the correct response was...

Not to scrimmage.

After my only contact practice, my headache only got worse and worse until it was unbearable and I had to go to the hospital. My lovely derby wife, Low-Dive Jenny, accompanied me because that's what derby wives do. Her presence was much appreciated as a waited to see a doctor. Doc says i'll live. Doc says I'm not brain-damaged or anything, I just returned to contact sports too soon for my poor concussed brain to handle. So, I need more time.

When the headaches subside at my rested state, I can go back to skating, but i'm going to have to wait a long time before I can do contact again. I'm going to pay extra special attention to my brain and be sure that I wait a good week or 2 after I feel like i'm in tip-top shape.

My team has a game tonight. Watching it and not being able to play is going to make me crazy. The after-party should be fun though.

To scrimmage or not to scrimmage

Last night, I participated in contact and hitting drills (woot!) and the result was a little dizziness towards the end of practice and a very short-lived headache afterwards. So now the question is: am i ready to scrimmage tonight? If I don't scrimmage tonight, the likelihood of my playing the next game is pretty slim. But if i do scrimmage tonight and my head gets jossled, it might exaccerbate things causing me to prolong my medical leave from the wonderful world or the roller derby.

I vote for taking things one jam at a time. I'll get myself good and warmed-up and then aim to be on the track for at least one jam. And if I'm feelin' good, i'll try for 2 jams... and so on.

another derby day

So I got medical clearance to resume my sporting activities and the I got a concussion related headache. So I've still got to be careful. I feel great though. At Sunday's team practice, since we engaged in a ton of hitting drills, I ended up doing a ton of endurance laps. I felt like death after just a few laps, but I kept on going and didn't give up and by the end of practice I felt as though I could have kept on skating all day long.

I haven't had any brain pain since Saturday, so I'm thinking tonight I'll stick with the no contact plan and tomorrow I'll remove the training wheels and launch myself back into the swing of things. I figure Sexpos' practice is a good time to do that. And if I get the slightest head pain, I'll stop. If no pain occurs, then i'll be scrimmaging on Thursday. Yay!