0
2

[–] Qikdraw 0 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago 

I was 12 years old, on the operating table to straighten my spine that had a 115 degree curve. During the first operation I apparently had "breathing problems". But my parents said the doctor was white as a sheet when he came out. I'm guessing I did stop breathing entirely. The second operation that was scheduled for later on that week was delayed another week as they were worried I would not survive the second one. But I was healing very quickly from the first one and ended up doing a lot better than they thought.

Almost drowned a couple of times. At least once from my brother, who dragged me into the deep end and let me go when I was 8. To this day (i'm 44) I still cannot get water in my face. I cannot face the water in a shower. A facecloth over my face. Even my wife's hair brushing over my face when she is on top of me. All has my body immediately in panic mode and since I shower every day, I have to fight back the panic every fucking day. Which really sucks. Thanks brother. Asshole.

0
1

[–] Reow [S] 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

The real trauma of these events is the panic/anxiety you talk about. After I almost drowned in the ocean, I barely swam in it again for years. I was fine with pools etc. (controlled bodies of water; it didn't matter how deep), but couldn't stand oceans/rivers/lakes where I couldn't see the bottom. In the end I beat it by taking up scuba diving - once I was comfortable having explored the area underwater, the fear went away. Obviously not the same fear in your case, but there may be ways to take back control.

0
1

[–] Qikdraw 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

I have always wanted to try scuba diving, specially now they have full face masks (so my nose isn't covered). I used to love swimming, even though I stayed in the shallow end as I could not swim well, currently I have to nerve myself to get into a pool, or the ocean. Thank you for your response!

0
1

[–] thuvia_1 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

two years ago i cracked a molar. three days later i was in the hospital with a gigantic abscess that made the entire right side of my face swell up monstrously and a 102* fever. i got intravenous antibiotics and copious amounts of morphine. the dental surgeon who treated me told me that 150 years ago i would have been dead. i wanted to be dead, that was the absolute worst pain i have ever been in.

0
1

[–] MaliciousCarrot 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago  (edited ago)

I nearly choked to death when I somehow got a light cord tied around my neck. It was pretty funny, thinking about it now.

0
1

[–] 100011 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

I was 17 at the time driving a 1984 Honda civic with no airbags and got hit head on. On a slick road by a Pickup Truck it broke my collar bone mess up my shoulder and my knees and i got 20 stitches in my face by my left eye . You know what they say what doesn't kill you makes you weaker .

0
1

[–] reed 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago  (edited ago)

One of many artillery attacks I went through during my first deployment.

One night, me and a buddy were tossing a bunch of shit over the side and out the back of our platoon's deuce and a half, into the burn pit at FOB Sykes, which was positioned right on the perimeter of the base. In the middle of this, we both heard a pop pop pop from off in the distance, outside the wire. We both stopped what we were doing immediately and stared at each other for a second with an oh shit look on our faces. Then the rounds landed BOOM BOOM BOOM in the opposite direction from where we heard the pops just aa few seconds prior. The rounds were literally flying directly over our heads before landing inside the base. We tossed the rest of the shit over, jumped in the cab, and hauled fucking ass out of there. Wasn't easy to do though because the area around the burn pit was all ash mixed with that moon dust Iraqi sand bullshit, and a deuce and a half is a big fucking truck that also had the water buffalo hitched on the back. VROOM VROOM VROOM, BOOM BOOM BOOM.

I mean, we got hit with that shit nearly every day, for literally months on end, but that was one of the times where I was like holy shit I might fucking die out here. Mainly I think because we were caught pretty much out in the open, by ourselves.

There were also the myriad of convoys and shit, especially the one were the serials in front of and behind ours both got hit with IEDs, but whatever.

0
1

[–] piratse 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago  (edited ago)

I was about 17 and got a major infection. I didn't know it at the time, obviously. I was at my best friends house in the summer (Texas) just chilling and playing video game but I was extremely cold. I thought his mom had the A/C on full blast. So I throw a blanket on and I'm SHAKING. I felt like I was in the snow with just shorts on. I suddenly got tired and laid in his bed while shivering my ass off and sweating. It was about 20 minutes and I decided I was getting worse (it happened so fast), I decided to drive to the local clinic. We lived in a town with about 2k people and we had a clinic and a small hospital. Two of my friends parents were the doctors for these places so I went to the clinic looking for Dr. Q. I went to the receptionist, still sweating and fucking freezing like I was sitting in an ice bath. I asked for a water fountain and went for a drink. I remember leaning over to drink then BAM I black out. The next thing I remember I was in an ambulance heading to the hospital. When I got there they put me in a little waiting room (with one of those tables with the shitty butcher paper on it) and I blacked out THREE more times. Again this was a small hospital with ONE doctor on duty, so I don't blame them, they had a lot going on. The BEST part IMO is this. I kept passing out on this table and waking up confused and sweating. The second time I wake up and I hear this sweet little black lady in the room next to me (they were curtain "rooms" not walled off) literally say "ohhhh I think I shit myself." I was very weak at this point and I let out a "HA" and passed out one more time. I woke up with my friends dad in my face and I was sitting in a wheel chair. They took me to get some xrays and run test. I could barely feel my legs at this point, they didn't feel numb it just felt like they weren't there. They helped me stand for an xray and I vomited stomach acid all over the floor. I was in the hospital for a few weeks trying to recover. I couldn't use my legs for about 2 weeks, I had to be showered by my other friends mom (she was a nurse). And no, it wasn't sexy because I was fucking miserable. I had to piss and shit laying in bed, and it burned like 1000 knives that were on fire, crafted by Satan himself, when I urinated. It was so bad I almost passed out from the pain. I would try to avoid pissing as much as possible. I made a full recovery, but holy shit it was scary. This is an "I almost died" story because the infection was so bad if I had not gone to the Hospital that day I likely would have died (according to my doctor).

0
1

[–] Flaaffy 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

I was given a root canal, and it turns out it was a really shitty job. Within a week, I had an abcessed tooth and was taken to the ER to have it popped and drained.

It also turns out, that the drainage job wasn't done properly, and this anaerobic bacteria decided to start migrating up my nasal cavities.

I thought this brown spot on my face was a bruise, but within the next few days, this 'bruise' continued to migrate up my face until it was just above my nose, but below my eyes.

While talking to my Anatomy instructor, he said, "Oh, that's no bruise. That's a bacterial infection under your skin."

I pointed to it and asked him if it could possibly go to my brain, and he responded, "I sure hope not!"

After class, we had our lab downstairs. It involved tons of dissected sheep hearts on the tables because we were learning to identify the inside parts of the heart. None of that really bothered me, but my whole face turned pale, I began to sweat profusely, and I became so weak I couldn't walk.

Luckily, I had many friends in that class who walked me out to the front of the college and had me get into my boyfriends car (he was in my lab, too). I was driven to the ER.

Once in Triage, I explained to the nurses that I had an anaerobic bacterial infection traveling up my nasal cavities, and if it reaches my eyes and goes into my brain, it will kill me instantly.

It was a busy day in the ER, and they had no rooms available, but they stuck me in a room with a chair and immediately hooked me up to an IV with their strongest antibiotics until a room became available.

The pain was so intense that I was cringing and sweating in pain. I thought I was going to die, and I was readily accepting and awaiting my death.

Then, they got me into a room in the children's hospital (better than nothing!) And they got me placed into a room, and proceeded to give me IV after IV of antibiotics for three days straight. Finally, the 'bruise' was fading, and I was feeling back to normal.

Then, I had all my college books out and proceeded to study immensely for my lab practical I missed. I had tons of nurses and great resources for studying since I was in a hospital too.

I also rejected any kind of pain killer that would make me unable to focus so I could remain coherent and study. A lot of the lead nurses came in and shared their stories in college with me. I would frequently ask the nurses about their schooling experiences too. (I'm in college to become a nurse)

0
1

[–] pmme_your_smallboobs 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

Carbon monoxide poisoning, christmas eve 2007. My cat literally saved my life. Ever since she has had a life of pure luxury, Even by cat standards. This includes annual checkups with the vet, Even if theres no visible signs if any problems.

load more comments ▼ (15 remaining)