Fingers crossed and praying!
Continuing to send strong best wishes and prayers. I think the entire horse community is holding its collective breath, just hoping for the best for WFP and his family. It says a lot as to how respected he is.
BE really squashes discussions of falls.
Actually, BE simply asks people to refrain from using social media to spread bad news before the relatives can be informed of a serious fall or other disaster. Everyone can babble and witter as much as they wish on twitter etc about eventing in general.
Also, as Pau is in France, BE probably doesn’t know any more than anyone else…
Thank you for the lovely stories about WFP, they make me smile in this worrying time.
While I agree that is the rule and perhaps intent…there seems to be a further chilling effect that has been the result.
I’m not sure that I personally care (I don’t want such details) but it is just what I noticed.
class act indeed… sending extra jingles and keeping his family in my thoughts. loved the stories…
The most news I’ve read yet!
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/equestrian/34587797
“He is is being monitored but the hospital haven’t given any timings whatsoever,” said Breisner.
“They just don’t know and it will depend on how the brain reacts and when they bring him out of sedation.”
Fox-Pitt is not thought to have any other significant injuries and the sedation is a way of protecting the brain from swelling.
Praying for WFP and his family. There’s so much more I want to say, but I just don’t have the words.
Question for the medical experts–is it possible to have a concussion at the bottom of the brain if the neck is driven into it? I’m wondering if lawn dart falls can do that? No helmet can protect against that kind of fall.
A friend of mine had a brain bleed, they kept her sedated to monitor the brain bleed, also so that there wouldn’t be anymore swelling.
Otherwise she walked away with a few broken bones and nothing completely severe. Hopefully its just to monitor for any swelling and to keep control of it.
Best wishes!
[QUOTE=LadyB;8367959]
A friend of mine had a brain bleed, they kept her sedated to monitor the brain bleed, also so that there wouldn’t be anymore swelling.
Otherwise she walked away with a few broken bones and nothing completely severe. Hopefully its just to monitor for any swelling and to keep control of it.
Best wishes![/QUOTE]
That would certainly be the best outcome. Still checking and praying for such a positive result for him and his family.
[QUOTE=Willesdon;8367391]
Also, as Pau is in France, BE probably doesn’t know any more than anyone else…
/QUOTE]
He is not in Pau, but in Angers where he was competing at the Lion d’Angers… this is where my mom lives and I go every year. Excellent hospital and medical services.
Jingling for him!
Today’s update via British Eventing:
<<21/10/15 update regarding William Fox-Pitt
We have this afternoon (21st October) received the update that William’s condition remains the same with no change overnight. He is still sedated and under constant observation.
This update follows the news on Saturday (17th October) that William Fox-Pitt and his horse Reinstated fell during the cross country phase of the 2015 World Championships for Young Horses in Le Lion d’Angers, France.
Further updates will be made in due course.>>
Thank you for this update.
I’ve been following… hoping for the best outcome.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;8367947]
Question for the medical experts–is it possible to have a concussion at the bottom of the brain if the neck is driven into it? I’m wondering if lawn dart falls can do that? No helmet can protect against that kind of fall.[/QUOTE]
A concussion doesn’t have a location. By definition, it is a global cerebral dysfunction which is temporary and not associated with a mass lesion. Once you have an abnormality that can be seen on imaging, you are out of “concussion” territory.
The word is really not very useful. What we should do is just call all symptomatic head injuries TBI, with a range from mild (your usual concussion) to severe. Under the umbrella term of TBI there is a huge range of more specific diagnoses: subdural hematoma, cerebral contusion, diffuse axonal injury, shear hemorrhage to name just a few. Each of those terms tells the medical professionals a lot more about what you are dealing with and the prognosis. On any given day I see a “brain bleed” that is inconsequential and one that is fatal, as well as a range in between.
Lots of people have commented on the sedation. Important point: sedation is NOT appropriate for a mild TBI (or concussion, if you prefer.) It is contraindicated, because in that setting you are relying on the patient’s mental status to tell you if something more serious or progressive occurs. Sedation IS part of the treatment algorithm in severe TBI where intracranial pressures are being monitored and are high, and/or where the patient requires intubation and is agitated enough to fight the tube. Which is why the initial reports made no sense to me- they were describing his injury as if it was fairly mild, but also describing him as “sedated.” That didn’t make sense and I think unfortunately it has become evident that this injury is not what most of us would consider mild.
That said, I’ve had many patients make great recoveries from all sorts of TBIs… They are notoriously hard to predict. So fingers crossed he just needs some time.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and helping us better understand the inconsistencies and procedures, blackwly.
It’s odd that after all of the deaths, injuries, accidents, and harrowing adventure that is modern eventing, I never really felt shaken in my conviction to the sport. I questioned the ethics and continually make choices about the best interest of my horses and my wellbeing, but I never wanted to stop eventing.
This fall, with this lovely person who I have always respected but never even met, has given me pause in a way I never would have imagined. It’s not because he’s (arguably) #1 in the world and so if it could happen to him then it could happen to me, because I’ve been under no illusion about that. It’s not because of the severity of the injury, because we take that risk every time we get on a horse. I guess it’s because WFP has never struck me, in any way shape or form, as “reckless.” He’s not the one I think of when I grumble to myself about holes in training or rushing horses or scrambling for qualifications or crappy riding (though I certainly don’t mean to imply he’s perfect). He has always presented himself and his horses as a class act, and these stories only reiterate that. And today I woke up and realized I just don’t want to ride in a sport that punishes correctness.
It’s not that I don’t love XC, and I’m sure I’ll ride at P and below for cross training, but what is there to “say” in this sport about equine accomplishment and expression? What does our training and commitment show anymore? It just doesn’t seem like it matters, when even the good ones fall victim to the dangers. I didn’t lose my nerve or get scared away because of this; I just no longer feel like there’s anything to prove in eventing except foolhardiness. Odd how the most unexpected things are the ones that make you re-evaluate everything.
TB or not TB,
Thank you for your bravery and candor in writing this post. Your words echo so many of my own thoughts surrounding WFP’s fall. In fact, I’m not even an eventer, I’m from Hunterland, but have always held eventers in the highest regard as the most skilled athletes in our sports. And I have always admired WFP for the very reasons that you and so many others have stated: his grace, talent, commitment to horses and the sport, and his meticulous preparation and presentation. And so, like you, I’m finding myself shaken to the core following WFP’s accident, and wondering what, exactly, I have to show for my own blood, sweat and tears, as well as for the many gifts my horse has given of himself to me. A few ribbons on the wall? My name on some rankings lists?
So, TB or Not TB, you are not alone. And to other eventers here, you are not alone in your concerns and prayers for WFP, you’ve got scores of us from Hunterland behind you.
No, you are not alone TB or not TB.
For all of the same reasons, I agree wholeheartedly.
[QUOTE=Jealoushe;8366287]
I too had an awesome encounter. I was taking pics in the warm up at Rolex, and he saw me and cantered Chilli Morning across the ring right towards me - halted a few feet away and smiled, then winked. I just about died. He is a charmer that is for SURE. I have the most beautiful photo of him as a result.[/QUOTE]
What an amazing man.
I have read and lurked on this thread, I Am praying so hard for him…
I have always so loved him in this sport. Praying for you William!!!
[QUOTE=tbchick84;8366921]
I talked his ear off for two straight hours during a course walk at Rolex in 2014 and he was soooo nice. Here he was, the number 1 rider in the world and asking us about our horses, what levels we were riding, what we thought about how to approach the fences, etc. The man has everything any of us could only dream about, and could have easily been the biggest prick on the planet for all he had. Instead he was the most gracious person I have ever met. It breaks my heart to know he’s going through this.[/QUOTE]
A true ambassador for the sport!!
Someone who is giving back! Wow, I am jealous of all who have had such great encounters with him.
Praying he come through!
Major COTH Jingles!!!
