Ambulance/999- was I being unreasonable?

[NoRainbowsWithoutRain]

I’m an overthinker so I could be worrying about nothing, but I’ve been so anxious about this recently and just wanted to get an honest opinion so thought I would post here.

I was involved in a bad horse riding accident where I was thrown onto the ground from a height [the horse was jumping and had thrown a few bucks when I was thrown off] For anyone who knows about horses he’s about 16.2hands high, so pretty tall. I don’t remember much about landing apart from landing on my shoulder and thudding my head off the ground. I was lucky my friends were there to help me and they saw the entire thing and said it was a really bad fall. The last thing I remember is thinking woah why is my horse broncing?! Then boom my head and shoulder hit the ground. Then I remember lying and crying because everything hurt and my shoulder and neck were particularly sore.

An ambulance was called straight away and I was taken to a&e and got X-rays. Thankfully nothing was broken so I was discharged with a concussion and painkillers.

I feel like such a time waster because there was nothing broken! I know I didn’t know at the time, but I still feel so guilty. I think I was so full of adrenaline plus the shock of what had happened. I’m just so worried I looked like a time waster! I didn’t have any major swelling or bruising at the hospital (about 6 hours after the fall) and I’m worried I wasted everyone’s time and resources, especially as it was a particularly busy night at the hospital. It wasn’t an urgent ambulance as we had to wait a while (I’m not complaining at all about that, just trying to say it wasn’t an immediate emergency type ambulance) but I couldn’t get off the floor because my shoulder and neck hurt so much and even though I knew my neck wasn’t broken as I could move my limbs, my instructor said whenever you hit your head you should always get checked no matter what, even if you have your riding hat on like I did.

Don’t know why I’m posting this really, I just feel so guilty and worried that they’ll have thought I was a drama queen because it wasn’t broken or bruised or badly swollen (it was very bruised the next day but not the night it happened!) . Honestly, it was one of the sorest falls I’ve had! The doctor said it was probably a whiplash-type of injury causing the neck pain and a concussion as well. All the staff were seriously amazing, especially given how busy and stressful the hospital was, and I can’t stop worrying that I wasted their time

Of course YWNBU. You could’ve had a serious head or spinal injury. I’m glad you don’t!

Sorry I forgot to say in my original post, I had been to the same hospital fairly recently before for another concussion after a horse riding accident. I’ve got fantastic riding instructors and they adviced getting medical advice after a previous fall where my arms and legs got caught in the reins and stirrups and ended up getting thrown off head first (I literally bounced on my riding hat ) I called NHS24 for advice as my head was really sore and I felt sick and they advised a&e so I went and they were really nice and said it was a concussion. That was before the ambulance accident so I’m worried I seem like a time waster as it was 2 occasions where I went to a&e and nothing was broken or seriously injured!

Definitely not being unreasonable. You could have had a spinal injury. An ambulance was absolutely the right port of call.

But you could have had something broken or (more) seriously injured so you went and had it checked out. You did the sensible thing after a bad fall. Don’t think anymore of it! I’m glad you’re ok!

IMO a concussion is serious enough to be double checked by a professional, I can’t see that you or your friends did anything wrong at all.
Put it behind you and hopefully no more trips to A&E needed!

DNBU, feel better soon!

Of course it was the right thing to do! No one will have thought you were a time waster. I’m very glad you weren’t seriously hurt (but sorry you are sore)

(PS for future reference, just because you can move arms and legs, doesn’t mean there is no spinal cord damage, so ALWAYS get checked out)

Given the mechanism of injury, definitely sounds like you needed to be checked out. Though, um, if the horses keep trying to kill you, are you sure this is the best leisure activity?

You weren't unreasonable at all and in any event it wasn't you who rang the ambulance it was someone else so how could you help it.

If it is any comfort I have low blood pressure and have fainted 4 times which has resulted in me being taken by Ambulance and waking up in A & E. I've fainted lots more and haven't been carted off but on these occasions I was out for so long people became worried and called the Ambulance out. I wasn't well on each occasion (only minor things like tonsillitis etc) but because on my low blood pressure I've technically been a drain on the service but obviously couldn't help it.

Don't forget to buy a new hat!!

@nocoolnamesleft

Given the mechanism of injury, definitely sounds like you needed to be checked out. Though, um, if the horses keep trying to kill you, are you sure this is the best leisure activity?

I had emergency spinal surgery My dad afterwards, hearing I was back on a horse, started off on a rant

Me "how many times have I fallen off this horse?"
Dad "er.. none?"
Me "and how many times have I got out of bed or fallen down stairs and broken my ankles and feet?"
Dad "3 times.. oh..."

I'll stick to the riding then

You can actually fracture your spine but it not have damaged the spinal cord (yet), so if you hadn't called and ambulance and self treated or got yourself to a&e, you could have done some much more serious and permanent damage.

No one could know how bad it was without x rays. It's the job of the doctors to assess how bad the injuries were, luckily in this case they weren't but you had to be seen to know, and it really wasn't wise for you to have anything other than an ambulance with a fall like that. You don't mess with necks and spines.

Also the concussion can make you feel extra anxious. Watch out for post concussion syndrome too - I had it after a car wreck and its not fun.

Get well soon

Firstly owch! That’s a height to fall from! Secondly you aren’t a doctor and falling on your head from a height of at least 5.5ft possibly more if he was bronching is enough to cause a serious injury. It’s always best to check heads. I’m glad you’re ok and you’ve no reason to feel bad.

@unwicked get real. The OP had a shock and a head injury which may be affecting her response. I'm not sure that therapy would help you learn some empathy, you sound too far gone

Y are so NBU

@nocoolnamesleft

Given the mechanism of injury, definitely sounds like you needed to be checked out. Though, um, if the horses keep trying to kill you, are you sure this is the best leisure activity?

It’s par for course with horses, there was a time my daughter spent more time on the floor than on the pony 😂

Please also remember to replace your hat!

So expensive but sooooo essential.

So glad you’re okay 💖🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎💖

Thank you I think I just needed a bit of perspective! I was so, so worried about this and kept wishing there was a way to apologise to the paramedics or hospital staff for taking up their time as the hospital was so busy (it was actually on the news for being so overfilled and busy) and they were working so hard, I just felt so guilty.

My friends were fantastic and I was so lucky they were there! I definitely think they did the right thing by calling for an ambulance as it was a bad fall and I couldn’t move without it hurting. They were seriously great

When I landed, I wasn’t knocked out unconscious at any time, I was crying and talking throughout it all, but I don’t actually remember it at all! I remember being on the horse and then hitting the ground. I remember hearing them saying they were calling 999 and I was crying because my shoulder and neck hurt so much.

I was so over the moon that nothing was broken and I could get back home and get riding again soon, but I just got really worried that I looked like a drama queen because there was no broken bones and no major swelling. I’ve never had a whiplash/soft tissue injury which hurt as much as this did! I made myself get up and walking the next day, as sore as it was, as I was told not to let it stiffen up but I had to take painkillers for weeks afterwards and it aas really sore. I’ve tore ligaments before and this felt sorer although it was probably the adrenaline and shock making it feel worse!

I’m definitely an over thinker

@unwicked

Message deleted by MNHQ

Wow I hope I haven’t caused anyone any offence

this has been on my mind for a while since it happened and I thought I’d post here to get a completely unbiased opinion.
If anyone else is reading this then obviously go to the doctors, there’s 20 replies so far saying to do that. I was just worried and couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about it.

Sorry if ive caused offense or said something wrong

@nocoolnamesleft

Given the mechanism of injury, definitely sounds like you needed to be checked out. Though, um, if the horses keep trying to kill you, are you sure this is the best leisure activity?

That’s exactly what my parents say! I think horseriders sometimes lose perspective on how dangerous a sport it really is!

That last smiley face was for @MaybeHeIsMyCat post- I’ve had similar conversations with my parents!

Sorry it probably wasn’t clear (I was hazy with details to stay anonymous), this accident was in 2021 but didnt happen recently, and I’m feeling all better now no pain or problems anymore thankfully! Back riding now too

The reason I posted now is it’s just been playing on my mind a lot and everytime I see on the news that hospitals are busy and full capacity, I felt guiltier and guiltier about going. Ridiculous because if it was someone else I would say it’s definitely better to get checked but when it’s yourself you always feel bad!

Ah well I’ll put it behind me now. Thanks everyone for the perspective, I certainly wasn’t attention seeking just needed to clear my mind of it and needed an honest opinion!