What Is Your Most Traumatic Injury Experience?

[Evo]

Once I had thought a large gathering of PF'ers would be a fun idea. Now I think if we do have one, it should be in the parking lot of a trauma center.

 

[pallidin]

Once I had thought a large gathering of PF'ers would be a fun idea. Now I think if we do have one, it should be in the parking lot of a trauma center.

Good plan. Strong minds tend to slam into hard walls...

 

[Evo]

Good plan. Strong minds tend to slam into hard walls...

 

[dlgoff]

In the sense of sustained pain, I vote for broken ribs. There was absolutely nothing that my doctor could do, so I "rode it out". You have no idea how many times in a day you have to take a breath and expel it until you feel like you're being stabbed in the chest every single time. Lying down to sleep was not an option - I had to sleep in a chair. I'd take broken legs over broken ribs any day.

I would agree with broken ribs as being the worst; I've had the pleasure. But a couple of winters ago when I got the Type A influenza, the virus must have somehow settled into my hip joints where they join the spine. It took just a long to heal as broken ribs but with lots more pain. You basically couldn't walk, set, or lay down for more than a few minutes at a time. From then on, I've gotten the flu shot.

 

[Evo]

I would agree with broken ribs as being the worst; I've had the pleasure. But a couple of winters ago when I got the Type A influenza, the virus must have somehow settled into my hip joints where they join the spine. It took just a long to heal as broken ribs but with lots more pain. You basically couldn't walk, set, or lay down for more than a few minutes at a time. From then on, I've gotten the flu shot.

Hip pain, really bad.

 

[Norman]

As a competitor with ribs for most painful sustained pain, a broken clavicle is right up there. Very similar to ribs, since there is nothing that can be splinted/cast. You just ride it out. Probably not as bad as ribs since you don't feel it with every breath, just deep ones. But I couldn't sleep on my left side for a year after it happened.

 

[lisab]

Reading this thread hurts.

 

[turbo]

Reading this thread hurts.

I have a badly ruptured (herniated) disk in my lower back. It happened when my friend and I were loading my motorcycle onto a high trailer and he lost his grip. I was crippled up for over a year, though I managed to work through it. When I had a stroke, my German neurologist ordered some MRI's and saw the damage and asked "how did you manage to deal with all that pain?". I told her that I didn't have any insurance and couldn't get it fixed. She just shook her head. Europeans have much better health care. I didn't even have pain-killers. My wife and I were quite poor at the time.

 

[TubbaBlubba]

Sustained pain... Well, in some rare cases, acid reflux can get incredibly, incredibly painful. It's not uncommon that people mistake it for a heart attack. I've never broken any bones, though.

 

[Gib Z]

Circumcision.

 

[DaveC426913]

OK, can't really argue with that one... Then again, not sure about anyone remembering it, so not sure if it counts.

Sustained pain for me: strep throat. After a couple of days of havng my body wracked with shudders of pain each time I swallowed, I finally just decided to stop swallowing at all, and took to leaning head down, clutching a drool cup at all times.

 

[Gib Z]

OK, can't really argue with that one... Then again, not sure about anyone remembering it, so not sure if it counts.

I had mine when I was 14 :( Nothing else so far in my life has compared to the experience of changing the bandages.

 

[Moonbear]

I'm staying far far away from all of you accident-prone lightning rods!

I'm not sure. I've only had two or three injuries that are memorable, neither was severe enough to require any medical intervention. I sprained an ankle climbing fences on a farm late at night for a research project (with my hands full). That took a while to heal, but I didn't bother going to a doctor for it. I figured I could bandage it and put ice on it just as well as a doctor could and they'd just tell me to stay off it, and I wasn't planning on doing that. I limped for a few days, then it was just sore when I overdid the walking or dancing.

There was the time I smashed a finger in a barn door, also at night doing an experiment (you'll notice a pattern here). That one was bad enough that the fingernail fell off and is still a bit misshapen today. I think that injury hurt the most until the nail finally broke loose and relieved the pressure of the swelling under it, and then it was kind of disgusting that it oozed fluid from under the nail for a few days. That was shortly before one friend's wedding, because I had to try to hide the finger behind the bouquet for the wedding photos (I was a bridesmaid).

The other one was a mildly jammed wrist...not really sprained, just sore...accompanied by a bruise that ran the length of my forearm, again, from working with animals during an experiment, but this time it was during daytime. That was trying to hold a deer still for someone else to get a blood sample when the usual helpers weren't available. That wasn't such a bad injury in the grand scheme of things, but memorable because it's part of the story of how I met my boyfriend. That was another wedding I was in (again, trying to hide the bruises in wedding photos). Until we got to talking more that evening, he saw the huge bruises and thought I might have been in an abusive relationship and wanted to befriend me in case I needed help. (This is the part of the story I didn't know about right away...he admitted it to me later in our relationship. I referred him at that point to my sister who at the time was working as a social worker who used to tease me that the only way she knew I wasn't abused is that I was all too happy to share the stories of how I earned every bruise, and nobody would make up stories quite like mine.)

So, *knock on wood*, I've been lucky so far. Nothing more serious than bruises and mild sprains. And I've sure done enough things that could have resulted in broken bones, so I don't know how I've avoided it so far. I think I'll just keep drinking my milk and eating my spinach and hope my bones stay so strong.

 

[Chi Meson]

So, *knock on wood*, I've been lucky so far. Nothing more serious than bruises and mild sprains. And I've sure done enough things that could have resulted in broken bones, so I don't know how I've avoided it so far. I think I'll just keep drinking my milk and eating my spinach and hope my bones stay so strong.

I'm also feeling a little inadequate here. I have had quite a few cuts from woodworking and rock-climbing. I had a green-stem nose fracture from teen-age rough-housing, but that's it for bone-damage. I have tried hard to be reckless my whole life. I enjoyed skiing fast through glades (in the days before helmets), I took up back-country telemark skiing when downhill strted getting to safe; I commute to work on a bike in an area that has 3" wide bike lanes; I engage in foot races where my big skill is running full-tilt down steep, rocky trails, but the injuries simply have not come through. I think that my luck may run out soon. I fear that something huge is about to fall (on my leg).

So, * knock on wood* indeed. (I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious).

 

[zomgwtf]

I've broken my nose a couple times.

First time I was throwing a fit when I was younger. My dad was really mad at me and threw me into my bed. My bed was a wooden car frame with the matress inside covered in some sort of protective plastic sheet in case I wet the bed. I slid across this plastic covering and whacked my nose off the bed frame. Good job dad.

Second time was my first time skateboarding. Funny thing is: I didn't get hurt skateboarding. I was messing around and went to throw the skateboard between my legs for some reason. Anyway the grass was springy and so was the skateboard so it bounced off the tip of the board and right back into my face. Broken nose. That was the worst feeling I've ever had before, and the amount of blood was mind boggling, my nose was like a flowing tap and the grass was COVERED. It took about 3 face clothes dripping wet in my blood to bring the flow to a stop.

I've never broken any other bones I don't think, I've had knee problem which effected me playing baseball but that's just me looking out for the long term condition not a short term painful injury. There have been times where I've thought I broke my foot or fractured something but I never go to the doctor. For some reason I don't like bothering them with stupid little pains, I'd rather just live with it.

 

[BobG]

There was the time I smashed a finger in a barn door, also at night doing an experiment (you'll notice a pattern here). That one was bad enough that the fingernail fell off and is still a bit misshapen today. I think that injury hurt the most until the nail finally broke loose and relieved the pressure of the swelling under it, and then it was kind of disgusting that it oozed fluid from under the nail for a few days. That was shortly before one friend's wedding, because I had to try to hide the finger behind the bouquet for the wedding photos (I was a bridesmaid).

I dropped a cement mixer on my middle finger and had the same problem. I could still use it and work, but at night the fluid would build up under the fingernail and it would hurt like hell. Finally going to the emergency room one night was the worst. The doctor got out an electric soldering iron, looked at the expression on my face, said "This going to hurt you a lot more than it hurts me", and burned a hole in my fingernail so it would drain.

After that, it did feel a lot better. The fingernail finally fell off and I used it as a guitar pick for a while.

 

[turbo]

After that, it did feel a lot better. The fingernail finally fell off and I used it as a guitar pick for a while.

Too cool! I lost a big toenail under similar circumstances and never thought to use it as a guitar pick.

Just a little tip - the closest thing to the character of a human nail (in use as a guitar pick) is tortoise-shell. Go to flea markets and lawn sales and see if you can find some natural tortoise-shell toiletry items (hair combs, brushes, hand-mirrors, etc) that are broken. Buy them cheap and fashion picks out of them. They are the best! There is a reason why pick-makers resorted to tortoise-patterned celluloid. Real tortoise wears well, with a fine texture that makes a guitar string sing, like horse-tail on a violin bow.

 

[BobG]

Too cool! I lost a big toenail under similar circumstances and never thought to use it as a guitar pick.

"He went mad, I tell you! He ran excitedly away from the computer and inexplicably started banging his toe with a rock! And screaming in agony each blow! It was horrible!"

 

[skeptic2]

So, because misery loves company (even vicariously through the interwebz), what is your worst injury?

I just had surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon. Painful and annoying since it is my right foot, so I cannot drive.

So what was/is your worst injury?

I had a ruptured achilles tendon too and that was my worst injury. I had a cast up to my hip for three weeks and then two more knee high casts for three weeks each. I was driving a stick shift at the time and tried to figure out a way to drive with my right leg in a cast. I couldn't. Finally a close friend loaned me his automatic Volvo until I got rid of the casts. To drive I put my right leg on the passenger seat and drove with my left foot. It's not as hard as it sounds.

After the casts came off it was worse. If I had to push the brake hard for more than about a second, the muscles in my leg would cramp.

In all it took about a full year to recover. Good luck.

 

[Antiphon]

Ferris wheel bearing jammed. My full weight was applied to my left testicle for about a minute and a half. About a minute into it I felt somethng go 'pop'. It hurts to this day.

 

[DaveC426913]

Ferris wheel bearing jammed. My full weight was applied to my left testicle for about a minute and a half. About a minute into it I felt somethng go 'pop'. It hurts to this day.

Well serves you right for balancing a ferris wheel on your testicle! They're not toys you know.

 

[Moonbear]

I dropped a cement mixer on my middle finger and had the same problem. I could still use it and work, but at night the fluid would build up under the fingernail and it would hurt like hell. Finally going to the emergency room one night was the worst. The doctor got out an electric soldering iron, looked at the expression on my face, said "This going to hurt you a lot more than it hurts me", and burned a hole in my fingernail so it would drain.

After that, it did feel a lot better. The fingernail finally fell off and I used it as a guitar pick for a while.

Okay, I never considered using the nail as a guitar pick. *looks askew at BobG*

Though, yes, everyone and their brother told me to just poke a hole in the nail to relieve the pressure (I wouldn't have needed to go to the ER for it, everything I would have needed, we had in the lab). But I was still just hoping not to lose the nail, especially since I had that upcoming wedding to be in. It took care of itself quickly enough. The nail separated from the back, near the cuticle, first. Once it lifted from that side, all the pressure was relieved, and it just took another couple days for it to finish falling off.

I did want to inflict a similar injury on the other student who was supposed to be helping me that night and showed up late because she was at a party and drunk, so no help at all.

 

[zomgwtf]

Well serves you right for balancing a ferris wheel on your testicle! They're not toys you know.

LOL WOW!

I don't even get what happened... is he saying he sat on his testicle and it went 'pop'. That's the most hilarious injury I've ever heard about, no offense to anyone.

 

[Antiphon]

LOL WOW!

I don't even get what happened... is he saying he sat on his testicle and it went 'pop'. That's the most hilarious injury I've ever heard about, no offense to anyone.

None taken. The bearing on my cart jammed so as the ferris wheel went around, I went upside down and then the wheel stopped. While upside down I was resting against a small metal bar that should have been a restraint. In this case it was the only thing keeping me from tumbling out of the cart. I had to rest my weight on it and to keep from falling out and maintain balence, the weight was located over the left 'nad. An interesting physics problem in hindsight. At the time though it was more about the fear of dying and the agony of a very stresses testicle.

The worst part was I was with a girl I liked who was having fun soni had to pretend ibwas having fun too. A metaphor for life if you will that I later came to understand as poetic.

 

[zomgwtf]

None taken. The bearing on my cart jammed so as the ferris wheel went around, I went upside down and then the wheel stopped. While upside down I was resting against a small metal bar that should have been a restraint. In this case it was the only thing keeping me from tumbling out of the cart. I had to rest my weight on it and to keep from falling out and maintain balence, the weight was located over the left 'nad. An interesting physics problem in hindsight. At the time though it was more about the fear of dying and the agony of a very stresses testicle.

The worst part was I was with a girl I liked who was having fun soni had to pretend ibwas having fun too. A metaphor for life if you will that I later came to understand as poetic.

Oooo you almost fell out of the ferris wheel. Completely different story, now it's not so funny but rather tragic. Was your 'left nad' ok or did it rupture? That's pretty serious.

I had thought you had just sat on it for a prolonged period of time.

 

[pcman]

sorry to hear that ~~~

 

[Chi Meson]

Ferris wheel bearing jammed. My full weight was applied to my left testicle for about a minute and a half. About a minute into it I felt somethng go 'pop'. It hurts to this day.

The judges agree (the male ones at least).

You win.

 

[TubbaBlubba]

Ferris wheel bearing jammed. My full weight was applied to my left testicle for about a minute and a half. About a minute into it I felt somethng go 'pop'. It hurts to this day.

I think Freud's spirit just ripped my soul apart.

 

[Norman]

The judges agree (the male ones at least).

You win.

Yes, yes we do.

 

[Antiphon]

Oooo you almost fell out of the ferris wheel. Completely different story, now it's not so funny but rather tragic. Was your 'left nad' ok or did it rupture? That's pretty serious.

I had thought you had just sat on it for a prolonged period of time.

It didn't rupture but something else further up probably did. If any of you men have had the experience where you have tight pants and you sit down just right to make your 'nad "pop upward", well it was like that times 100. Oddly I never went to the doctor but perhpas its time. Perhaps I'll tell the doctor I won a contest and need them to help me claim the prize.

 

[BobG]

If any of you men have had the experience where you have tight pants and you sit down just right to make your 'nad "pop upward", ...

So let's see. The two competing styles are pants so big they're constantly falling down or pants so tight ...

You know, back in my day, men wore pants that fit. Of course, back in my day, we didn't have days yet.

 

[pantaz]

Broken bones in chronological order:
1. Left elbow (about 4 years old -- fell off bunk bed)
2. Left foot, three bones in five places. (Skateboarding)
3. Right forearm, both bones, three places. (Soccer)
4. Left clavicle and four ribs. (Motorcycle)
5. Left wrist. (Motorcycle)
6. Right patella. (Ladder.) Pins and wires required.

However, my worst injury didn't involve broken bones. I was 14, riding my bicycle on the sidewalk, and one of the pedals broke. I lost control, fell, and slid off the sidewalk and under a parked car. There happened to be someone in the car, but they didn't see me. They began to drive away... over my back. A friend riding with me jumped in front of the car and stopped him, otherwise he probably would have driven over my legs. Our family photo album has pictures showing the tire marks imprinted on my back.

I was in the hospital for about a week with (if I remember correctly) mild internal bleeding. No surgery, no broken bones, just a couple of severe abrasions (I still have the scars).