After watching Damar Hamlin on the espy's award show last night...

[YourPittDanceTeam]

I hope and pray that before he takes one step onto another football field where there will be physical contact involved, that he takes a long hard look into his situation. He needs to find and discuss his diagnosis of Commotio Cordis with every medical professional who specializes in treating that type of injury. After doing so, he needs to take the information he will have gained and then have as serious of a sit down with his family about and discuss the situation. After seeing him last night and how emotional he was, he is obviously not fully mentally recovered from what happened to him. Honestly, I doubt if he ever will. Our soldiers returning from war zones have had to deal with PTSD from what they saw and experienced there. Can you just imagine what Damar Hamlin has had to deal with?
If he does get the okay to play from the medical experts and Damar and his family are in agreement with the experts, then have at it Damar. I just hope that if that is the case, that he undergoes some form of testing in a medical facility that involves some form of "forceful blows" with the chest area of Damar Hamlin to make sure that it could not happen again.
However the situation plays out for Damar, I hope that he can find some peace with what he has been through. Whether he ever takes that step onto the football field again or not, he will always be viewed around the world as one very special young man.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Chris Pronger in the NHL had the same thing happen. And hockey is a contact sport, especially for a defenseman and he returned to play without issue.

 

[YourPittDanceTeam]

Chris Pronger in the NHL had the same thing happen. And hockey is a contact sport, especially for a defenseman and he returned to play without issue.

I hope that Damar is able to do the same if that is what he chooses to do. Just hope that he is smart about it and discusses the situation with his family before he makes his decision. Either way, I will be happy for him.

 

[upj87]

I hope and pray that before he takes one step onto another football field where there will be physical contact involved, that he takes a long hard look into his situation. He needs to find and discuss his diagnosis of Commotio Cordis with every medical professional who specializes in treating that type of injury. After doing so, he needs to take the information he will have gained and then have as serious of a sit down with his family about and discuss the situation. After seeing him last night and how emotional he was, he is obviously not fully mentally recovered from what happened to him. Honestly, I doubt if he ever will. Our soldiers returning from war zones have had to deal with PTSD from what they saw and experienced there. Can you just imagine what Damar Hamlin has had to deal with?
If he does get the okay to play from the medical experts and Damar and his family are in agreement with the experts, then have at it Damar. I just hope that if that is the case, that he undergoes some form of testing in a medical facility that involves some form of "forceful blows" with the chest area of Damar Hamlin to make sure that it could not happen again.
However the situation plays out for Damar, I hope that he can find some peace with what he has been through. Whether he ever takes that step onto the football field again or not, he will always be viewed around the world as one very special young man.

thanks doc....I'm sure the Bills and his family have been lackadaisical in this regard..

 

[pittdan77]

Can you just imagine what Damar Hamlin has had to deal with?

I can. You never really recover mentally so you find a way to cope. It very well may mean that he needs football more than ever right now. But no, he'll never really be okay.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

thanks doc....I'm sure the Bills and his family have been lackadaisical in this regard..

I’ve heard that they actually come to Pantherlair before they make such decisions.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

I had concerns for him as well, but that was because I was projecting my own self into his situation in my head … but I am in very different shoes, as far as age, physical condition, and the monetary factor. All of these are phenomenally in his favor compared to myself. Or even regular ‘healthy’ men of his own age.

He looks to be in great shape and he certainly Is not laying low. The activities and traveling he did in just the last 8 or so days would have laid me out. The fancy White party in the Hamptons … then to Pgh for his football camp (conducted in hot humid weather), his celebrity softball game (conducted in hot humid weather), and his CPR event at PNC all across two days. Ok, not like strenuous, pounding football practices and games, but fair amounts of physical activity. Then 2 days later, to the ESPYs.

Figuring his heart must be stout. Mine hurts a bit just ripping all that though.

 

[caleco's]

I heard he consulted some of the coaches from the 60's and 70's and will be taking thier advice. He will rub a little dirt in it and get back in there.

Seriously who wouldnt think they would be evaluating tihs closely with the highest paid medical Dr's out there, I 100% sure the bills and the league are paying for all of it just for pure PR purposes.

 

[YourPittDanceTeam]

thanks doc....I'm sure the Bills and his family have been lackadaisical in this regard..

The post was not made based upon my medical knowledge, it was based upon commonsense. The Damar Hamlin that I saw last night is not ready to return to the field. He may be declared ready physically by his doctors and the Bills medical staff, but the young man that I saw last night is far from prepared mentally to go out onto a football field right now. Can you image what will be going through his head when he has a 230 pound RB, with a 10 yard head start running directly at him?
By the way, you'd be surprised just how accurate the first couple words of your post are.

 

[USN_Panther]

Really, the people who should be most concerned about this are little league baseball coaches and parents, youth ice hockey, softball, and anyone standing way off to the right at a golf course when I tee off. Those are settings where trained medical personnel and equipment and defibrillator access is lacking.
I would say that high school football games would be covered with an ambulance and paramedic crew on site. But if this happens at practice in Oklahoma drills, if coach doesn't recognize it immediately and have a defibrillator, it's a death.
I am spending my evening as medical support for senior men's ice hockey tonight. Our team of two with the participation of the on ice game officials know how to handle this and have a well stocked medical room at the rink. Not all places in the league had that before. The other doc with me tonight is one of the doctors for the NZ Olympic teams. He used the Hamlin incident to get resources for medical equipment and support at all NZ ice rinks, and is working on this for youth rugby. Head and spinal injuries are the most common serious injuries we'll see, but cardiac obviously important too. But way more likely to have a cardiac issue with a coach or spectator than a player.
I think that Hamlin being so out in the open about this must be emotionally draining for him. But the awareness of this condition is going to inspire sports clubs to better prepare for this and all injuries. He really is indirectly saving lives by doing this.

 

[USN_Panther]

I hope and pray that before he takes one step onto another football field where there will be physical contact involved, that he takes a long hard look into his situation. He needs to find and discuss his diagnosis of Commotio Cordis with every medical professional who specializes in treating that type of injury. After doing so, he needs to take the information he will have gained and then have as serious of a sit down with his family about and discuss the situation. After seeing him last night and how emotional he was, he is obviously not fully mentally recovered from what happened to him. Honestly, I doubt if he ever will. Our soldiers returning from war zones have had to deal with PTSD from what they saw and experienced there. Can you just imagine what Damar Hamlin has had to deal with?
If he does get the okay to play from the medical experts and Damar and his family are in agreement with the experts, then have at it Damar. I just hope that if that is the case, that he undergoes some form of testing in a medical facility that involves some form of "forceful blows" with the chest area of Damar Hamlin to make sure that it could not happen again.
However the situation plays out for Damar, I hope that he can find some peace with what he has been through. Whether he ever takes that step onto the football field again or not, he will always be viewed around the world as one very special young man.

They sort of do this, but without punching the chest or hitting it with a hammer. It's called cardiac electrophysiology testing. In the cardiac lab, the heart is tested to see if there is an inducible arrhythmia. If the arrhythmia is inducible, a defibrillator is implanted.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

thanks doc....I'm sure the Bills and his family have been lackadaisical in this regard..

I think we can all agree, they may have looked long into this, and they may have looked hard into this, but come on, there is almost no way that they looked long AND hard. Just no way.

 

[Cmart2004]

The post was not made based upon my medical knowledge, it was based upon commonsense. The Damar Hamlin that I saw last night is not ready to return to the field. He may be declared ready physically by his doctors and the Bills medical staff, but the young man that I saw last night is far from prepared mentally to go out onto a football field right now. Can you image what will be going through his head when he has a 230 pound RB, with a 10 yard head start running directly at him?
By the way, you'd be surprised just how accurate the first couple words of your post are.

I understand your point but don’t really agree. Getting emotional around the people who saved your life and not being ready to go back to doing the thing that you were doing when you got hurt is not the same.

 

[kma0043]

I hope that Damar will see that what happened is a sign to pursue other avenues in life where he can, and will, succeed. As for Chris Pronger: bad things happen to bad people.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

I think we can all agree, they may have looked long into this, and they may have looked hard into this, but come on, there is almost no way that they looked long AND hard. Just no way.

Your point is well taken. With Pronger comprising a sample size of one, Hamlin is going into this situation which is basically uncharted waters.

With every play that he’s involved in, if he’s even a little “slow getting up”, who among us won’t be holding our breath until he’s up and moving normally again?

 

[YourPittDanceTeam]

I understand your point but don’t really agree. Getting emotional around the people who saved your life and not being ready to go back to doing the thing that you were doing when you got hurt is not the same.

I do understand the point that you are trying to make and nothing would make me happier then to see Damar Hamlin on the football field in September, but man, what a risk he is taking if he decides to do so. The physical, emotional and mental toll of watching the events of that night is something that most people will never forget.
What he went through that night in Cincinnati, shocked the world. There have been very few events in my lifetime where everyone is hoping and praying for the same outcome. That night, Damar Hamlin essentially brought the world together for a short period of time.
Whatever he ultimately decides to do is his decision. but what a difficult one it will be.

 

[joeydavid]

I heard he consulted some of the coaches from the 60's and 70's and will be taking thier advice. He will rub a little dirt in it and get back in there.

Seriously who wouldnt think they would be evaluating tihs closely with the highest paid medical Dr's out there, I 100% sure the bills and the league are paying for all of it just for pure PR purposes.

I heard he went to an 80s specialist and he's now taking Grape Robitussin daily. It fixes everything.

 

[joeydavid]

They sort of do this, but without punching the chest or hitting it with a hammer. It's called cardiac electrophysiology testing. In the cardiac lab, the heart is tested to see if there is an inducible arrhythmia. If the arrhythmia is inducible, a defibrillator is implanted.

Often wondered if simply wearing a flak-jacket of some sort could prevented this type of occurrence.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

I heard he went to an 80s specialist and he's now taking Grape Robitussin daily. It fixes everything.

WVU players swear by the purple drank. Some of them, it swears back.