First I heard, "Natasha Richardson has fallen on a ski slope and is in critical condition"
Then.... "Natasha Richardson may be brain dead"
Finally, she had passed away, and I was just devastated. Its so sad, and its so scary and I'm just one person in Chicago who would never bother people I don't know when they are mourning, so this is my space where I'm going to offer my sincerest condolences to her family and friends and the acting community she belonged to, and which I'm sort of a minuscule part of.
I just recently finished CPR and first aid training. We learned about things like internal bleeding, and the seriousness of any head injury.
And this seems like a really absurd tangent, but it really isn't...
The episode of Little House on the Prairie I was watching recently was about a family - mom is expecting a baby, dad is so thrilled because their first had miscarried ... then dad fell off a roof he was working on. Doc Baker tries to check him but he insists he's fine, but after Doc Baker leaves his condition deteriorates and he suddenly dies of internal bleeding. Its really sad!
I guess having my mind inundated with information about internal bleeding, when I heard Natasha had hit her head, it became immediately apparent that she'd suffered what doctors later confirmed, internal bleeding and a blood clot in her brain.
Its a really serious matter, and an avoidable tragedy.
And I would never even begin to push blame anywhere in light of a tragic death, but I do think it can be an opportunity to inform others and help avoid tragedies in the future.
Also, I think its great that the Canadian government is pushing for helmet laws. I also want to say that I'm an avid skier, and that I don't think people should take this as proof that skiing is imminently dangerous. I'm not going to look up some sort of fact here, but frankly, you could hit your head on a lot of things while walking down the street to get a pretzel. And I've taken spills on skis on bunny hills and advanced slopes, as have thousands of skiers of all levels of ability I'm sure. Accidents just happen.
Its not about the skiing, its about preventative measures, recognizing signs of a sudden illness, and getting immediate care. So here's some info courtesy of my first aid workbook from The American Red Cross:
"Generally, a person with sudden illness looks and feels ill. ... A person may deny anything is seriously wrong. ... The person's condition can worsen rapidly if he or she is not cared for."
Signals of a Sudden Illness:
Changes in consciousness: (dizzy, light-headed)
Nausea or vomiting
Difficulty speaking or slurred speech
Numbness or weakness
Loss of vision or blurred vision
Changes in breathing
Changes in skin color
Sweating
Persistent pressure or pain
Diarrhea
Seizures
Paralysis
Severe headache
If you aren't trained in CPR and first aid, you shouldn't interfere, but you can always call 911!
Also, get trained! Its really empowering, and reasonably priced if you go to The American Red Cross. Its a really worthwhile experience, and I highly recommend it. I paid $95 for CPR for Adults, Children and Infants, and also general First Aid. It was a day long class, and I left certified, and feeling like a new, more complete person.
Well, I guess thats my little contribution to the world in response to a sad story and a sad loss...
