Not for those with weak stomachs....

[Simon Atford]

Siege warfare lesson 1: Don't try to knock down castle walls with your head.

[sally]

ouch!

[Simon Atford]

And another

[Simon Atford]

No fighting for me for the rest of the event so I manned the armour stall.

[Fox]

Oh dear.

Which I bet is what you said when it happened. And possibly "flip".

Still, not going to knock any sense out.

Have a speedy recovery.

[Simon Atford]

I actually didn't realise how bad it was till the following morning. And then only when someone pointed out that my skull was visible

[Fox]

Surely you bled like a pig...?

[lucy the tudor]

Scary biscuits!
But a seriously impressive scar
Hope it doesn't hurt as much as it looks like it should.

[Darren Macdonald]

Legend...

[ForTheMarshal]

Come on then - how did you do it?

[Simon Atford]

Surely you bled like a pig...?

Very much so...

Scary biscuits!
But a seriously impressive scar
Hope it doesn't hurt as much as it looks like it should.

No pain at all to speak of...

Come on then - how did you do it?

I banged my head against a wall at Caerphilly on Saturday night after a nights carousing in the Great Hall and then staggered off to bed. In the morning my clothes were soaked in blood and someone pointed out that my skull was exposed. I then spent a couple of hours in A&E getting patched up before being put on light duties for the rest of the event.

[steven pole]

Gadzooks! And all I do at events is occasionally stab my finger with a sewing awl.

[ForTheMarshal]

Well, at least you chose a good site to bleed on...

[Simon Atford]

I shall be showing off my scar at Caldicot next month if anyone wants a look

[Fox]

Excellent. I'll buy you drink, if you promise not fall over and bash your head...

[lucy the tudor]

I shall be showing off my scar at Caldicot next month if anyone wants a look

Count me in.

[Polaris-light]

Perhaps not drinking to a virtual stupor should be your higher consideration, obviously so drunk you were unable to tend to a wound or even register the fact that it was quite a mess.
The staggering, more probably the drink, but after such a clash with a hard and uneven wall you in all probability were actually suffering from concussion as well.
Nobody noticed this mess, why because everyone was as drunk as each other or you were alone when this happened, for goodness sake do you realise just how lucky you are, some people have died with less of an outward show of a wound.
It is a massive head injury, this should be a wake up call, and perhaps you were lucky this time, albeit the scar is a talking point I suppose, it may have been better to have a fake one from a good retailer for authenticity rather than a one for life.
You said “I shall be showing off my scar at Caldicot next month if anyone wants a look”
Yes… hopefully passing a message to all and sundry, that this is a result of been so absolutely drunk and in such a stupor that I did not notice this until I woke up the next day covered in blood, and could have quite easily cost me my life. It could have been avoided if I’d abstained or drunk in moderation.
You can still enjoy your self and have a good time without being over indulgent.

[Simon Atford]

Excellent. I'll buy you drink, if you promise not fall over and bash your head...

The rest of the CoC are threatening to get me a special "drinking helm"

[lucy the tudor]

Really Polaris light?

[Simon Atford]

Eh?

[brander]

A bit of an OTT response, I fear. And a bit out of keeping with the normal tone of banter in here, serious though the injury may have been...

[Fox]

Perhaps not drinking to a virtual stupor should be your higher consideration, obviously so drunk you were unable to tend to a wound or even register the fact that it was quite a mess..... etc. etc.

A staggering set of assumptions for a first post.

Perhaps he was very drunk.
But a simple fall, drunk or not, could cause all the trouble as described, especially if a concusion insued.
You have nothing but Simon's vague description of "carousing" on which to base your monologue.

Unless you were there....?

An odd introduction to the forum; but welcome nonetheless.

[Victim]

I banged my head against a wall at Caerphilly on Saturday night after a nights carousing in the Great Hall and then staggered off to bed. In the morning my clothes were soaked in blood and someone pointed out that my skull was exposed. I then spent a couple of hours in A&E getting patched up before being put on light duties for the rest of the event.

Goodness ! I happened to be carousing in the very same Great Hall on Friday night, but no one managed anything quiet so spectacular. Had I known, I would have tried harder

Make a swift recovery, Old Chap, and next time, do try to be a little more caerphil

[Simon Atford]

I banged my head against a wall at Caerphilly on Saturday night after a nights carousing in the Great Hall and then staggered off to bed. In the morning my clothes were soaked in blood and someone pointed out that my skull was exposed. I then spent a couple of hours in A&E getting patched up before being put on light duties for the rest of the event.

Goodness ! I happened to be carousing in the very same Great Hall on Friday night, but no one managed anything quiet so spectacular. Had I known, I would have tried harder

Make a swift recovery, Old Chap, and next time, do try to be a little more caerphil

I will. I'm guessing you were there for a wedding on Friday night?

[craziequeen]

I would like to point out that it is unlikely his re-enactment company will be permitting Simon to drink at Caldicot...and it may take a while for us to let him out of our sight...
Speaking as the person who accompanied him to A&E and monitored him through the rest of the weekend, I don't want to do that again

[Simon Atford]

Perhaps not drinking to a virtual stupor should be your higher consideration, obviously so drunk you were unable to tend to a wound or even register the fact that it was quite a mess..... etc. etc.

A staggering set of assumptions for a first post.

Perhaps he was very drunk.
But a simple fall, drunk or not, could cause all the trouble as described, especially if a concusion insued.
You have nothing but Simon's vague description of "carousing" on which to base your monologue.

Unless you were there....?

An odd introduction to the forum; but welcome nonetheless.

To be fair to Polaris-light I have already recieved similar advice and been told how lucky I was both by my freinds in the Company and the medical staff at the hospital. I did not however have concusion merely an excess of alcohol on the Saturday night and an acute sense of embarresment in the morning. Needless to say I stayed off the booze on Sunday night and resolved to take it steadier in future.

[Handbag]

quite astounded we all were in the morning to seeing you sitting there somewhat nonchalant wondering why we were all making a fuss!! but thats you all over really!! when we investigated the next morning we discovered a trail leading from the wall to your tent, two blood soaked t-shirts and a messy tent! it seems you bashed it and in the dark thinking it was nothing decided to go and sleep, using the T-shirts to put against the wound!!

Im still amazed that you were in no pain and still werent after the anaesthetic had worn off from the stitches!!

I have to say its the worst injury ive seen in 10 yrs with the company, and the first serious before any fighting had commenced!! I dont even think you had drunk that much!!!

[Phoenix Rising]

Speaking as a medic, have to admit that Polaris and others have been right - the result could have been a great deal worse. Wouldn't have been the first time that someone bumped their noggin, thought nothing of it and failed to wake up in the morning! Trouble with alcohol is its natural ability to act as an aneaesthetic, thus not only making sensation dulled but also tending to mask any potential signs / symptoms of the more serious stuff happening under the skull surface...result can be rather sad and a little disquieting for the patient, if no-one intervenes...

Very glad that this wasn't the case with you, but as close shaves go its up there!

Mind you, does go to show that the old barber surgeons knew a thing ot two when they made sure their 'patient' was drunk before they began their ministrations!

P.R

[Polaris-light]

Sorry… but I did not make any assumptions at all, it was based upon the evidence presented…and I was right. Thank you Simon for clarifying the details and like phoenix rising, I am also medically trained as a trauma surgeon with field experience, so I am well aware how quickly someone can die from head injuries.

[Simon Atford]

All banter aside I am aware of how lucky I am that it wasn't much, much worse. I was told as much by the trauma doctor in A&E. The fact that all I got was an impressive skar has allowed me to learn a valuable life lesson.

I have to say its the worst injury ive seen in 10 yrs with the company, and the first serious before any fighting had commenced!! I dont even think you had drunk that much!!!

No more than usual Hannah. Whilst alcohol was a factor in this I have always been rather accident prone although I also seem to be rather resistant to physical injury. How I never broke any bones as a kid I'll never know.