Reply to comment

Me:    “Did I black out?”
KC:    “No I started talking to you right away and you responded.”
Me:    “Really, what did we talk about?”
KC:    “You don’t remember?”
Me:    “No, I remember sitting up and you explaining that you couldn’t come closer.  I wondered how you managed to catch my pony too.”

Upon closer examination, I found sand and/or bruising on my right elbow, shoulder, back, and the back of my helmet.  Some physical evidence that I did indeed hit my head.  Some physical symptoms that I experienced were blurry vision, headache, and light and sound sensitivity.  All this evidence is consistent with a grade II concussion, confirmed by Bryn Mawr Hospital ER.  Concussion is generally defined as a temporary loss of brain function.  Its most common symptom is memory loss; however, loss of consciousness only occurs in severe cases. 

According to my trainer, KC, I sounded just like myself, for those five minutes immediately after the fall. We chatted about my fall, and how well I rolled away.  Yet I have no recollection of that time period.  My storyteller was not functioning; it did not generate memories of those scenes. This reminded me of our class discussion of sleepwalking and associated phenomena. 

A concussion is an injured storyteller in our terminology.  What does an injured storyteller do?  Park cars sideways in straight spots?   Mumble nonsensical responses?  Not communicate, control, or monitor the unconscious?  This is how a concussion can feel like mental illness.