The Significance of a Bump on the Head

I can't even begin to address this. It hurts my heart to think about Natasha.

When I was 13 yrs old I fell down a flight a stairs and hit my forehead  on a sharp window ledge. As I laid there screaming uncontrollably as the family I was with tried to console me my head began to swell to the size of a large apple. I was out of school for weeks as the fluid drained from the swelling. I have had headaches ever since. They weren't regular for years. Maybe 2 or 3 a month. I used to down bottles of Tylenol. I would buy the 500 count bottle. Back then doctors never heard of "migraines". It wasn't until 2001 when I could not move off of my sofa for 3 days that I called my doctor and he prescribed Maxzalt. It went away immediately. Then it morphed into Hemicrania Continua with Ice picks and severe depression. I am now 54 yrs. old and on 13 medication for chronic daily headaches. It has been hell!

But I have learned how to deal with it and I am a happy person anyway. I had to keep looking for doctors and trying every medication until I found the right combination for ME.

I get nerve blocks when the meds decide to stop working from time to time.

I never give up hope. There are always chemist developing new drugs to help us and doctors with compassion to treat us.

So...If you hit your head?...Go to a NEUROLOGIST and start taking notes of every single symptom. You're going to need it.

Peace and love,

JujubeHappy

I have to admit I have had many bumps on the head, some pretty hard ones, like standing up into the corner of a cabinet I forgot was over me. I guess I've just thought I was clumsy, been embarrassed about it, and never done more than ice the bump. If it should happen again, I will take it much more seriously now!

This was such a very tragic accident and it did seem "unbelievable" at first.  The family must be devastated.  My friends and family who ski have NOW said they will purchase (and use) ski helmets.  I wonder if her family knows that her tragedy--due to her popularity and the news coverage it created--will save other lives.  But it is too late for Natasha.

Nancy, in your post it mentioned that time is of the essense in getting to a hospital.  Were the two hospitals she was initially taken to (the one nearest the slope, and the one in Montreal) simply not equipped to treat acute, traumatic brain injuries?  If they understood the urgency to treat quickly, I am surprised that at least some initial effort was not made (or maybe they did make efforts and learned then they lacked the expertise).

There was a recent Q/A on MSN health about strokes, which stated that getting treated at a hospital with was Certified for ACute STroke Treatment shoud be considered if the "stroke victim" can get there in under two hours following the stroke.  If the patient could not get there within that frame, going to a local hospital was the better option.   I wrote the internet "site" responsible for this test to find out the test "source" and never got an answer.

Hope you are feeling well!

Clemmie

I am native from the area where Mrs Richardson was skiing, so, as a child, skiing was the winter sport I practiced most. Back then, nobody wore helmets, but then again, ski conditions were much different. With light, parabolic skis, snowboards, more artificial snow, etc. Downhill skiing is a lot faster and it easier to gain speed, without having any more control than we used to. In my opinion, with the old heavy skis, falls were much more harmful for the arms, hands, and legs, but head injuries were always a danger. I've taken a few bad falls.

I support the wearing of helmets 100%. Helmets suck, they're hot, uncomfortable, ugly... but if it can save your life, then I think it's worth it (we wear those ugly ski googles don't we?). I am praying that helmets will not only become mandatory for several sports (skiing, skating, skateboarding, biking, rollerblading), but that they will also become a fashion statement - then, I think people would be more inclined to wear them.

I am still appalled when I see so few people (even children) do not wear helmets when riding a bicycle. Is it not obvious enough that biking is incredibly dangerous for head trauma?

Great post Nance! Everyone needs to know to seek medical attention right away with any kind of head injury.

I had a head trauma last year where I did pass out and developed a large lump on the side of my head and a small piece of my scalp was gouged with some bleeding! I did

awake and got up and like Ms. Richardson thought I felt fine and didn't want any fuss.

I wanted to drive but one of the woman where I was insisted that she would drive my

car and I wasn't to drive. I did ice and after went to work out at my gym after

because I thought it might make me feel better. I did have

a headache and the bleeding was still present. So in the evening I went to a very

prominent ER hospital where I was examined and let go without any x-rays taken.

The next day I spoke to my family physican who insisted I go to another hospital

that he suggested and told me to tell the ER doc that he wanted a CT scan done.

Fortunately for me I didn't have an epidural hematoma but a severe concussion and

a year later I still have the bump on the side of my head and headaches. So the question remains, why some hospitals don't perferm scans.