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Knocking Yourself Out: Accidents and Their Aftermath

June 01, 2025Literature1217
Introduction to Accidental Head Injuries Have you ever heard of someon

Introduction to Accidental Head Injuries

Have you ever heard of someone knocking themselves out after their head accidentally hit a beam in the attic? It's a serious and scary incident, one that can have lasting effects. In this article, we'll explore two personal stories of how these accidents can occur and the aftermath they cause.

A Door Incident

One such story is from my experience in the fall of 1982. A friend and I were finishing a weekly chess game at the dorm in our town one evening. After the game, we had a drink or two, and I decided to leave for home. The car I owned back then was a 1978 two-door Dodge Aspen, not exactly a fancy car, but it was mine, and I loved it. On that cold November night, as I opened the car door to get in, I didn't push it hard enough, and the door hit my face as I ducked in. Reflexively, I threw my head back, and the edge of the roof hit the back of my head.

I came to about 20 minutes later, cold and wet, collapsed in a puddle. My whole head hurt like hell. I got home and went to bed. The next morning, I saw my face in the mirror with a blackened and swollen left eye, a bruise that ran from the right side of my forehead down to my left jaw, and a large bump on the back of my head. Despite my explanation, people in my rural, redneck area assumed it was from a fight and refused to believe the actual truth.

Entering a Storage Area

Another time I knocked myself out on a beam under the storage area of my front porch. I had gone around to the side of the porch to reach the knob and hook-up for a garden hose. The hose exited through a small hole at the opposite end of the storage area, so I had to duck under several overhead beams to get there. In the midst of the panic, I hit my head hard when I saw a giant spider web and a large spider with an egg sac. This experience was both frightening and terrifying, and I knocked myself out instantly.

I awoke lying on the dirt floor, and the memory of why I was running came rushing back. I crawled to the exit and, once outside, I felt the lump on my head and wondered how long I had been lying there on the dirt floor. I couldn't determine the exact time because I had gone in without checking what time it was, but I assumed I was only out for a moment or two since no one seemed to notice my absence, and it wasn't much later in the day.

The incident stayed with me for a long time, and I waited a few days before I went back under the porch again. The memory serves as a reminder that accidents can happen unexpectedly, and the consequences can be severe and long-lasting.

Conclusion

If someone tells you to knock yourself out, take it as a warning. It's not as fun as it sounds, and the after-effects can disrupt your life, both physically and emotionally. These stories highlight the importance of caution and the potential consequences of accidents. Remember, staying safe is more important than proving a point or rushing through a task in a hurry.