Troxel helmet saved a life by DenayBeing such a beautiful day in Tennessee, I asked my best friend - my sister-in-law if she would like to go for a ride. She was not terribly experienced in riding but had several lessons to get her started. I saddled up two horses and handed her a riding helmet. It fit perfectly and we were on our way. I was without a helmet, thinking that she needed it more than I, and I hated wearing one anyway.
About two to three minutes after walking out in the field near my home, her horse spooked at something in the trees and took off at a slow lope. She was caught off guard and lost her balance immediately. After a few strides, she fell off to the right side, nearly missing a T-post and landed hard. I jumped off my horse and ran over to check on her. She was not moving but I could see that she still had her breath. After two or three minutes -or what seemed an eternity, she awoke and had a frantic look in her eyes. "What happened to me" would be the question I had to answer more than one time. I helped her into my car and off to the hospital we went. The car ride involved a series of repeated questions and repeated answers.
Upon arrival at the emergency room, she was escorted immediately to a trauma room with complaints of a headache and backache. She did not know who she was, who I was, or what had happened to her. This was the most frightening moment of both our lives.
After an initial examination, x-rays and a C.A.T. scan, the doctor came into the room to say that he was going to admit her for observation. She had received a bruise on the frontal portion of her brain and would need to be watched for possible complications.
The next morning, the doctor came in to release her and asked if she was wearing any head protection during the time of the accident. I told him that she was wearing an approved helmet. He had a look of shock on his face and responded, "I thought she wasn't wearing one because of the damage she sustained. We wouldn't be talking in this room right now if that had been the case. This was a serious head injury and the helmet obviously saved her life."
We left the hospital and returned home to the 'scene' only to find the helmet laying where I had removed it from her head. On the right side of the helmet was a 2-inch long crack in the lower portion and several indentations around it. I looked around and saw a small pile of rocks. She managed to miss the T-post but fell right on that rock pile.
All I can say is that I am happy she is alive and wasn't killed. Thank God I gave her that helmet and thank God she chose to wear it. As for myself, I will ALWAYS were one!