General Medical issues thread

[prozac]

So 4 youths dumped a car on main road and ran down my street trying car doors and stealing items. I was alerted by the commotion, people saying they have them on dash cam etc. Then they came back up the hill and I apprehended the biggest one (6'3"ish) hoping to get enough attention to get more people taking video and maybe delay them so something might happen. Well it did, I got hit on the side of the head with a 6 pack of beer bottles and then immediately coward punched (from behind) by another. I ended up in an ambulance, taken to hospital (yours @andye ) where scans showed nothing untoward going on. Finally dishcarged late tonight they tell me I will have a big headache tomorrow and perhaps a few weeks to get over it. Apparently the whiplash effect from the coward punch is ordinary. Feeling a bit sore all over (my head).

10 police vehicles and Polair overhead, they caught 3 of the 4.
Was it worth it? Of-course, they had blood alcohol readings and were looking for another car to steal. Someone might have been killed in an accident today from their actions. If people do nothing then they get away with it, over and over and over.

 

[cove]

Went for an echo/stress test organised by my cardiologist. Took about 45 minutes and certainly confirmed that I have a heart. The walking machine speed increased as did the incline and I was checked immediately after I came off the machine.Glad I did it after a 28 year break…

 

[SuePa]

So 4 youths dumped a car on main road and ran down my street trying car doors and stealing items. I was alerted by the commotion, people saying they have them on dash cam etc. Then they came back up the hill and I apprehended the biggest one (6'3"ish) hoping to get enough attention to get more people taking video and maybe delay them so something might happen. Well it did, I got hit on the side of the head with a 6 pack of beer bottles and then immediately coward punched (from behind) by another. I ended up in an ambulance, taken to hospital (yours @andye ) where scans showed nothing untoward going on. Finally dishcarged late tonight they tell me I will have a big headache tomorrow and perhaps a few weeks to get over it. Apparently the whiplash effect from the coward punch is ordinary. Feeling a bit sore all over (my head).

10 police vehicles and Polair overhead, they caught 3 of the 4.
Was it worth it? Of-course, they had blood alcohol readings and were looking for another car to steal. Someone might have been killed in an accident today from their actions. If people do nothing then they get away with it, over and over and over.

Well, it's good to hear you'll suffer nothing too serious from your brave actions. Wishing you a speedy recovery and hopefully the crooks will receive more than a slap on the wrist.

 

[prozac]

... hopefully the crooks will receive more than a slap on the wrist.

Well that's my thoughts too, but the police tell me they already have a list of criminal convictions and as the list gets longer so too does the chance of prison time.
Thank you for your best wishes. I am taking panadol and ibuprofen and have instructions to return should one of various things develop in coming days.

 

[ellen10]

So 4 youths dumped a car on main road and ran down my street trying car doors and stealing items. I was alerted by the commotion, people saying they have them on dash cam etc. Then they came back up the hill and I apprehended the biggest one (6'3"ish) hoping to get enough attention to get more people taking video and maybe delay them so something might happen. Well it did, I got hit on the side of the head with a 6 pack of beer bottles and then immediately coward punched (from behind) by another. I ended up in an ambulance, taken to hospital (yours @andye ) where scans showed nothing untoward going on. Finally dishcarged late tonight they tell me I will have a big headache tomorrow and perhaps a few weeks to get over it. Apparently the whiplash effect from the coward punch is ordinary. Feeling a bit sore all over (my head).

10 police vehicles and Polair overhead, they caught 3 of the 4.
Was it worth it? Of-course, they had blood alcohol readings and were looking for another car to steal. Someone might have been killed in an accident today from their actions. If people do nothing then they get away with it, over and over and over.

Wow that is very brave of you and glad the police were able to apprehend 3 of them. There seems to be so much of this type of youth crime in suburban areas.

Hoping you recover well and do not have any long term effects. Take care.

 

[andye]

Good for you @prozac. Really sorry you suffered for your efforts. Glad nothing more serious. Hope for a speedy recovery

 

[Pushka]

So 4 youths dumped a car on main road and ran down my street trying car doors and stealing items. I was alerted by the commotion, people saying they have them on dash cam etc. Then they came back up the hill and I apprehended the biggest one (6'3"ish) hoping to get enough attention to get more people taking video and maybe delay them so something might happen. Well it did, I got hit on the side of the head with a 6 pack of beer bottles and then immediately coward punched (from behind) by another. I ended up in an ambulance, taken to hospital (yours @andye ) where scans showed nothing untoward going on. Finally dishcarged late tonight they tell me I will have a big headache tomorrow and perhaps a few weeks to get over it. Apparently the whiplash effect from the coward punch is ordinary. Feeling a bit sore all over (my head).

10 police vehicles and Polair overhead, they caught 3 of the 4.
Was it worth it? Of-course, they had blood alcohol readings and were looking for another car to steal. Someone might have been killed in an accident today from their actions. If people do nothing then they get away with it, over and over and over.

Very brave of you but it could have led to your own tragedy. It is very tempting to try to stop them but these days, too dangerous. Seems like the police know who these people are these days - ie recidivist offenders coupled with a revolving court door so best just to get photographic evidence and let the police get them. Unfortunately it is also likely that they will be soon be out on the streets again anyway. David Hookes, who was a friend of ours, died from a coward punch.

Please now take care of yourself.

Just read your later comment. They are known to police anyway. Sorry, that's the former cop coming out in me.

 

[prozac]

Very brave of you but it could have led to your own tragedy. It is very tempting to try to stop them but these days, too dangerous. Seems like the police know who these people are these days - ie recidivist offenders coupled with a revolving court door so best just to get photographic evidence and let the police get them. Unfortunately it is also likely that they will be soon be out on the streets again anyway. David Hookes, who was a friend of ours, died from a coward punch.

Please now take care of yourself.

Just read your later comment. They are known to police anyway. Sorry, that's the former cop coming out in me.

Police did warn me that these days the new young crims coming through think nothing of using a knife. I was watching out for it but what I would have done if one had produced one would have been ineffectual anyway. It was stupid, but I am not one for doing nothing and I was lucky.
Police said they each had a string of convictions.

... David Hookes, who was a friend of ours, died from a coward punch.
...

After the number of deaths from coward punches and the associated public outrage I thought the laws had been re-written around this act. Not so!!! This fella will be charged with bodily harm (I think they said) only, the charge elevated to ABH if the skin is broken and there is blood.

Woke with ringing in my ears (cicadas) and some swelling one side of head, warmness on that side from my eye socket back. Hinge in the jaw is tender. Really sore (tissue damage?) at the top of my spine when I move my head. I hope the cicadas stop soon.

 

[Pushka]

Police did warn me that these days the new young crims coming through think nothing of using a knife. I was watching out for it but what I would have done if one had produced one would have been ineffectual anyway. It was stupid, but I am not one for doing nothing and I was lucky.
Police said they each had a string of convictions.


After the number of deaths from coward punches and the associated public outrage I thought the laws had been re-written around this act. Not so!!! This fella will be charged with bodily harm (I think they said) only, the charge elevated to ABH if the skin is broken and there is blood.

Woke with ringing in my ears (cicadas) and some swelling one side of head, warmness on that side from my eye socket back. Hinge in the jaw is tender. Really sore (tissue damage?) at the top of my spine when I move my head. I hope the cicadas stop soon.

Basically the crim gangs don't care about consequences. Both for them or their victim. And there are way too many 'acceptable' excuses and smart lawyers. God knows where they get the money to pay for them.

Please keep your medical advisor informed and document your recovery process.

 

[tgh]

While I applaud your brave foolhardiness, I also observe that you appear to have failed to assess the situation well enough.
To minimise the risk of getting hurt you need numbers, citizens arrests work best when you have lots of help.
In the same situation , I would remind myself of my age, assess the odds, and then likely walk away like a wimp.

 

[prozac]

While I applaud your brave foolhardiness, I also observe that you appear to have failed to assess the situation well enough.
To minimise the risk of getting hurt you need numbers, citizens arrests work best when you have lots of help.
In the same situation , I would remind myself of my age, assess the odds, and then likely walk away like a wimp.

You are right, but I didn't. Police, when they came to hopsital to take my statement, were surprised at the street detail I was able to provide regards destrciptions of other people in the street, colours and makes of cars that got involved following, clothing of individual offenders plus heights etc etc.

"citizens arrests work best when you have lots of help." Yeah, I had hoped a couple of those people would have at least run across the road and stood there just to provide a visual balance. Police said there were half a dozen people providing statements AND video.

 

[drron]

The problem is you never know how you will actually react until faced with a real life situation. I was always going to walk away from any situation like this then one day was presented with a real life scenario.
Walked into the ICU of Maitland Hospital. When a prisoner was to be transferred to Long bay gaol hospital they were put into the isolation room of the ICU. Maitland then was a maximum security prison. I walked in as a very large islander prisoner was approaching the nurses station with the guard unconscious on the floor but instead of fleeing I went up to the prisoner from behind and applied bilateral carotid sinus massage. Fortunately the worst thing that can happen with this manoeuvre happened. His heart stopped and he fell to the floor fortunately as the guard woke up. As usual the impact of hitting the floor restarted his heart but before he realised what had happened the guard was standing over him with gun drawn.
Now if it hadn't worked I would have been in real trouble.
The guard was impressed and asked me what had happened and i told him I applied the sleeper hold.

 

[SuePa]

The problem is you never know how you will actually react until faced with a real life situation. I was always going to walk away from any situation like this then one day was presented with a real life scenario.
Walked into the ICU of Maitland Hospital. When a prisoner was to be transferred to Long bay gaol hospital they were put into the isolation room of the ICU. Maitland then was a maximum security prison. I walked in as a very large islander prisoner was approaching the nurses station with the guard unconscious on the floor but instead of fleeing I went up to the prisoner from behind and applied bilateral carotid sinus massage. Fortunately the worst thing that can happen with this manoeuvre happened. His heart stopped and he fell to the floor fortunately as the guard woke up. As usual the impact of hitting the floor restarted his heart but before he realised what had happened the guard was standing over him with gun drawn.
Now if it hadn't worked I would have been in real trouble.
The guard was impressed and asked me what had happened and i told him I applied the sleeper hold.

It's all changed now, drron.
The gaol has closed and is now a tourist attraction, and a new Maitland Hospital has opened.

 

[Quickstatus]

bilateral carotid sinus massage

Wow, usually one side only for slowing a racing heart. It does require precise placement of pressure

I was once asked by the security to give a rampaging A&E patient a jab of an anaesthetic. He was in the midst of an alcohol withdrawal and thought he was being attacked - well he was.

There are no dart tranquillisers in hospitals and stories of rampaging patients getting injections of a muscle paralyser are IMO apocryphal.

 

[Quickstatus]

half a dozen people providing statements AND video.

Most people these days think that videoing in smartphone is adequate contribution.

Full marks🎖 @prozac. Sometimes citizens need to stand up to the chaos and unacceptable conduct. Criminals are enboldened when the citizenry cower (police advice notwithstanding)

 

[mrsterryn]

Many years ago I was a section manager at a local Centrelink face to face office . So there were lengthy queues. Two people decided to have a very vocal and abusive argument. It was starting to turn physical so I thought I would be able to defuse the situation as it was escalating and starting to involve other clients
Nope got in between these two and ended up flat on the floor as one of them took a swing and hit knocked me down.
I remember that

 

[JohnK]

Well that's my thoughts too, but the police tell me they already have a list of criminal convictions and as the list gets longer so too does the chance of prison time.
Thank you for your best wishes. I am taking panadol and ibuprofen and have instructions to return should one of various things develop in coming days.

Wishing you speedy recovery. Hope no damage.

 

[prozac]

Many years ago I was a section manager at a local Centrelink face to face office . So there were lengthy queues. Two people decided to have a very vocal and abusive argument. It was starting to turn physical so I thought I would be able to defuse the situation as it was escalating and starting to involve other clients
Nope got in between these two and ended up flat on the floor as one of them took a swing and hit knocked me down.
I remember that.

Bet they got legal aid for that too.

 

[prozac]

Wishing you speedy recovery. Hope no damage.

Thanks JohnK. Nothing life changing. Just read the medical report which says scans didn't find anything but heamatoma to the scalp and cut inside my ear from broken glass. They have me down for mild concussion.
Edit: And a cut to top of my head

 

[JohnK]

Thanks JohnK. Nothing life changing. Just read the medical report which says scans didn't find anything but heamatoma to the scalp and cut inside my ear from broken glass. They have me down for mild concussion.

I'm not sure I would do what you did but it's good to see you taking a stance.

I've seen some bad things in my time and I don't want to get involved.

In the 80s a friend lived behind Wiley Park hotel. We went to the TAB there one Saturday. I parked the car and we went inside. Noticed a man assaulting a woman. His girlfriend/wife? A bystander went to help the woman and they both turned on him.

Best to stay away and let someone else deal with these situations.