31 July 2007

Warning: Head Injuries May Occur (particularly to the idiotic)

I work in a microbiology laboratory.
This is part of my work space:

I want you to pay particular attention to the horizontal laminar flow hood (right-center of the picture). Now, typically this is not a dangerous piece of equipment. There are not too many safety issues associated with the hood. Except if you are me. I recently sustained a concussion from bouncing my head off the top part of the hood. A bottle of agar was falling in the waterbath. As a reflex, I quickly rushed in to save it so that I didn't have to melt another bottle. Lab media is valuable! Sort of. Anyway, I hit my head so hard that the room was spinning and I had to feel my head in order to make sure that half of my skull wasn't caved in. I resumed my duties and went home with a throbbing headache. The next day I went back into work and I just didn't feel quite right. The white walls in the halls seemed like they were closing in on me when I walked down them. When I turned my head it seemed like it took a second for my brain to follow. My eyes couldn't really focus in on anything. I saw a doctor and he diagnosed a concussion. It's either my fifth or sixth. I can't remember. I can't decided whether or not this would be considered a good story, or the lamest story ever. All the other times I was concussed, it was doing something adventurous.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I lauhed out loud when I read that you gave yourself a concussion! I've done the same thing except i was mowing the grass under a tree. I laugh at myself now. It's funny in hindsight.

Hong Kong Phooey