Damar Hamlin

[CajunVic]

Going in and out is some crazy stuff . . . at 18 a drunk driver hit the car I was riding as a front seat passenger in (Toyota Carola) head on . . . the offender was driving on the wrong side of Evangeline Throughway in a tank with his lights off. I vaguely remember the crash, the next thing I remember were the jaws of life tearing the car apart to retrieve the passengers, then I awoke again when they extended my legs after removing me from the vehicle (unbeknownst to me I had a compound fracture on my left leg and dislocated hip on right) that extension put me cold out again, then the next thing I remember was a priest giving me my last rights in the emergency room then I woke up in a hospital room with both legs in traction . . . the scariest part was coming face to face with my last rights . . .

[BeauCajun]

Going in and out is some crazy stuff . . . at 18 a drunk driver hit the car I was riding as a front seat passenger in (Toyota Carola) head on . . . the offender was driving on the wrong side of Evangeline Throughway in a tank with his lights off. I vaguely remember the crash, the next thing I remember were the jaws of life tearing the car apart to retrieve the passengers, then I awoke again when they extended my legs after removing me from the vehicle (unbeknownst to me I had a compound fracture on my left leg and dislocated hip on right) that extension put me cold out again, then the next thing I remember was a priest giving me my last rights in the emergency room then I woke up in a hospital room with both legs in traction . . . the scariest part was coming face to face with my last rights . . .

I remember that accident. You guys were a couple years behind me in school(not same schools). Plus I was at the concert that night.

[CajunVic]

I remember that accident. You guys were a couple years behind me in school(not same schools). Plus I was at the concert that night.

Journey concert . . . we were all freshmen at USL

[ZoomZoom]

Going in and out is some crazy stuff . . . at 18 a drunk driver hit the car I was riding as a front seat passenger in (Toyota Carola) head on . . . the offender was driving on the wrong side of Evangeline Throughway in a tank with his lights off. I vaguely remember the crash, the next thing I remember were the jaws of life tearing the car apart to retrieve the passengers, then I awoke again when they extended my legs after removing me from the vehicle (unbeknownst to me I had a compound fracture on my left leg and dislocated hip on right) that extension put me cold out again, then the next thing I remember was a priest giving me my last rights in the emergency room then I woke up in a hospital room with both legs in traction . . . the scariest part was coming face to face with my last rights . . .

OK…going Jesusy on y’all…

Vic’s situation is exactly why one needs to be a peace with their maker. You just never know. I clearly remember even years later thinking as I blacked out “OK, I’m dying, let’s see what’s this is like”. Wasn’t scared, I KNEW I wasn’t alone. HE was with me. Yeah, crossed over.

Young guys…pay attention…have all your affairs in order, not only your will and last wishes, man up and write your obituary. Thank your parents (if available) for raising you and your children (if available) for who they are. What a ____ty thing to leave your spouse to do, writing an obituary under pressure. Or you can let them do a fill in the blank at the funeral home. I’m not leaving this Earth with the last written thing about me being a templet.

Vic, I hear ya. It was tough weeks later being told small discussions were held by my family regarding a possible funeral and such.

Vic was 18…DH is 24…I was 49…CM, not sure what his exact age at the time, but not 60. You never know when God will bring you home. Nobody is exempt, we all get to do it. And if married, it’s a coin flip who goes first.

Live fearless. Live ready. Love ready.

[CajunsHat]

Latest report I've heard is that Damar Hamlin is neurologically intact. To me, that means he's awake and has been neurological tested and found to be functionally normal.
CajunsHat, correct me if I'm wrong. I served as an active-duty hospital corpsman in the Navy and spent a year as a critical care assistant in the icu at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, Ca.

Sorry been busy at work since last responding.

As far as Neuro assessment, there is a lot an assessment can determine in terms of neurological function. The biggest part of the assessment would be respiratory drive (ability to breath without vent support). If they can reduce the supportive measures of the ventilator, at least to the point to assess spontaneous breaths {ability for him to take a breath without ventilator offering a breath}) then that would indicate that his brain did not take damage to the point of requiring life support. The next biggest assessment would be his alertness, however some patients awake from sedation confused and combative (not all but some), with that said…if he wakes up gently and is able to open his eyes and move his fingers to command (upon request by the nurse or physician) then he would be showing more signs of alertness and less signs of requiring sedation.

If he can be off sedation then tolerate less ventilator support, at that point the physician would do blood work (ABG = arterial blood gas) to assess if he is Oxygenating well on his own.

If he is alert, responding appropriately, and breathing well on his own while on the ventilator…then it’s very likely they would take he tube out his lungs and take him off life support.


Of note…in my experience, Lack of oxygen has nothin todo with lung impairment. However it does have everything todo with neurological impairment.

With that said, they won’t know if he has any long term issues until they take the tube out his mouth (take him off life support). Then he will participate with therapist to assess if he has any dysfunction physically.

Hope this info helps clear any questions

[HelmutVII]

Sorry been busy at work since last responding.

As far as Neuro assessment, there is a lot an assessment can determine in terms of neurological function. The biggest part of the assessment would be respiratory drive (ability to breath without vent support). If they can reduce the supportive measures of the ventilator, at least to the point to assess spontaneous breaths {ability for him to take a breath without ventilator offering a breath}) then that would indicate that his brain did not take damage to the point of requiring life support. The next biggest assessment would be his alertness, however some patients awake from sedation confused and combative (not all but some), with that said…if he wakes up gently and is able to open his eyes and move his fingers to command (upon request by the nurse or physician) then he would be showing more signs of alertness and less signs of requiring sedation.

If he can be off sedation then tolerate less ventilator support, at that point the physician would do blood work (ABG = arterial blood gas) to assess if he is Oxygenating well on his own.

If he is alert, responding appropriately, and breathing well on his own while on the ventilator…then it’s very likely they would take he tube out his lungs and take him off life support.


Of note…in my experience, Lack of oxygen has nothin todo with lung impairment. However it does have everything todo with neurological impairment.

With that said, they won’t know if he has any long term issues until they take the tube out his mouth (take him off life support). Then he will participate with therapist to assess if he has any dysfunction physically.

Hope this info helps clear any questions

Good info thanks. Full moon tomorrow night so you will be busy tomorrow night if you work an an ER.

[NOCajun]

Sorry been busy at work since last responding.

As far as Neuro assessment, there is a lot an assessment can determine in terms of neurological function. The biggest part of the assessment would be respiratory drive (ability to breath without vent support). If they can reduce the supportive measures of the ventilator, at least to the point to assess spontaneous breaths {ability for him to take a breath without ventilator offering a breath}) then that would indicate that his brain did not take damage to the point of requiring life support. The next biggest assessment would be his alertness, however some patients awake from sedation confused and combative (not all but some), with that said…if he wakes up gently and is able to open his eyes and move his fingers to command (upon request by the nurse or physician) then he would be showing more signs of alertness and less signs of requiring sedation.

If he can be off sedation then tolerate less ventilator support, at that point the physician would do blood work (ABG = arterial blood gas) to assess if he is Oxygenating well on his own.

If he is alert, responding appropriately, and breathing well on his own while on the ventilator…then it’s very likely they would take he tube out his lungs and take him off life support.


Of note…in my experience, Lack of oxygen has nothin todo with lung impairment. However it does have everything todo with neurological impairment.

With that said, they won’t know if he has any long term issues until they take the tube out his mouth (take him off life support). Then he will participate with therapist to assess if he has any dysfunction physically.

Hope this info helps clear any questions

That's how I understand it. We had an open bay unit with 18 to 20 beds, including a couple of isolation rooms. Each shift, I'd get paired with a nurse and we'd have 2 adjoining patients. The nurse cared for hers and I cared for mine under her supervision. I did a full patient assessment at the beginning of my shift, including neurological. I took care of many patients on ventilators, so I got to see them weaned off the ventilator as well.

[JMV JustMyView]

I would move on if it would be me.

Fair enough. But will he is the question

[JMV JustMyView]

OK…going Jesusy on y’all…

Vic’s situation is exactly why one needs to be a peace with their maker. You just never know. I clearly remember even years later thinking as I blacked out “OK, I’m dying, let’s see what’s this is like”. Wasn’t scared, I KNEW I wasn’t alone. HE was with me. Yeah, crossed over.

Young guys…pay attention…have all your affairs in order, not only your will and last wishes, man up and write your obituary. Thank your parents (if available) for raising you and your children (if available) for who they are. What a ____ty thing to leave your spouse to do, writing an obituary under pressure. Or you can let them do a fill in the blank at the funeral home. I’m not leaving this Earth with the last written thing about me being a templet.

Vic, I hear ya. It was tough weeks later being told small discussions were held by my family regarding a possible funeral and such.

Vic was 18…DH is 24…I was 49…CM, not sure what his exact age at the time, but not 60. You never know when God will bring you home. Nobody is exempt, we all get to do it. And if married, it’s a coin flip who goes first.

Live fearless. Live ready. Love ready.

Glad you guys are all still around.

[NOCajun]

Good info thanks. Full moon tomorrow night so you will be busy tomorrow night if you work an an ER.

OR an ICU! And I'm speaking from experience.

[CajunVic]

so glad he is making that shot s*H*i*E*t . . .

[JMV JustMyView]

I remember that accident. You guys were a couple years behind me in school(not same schools). Plus I was at the concert that night.

Yep same accident.