Experiencing a crisis

[Heather]

Hi all,

I just wanted to mention that my husband, who is in Goa India just now, was just in a motorbike accident, and is in the hospital with a serious head injury.

I'm here in New York, and so it's difficult to determine the exact state of affairs. He was rendered unconscious, but was conscious later at the hospital, and he did remember the accident. He usually wears a helmet, but it was one of those situations where he was working on his mother's small motorbike, and just doing a quick test run down the road, which is when a truck stopped suddenly in front of him, throwing him off the bike -- with him wearing no helmet.

According to my mother in law, the doctor at the nearest hospital felt it was best that he rest for the night before being moved to a hospital where scans can be done. His condition is being monitored meanwhile. He has a bump on the back of his head where he had some stitches, and has been given medication (although I don't know what kind). I'm seeing if I can change my phone service so I can call the hospital, but in the meantime I'm out of the loop in many respects. I know head injuries can be very dangerous, so my first reaction is to see that everything that can be done is being done in a timely fashion. The doctor's reasoning on waiting 'til the morning to move him is that he felt it was better for the brain to rest before making the trip, which is some distance away. Still, I believe it to be under an hour. The scan should happen about 7 or 8 hours from now.

Anyway, any advice and love sent this way -- or in the direction of Goa India -- might be helpful, and much appreciated. It's been a difficult time for us lately in many respects, and after a ridiculous amount of wasted effort we couldn't get our cat into India or else I'd be there with him now. My husband even had a bad feeling about this trip, and wondered if he should go. He's starting a small business there, and we reasoned he should get that going, and I should focus on things here for the next four months.

.. but.. yes.. he had a bad feeling about taking this trip.

Okay, thanks in advance for your care and support,

Heather

 

[Horseofadifferentcolor]

Lots of love to you and your husband. I hope he recovers quickly.

 

[curious_richard]

I just did "Prayer of the Soul" asking help for you and him.

 

[Heather]

Thanks, H, and Richard. That's terribly kind of you both.

The thing that always comes to my mind concerning head injuries is that story about Vanessa Redgrave's daughter, Natasha Richardson. As I remember it, she fell and hit her head when on a kiddie slope -- she was using that rope they use for beginners since she was just learning to ski. Seems she got up, and didn't realize the danger she was in. I don't think she was even brought to a hospital, but she died shortly afterwards. I just looked it up, what she had was an Epidural Hematoma.

I just know I'd feel a lot better if the hospital where my husband is at was set up for head injuries. My mother in law said she liked the doctor, but that's all I have to go on just now. The doctor's reason for waiting 'til morning seems sound enough, but I'm not an expert in such matters, so of course it's unsettling to say the least.

 

[Lilou]

I'm sorry to hear about your husband's accident, Heather. I hope it is minor and he recovers quickly. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.

I hope you're able to get a call through to the hospital. I think being able to talk to him would relieve some worry. I'm not an expert, but it seems wise to not move him, as a trip in itself is stressful. Best to stay put and rest until the shock of it subsides, then the body can kick in defences and start to heal.

I know it's hard, but try not to worry.

 

[T.C.]

Hi Heather. I've just prayed for you and your husband. But as for any advice, all I can say is cope with this in the best way you possibly can and know that we are always here whenever you need us. Just keep us updated.

 

[Heather]

Thank you, Lilou. What's so frustrating is that the phone account is in my husband's name, and even though I have the password it's not working for some reason, and so they'll send me a new one, but only to HIS email account, which I don't have the password for -- you know how it is, when you need to do something swiftly but you keep hitting obstructions (!) So, for now, I can only call his cell phone, but as far as I know he's asleep, and I would rather try and talk to a doctor there.

Meanwhile, I did just talk to this wonderful chiropractor/energy healer person who my husband and I have both gone to fairly regularly for years now, and he said that given the work he's done with him he feels he's in a good place to be dealing with such an injury. So that was helpful to hear. The man is truly a healer.

Thank you so much, T.C., for your prayer.

You've all been so sweet, and I thank all of you for just being there.

.. I'll let you know when I hear more.

 

[nicklebleu]

Hi Heather,

Sorry to hear from your predicament.

I disagree with the doctor. In trauma and head injury generally you should be going directly to the best centre that is able to diagnose and treat anything that might occur, even if that means initially somewhat more longer transport time. The main worry is an intracranial bleed, which very often requires neurosurgery. If symptoms indicating such a complication occur, access to specialists neurosurgical services are time critical. Any delays then may result in a worse outcome.

A CT scan of the head should in my opinion be done asap!

 

[Heather]

That was my concern. And I expressed such concerns very strenuously (for lack of a better word) to my mother in law, asking that she get in contact with anyone who might be able to advise her with this possibility in mind.

All I can do is try to contact the hospital directly, but even then it may be difficult to have the scan happen sooner than the scheduled time, which is in 5 hours approx.

 

[loreta]

I pray for you husband and for you, this is a very stressful situation. Take care.

 

[Thebull]

Im sorry to hear about your husbands accident my thoughts and prayers are with you. I'm wishing him a speedy recovery.

 

[Aliana]

Sorry to hear about your husband's accident, Heather. I will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers.

Please keep us updated on his situation.

 

[lainey]

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. Please let us know how he gets on with the scan. I'll send a prayer for you both. Big hugs.

 

[Heather]

Thank you, nicklebleu, for your informed opinion and concern. And thank you loreta, Thebull, aleana and lainey for your prayers and kind words.

I'm feeling a bit better just now having gotten through to the hospital and spoken with my husband, who was just emerging from sleep. He was coherent, and remembered what had happened, and was no longer nauseous, the way he'd been initially.

I was also able to discuss his condition with an informed sounding nurse, although an overseas phone call with someone whose accent is almost indecipherable is not desirable in such serious circumstances. And yet I felt her to be competent. I did inquire about moving up the time of the scan, which apparently wouldn't be possible since my husband is their very first appointment of the day.

I asked what they did for emergencies and they have another procedure it seems (again, it was difficult to get the information clearly). So, the decision was made to wait given that his symptoms were considered "normal," and, as I said previously, his resting overnight (under observation) was considered advantageous. My husband feels he is in very good hands. Although I did emphasize that the other side of the argument is to get the scan done as speedily as possible. So if I am still at odds with things it's that I feel unable to make that THE priority in this situation. I realized even if I got excited about things it wouldn't have changed the present outcome.

So, the scan is in three hours or so, and all I can do is wait.

Thanks again to everyone here for your concern, it's very touching -- funny, but when it rains it pours.. (and lately it's been pouring).. but I thought I might get out to the store up here on the mountain, only the very light snow on the road was so slick I started sliding down the hill and so I thought that maybe one accident is sufficient just now. Best to go back home. And so I did.

Maybe I need to eat, actually, since I've been all day with this.

 

[Lilou]

[didn't mean to start this post]

No problem, the double post has been removed. :)

I'm happy to hear you were able to speak with your husband, Heather. It sounds like he is in good hands and the scan will hopefully yield good news.

Yes, do have a bite to eat to keep your strength!