Natasha's lesson saves Ohio girl

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CNN

Connie and Donald McCracken were watching CNN one evening last week when they learned of the tragic death of actress Natasha Richardson from a head injury. Immediately, their minds turned to their 7-year-old daughter, Morgan, who was upstairs getting ready for bed.

Two days earlier, Morgan, her father, and brother had been playing baseball in the yard of their Mentor, Ohio, home when her father hit a line drive that landed just above Morgan's left temple. A lump formed, but the McCrackens iced it down and the swelling subsided within an hour.

"For the next two days, she was perfectly fine," Donald McCracken says. "She had no symptoms. She went to school both days and got an A on her spelling test as usual. There were no issues whatsoever."

But after hearing about Richardson's death, the McCrackens wondered if Morgan was really as OK as she seemed. After all, Richardson had been talking and lucid immediately after her fatal injury.

When they went upstairs to kiss Morgan good night, she complained of a headache. "Because of Natasha, we called the pediatrician immediately. And by the time I got off the phone with him, Morgan was sobbing, her head hurt so much," McCracken says.


Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/26/head.injury.emergency/index.html

---

Turns out Morgan had same injury as Richardson but her life was saved.

[elleng]

1. Amen

.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. GOOD, there is always somebody who learns the lesson

That is all we can ask for

[Stuckinthebush]

3. I was really down on cable for the incessant discussions about Richardson

But I'm glad to say I was wrong about that.

This little girl was saved because of it. That makes me smile.

[pnwmom]

4. That and the 6 minute helicopter ride from the first hospital

to the trauma center. Too bad once Natasha had her headache, there was no helicopter available for her. (The resort manager called for an ambulance at 3 pm but Natasha didn't arrive at the trauma center until 7. That four hours might have made the difference.)

"The McCrackens took Morgan to the emergency room at LakeWest Hospital in neighboring Willoughby, where doctors ordered a CT scan and immediately put Morgan on a helicopter to Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, with her father by her side.

"'I knew it was bad when she had to get there by helicopter in six minutes, instead of the 30 minutes it would have taken to get to Cleveland in an ambulance,' McCracken said."

[vanboggie]

5. K&R so it makes the greatest

DU'ers need to read this. My mother had a similar head injury, and it was life-changing for her. It was touch and go for weeks and she lost most of her memory. She was lucid and talking in the emergency room, but when the bleeding and swelling hit, life as she new it ended. We were given the gift of a few more years with her, but she had many hurdles to overcome and lost her independence.

I'm glad the McCracken's learned from Natasha's tragic death and their daughter is OK now.

[pnwmom]

8. Good idea. Recommended.

I already posted this but few people saw it. I hope this OP gets noticed.

[LisaL]

14. That child went on for several days without symptoms.

Only went to the doctors several days after her head trauma. With Richardson, it was within hours, and she still died.

[dflprincess]

15. During all the discussions on TV about head injuries

I heard one doctor say that with a slow bleed it can take as long as 5 days before symptoms appear.

Though, I don't know why they didn't take the child in when the lump appeared. I would have thought she should at least be checked for a concussion.

[pnwmom]

18. The point is that medical help wasn't called in either case until a headache developed.

The headache signified for both that pressure was developing in the brain, which means the onset of a medical crisis.

But, in the girl's case, she was admitted to a trauma unit in less than an hour after her headache began. Natasha had to wait for four hours.

[LisaL]

19. That's just how it goes.

If you think anywhere you live in US you are going to be delivered to a hospital within minutes, you are sadly mistaken.

[pnwmom]

20. Why do you think this has anything to do with Canada vs. the U.S.? I don't.

This is a flaw in Quebec's health care system, which is why the head of Montreal's trauma system has been lobbying for helicopters. Other provinces in Canada DO have helicopters taking patients in for trauma care. And in the U.S., I'm sure some states handle this better than others.

I think one goal for both the U.S. and Canada should be to equip their trauma hospitals with helicopters and landing pads, to improve access for trauma patients no matter which state or province they live in.

[Patiod]

27. One of the blessings of living near major medical centers

I used to sit in my office and watch the emergency medical helicoptors landing at Hahnemann -- Jefferson, HUP and Children's also have helicoptor services. Very reasuring to be so close to such good care.

My SO Ralph was in center city when he saw a young woman collapse on the sidewalk, and a cop called an ambulance while Ralph gave her CPR; the woman was at a major universty center (Jefferson) 8 minutes later. They told Ralph that she wouldn't have survived had she collapsed anywhere else (congenital heart defect).

[AnneD]

6. As an elementary School Nurse....

I deal with head injuries frequently. When a child has a head injury no matter how small-I always phone and speak directly to someone in the family. I give them the signs and symptoms and tell the parents to monitor them FOR AT LEAST THREE DAYS. It can take that long for the symptoms to show up. I had a girl that went in to the hospital 5 hours after the fall. Mom thanked me for telling her what to look out for (projectile vomiting in that case). She was in the hospital 2 days for observation.

I wish more children (and adults) wore helmets during sports. I am glad this had a happy ending. I have noticed that more parents have been thanking me for calling rather than viewing my calls as a nuisance this week. I am looking like a damn prophet.

edited to add....I just read the article. I tell the parents if their child acts like a drunk (staggering slurring speech, vomiting) or if they complain of a headache. Children will not be acting drunk-that's a tip off. I also tell them to do a check in the middle of the night and see if they can rouse easily. If they can't wake them-they might be slipping into a coma.

[pnwmom]

7. The hardest symptom to watch for is sleepiness, since everyone needs to

sleep eventually. So I've followed the doctor's instructions and waked a child every two hours, just to make sure that I could. But it's scary.

[AnneD]

9. I just edited my answer...

to mention a sleep check at least once-most of my injuried are minor.

[woodsprite]

10. Here's one mom that would give you a big ole' hug if she could!

Wait -- I can! :hug:

My son had a head injury last year. Was running down the hall in his stocking feet and hit his head on the metal corner bead *hard* - Right in the center of his forehead. He seemed fine with ice. I called the dr and they had me monitor him thru the night. Seemed fine in the morning, so I sent him to school. I didn't tell his teacher's about the bump, but that afternoon I got a call from his teacher saying she didn't know what happened but he wasn't himself and was acting crazy (repeating words, physically could not sit still, complaining he couldn't think). We got him to the doctors right away. They didn't do a scan (which I wish they would have now), but they monitored him and said that it looked like a mild concussion. When we brought him home, they warned me he could have symptoms for up to 3 months from that hard bump and to not let him bump his head again since sometimes damage can be cumulative.

If it had happened now, I would have insisted on a scan - and will if I ever need to worry about that again.

Edited to add that they have flagged his file in the nurses office to say that he has had a previous head injury with symptoms. The nurse calls right away now if something happens at school.

[AnneD]

11. They are finally getting around to doing research...

on concussions in kids. They can have a more profound and prolonged affect on kids. Makes sense to me. That is why I recommend that the kids avoid sports for a while after they have a concussion. I told a kid's mom no gymnastics this week just a few minutes ago. Kids don't like it when I tell moms that, but they can hate me for the rest of their long lives as far as I am concerned:evilgrin:

[pnwmom]

12. You're right. Being a nurse, or a mom, isn't a popularity contest.

And, in the case of a concussion, better safe than sorry.

[dflprincess]

16. Several years ago the 5 year old of woman I knew from politics fell and banged her head

shortly after the fall she vomited and said she felt dizzy so her mom rushed her down to Children's Hospital.

The doctor checked the little girl out and asked her a few simple questions. He turned to the mom and said "If she were an adult, this where I'd see if she knew who the president is." The little girl, the child of a political activist, heard the doctor and yelled "Bill Clinton!"

The child was fine (and is now all grown up)

I swear this is true - it's become a legend among those of us who were around when it happened.

[pnwmom]

17. LOL. That is a classic, thanks! n/t

[tpsbmam]

37. I had a very different but hysterical thing happen.....

I was rounding with a senior physician & residents. The resident assigned the case embarked on the mental status exam, asking the patient who the president was.

The patient didn't know.

So, as per the norm, the resident began to give hints.....the hints were that the man had been Governor of California & used to be an actor.


Well, this very senior physician and I were standing next to each other and we both were practically sliding down the wall we were trying to hold in our laughter so much.


Reagan was no longer in office.....the president was George H.W. Bush and had been for months!

OMG, that poor resident never lived it down.

[uppityperson]

13. k&r. I am glad that people paid attention.

[Ms. Toad]

21. Natasha's second lesson will save lives too (organ donation)

After making the heart-wrenching decision to shut off her life support system last week, Richardson's loved ones insisted that doctors use her organs to help others.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25247653-2902,00.html

This second lesson will save lives directly by the use of her organs to save or improve the lives of up to 50 people - and indirectly by inspiring others to become organ donors.

This second lesson is suddenly very personal, as my teenage daughter was recently diagnosed with a chronic progressive liver disorder.

[pnwmom]

22. Absolutely. n/t

[AnneD]

23. I have been an organ donor candidate.....

since they first came out with it. When I worked in the hospital, I use to see families wrestle with this because no one knew the family members wishes. In my case-family and friends know my wishes and I have never been shy to talk about it. If you are a potential donor-let folks know. Here in Texas-it is on our driver's license.

[Ms. Toad]

30. You can be a bone marrow donor while you are alive

I donated something years ago through a double needle procedure (one of the ways the get donations when you're on the bone marrow list). I thought I was on the list from back then, but I checked recently and I'm not.

It's a simple form, a few cheek swabs, (and a donation to cover the cost of testing) and then you go on the national registry which is searched by people needing transplants. http://www.marrow.org/

[JeanGrey]

25. THANK YOU! I was so praying that she they would donate

her organs. If everyone did this NO ONE would die from lack of an available organ for transplant. Thank you Natasha and your family as well.

[Ms. Toad]

31. The article was posted in a forum I recently joined

when it started looking like our family would personally be touched by the need for a transplant.

My maternal grandparents both donated their bodies - they mostly weren't eligible for organ donation because of age/illness, but what couldn't be used by people was used for research and the cremated remains returned to us when there was nothing useful for anyone else. Their ashes are co-mingled around the tree that was my grandfather's favorite kind.

My mother had each of us kids sign documents so she could make the same gift when the time comes.

I've been listed with the Ohio donor registry as long as they have run it through the BMV, and my spouse and teenage daughter (who will likely be a recipient) are listed there as well - and I recently signed up with the bone marrow registry.

It's something I've always been in favor of - but now it's personal! Having well known people donate their loved ones' organs should certainly help beyond what us "mere mortals" can do.

[JeanGrey]

32. Isn't it though? Thanks to someone's unselfishness I got a

liver five years ago. If everyone did this people wouldn't die everyday from need of organs.

[Ms. Toad]

33. How are you doing?

Watching my daughter struggle with the symptoms of her liver disorder, I can imagine you feel like a whole new person!

[JeanGrey]

36. Well I did until I got cancer - common I'm afraid due to immune

suppression drugs. It started in the lung and has now spread to the bone but I am still here. Liver disease IS awful - I pray your daughter can be transplanted!

[Ms. Toad]

38. Ouch.

I actually knew that - but I was temporarily suppressing that memory. So she has increased risk of at least three cancers because of her underlying illnesses - and if she fixes one disease with a transplant (and another by just chopping out the offending organ), she has an increased risk of cancer because of the drugs she will have to take to keep from rejecting the transplant. Life sure sucks, sometimes.

I'm actually hoping she can hold out until she will be able to grow her own liver, which would eliminate the immune suppression drugs. Based on average time to transplant and predictions as to when that technology will be available it will be close.

Sorry to hear what you're going through. :hug:

[JeanGrey]

39. Thanks and good luck to her! She will probably be FINE

[Mad_Dem_X]

24. Good to know that the child's life was saved.

And good that the parents were able to get her care right away.

[The Backlash Cometh]

26. Thank you, Natasha.

[tblue37]

28. I hope Natasha's family have been made aware of this story. It might help

ease the pain a little bit.

[Swede]

29. Here is a similar story of Brittanie Cecil who died after a blow to the head.

Brittanie had been watching the Columbus Blue Jackets play the Calgary Flames on March 16, 2002, when a shot by the Blue Jackets' Espen Knutsen was deflected by the Flames' Derek Morris and went over the glass behind the net, striking her in the left temple. Play carried on as the players were unaware of having caused any serious injury.<1> In fact, although Brittanie had suffered a skull fracture, she walked to a first-aid station before being taken to Columbus Children's Hospital in an ambulance with her only visible injury being a gash on her forehead. Once at the hospital, however, she suffered a seizure<1> and as a CT-scan failed to catch a damaged artery in her brain, resulting in severe clotting and swelling of the brain, she subsequently died two days later on March 18, 2002. The tickets to see the game were bought by Brittanie's dad as a present for her fourteenth birthday.<1>



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittanie_Cecil

[depakid]

34. CNN pimping itself!

How fucking pathetic.

[marshall]

35. Natasha's law?

Could it be in the future? Of course it would have to extend to Canada as well as the US.

[Jennicut]

40. My daughter's name is Morgan as well. The only good to come from Natasha's death is people will be

more careful about head injuries. Glad to see the little girl is okay.