Yasser Lopez can thank his lucky stars….and his doctor, Dr George Garcia.
A 16 year old today is counting his blessings after narrowly escaping almost certain death and other debilitating damages after being pierced by a 3 ft fishing spear.
gawker: It was just two weeks ago that Lopez was accidentally shot in the head with a Cressi Sub SL spear gun by a friend who was attempting to load it. The spear entered two inches above his right eye, stopping short of exiting through the backside of his head.
He was transported to Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital — the same hospital where face-eating victim Ronald Poppo is currently recovering — with about 30 inches of spear protruding from his forehead. Amazingly, Lopez was conscious and able to speak with EMTs and ER doctors.
Seems like Jackson Memorial hospital is sure collecting its fair share of freak incidents. Could one imagine what was going through the boy’s mind (was he even able to logically think at the time?) as he was being rushed to hospital. A mental gymnastic must have included the following: Will I go blind, able to speak logically, lose nerve feelings, be stuck with a spear sticking out of my head for eternity or worse will I live another day after this one if the blood doesn’t stop?
“It’s something you don’t see everyday to have a patient arrive awake and speaking with a three-foot spear through his head,” said trauma surgeon Dr. George Garcia.
Doctors using a surgical saw, a high speed drill and industrialized grade vice grips (now that made you take notice) were eventually able to take the rod out of the boys head.
After numerous cat scans it has been deduced the boy is now ‘looking surprisingly normal’ (is he feeling normal though?) and is now expected to make a full recovery.
The moral of the lesson; Don’t despair in the event you one day find a spear or a metal rod suddenly jammed in your skull, there’s hope for you yet.
