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Everything posted by Beck Water
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Agree that Higgins play was clean. He lowered his shoulder and went right for Hamlin's chest. I thought it was odd when Mixon was quoted saying something about the Bills were "going to have to play them clean". Often when someone is public raising concern about an issue, it's because ..... it's something they do themselves.
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This is where the leadership of the coaches matter. In a lot of ways, it will be mentally healthy and mentally helpful for the team to keep their normal routine, with some obvious additions like a prayer session for Damar and the chance to speak to counselors and mental health professionals. I would hope that the Bills have a little bit more information than is available to the general public at this point. If the speculation about commotio cordis is true, it would be helpful to have physicians speak to the team and explain - it really is a very fluky rare thing. If there is a piece of protective equipment that can be added to the pads, that would help too. But it would probably help everyone to have as normal of a week as they can.
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Yeah, they don't. He was the youngest of 8 brothers, and I believe at this point 6 of them have died of heart disease, all at relatively young ages. There's the unfortunate intersection between a likely genetic condition and a familial lack of regular, good quality preventive medical care. For all the gaps and snafus we hear about, Modern Medicine Works, fellas. If you're in your 30s and haven't had a checkup, find a doctor and go. I'm pretty much there too. Just Live, Fellas.
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I'm trying to shut up here because on the modern emergency medicine Dunning-Kruger curve I'm standing at the bottom of the "slope of enlightenment" looking up and we all gotta know our limitations. But I can point out here, emergency medicine stresses the importance of lay people getting trained in CPR and about staff at large venues and businesses getting trained in the use of modern, easy to use AED devices BECAUSE they make such a huge difference to outcomes. When I worked, I did annual training on both BECAUSE I know the data are out there: they make a difference. When I'm in a large venue, I reflexively note the location of the AEDs and how they're stowed. There are not a lot of data about the outcomes of what happened - a young, peak physical condition man having what is called a "witnessed arrest" where not only paramedics, but trained emergency physicians, responded within seconds. But it's the best possible emergency medicine response, probably better than actually walking into the ER of a major medical center and collapsing (because they tend to be chaotic and the physicians/nurses there are often already working full-bore). On the field, he had a team of doctors and paramedics with nothing to do but care for him, and probably 95% of the initial equipment that would be used in an ER at hand. I can tell you from my own experience that a neighbor, as a young mother in her mid-30s, had her husband performing CPR on her alone for 11 minutes, before paramedics arrived with an AED and were able to restore a pulse (which took a further 8 minutes, and multiple shocks). She was a math professor prior to her cardiac arrest. She is still a math professor. She played competitive ultimate frisbee prior to her cardiac arrest; she still plays competitive ultimate frisbee. The speed and quality of emergency response make a huge difference. I don't think framing it as "dead for 9 minutes" is terribly productive (or accurate). If y'all want to do something productive with your ass today, call the local red cross and enroll in a CPR class; ask about getting one taught in your workplace; ask if there's a workplace "emergency squad" and join it to get trained in CPR and AED use. CPR has been made way simpler since I certified as an instructor 4+ decades ago. Both are straightforward to learn, will only take a couple hours of your time, and could literally save the life of a colleague or family member (or even a random stranger) some day.
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Of course the TV shows are wildly unrealistic, but It really depends on a lot of factors. Often when the heart stops, it’s because the person is not in good health to begin with - elderly, has coronary artery disease etc. For a young to middle aged, otherwise healthy person who has what the medical profession calls a “witnessed arrest” (meaning someone saw them collapse and they got immediate CPR and medical attention) the outcomes tend to be more positive. As I sit here, we have two neighbors who suffered cardiac arrest. Both were relatively young and otherwise healthy. Both were “witnessed arrests”. In one case, the husband called 911 and then performed CPR for 11 minutes until paramedics arrived. They were able to defibrillate and restore a pulse. She lived, although with a pacemaker, and was last seen shopping for her first formal gown, getting on a plane to Africa, and worrying about her son. In the other case, the wife called our other neighbor (an RN) then 911, and the neighbor threw on a robe and ran over barefoot to start CPR (within 2 minutes) until paramedics arrived. But paramedics could not restore a normal heart rhythm for more than a few seconds. He died. Autopsy showed severely blocked coronary arteries. In this case, the cause is almost certainly a traumatic injury. At least 3 possible causes have been floated about the thread, varying in outcomes. I don’e speculated too much already. We just need to wait and see when the tests are done and the cause is announced. In the meantime, for everyone concerned, I give you this: It was reported they were able to restore normal cardiac electrical activity ie, Hamlin had a pulse when he was loaded in the ambulance. The difference in outcome between being able to restore a pulse or not is huge. Pulse is good. Pulse is very good. Pulse is very very good. Keep that in mind folks.
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If he can’t breathe on his own, he needs to be intubated and on a respirator, which means his condition needs a critical status. I have been there at a loved one’s side, respiratory arrest, tube down her throat, on a ventilator. The next afternoon she was extubated and breathing on her own. Pray for a like outcome for Damar Hamlin
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I put this elsewhere. The brain stem is what controls heartbeat and respiration. Injury to the brain stem can cause cardiac and respiratory arrest. Injury to the cerebellum, just above it, can cause loss of balance/inability to stand/walk. I have a friend, a hard going amateur cyclist, who had a cerebellur stroke. He’s fine now, but it was scary.
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The heart and breathing are both controlled by the same area in the neck, the brain stem. The cerebellum, just above it, controls balance. So given that his neck snapped back on the tackle, that he initially stood up, and then collapsed, it sounds pretty likely he sustained an injury to that area and they were able to get the heart restarted but not his respiration. In other words, both related to trauma to that area, but that’s where I go “full stop” with any speculation. I’m with the other people who say I would have no problem at all with the Bills taking the “L” and just focusing on praying for their brother.
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My soccer pal friend just texted me this: “I’m going to try to take a hopeful take. Denmark national soccer player Christian Eriksen collapsed and coded on a soccer field a year or so ago. Was successfully brought back with CPR and an AED. Playing professional soccer again. Hoping for the same outcome. “