Help me injure my main character!

vagough · Mar 20, 2014

He's a nice guy, but he needs to be injured.

The basic scenario is that the antagonist (not a nice guy) nearly runs my MC down when the MC is out on an early morning jog. Right now, I have the MC diving for safety off the side of the road and tumbling down a small embankment.
--The MC’s injuries should be significant enough that EMTs take him to the hospital to get checked out, and he then stays home from work to recuperate for several days.
--Ideally, he would also be on pain meds (though this is optional -- I can work around him not needing any).
--Several days after the first attempt, the antagonist will go after the MC again. I want the MC to be somewhat physically impaired but not so overly crippled by pain and/or injury that he cannot resist and protect himself. (He will end up killing the antagonist during this confrontation.)

Injuries I’ve considered so far:
--Fractured collar bone. Would get him taken to the hospital and probably told to take it easy at home. However, the descriptions online suggest that the pain can still be so intense several days later that he might have difficulty in a confrontation. (But that could depend on the severity of the fracture.)
--Concussion. If it’s severe enough, it could get him taken to the hospital, probably also told to stay at home. Could be enough to make him somewhat impaired several days later.

What else could I think about? Thanks in advance!

RavenBasslady · Mar 20, 2014

vagough said:
He's a nice guy, but he needs to be injured.

The basic scenario is that the antagonist (not a nice guy) nearly runs my MC down when the MC is out on an early morning jog. Right now, I have the MC diving for safety off the side of the road and tumbling down a small embankment.
--The MC’s injuries should be significant enough that EMTs take him to the hospital to get checked out, and he then stays home from work to recuperate for several days.
--Ideally, he would also be on pain meds (though this is optional -- I can work around him not needing any).
--Several days after the first attempt, the antagonist will go after the MC again. I want the MC to be somewhat physically impaired but not so overly crippled by pain and/or injury that he cannot resist and protect himself. (He will end up killing the antagonist during this confrontation.)

Injuries I’ve considered so far:
--Fractured collar bone. Would get him taken to the hospital and probably told to take it easy at home. However, the descriptions online suggest that the pain can still be so intense several days later that he might have difficulty in a confrontation. (But that could depend on the severity of the fracture.)
--Concussion. If it’s severe enough, it could get him taken to the hospital, probably also told to stay at home. Could be enough to make him somewhat impaired several days later.

What else could I think about? Thanks in advance!

Broken ribs?

King Neptune · Mar 20, 2014

Sprained or broken ankle.

NeuroGlide · Mar 20, 2014

RavenBasslady said:
Broken ribs?

Broken ribs are a good one. I've bruised mine and it hurt every time I breathed (and it was allergy season so I was coughing a lot). As bad as that was, I could function.

frimble3 · Mar 20, 2014

I favor the ankle, or a knee. He can still hit and throw things and wrestle with his opponent. He can't move faster than a hobble, though, (probably with a cane or crutch) so can't pursue the opponent. I imagine that might give the opponent a false sense of confidence, hopping around, arms full or crutch.

thisismydesign · Mar 20, 2014

I'll throw in another vote for the broken ribs. My horse threw me once and I broke four; hurt like nobody's business. Just breathing was taxing. But I still went to work, and then to the barn to take care of my little neck-pain horse...

Definitely a great injury to use in writing!

Nivarion · Mar 20, 2014

Dives into fire hydrant. Breaks nose.

My experience with the EMT's is that they are pretty willing to just leave you there if you ask them. Complete unconsciousness or incapacitate are the only ways you can have a for sure ride.

I declined a ride in the ambulance after my vehicle vs pedestrian. they obliged.

vagough · Mar 20, 2014

Hmmm….. broken ribs, yes, that would indeed hurt, wouldn't it? And the ankle/knee thing is another possibility.

Thanks!

StormChord · Mar 21, 2014

Don't fracture his collarbone. It hurts so much, and the injury has the added side effect of making motion of both arms and lots of the torso painful. When I broke my collarbone, even lying down hurt. He wouldn't be able to fight anybody off unless he was really good at kicking people.

I'd second the suggestion of knee or ankle injuries, since that impedes speed but not fighting capacity.

asroc · Mar 21, 2014

I'm gonna n-th rib fractures. They're pretty painful but usually not dangerous, don't require much in treatment and heal well, but we often transport them for airway management and because of the potential for other injuries.

Nivarion said:
Dives into fire hydrant. Breaks nose.

My experience with the EMT's is that they are pretty willing to just leave you there if you ask them. Complete unconsciousness or incapacitate are the only ways you can have a for sure ride.

I declined a ride in the ambulance after my vehicle vs pedestrian. they obliged.

They were legally required to. If you're a mentally competent adult we can't touch you without your consent. I've had people who were having a heart attack refuse treatment and we had to let them be.

Collin123 · Mar 24, 2014

Try a knee injury. I was hit by a car and required fourteen stitches in my knee. It looked like a half eaten Apple before they shoved it together and stitched it shut. Went home same night. It hurt, got stiff, and pain meds were necessary but I could've still scrapped. Also had a mild concussion and road rash.

vagough · Mar 27, 2014

Thanks again for the great suggestions! Right now, I'm going with the fractured ribs as the injury of choice. It's painful, he'd be taken to the hospital to be checked out (thanks, Asroc!), and then would spend at least a few days at home to recuperate.

In researching this online, it looks like treatment involves taking it easy for a while, using ice on the affected area, and taking ibuprofen or maybe aspirin. Stronger meds such as Vicodin or Percocet would be given only if the pain is more severe. Which leads me to another question: has anyone taken Vicodin or Percocet? What are the effects (other than taking care of the pain, I mean)? Do they make you groggy at all? Sleepy? (I've never taken either myself.)

Thanks again!

NeuroGlide · Mar 27, 2014

vagough said:
In researching this online, it looks like treatment involves taking it easy for a while, using ice on the affected area, and taking ibuprofen or maybe aspirin. Stronger meds such as Vicodin or Percocet would be given only if the pain is more severe. Which leads me to another question: has anyone taken Vicodin or Percocet? What are the effects (other than taking care of the pain, I mean)? Do they make you groggy at all? Sleepy? (I've never taken either myself.)

Thanks again!

Ooooohhhhhh, Vicodin. Doesn't do anything to cut the pain, you just don't care. Watched the funniest show while on Vicodin, The Home Shopping Network. Doctor said my reaction was atypical, but not unheard of.

Siri Kirpal · Mar 27, 2014

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

My husband had to have Percocet after a surgery. I don't think he had any side effects or grogginess. But it is a heavily controlled substance as too much can be lethal. Factor that one in if you use it.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

StormChord · Mar 27, 2014

I was given some of a Vicodin analog when I was treated for my broken clavicle, and it didn't seem to have any effect on me - but it also turns out that my pain tolerance is stupid high, so that might have been the main reason why I didn't feel any effects from it.

blacbird · Mar 28, 2014

Siri Kirpal said:
Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

My husband had to have Percocet after a surgery. I don't think he had any side effects or grogginess. But it is a heavily controlled substance as too much can be lethal. Factor that one in if you use it.

Percocet is known to cause violent mood swings, sometimes generating aggressive, almost psychotic, anger. My father-in-law has used it following two knee-replacement surgeries, and he's had more than the normal amount of angry behavior.

I had an appendectomy 8 years ago, was prescribed Percocet for the recovery period, and owing to what I witnesed in my father-in-law, never filled the prescription. Good news was, I never felt I needed to. An Advil at bedtime was all I really needed.

But I'm always reminded of this:

Why don't you just shoot him?

-- Scott Evil.

caw

Cath · Mar 28, 2014

I had Percocet in the ER a few weeks ago for some serious pain. It took effect pretty quickly and the pain melted away. I felt slightly disconnected from everything going on around me for a few hours but had no major side effects.

My husband, on the other hand, lost an entire day to Percocet. He was home after surgery and said the time between me leaving for work and getting home again felt like no longer than five minutes had gone by.

I hate taking Vicodin. Doc gave me some to help me sleep after various other medications failed to help sinus pain/headache. I felt like I was trapped in a little black box and all I could feel was the pain. I won't take it any more.

vagough · Mar 29, 2014

Cath, Neuro, Siri, Storm, thanks very much for the information on these painkillers! I'm still working away on this, and all the details are helpful.

blacbird said:
But I'm always reminded of this:

Why don't you just shoot him?

-- Scott Evil.

caw

Oh, blacbird, that's definitely one of the options for round two between the MC and antagonist, when the bad guy comes back at the MC for another go.

Help me injure my main character!

vagough

Traveling down the Query Road...

RavenBasslady

King Neptune

NeuroGlide

Out of my mind, leave a message

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

thisismydesign

Nivarion

Brony level >9000

vagough

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StormChord

Allegedly Gullible

asroc

Alex

Collin123

vagough

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NeuroGlide

Out of my mind, leave a message

Siri Kirpal

Swan in Process

StormChord

Allegedly Gullible

blacbird

Cath

The mean one

vagough

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