An Outing, A Fall & A Concussion

On Saturday, hubby and I brought Joel to a farm in the city. It was a surprise for him! He didn't know where we were heading to until we arrived there.

It was a small farm in the city and there was a huge tortoise sitting in one corner of the farm as we entered. We were handed water spinach to feed it and it was so very exciting for Joel. I took a few pictures of some tortoises in some small ponds. There was a still, small voice which said to be careful and I took it to be careful not to fall into the ponds as I took pictures.

We then moved on to the snake area. After taking some pictures, I kept my phone in my pocket and walked on to catch up with the two guys.

And then IT happened.

My right leg somehow slipped and then I flew sideways. I tried to break the fall and somehow managed to regain some footing before slipping AGAIN! This time I knew I wasn't going to break my fall. I tried with all my might to somehow twist my body and used whatever body parts I could to somehow cushion the fall. I knew my head was going to hit something. I tried jerking my neck up. But everything I did wasn't enough. My head hit the rock that was on the side of the pathway.

Joel who had heard a 'BOOM' sound (in his own words), turned around and saw me lying on the ground with my head on the rock. He thought I had died. He screamed, 'Oh my god!!!!!' And then hubby turned around and saw me gingerly pushing myself up.

The thought that was in my mind after hitting my head on the rock was, 'I need an X-Ray! My head hit a rock!!!!' I didn't think of whether my face was scarred or whether my clothes were covered in soil. All that I was thinking of was my brain.

I immediately felt severely nauseated. And I felt that I was on the verge of blacking out. And I had a ringing sound immediately in my right ear. Joel was crying telling me not to die. And hubby kept telling me to stay awake and to breathe in and out slowly.

A family who was in front of us stopped and the wife came over and told us that she will go and get help. To this family, thank you.

A worker came over and helped us. When I got up and turned around, I realised that the area where I had fell was cordoned off and the group of pre-school kids who were behind us were stunned and they were all so quiet. I washed my wounds with water and we left after that.

The journey to the hospital took about 25 minutes according to Joel and throughout the journey Joel was next to me asking me how I was. I was on the verge of throwing up in the car. And I felt very woozy and everything was very fuzzy. Thinking became an effort. And my right ear became blocked.

Upon arriving at the ER, the nurses took my BP and asked me about the fall. My brain became fuzzier and it took effort to think before I could answer them. I was sent for a CT scan. As I was wheeled into the examination room, they asked me when was my last period. And then it became scary. I couldn't answer them as I was confused. I couldn't figure out when was July and when was August. It was like I was in a fog and couldn't tell my right hand from my left. I panicked and told them that I couldn't think. And I kept repeating that I couldn't think. They calmed me down and told me that it was alright and to relax and not worry about it and that I would be asked about it later in the examination room.

The scan showed no bleeding, cracks or swelling in the brain and skull. But I was ordered to rest and that the during the next 48 hours I have to be checked on every 2 to 3 hours. Even though the scan showed that everything was normal, a clot or aneurysm could happen within the next 48 hours. If I had severe headache, started vomiting or become confused or delirious, I would have to go back to the ER IMMEDIATELY.

Today is the fifth day after the fall. I went back for a follow-up on Tuesday evening and was given a thumbs up. I am still having some left over side-effects from the concussion. At times my brain jams up and I can't think of names or things which I normally am able to think of. The doctor said it could take a week or two to be fully normal again. As of now, I am not to drive. I am glad that Joel is still on his summer break. The cuts and bruises are all healing too.

I'm truly grateful to be fine. Extremely grateful and thankful.