Concussions and Characters

OK folks I have been saying I would do this for some time, So I guess I better. This post is on concussions and your character. This is one of the top mistakes authors make. They will hit their character upside the head ship them off to the hospital then within days the character is back to normal.... honest no. Never in a million years will that be true.

Out of all the organs in the body the brain takes the longest to heal. For a brain to heal to the point where it would be considered 'healed' takes twelve weeks. Yeah, if you ask me that interpenetrates into 'FOREVER.'

If the character is dazed: their head will probably hurt for about six weeks, if you have a bouncy character they will not run or jump during that time. (Tigger will loose his bounce.) My sister once hit herself in the head with her staff and the rest of the family was very thankful because she did not run through the house at top speed for weeks afterwards and we actually had time to deal with some piles that she typically knocked over during her 'imagination spurt'

If you decide to knock them out you will have to have them pay the consequences. After you hit your head depending on where the Bobo  took place they will experience some complications.

Lets take my fall for example I was knocked out for under a minuet and I couldn't remember anything that happened in the last forty eight hours. I spent five hours in the hospital, and had to check in with my doctor within the next forty-eight hours. Hats hurt, Hair bows hurt, pats on the head hurt, and so on. I was not aloud out of Mom's sight for one week. I was confused and asked the same question over and over not quite understanding the answer. I was unable to move my leg. And my musical abilities were greatly subdued. It took about four weeks before I got back to my normal schedule and even though it has been six weeks I still get dizzy easily and am not handling the heat of summer.

Facts to be noted:

• 90% of the work done in the recovery posses is done by the patient due to the fact that he or she notices the change the most and has to live with it. 
• The most important thing during the recovery processes is therapy. First day or so leave them bee let them do what they want how they want then start making them think. Teach them new things. If the right hemisphere was impaired have them draw, do music, write, be creative. If it was the left make them write, talk, use logic, and other left brain activities. I made my left hand do most of the work I did around the house to make my right brain work. 
• Confusion is common. They are quite disoriented and the longer period of time they are out the worse the confusion is. 
• The proper response to "What happened, where am I" is "what is the last thing you remember." after they tell you you inform them that they have hit their head and tell them to not move if it is a stubborn character... (or person like I am) they will try to move. 
• DON'T MOVE THEM. unless you have a paramedic, or doctor you should get them on their side if there is only one character present to make the call and they have to go to another room otherwise leave them in the Poisson the fell,and leave them there. IF your character knows CPR you can do a bit more but whatever you do, DON't MOVE THEM WITHOUT MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. 

These are facts I have found while researching the matter over the last three years. Yes folks concussions have been a obsession of mine for the last three years. I enjoy working with people with mental problems for it is interesting how, when, and what will trigger things. A sound, A single word, heat, you should not push a recovery, it just happens. It will take a full Year before the brain is as healed as it is going to be.