A couple of weeks ago I got a look up on facebook. Someone from my looooong ago past popped up in my email and said, “Hi, Krissa!” She, apparently, was a dear friend long ago when I was a teeny teenager. I don’t remember.
See, there’s quite a good chunk of my childhood that I don’t remember, and I have a good reason for it. I was in a really bad auto accident a couple of weeks before I turned 15 and I suffered a head injury that was quite a doozie. (Spell check does not recognize “doozie”, nor does it offer an alternative.)
Long story, short….ish. I had an acute subdural hematoma. The ambulances came and got us all, (My cousin’s friend that was driving and my current boyfriend that I wasn’t that crazy over and had stashed in the backseat by himself.), and hauled us to the hospital. I got carted to another, larger hospital after that when my ER doc assessed that I had a head injury. My heart stopped a couple of times on the way there and all kinds of high drama stuff ensued.
Upon arriving in Lafayette, La. I was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and Dr. Stephen Goldware was my neurosurgeon. He jumped right in there and cranked out a blood clot. Replaced the bit’s of skull he had cut away and stitched me up.
Before surgery he told my Mom that I had about a 5% chance to make it. Now keep in mind that this was 1978 people. I’m pretty sure that long ago they had just determined that the brain was located in the head. Well, in women, anyway. 😉
No, seriously, there was a very small life expectancy for me. So, I slipped into a coma for a couple of days after the surgery and then came awake and was paralyzed on my right side, and had lost half of my vision. The paralysis was temporary and I recovered function slowly but surely. The hardest thing was fine motor skills. Eating, brushing my teeth, holding a pen and writing, etc. This all slowly came back and a couple of years later I was only limping a tiny bit when I got really tired.
The vision loss, however, was permanent and to this day I can see exactly half of everything I look at. It’s not exactly like being blind in one eye, because you would still have all the peripheral vision in the remaining eye. While my eyes see fine, my brain only gets the “signal” from the right side of both of my eyes. So, working together, my eyes only see the right half of everything I look at. Everything. Right down to the head of a pin. It is very exacting. If I look at your face, well, your nose, I only see the half of your face to my right. Your left.
This is a long, long, story and I have gone on for what seems to me EVER. Talking about this kind of effects my mood and I don’t wanna do it anymore right now. However, I do want to get it out cause I want to ask your opinion about something. I will continue this, (I want to say tomorrow, but it may be later in the week… I dunno.), later.
13 comments
Comment by Kori on November 2, 2009 at 4:47 pm
My life used to be different too, but NOT at all like this. Damn; who knew? I know anything else I say will sound either shallow, coldhearted, or both, so-nuff said.
.-= Kori´s last blog ..Weekend Recap =-.
Comment by Nan on November 2, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Woooooowww. So THAT’S why you’re Half-Asstic. The right half. I’m glad you survived, and became your current amazing self.
.-= Nan´s last blog ..No Sleeping Here Tonight… =-.
Comment by Jean M. on November 2, 2009 at 5:46 pm
OK now I’m really interested! Can’t wait to have an opinion on something…hehe.
.-= Jean M.´s last blog ..Day Book Nov 2 =-.
Comment by noe noe girl on November 2, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Around here Krissa we know about your life changing in a day.
So I’ll be here for you to put my 2 cents worth in!
Comment by Hyphen Mama on November 2, 2009 at 7:05 pm
I’m so glad my good side is my left side… so at some point were we to meet… you’d see my good side, and my left boob is the perkier one, too. How lucky!
But seriously… HOLY HECK. And back. I’m so glad you had such a good recovery! I bet Mither is, too! As a mother, I bet watching your girls drive off with friends/cousins/boyfriends was nerve wracking for you.
Can’t wait for your next installment of this.
.-= Hyphen Mama´s last blog ..Morsels and Crumbs…. =-.
Comment by Chief on November 2, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Holy Shit batman! I am trying to imagine what Duke would look like if I could only se half of him. DAMN SKINNY SISTER!
Seriously, I am waiting with baited breath for the rest of the story!
.-= Chief´s last blog ..MEme Monday Why Duke thinks I am an Inspiration =-.
Comment by Karen on November 3, 2009 at 8:53 am
Please forgive me if it sounds rude, but I find this fascinating. Truly, I’m sorry that you had to endure that, terribly grateful that you lived, and glad that the only permanent damage is loss of vision vs. paralysis or complete loss of fine motor skills. But dude. The human body is amazing. And God is good.
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Love, Me =-.
Comment by witchypoo on November 3, 2009 at 10:55 am
That ordeal sounds totally exhausting. Glad it didn’t impair your twisted sense of humour.
.-= witchypoo´s last blog ..Pet Connections =-.
Comment by Eric on November 3, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Wow, not at all what I was expecting. Most “my life used to be different” stories are about relatively minor changes. I actually laughed out loud when, after reading your story, I scrolled back up and noticed that you filed this under the category of “head injuries suck.” I can’t think of a more approriate category.
.-= Eric´s last blog ..The Open Mind Test – Part 1: An Open Minded 2nd Grader =-.
Comment by warriorwitch on November 5, 2009 at 7:14 am
shit. feel bad for you but damn glad you survived.
yeah i’d like to hear the rest of the story – if you’d like to tell it.
thank you.
.-= warriorwitch´s last blog ..ahhhhhh……..canada =-.
Comment by Aunt Becky on November 6, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Holy crap, woman. That’s just wild. I’m just. Wow. I cannot imagine. Thank you for sharing.
.-= Aunt Becky´s last blog ..Let Me Tell You ‘Bout The Birds And The Bees And Why Mommy Is Snickering Into Her Hand =-.
Comment by Jennifer on November 7, 2009 at 12:14 am
Hi Krissa… wow, that is quite a story. I have a friend who’s mom just fell, hit her head and died from a subdural hematoma… so thankful you were able to recover! Amazing what the body can endure! I’m sure it is tiring to talk about… take care!
Comment by Marylin on November 7, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Phew, that is some story! I can only imagine how hard that must’ve been for you and your family.
*smoochies and hugs*
.-= Marylin´s last blog ..Good things about the weekend =-.
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