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Original poster

Handhold please - DH head injury

200 replies

GloriaMaximus · 31/08/2019 05:26

We are currently away for DH birthday visiting places where he holidayed growing up. We are staying in the middle of nowhere!

Around 10pm, DH hit his head on a door frame trying to catch a moth. He complained of a horrendous headache but by midnight (the turn of his birthday) he seemed ok. He had his presents etc (as per his own decided tradition) but as we were going to bed he just started screeching in pain. This lasted about 20 minutes when he fell asleep. 2 hours later he woke up to go to the toilet and it then came back with a vengeance. He's also then started violently vomiting so I convinced him to get in the car to drive an hour to the smallest a and e that exists.

I'm so scared. Apart from the pain he is confused (swears blind he doesn't know where a light switch is in the bathroom because he didn't turn it on. Forgot why we were in the car. And he's is soooo angry. With a strong accent different (DH is from this area of the uk but I'm not even from this country) the receptionist struggled to take details from me but he was u willing to give them himself. He got irate instantaneously.

I'm worried it's serious but hoping he's just tired and pissed off.

Please can someone either reassure me or just sit with me as we wait. The wait time is as long if not longer than our local, major city hospital 😔

OP posts:
MaudebeGonne · 31/08/2019 05:30

It sounds very scary. Glad you got to the hospital and hopefully he can get some help. If the team there aren't able to treat him (or haven't the equipment or expertise) they should be able to arrange a transfer to a specialist unit.

Brot64 · 31/08/2019 05:33

Sounds very scary and worrying. Hopefully the hospital can treat him quickly. Hoping for the best outcome for him.

Original poster
GloriaMaximus · 31/08/2019 05:34

Thank you so much @MaudebeGonne

I feel so sorry for him. I can't believe this is how he's spending his birthday. He's actually fallen asleep thank god. I'm exhausted but my brain is in overdrive and I'm just waiting for him to wake up screeching again. I'll never forget that noise or the fear in his face. He's a rufty tufty rugby guy who I've seen take awful injuries in his stride. He said this is the worst pain he's ever felt in his life and he has ruptured his spleen previously.

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Original poster
GloriaMaximus · 31/08/2019 05:35

Thank you @Brot64 Sad

OP posts:
visitorthedog · 31/08/2019 05:41

He sounds concussed and I’d be concerned if he’s asleep and not rousable, you might need to make a fuss to be seen sooner.

Sipperskipper · 31/08/2019 05:44

Hoping all is ok for you and your DH makes a speedy recovery. Xx

yearinyearout · 31/08/2019 05:45

Has he fallen asleep without being seen by a doctor? That is worrying and I would be making a fuss about getting him seen asap.

Original poster
GloriaMaximus · 31/08/2019 05:46

Thank you @visitorthedog & @Sipperskipper

I just gently shook him to see if he would respond and he opened his eyes immediately thank god. I'm glad he's resting at least.

Selfishly I'm petrified to drive back. It was such a horrible drive I just hope it's light before we leave (but hope it's not so I can sleep before the day begins 🤷🏻‍♀️)

OP posts:
TumblingTumbleWeeds · 31/08/2019 05:47

It's a little shocking to me that with a head injury they are not seeing him immediately.

Original poster
GloriaMaximus · 31/08/2019 05:47

@yearinyearout do I need to be worried if he is responding to a gentle shake? Omg I can't believe this 😔

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Original poster
GloriaMaximus · 31/08/2019 05:48

@TumblingTumbleWeeds do I need to speak to the receptionist?

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brightspark2 · 31/08/2019 05:48

These are usual signs of a mild to medium concussion- rarely complicated and clears up quite quickly.

He’s in the right place to be assessed- has he been triaged yet?

Sleeping is fine- actually helps - and the staff will check him within a few hours.

Which county are you in?

Original poster
GloriaMaximus · 31/08/2019 05:50

That's so reassuring @brightspark2 thank you!! No he's not been triaged yet. They said it's 2 1/2 hours for that.. 3 1/2 for a doctor. We are in west wales.

OP posts:
TumblingTumbleWeeds · 31/08/2019 05:53

Did you explain he was confused and vomiting?

tryingtobebetterallthetime · 31/08/2019 05:53

Hi OP. The fact that he is conscious but confused is much better than him being unresponsive. You did the absolute right thing taking him to A and E.

If he is confused and angry he should be seen soon, which means triaged as a priority. I am sure you have done this, but make sure they know exactly what happened and how he is behaving abnormally. I know how it feels to be waiting but sometimes you need to update them. Don't be passive. Be polite but assertive.

I am in Canada and will be awake for about another hour. I will try to help if I can.

You are strong. You have this.

dottycat123 · 31/08/2019 05:56

Triage for a head injury should never take that long, he really should have had at least some basic review as worst case scenario he has a bleed. if he cannot be roused now please go and find someone and tell them.I am a nurse.

TumblingTumbleWeeds · 31/08/2019 05:56

I'm in the U.S. and will also be up for another hour.

tryingtobebetterallthetime · 31/08/2019 06:04

Agree. I don't want to scare you op but in your husband's situation a subdural hematoma is a possibility. It is a bleeding in the space between some "skin" that covers the brain and the brain tissue itself. It needs to be dealt with quickly. I am not a doctor but this is a possibility.

Do not sit passively. Make an assertive but polite fuss.

My thoughts are with you OP.

FuriousVexation · 31/08/2019 06:05

Yes I thought you would be in Wales - sorry!

It sounds like concussion which is usually not serious at all. When the doctor eventually comes round, make sure you give them the whole history and that he is speaking/acting completely out of character.

A close friend used to have this struggle when her DH had hypos from diabetes and would become incredibly argumentative when he's normally the most mild mannered polite man you could find.

Original poster
GloriaMaximus · 31/08/2019 06:07

Thank you everyone. I asked to speak to a HCP. He has now been triaged. Obs are normal, his pupils are responding, I told the nurse he has been angry and confused but said the same as my what I had been thinking that he was tired and in pain so I'm not sure. DH dismissed it also.
They gave him paracetamol, advises it via a drip but he refused so I just hope he doesn't vomit again.

He's crying now so taken himself to the toilet. I know he's a grown man but it awful.

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Original poster
GloriaMaximus · 31/08/2019 06:09

@FuriousVexation DH is welsh but having been through my own health issues recently, he was finally understanding how slow and relaxed the approach at his local hospitals are.

He doesn't know this hospital at all though. We are too far away from his home town.

I can't believe how scared I am.

OP posts:
greentheme23 · 31/08/2019 06:09

Shine your phone torch in his eyes op. Are his pupils equal and reacting to light. Can't believe you need to be doing your own neurological obs in an A and E! Are you being assertive op. Head injury- triage now!

Original poster
GloriaMaximus · 31/08/2019 06:10

I had checked his eyes before he fell asleep. But yes I agree I can't believe I was the one having to do it.

OP posts:
greentheme23 · 31/08/2019 06:10

Sorry missed above post. Thank heavens!

Original poster
GloriaMaximus · 31/08/2019 06:11

The o lot other patient in the waiting room is an elderly man with a very obvious head injury himself, bleeding profusely. He has also just been told to wait.

Our local hospital is the Queen Elizabeth in Birmingham. This is worlds apart!!

OP posts:
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