Summary

Jeff Herring recounts his experiences with two of the seven concussions he sustained during his childhood, emphasizing the lasting impact on his sense of humor and the minor physical reminder of his adventurous youth.

Abstract

Jeff Herring, in a reflective piece, shares the details of two significant concussions from his childhood, out of a total of seven. The first concussion occurred when he disobeyed his mother's warning and rode his bike inside the house, resulting in a fall onto hard terrazzo floors. The second, more severe incident happened while playing tag, leading him to dive into a cinder block, which left him unconscious and required a hospital visit. Despite the seriousness of these injuries, Jeff highlights the humorous side of his mishaps and the endearing concern of his family. He notes that the only apparent long-term effects are a small bump on his head and a warped sense of humor, which some might argue is questionable. Jeff invites readers to explore more of his stories and expresses gratitude for their support.

Opinions

Jeff acknowledges that his multiple concussions might explain some of his quirks, suggesting a humorous acceptance of his past injuries.
He reflects on the danger of his childhood activities with a sense of wit, indicating that he doesn't take himself too seriously.
Jeff's recounting of his mother's and uncle's reactions to his injuries shows an appreciation for their concern and the seriousness of his accidents.
The mention of his father's joke about not breaking the cinder block adds a layer of lightheartedness to the narrative, emphasizing Jeff's playful storytelling approach.
Jeff seems to value the community aspect of storytelling, inviting readers to join Medium and engage with his and others' content.

Story Telling: Story Time with Jeff

7 Concussions Growing Up: Here’s The Result

“Well, that explains a lot…”

Recently I mentioned to a group of friends that I’d had 7 concussions growing up. We all agreed this explains a lot.

They wanted to know how all 7 occurred. While I know some had to do with football, I really only remember the details about two. No joke.

Terrazzo Floors are Harder than My Head

The first one I remember happened in our first house in Miami when I was about 8 years old.

My Mom told me in no uncertain terms to never ever ride my bike inside because the hard terrazzo floors were very dangerous. So of course I had to try it…

And of course, I fell off my bike and hit my head. This was loooong before bike helmets.

The next thing I remember is laying on my parent’s bed and my Mom and Uncle Ed (a paramedic) trying to wake me up. Wherever you go when you’re knocked out like that was nice, warm, and peaceful.

I did not want to leave.

But I remember thinking:

“If I don’t wake up it’s really gonna freak out my mom and uncle.”

So I woke up, Uncle Ed checked me out, and they sent me to my room to lay down and rest. And I promptly snuck outside to play.

Cinder Blocks are Also Harder than My Head

The other concussion I remember was worse than the first. I was 10 and we lived in our 2nd house in Miami. The next-door neighbor kid raised rabbits. May sound strange, but I raised snakes, so it didn’t seem weird to me at all.

Early one summer evening after the regularly scheduled afternoon thunderstorm, we all decided to play tag. Base was the rabbit cages. Did I mention the rabbit cages were built on top of cinder blocks of cement?

Running full speed I dove for the rabbit cage base. In the slick from rain grass, I spun over on my back and rammed the back of my head full speed ahead right straight into a cinder block.

Wherever you go when you’re knocked out like that was nice, warm, and peaceful.

The last thing I remember was making it next door to my parent’s doorstep before I passed out. The next thing I remember was waking up on our family room couch with the doctor across the street checking me out and my parents behind him looking worried.

Although I do remember my Dad saying:

“I hope you didn’t break the cinder block. Those are expensive.”

This one was bad enough for a trip to Baptist Hospital ER and a week’s worth of bed rest. Snuck out a few times then too.

As far as I can tell, the only lasting effects are a small bump at the top of the back of my head that never completely went down, and a slight tendency toward a playfully warped sense of humor.

I am fully aware there are those who would strongly disagree with my diagnosis. And probably offer proof.

If you enjoyed this story you might like the stories in my StoryTime with Jeff content hub:

StoryTime with Jeff

A bit of wit, whimsy, and maybe even some wisdom…

medium.com

About Jeff Herring

“I Traded My Couch for a Mouse”

How a Counseling Psychologist Became One of the Good Guys Online

medium.com

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