Thinking about concussions, and head injuries long-term…
I had a long appointment with my doctor earlier this morning and am scheduled for head, neck, and lower spine CT, among other things, to try to determine the source of the progressing numbness I’m experiencing in both hands and arms, and my right leg. Added to that are cognition deficits, particularly when I’m tired, and some issues with speech and enunciation, which are progressing as well.
I sustained my first concussion at the age of 4, as an unrestrained passenger in a head-on MVA (more than 50 years ago). The next happened in a riding accident…I was wearing a helmet, and did not come off the horse. I was hit in the face by the horse’s poll, and my mid and lower face were crushed. After much plastic surgery I recovered and went back to riding, first as an amateur and then as a professional. 22 years ago I had a longeing accident with a horse, smashed my shoulder to bits, fractured some vertebrae in my neck (wearing a helmet), but I think likely sustained a concussion then as well. 16 years ago my FEI horse tripped and fell with me in a normal schooling session in my own indoor (no helmet that time). I was unconscious for more than 20 minutes, and ended up with some fairly weird neurological symptoms related to a blood clot in my brain. The results of that injury took a year to resolve, and 6 months off work.
I think, and my doctor thinks, that what I’m experiencing now, at the age of 56, are the cumulative effects of several head injuries, and probably concomitant spinal injuries (my neck x-rays are pretty scary, the doctor says I have the neck of a 90 year old boxer, not a 56 year old woman).
I rode very successfully at a competition this past weekend (scores over 70 in PSG and Third Level), but I think that given the discussion this morning I am going to back off significantly until these issues are identified. I ride professionally, and coach professionally, but the next 30 to 40 years of my life are important to me, and I REALLY want to be a functional person for the rest of my life.
My earlier injuries were incurred when much less was known about head injuries, TBI’s, etc., and when we didn’t have access to MRI’s and CT’s. Now that we do have that information, and those diagnostic tools available, I would handle my injuries VERY differently. I hope those of you who are weighing the risks of early returns to athletic pursuits do so only with the blessings of your doctors…
