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Hi! Nik here.


nikopie

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Hi All.

Had my SAH 14-Jan-2010 at 26 y/o. Was playing indoor soccer and was keeper, at that point had been playing that position for 20 years and is the only position I really know how to play, absolutely love playing.

Anyway, first half, guy had a breakaway, I came out and challenged him, and as I slid in for the ball he took his shot. Took a full strength knee to my temple, and then my head bounced off the ground, which was just astro turf over cement. LOC of 5-10 seconds. Woke up saw everyone standing around me. First words were "Did I save it?" I did.

After much ballyhooing I finally went to the hospital, had a CAT scan, and was then thrown into an ambulance and rushed to the Trauma center. Fortunately, they monitored the bleeding, and no surgery or operation was needed. Spend 24 hours in the Trauma unit before being released.

Made pretty much a full recovery, however, I do have some sensitivity to noises. Certain frequencies or sounds or noises I cannot tolerate at all anymore, and they go straight to my head and I got excruciating headaches. Also just get headaches from time to time which never used to happen. Oh well, it could have been worse.

During one of the many MRI/CAT scans, they also noticed a meningioma tumor, which is benign. I'm now subjected to MRI's once a year to monitor it.

I do have a question... one doctor told me I couldn't play soccer (as keeper) ever again. Which was not what I wanted to hear. At all. Another doctor told me after 5 years from the injury I could start playing again. Anyone know anything about this or can provide feedback?

Thanks!

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I cannot say..I would ask hospital.Specialist..and Doc.... Not worth ruining brain.... perhaps you could wear a hat like the

Chelsea goalkeeper wears ..dunno but be careful...nothing is worth ruining your braiin over.....whatever happens hope you

can play again...But watch your head .......

All the Best

WinB143...... Come on you Spurs !! lol......English football Teams Chelsea and Tottenham ....Saw you Was from NJ .lol

hence the addition

Edited by Winb143
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Hi Nic,

Welcome to BTG.

You have just confirmed my worst nightmare that being in goal can be a dangerous place to be. I say this because my youngest son, who is 12 next month, has played as a goalkeeper since starting playing at the age of 4. He has won managers player of the year twice since then playing for our village team, but in 2010 he was playing for Sheffield Wednesday young owls and during a training session, on a similar surface to yours, he too had a player's knee slide full pelt into his head/face. Luckily, he didn't have the misfortune of a bleed in the head like yourself, but his face was covered in blood and in the middle of his unrecognisable, swollen face was a broken nose, which was later operated on to straighten. Of course, being a goalkeeper is in your genes I guess and this incident didn't put him off wanting to be in goal - just like yourself. Since then I have become a very nervous spectator!

I really don't know the answer to your question, but suggest you get a few more opinions from the experts - I too go for annual MRIs and I certainly wouldn't want to risk being in goal, but there again I'm a 50 year old female who feels sorry for every goalkeeper when the ball ends up in the back of the net -so probably not the best person to ask!!

Take care,

Sarah

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Thanks for the responses!

@Winb143 ... I'm from the South Jersey across the Pond in the US. Going to go see (hopefully) Chelsea play the MLS All Star team on Wednesday. Still working on the logistics of getting tickets and who can/wants to go. I did speak with my neurologists office yesterday evening, and after my annual MRI soon I'm going to go in and see one of their sports-injury doctors and see what he says about playing again. They did tell me not to be too optimistic about playing but we'll see what happens. I still do Aikido (martial art) but that is in a much more controlled environment, and everyone I train with knows about the "****** brain" is extra cautious if were doing stuff near the head.

@Kempse ... Sorry to hear about your son getting hurt. But like you said, goalie is built in the DNA. And as my one friend says (he's also a goalie) we're a little bit "touched". Most people get out of the way of balls being drilled fast and hard at you, but we dive in front of them. If your son is like most goalies (me included) he wore his injuries as a badge of honor.

The game before my SAH I actually fractured my wrist. Still stayed in, and played the next game when I got my SAH. One of the nurses at the trauma unit was from Mexico, and LOVED soccer. We were talking and he said to me "You, you are a TRUE goalie". When I asked him what he meant he said, "only a true goalie would play with a broken wrist, and only a true goalie would risk himself like that just to save the ball." It made me smile. Best of luck to your son! He plays the most stressful, hero or villain making position in the game!

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I hope you play again.....Safely though !! lol...try using hands or feet ..keep head out the way

When I was young my brother used to ask me to play football if his pals were out.....or Your it ..it is a game where you all run and the one with the ball throws it at you..it really hurt....always got my legs ..lol ..and then if you got hit..he'd say "Your it".. I would say " blank blank off Tel (my brother is Terry but called him Tel) I am not playing anymore."..Anway I digress..as an English Comic would say...

Best to See Docs etc and hope scan results are all Good news for you ....Keep happy and Sing it really does help xx

All the Best

WinB143 xx

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I love this thread!!! I was a goal keeper for 30 years, playing, in goal, the day before my SAH, at the age of 49. It is, in your genes, my son is a goalkeeper, and is just as mad as I was. I have so many scars and injuries from playing, collected over the years, and I too regard them as badges of honour. As for playing again......I tried,.....but could not see properly or judge the speed of the ball......so I stopped . My Dr had told me that there was no risk involved , in playing again. It was just unfortunate that I could not see. Don't be afraid, if you can do it.....do it. All goalkeepers are mad, And I, for one, am glad, I

'm mad! All the best. Bill B. xx

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Nik,

I am glad you have recovered so well. I as a 53 year old mother, from the US. I feel sick to my stomach when I think about what I know now about head injuries. My oldest played football and wrestled for 7 years. I would now have a real issue with sports that cause a lot of head injuries. I am just saying as a "mom" it freaks me out. I am sure this is a “MOM” thing.

I also have a mengioma that they will check every year. Benign or not you should know where it is as so if it starts growing and you know the symptoms – Mine would be loss of balance. Tumors can grow fast benign or not, hopefully neither of ours will.

Good Luck, Maryb

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Bill - Always love hearing from another goalie!!! Sorry to hear you can't play anymore. My docs said there concern with me playing again was if I have the same type of contact (knee/ground) the injury could be worse than the first time. 20 years and that was the first time something serious happened so I think the odds are good.

I've missed it so much! I've had the "itch" to start playing again since like a week after my SAH, but its getting stronger and stronger. Me and my buddy met up last night and he was taking shots on me for about an hour. Its a "controlled" environment with him basically just taking PK's, corners, other distant shots and we weren't doing breakaways. It was so much fun!!! Woke up a little sore this morning, the "goalie" sore, and it felt great! Really hoping the docs give me the go-ahead soon. I'm thinking I should rock the soft helmet like Cech... if its good enough for one of the best goalies, its good enough for me!

Interesting you mentioned about not being able to judge/read the ball well after your SAH. I did notice last night that I was misjudging some balls speeds and flights. I chalked it up to not playing for 2.5 years and just had to get some practice in... I'll be keeping your comments in mind if I don't notice any improvement.

MaryB ... I think worrying about stuff like that is definitely a Mom thing. I'm 28, my parents live 200 miles away, and my mom still worries about everything! Thats a really good piece of advice about asking what some possible symptoms would be about the mengioma and if it starts growing. Added that to the list of things to talk to the neuro with when I see them soon. All the best!!!

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