coming your way. Head-injuries are nothing to be taken lightly, I think your DH was very lucky that this was not worse, and you are to be commended for holding up so well under pressure.
Hang in there during recovery time, that's when sunflowers can really help.
anneliese_32
15 years ago
Lots of sunflowers from Kentucky. You sound like me, when things get serious my outlet is bad puns. Hope your husband feels better soon.
mawheel
15 years ago
Lots of sunflowers from WV coming your way along with good wishes and prayers for a complete recovery. It sounds as if you responded well to a very frightening situation. I hope I could/would act as well as you.
ell_in_or
15 years ago
Armloads of sunflowers headed your way. What a scary thing! Glad you're okay too.
rob333 (zone 7b)
15 years ago
(((leaveswave and hubby))) take care!
agnespuffin
15 years ago
If he's like most men that I know, along about the fourth week, you are going to have to nail his hide to a wall to keep him from using that back for the remaining two weeks.

Remind him over and over and over again about how lucky he was and what a mess it made of YOU.

Here's hoping that he's a good boy and does like the doctor says.

Take care of yourself too.
Pidge
15 years ago
Sunflowers from PA, too--great armloads! My sister cracked a vertebra a few months ago and it healed fine, so let's hope the same holds true for your DH, who is probably much younger than my sis and will heal at least as quickly.

I love your comment about his brain--sounds like just the thing you needed to think at that moment. I am glad that there's no permanent damage--wow, you must have been SO SCARED!

Belated sunflower request for my husband

Comments (14)

Josh

treehouse

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Belated sunflower request for my husband

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