Helmets Save Lives

or at least, improve them a lot and reduce the number of broken bones!
I was recently, rudely reminded of this fact when I had cause to need mine… and then by another chance event which helped to remind me that ‘helmets save lives’ and ‘it could have been worse’.

Accident with a helmet

Some of you may already know I recently got an ambulance ride, but not in a business capacity. Then a trip through ER, several X-rays and emergency procedures and I was back home. This was followed by dental trips and surgery… And here’s a brief list of what happens when you fall off your bike, while wearing a helmet:

A broken helmet
A broken hand
Three broken teeth

And, well, that’s it.
Broken bones count = 1
After all, helmets save lives! Back to work after a few days. ‘The patient’ is making a good recovery but will need more dental work. The surgical wires should be out in a few weeks.
So what does that have to do with ‘Helmets Save Lives’? The co-incidence was what happened on the day I got back. A new patient to be admitted to the hospital where I work – and I’ll keep it brief (and of course confidential).

Accident without a helmet

Here’s the short list of what happens if you have a skiing accident (at Whistler) while not wearing a helmet:

Head & face fractures. Including both eye sockets being broken, nose, sinuses, broken bones in most of the right side of the face & skull. And lots of bleeding into the brain.
4 broken bones in the spine, 2 in the neck and 2 in the upper back
Broken jaw
Seizures

Broken bones count = too many, about 18 we estimate.
The person has made good recovery – this individual can now speak enough words to ask the nurses for help, but still can’t control the wheelchair very well. The tube feeding is gone and the patient can now swallow food again. It’s unlikely there will ever be skiing in this person’s future… or even walking.