The bigger they are, the more stubborn they are..

[BJLynn]

I went out camping this weekend. I was making supper for myself and my companions when the camp director comes up to the site in her car and comes up to me with her infant daughter in her arms.

"I need your nursing expertise and opinion"

I'm looking at the kid thinking, "Looks ok to me".

She told me her husband had been in a four wheeler accident and he didn't want to go to the ER. Okayyyy. Her husband is a big muscular guy, very much a guy's guy. Anyway, I grab my first aid kit and ride up to her house with her. We get in there and you can tell he had cleaned up, but had missed all the blood on his shirt and there was still some dried blood on his hands and head. He takes the icepack off of the left side of his head and I see some rather nasty cuts and some very bad swelling (He could barely open his left eye. First up, pupil check. Left pupil slightly slower than the right. I do a quick head to toe assesment and tell him the following, "I think that you need to be evaluated in the ER as soon as possible."

Him: Why?

Me: Because you just went head first over the front of a fourwheeler, you very possibly may have a concussion, the one cut on your eyelid looks really deep, you can barely open your left eye, and you are complaining of significant pain!

Him: What's the worst case and best case if I don't go?

Me: Best case is that you don't have anything significant wrong and you heel up quickly. Worst case is you have a skull fracture and your wife wakes up in the morning next to a corpse.

Him: What are they going to do?

Me: X-rays, possibly a CT scan, I'm not sure, because I don't know exactly what's wrong here.

Him: I really don't want to go.

Me: If it was your daughter who looked like this, what would you do?

Him: Fine, get my shoes, I'll go.

He went into town to the ER. X-rays of his wrist and knee and CT of the head. LOTS of bruises and soft tissue trauma, but nothing worse than that to his limbs. Two facial fractures that looked pretty uncomplicated according to the radiologist. Now he is just pissed because the swelling of his left eyelid is screwing with his depth perception and his periphial vision.

Men are stubborn.

[RGN1]

Men are stubborn.

I'll second that but at least you got him to go!!

[mommy2boys]

And this is news to you? I found out many years ago that that statement is almost always true. I'm married to a correctional officer former Marine and he is the BIGGEST BABY know to man. He acts all big and tough but when it comes down to it you need a 2x4 to knock some sense into him.

I can't speak for that man, but my guess is that he would have gone to the ER after the shock (and pain) kicked in. Sometimes "manly men" just want a little extra attention so they can show off "how tough they are".

I'm glad everything turned out well for him and you were there to help his wife (because I think you helped her more than anything) as well as him. My bet is that he was "acting tough" but was really scared out of his mind.

Erin

[kittagirl]

No, not stubborn, they're DUMB!

My partner was working 250+ miles away.

Calls me at work, I'm really busy so doing that been polite but get off the phone thing

He witters on for a while, I start to get a bit annoyed, so he goes 'well anyway I rang for some advice'

Me: Ok

Him: I was out at lunch and had some fish that I'd never had before

Me: Yea (lunch what's that?)

Him:And well I'm covered in hives and all red and my mouth and throat feel a bit funny, oh and I feel a bit breathless.

Me: GO to the nearest A/E (ER.) NOW

Him: Really ?

Me: Yes

Him: That what the first aider here at work wants me to do, but I thought I should check with you. (Why did you think I wouldn't let you go?)

Me: Go to the hospital.

Him: Ok well I car shared in so I'll just get Joe's keys. Actually I'm feeling quite breathless now

Me: Is the first aider still there honey? Give them the phone.

I get the first aider on the phone and tell him hang up now and call an ambulance.

First Aider: But he says he's fine

Me: Ok can I have your name so when I go to my lawyer I know who exactly to sue?

DIAL TONE .....................................................................................

He was fine, but the Nurse I spoke in the ER said it was a near run thing.

She wasn't impressed that he'd waited that long.

I did ask if it was possible to diagnosis stupid or did you just assume it whenever a man was rolled in?

I guess from her giggles that she kind of agreed?

And to top it all, because he only had to have some shots and 02 and then had to just lie around, I made a big deal about nothing..............

The fact that the paramedics were so concerned they bluelighted him in means nothing, or that he went straight in to Resus.

MEN

Can't kill them..........................................

(leave them alone long enough they'll do it themselves)

[prmenrs, RN]

:....Me: If it was your daughter who looked like this, what would you do?

Him: Fine, get my shoes, I'll go."

When you put it in those terms, he "got it"! Good job!

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

Should have done it simply

tell him " I will buy you a beer if you go"

[BJLynn]

Should have done it simply

tell him " I will buy you a beer if you go"

True....and I could have saved myself a few minutes.

[Balder_LPN, LPN]

Did his discharge instructions say "Wear a full face helmet when riding ORV?"

[jamato8]

Yes, manny times men can be a bit baby like. I know that in some cases I am, with my own needs. When I was small and in school, I would pass out when they gave shots. When in the Navy I got used to that real fast and got over the needle thing, for a while. As a nurse needles are no big thing unless used on me, but to be honest I have some women friends who are the same way. Getting me to the hospital is a real chore. I am allergic to bee stings. The last time I got hit on the lip by one and within 10 minutes my face and neck where swelling real bad and breathing was being affected. In that even there wasn't much problem in getting me to the ER. :^)