What should have been a lovely morning in the deer woods for me turned into a trip to the Emergency Room.
I was getting set up before daylight this morning and saw a dead tree branch I wanted to get out of the way for a shooting lane. I placed my mini-mag flashlight in my mouth to hold like I've done thousands of times before to have both hands free. I pulled on the branch and when it snapped, I ended up hitting myself right in the mouth which then pushed the flashlight into the back of my throat. My first reaction was " Holy crap, that really didn't just happen". But then the pain set in and the taste of blood filled my mouth.
I spit a couple mouth fulls on the nice tracking snow we had this morning and then texted my bro-in-law who I was hunting with. I wasn't exactly in the mood for a long text so I just texted "I need help". I needed him to take a look inside my mouth to assess the damage because I obviously couldn't look inside my own mouth without a mirror. Then I started to gag on the blood. My bro-in-law heard me gagging and was thinking the worst - like I stuck myself with a broadhead or something. I could speak fine and explained what happened. He looked inside and said I better get to a doctor.
So off we went to the ER. The doc took a look and then went to get another doc to get another opinion on what to do. They decided there probably wasn't a need to put in any stitches and it had stopped bleeding by then. So I thought they'd just let me go. However, the doc thought it would be a good idea if they did a CT scan to make sure I didn't do any damage to my carotid artery. That scared me a bit and I started thinking I could have killed myself with a mini-mag flashlight. :eek: The CT scan results turned out OK with just some signs of swelling so I was released with a antibiotic prescription just to avoid any chance of infection.
I got a nasty cut in the back of my throat, some bruising, and swelling, but I'll be fine and it could have turned out much worse. I'll be on a liquid/soft diet for a while.
The irony of all this is that I had a head light in my pocket, but was in too much of a rush to dig it out. I won't make that mistake again.
Dang! Glad you are ok. I'm guilty of doing that at times too. Maybe we will all think twice now...
Oops!
:eek:
sometimes its the crazy little things that get a guy. good lesson and glad your ok!
Dang john glad to hear your okay...heal up brother and get back out there try those lights that clip on bill of your hat I love mine
Glad u are OK. Could have been a lot worse. Lucky it wasnt a knife of something.
Wow John!! Glad you're OK brother!!
You aren't gonna let Roy know bout this are ya? :D
:scared:
Just goes to show how fast things can get ugly!
Glad to hear you're on the mend!
Rodd
wow. . . . just, wow. . . .
Glad you are OK and it wasn't any more serious than it turned out to be.
Thanks for the heads up.
CHuckC
QuoteOriginally posted by kennym:
You aren't gonna let Roy know bout this are ya? :D
Heck no! He'll never let me forget this bungle. Of course, I wouldn't doubt he finds out from another old dude from the mid west ;)
I was back out in the woods again tonight, so it's not slowing me down. It just feels like a BAD sore throat when I swallow.
Just another life lesson I thought I'd share so others don't make the same dumb mistake. Moral of the story....Don't put anything in your mouth you don't intend to eat.
another old dude from the mid west [Wink]
Hey, I ain't tellin him nuthin! :saywhat:
Wow... I can't count the times I've done that! Though I want be doing it again.
I work at a sewage treatment plant and our chief electrician told me that holding a flashlight in his mouth was one of the habits he stopped right away when he started. :laughing:
But I probably won't give it up. I keep a few of the old Bic pen tips to scratch in my ears because nothing else does as well.
When I'm out gathering eggs or tying down a tarp there is just no better place to stick a flashlight.
Geez John, pulled hamstrings....flashlights jammed down your throat. Been a good year huh buddy ! I am glad things were not worse and you were still able to sneak out with your bow for a night hunt.
A few years ago a guy over in the Shade area was taking a tree stand out of the woods. He tripped on a tree root and really messed up his neck when he went down. Actually a life changing experience for him.
Be careful buddy and tell Monkey Boy I said hi.
Good Hunting,
Craig
I'm glad you weren't hurt any worse.
It's those little things that we've always done and haven't ever been a problem before....until they are the problem.
Experience can be a very difficult and painful teacher.
I pray your injury heals completely without any complications.
God bless,Mudd
Sorry to hear about your injury but am glad you have no long term injuries. I imagine most of us are guilty of doing this same thing. Something to consider.
life can turn on a dime!
Glad your ok, I think ill stop doing that myself.
Geez, seems like my flashlight is in my mouth almost as much as it is in my hand. I'll have to pick up a headlamp for more regular use. Glad you are ok.
Good thing it wasn't a "D" battery model...:)
Glad to hear your OK. Think next year you need to find a new lucky arm guard. Then again, maybe it was the luck that kept it from being worse!
Steve
holy crap! I do that all the time. thanks for sharing.
Glad to hear you are ok, John!
Be safe, and good luck to you!
David
Glad to hear your ok John.
Bill
When I first started reading I thought for sure there would be broken teeth somewhere in the story. Glad I was wrong and your OK.
Wow...glad u r ok!! I put my flashlight in my mouth everytime I climb a tree. I also use a mini mag light. Use it to climb and then use it to get all my gear set once in the tree...while holding it in my mouth. Guess I should stop doing this!! Crazy
Thanks for the well wishes everyone. My throat is healing up nicely and doesn't hurt too bad anymore.
My teeth were fine. The back of my throat stopped the flashlight before the big end could hit my teeth. It slid in perfectly.
It's just one of those dumb things you never think can happen until it does. And like I said, I had a dang head light in my pocket but was in too much of rush to dig it out and put it on.
Now, to really add insult to injury, I was was back hunting the same area this evening, and a buck had made a rub not 5 yards from where I swallowed my flashlight. I wonder if he was attracted to my blood?
O MAN JOHN GLAD YOUR OK
But I am going to love this at deer camp come January brotha O MAN THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN
No but really so glad your ok!!
Wow glad your OK! I do this all the time with a stream light strion. I was expecting to read you busted your teeth off tho!
Ouch! Glad you're ok! As a retired electrician, I can't begin to imagine how many times I've held the flashlight like that, or seen it done. Saw it just this weekend. My son and I got out of the truck to head to our blinds. We grabbed our gear to go and I noticed I didn't have my arm guard on. I groped on my fanny pack for the pocket that held my headlamp until my son said, "Here let me help Dad". He grabbed the arm guard and quickly laced it up. Yep, he had his light in his mouth. Yes, we were in a hurry.