head like a hole

[the_siobhan]

Welp, it's been an eventful couple of days at the Gin Palace.

Axel was in a somewhat serious bicycle accident in the wee hours of Monday morning. And when I say serious I mean that he knocked himself cold and had to be picked up off the ground by an ambulence. I spent Monday morning at the hospital with him in emergency until they got him a bed, and then the afternoon running around sorting out things like a toothbrush and a change of clothes that weren't completely covered in blood. (I've said this before in my stories about the ways in which I and my fellow humans manage to maim themselves, but man it's a good thing I know ahead of time how much head injuries bleed. Even still, when I first walked into emerg and saw him - Holy Shit.)

He was groggy and out of it Monday morning; thirsty, exhausted, and in pain but mostly coherent by Monday night and bored and cheerful by Tuesday. A couple of CT scans later he is now home and largely back to normal. He has what the release papers described as a "non-mobile fracture" in his skull, which I'm guessing means that the bone is broken, but all the important squishy bits are still safely contained. He's still kinda dizzy and a little more scattered than usual but every time I talk to him he's a little improved.

Deep breath.

So now that the meat suit is safe and in one piece, he has one remaining concern. What the hell happened to his bike?

I went to the spot where the ambulence picked him up. I called the ambulence dispatch. I called the police. Nobody seems to be able to answer the question of what happens to somebody's stuff when the ambulence carts them away from an accident. I mean a wallet, they'd toss into the ambulence. A car would what, get impounded just to get it out of the way? I assume? But nobody seems to know what happens when it's a bicycle.

Just to be clear I don't have an issue AT ALL with the EMT's not dealing with it, their priority is "get dude who landed on his head to a hospital ASAP", which is exactly what it should be. But I do find the fact that nobody knows what happens afterwards to be kind of bizarre.

Whatever. We have insurance for a reason.

Comments

[elusis]

Jesus, that's scary stuff. Head injuries are NOT fucking fun, as I'm sure you know, Bob.

Apparently the best treatment is rest, including mental rest: limiting activities that take brain power as well as those involving physical exertion.

I would think police would have taken the bicycle in case it's needed as evidence in a civil or criminal trial.

If those of us far away can be of any help, do sing out.

[the_siobhan]

I think he would explode if I didn't let him watch TV or play video games.

The police didn't even bother to show up - apparently they chose not to answer the dispatch call because there wasn't another vehicle involved.

[elusis]

So it wasn't being hit by a car? Any idea what happened? :(

[the_siobhan]

I went by the spot where he was picked up and I think what happened is that he was cutting through a parking lot to get to the next street. There's just enough space between one of those arms that comes down to block cars and the opposite fence to fit a bicycle with tons of elbow room. Unfortunately there is also a four-inch lip on the across the concrete.

He doesn't remember a thing after leaving the party, but the EMT dispatch gave me the address from the call.

[sabotabby]

Thanks for the update. I can't imagine what you must be going through; I've been super-freaked out.

I'm back in town tomorrow night; if there's anything I can do, please let me know. I haven't wanted to bug you since I imagine you have your hands full and all I can do from here is flail uselessly.

That's weird about the bike.

[the_siobhan]

He's been taking short walks and he's getting his balance back pretty quickly. I'm still a little wary of letting him travel to your place alone so we'll have to figure something out around that.

Oh, I forgot to mention that he burst one of his eardrums (the left one) so he's a bit deaf on that side.

[sabotabby]

I figured.

So I'm in transit most of tomorrow and getting in at 8:45 pm or so, in theory. In a better world, mum could swing by after picking me up from the airport, but I suspect she won't be willing to do that. In a less good world, cabs are a thing or I could come over Sunday if he's up to company.

[the_siobhan]

Yeah, cab might be an idea.

D & I are going to that Rancid gig on Saturday night. I could potentially drop him off beforehand if you don't mind him being in the house before you get home.

[sabotabby]

That would work out perfectly, actually! Also, have fun! You need some distraction.

[greylock]

I'm glad to hear Axel's okay.


(Was he wearing a helmet? Are they mandatory there?)

[the_siobhan]

Nope and only for children.

[greylock]

Since (not so amusingly) I was reading one of the many articles railing against our mandatory (but largely ignored) compulsory helmet laws less than an hour before I read this, it was on my mind.

Being completely incapable of riding a bike, I find the topic interesting.

It seems perverse to say, but at least it's only a head injury and he remains mobile.

[cincinnatus_c]

I recall Axel arguing on a.g. that it's safer to bike without a helmet because cars give you more room ... and, well, just cuz you lost a game doesn't mean you weren't playing the winning percentages. ;) Glad he's OK, anyway; hell of a thing!

[the_siobhan]

I asked him if he was going to start wearing a helmet now.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because the plural of anecdote is not data."

[cincinnatus_c]

Ha! Brain's working normally, then. ;)

[the_siobhan]

That was my assessment. :-)

[elusis]

... Dude, once you have Head Injury #1, Head Injuries #2 and 3 and etc. are exponentially more dangerous.

[50ftqueenie]

Precisely. My mother was an emergency room nurse and because of the stories she's told me, I always wear a helmet. I honestly don't understand people who bike without helmets.

[jo]

Wow. Glad to hear he's OK.

[kest]

That....is a really interesting question. Dollars to donuts it just got left there? I'm glad he's healing up ok. <3

[miss_squiddy]

If it was in a car park, maybe the organisation who own the car park have it or know where it has gone?

[the_siobhan]

That's actually not a bad idea. I'll see if I can get ahold of the property managers.

[armiphlage]

eeeek!

(hugs)

[disastrid]

FUCKING HELL AXEL. I'm glad he's okay.

Also: Head wounds can be so dramatic.

[baratron]

Late reply because I have had absolutely NO spoons, but I'm glad he is okay!

Did you ever find the bike?

[the_siobhan]

YES, thanks for the reminder. I haven't posted about that.