Everything went black. When the light returned, my head was spinning and I was overcome with dizziness. This is not good, I’m not in good shape I thought. Then I turned around and my heart sunk.  Building up and moments from crashing down on me was another wave with about a 12 ft face on it. A wave that big, breaking right in front or on top of you will smash you violently end over end down into the ocean. In normal circumstances, facing several of these waves back to back can be terrifying. On Monday, I had to face them after a concussion. 

The second wave after the concussion really scared me. I knew I wasn’t in good shape, and there was no getting past the wave before it broke. As it peaked and the 12 foot mountain of water started to come down in front of me,  I ditched my board and dove down as far as I could. Fortunately the lip of the wave hit right in front of me and not on top of me. The difference was significant as another major blow to the head by the lip of that wave could have been it for me.  I don’t remember what happened next but I remember coming back up and seeing another giant wave. 

Paddle, breath, paddle, breath, paddle, breath and dive. I was in survival mode. This was the seventh wave in less than a minute and a half, I was hyperventilating, everything was spinning and my vision was blurry.  Again I dove down as the wave smashed down in front of me and sent me spinning downward before finally letting go. As I reached the surface with salt water in my eyes I opened my right. Always the right eye first, like a periscope to see what was next. This time the ocean had leveled off.

I gotta get out of here, I gotta get out of here, I moaned to my buddy as I robotically paddled in the direction of safety. Everything was still spinning. I can’t get hit by anymore waves I thought as I turned and looked out into the ocean. That’s when I saw an even bigger set of waves coming, about 20 seconds away. I immediately stopped paddling in the direction of my planned escape and started paddling straight out into the ocean. I needed every bit of that 20 second warning of the latest set of waves. As they approached me, they were just like a mountain of water that was getting steeper by the second. I made it over all four of the waves and was by this time over 100 yards away from shore.

Safely outside the breakers now, I paddled towards the boat ramp, where we get in and out of the water. I thought I was by myself, but a single stand up paddle surfer who had paddled deeper to escape the big waves paddled along side me most of the way back in. That was comforting.  All in all, with my detour out to sea, and swimming against the current, it took me about fifteen minutes to get back to shore. But I made it.

That night I was feeling really lethargic and was having a little difficulty speaking clearly, almost like my tongue was tied. Also, my brain was operating almost like it was in a slower gear. The clinic out by our house was closed, and because I didn’t have any more severe symptoms, I waited until the next morning to go in and get checked out by the doctor. After the doctor checked out my ear and ruled out an ear drum perforation, and asking more about my symptoms, he said that I had suffered a concussion. He then went on to explain that the first blow to the head that causes the concussion is dangerous, but a second blow to the head after someone gets a concussion can be fatal.

Immediately the image of those last two waves who’s wrath I so narrowly escaped popped into my head. It could have ended much, much worse and it really caused me to be extra grateful to be alive.

What did we have for dinner last night, my son asked that evening after the doctor visit. He had been doing research and was checking up on me.

Burritos, I said.

Good, he said with a big grin as he walked off.

Yeah…I agree.

(Note: The four pictures  in sequence above are from earlier this year, and are of me padding up and over a 12 ft wave in the exact spot as I got the concussion this week. In the last picture, where the wave hits the water, I was just a few feet in front of where the lip when it hit. I had to get passed two of these waves after the concussion. This last picture I hope gives a glimpse of why I surf. It’s one of the most enjoyable recreational activities I’ve ever had the privilege to experience.)