Concussions

I'm recovering from a concussion, and using this as a test to see if I can focus on screens for long enough to write a short post. I'm using "f.lux" to adjust my screen to help, and was last hit in the head March 9th.

Mostly I'm writing this as a place to yell into the void about how frustrating this is. I constantly feel like I'm in a little bit of a fog, with a little bit of a headache, and no ability to concentrate. As soon as I start to concentrate on something, or go for more than a brief walk, I begin to feel increasingly disoriented, headachey, and my double vision is consistently terrible.

I'm making the choices one would want someone to make: was taken to the hospital right away (thanks BJ!), resting near constantly, saw my Dr. Physio. acupuncture/massage.

And it's just depressing to face what this means in terms of limiting my risk of concussions moving forward, I spent four years not playing sports because all the health professionals in my life were worried about my knees. Now I'll have to stop because I can't risk a blow to the head. Which really sucks. And, although I know people are trying to help, I am SO FRIGGING TIRED of people suggesting I swim, ride a bike, yoga, etc: I get those are good choices, but I don't understand how people don't hear that my frustration isn't about activity, it's about sports. They are different things and one has been a huge part of my life.

Anyway, got this written and up inside ten minutes, and my head is definitely sore. Back to the pillow fort! Take care everyone.

A brief history of my concussions (or things that I'm pretty sure were concussions):

1) Kicked in the face by a horse at my parents wedding when I was 5. Pretty sure that it was a concussion, although my only remember looking at my hands and seeing blood. But who knows, maybe it wasn't.

2) Car accident in 1998 (or maybe 1997). I was in a really bad car accident, and had my first MRI. Knocked unconscious. Full recovery

3) Working maintenance in Lister Hall in...2001? I was cranking a pipe cutter:

around a pipe in a bathroom, and it snapped off, torqued around the pipe and hit me in the head. This concussion led to my second MRI.

4) Threw myself down the stairs (twice) in some poor decision making related to helping a friend make a video. There was a slow motion video of my head smashing into the wall and the concrete dust flying off, and a scary moment with some lattice work. Looking back, I may have had some concussion symptoms, I don't really remember.

(note: 5-7 happened between Feb 2016 and March 2017. Scary).
5) Fell on the sidewalk walking into work. Walked into the UC and threw up. This was the first time I threw up after hitting my head.

6) Was rear ended driving up Wellington St. Had concussion symptoms for a few weeks.

7) Soccer ball to the face. Dry heaved in the bathroom, concussion symptoms and off work for three weeks so far.