Literature
Knocking Yourself Out: Accidents and Their Aftermath
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.