Natasha Richardson injured in skiing accident — Page 3

From TMZ:

"We now know what happened to Natasha Richardson on the ski slope when she was critically hurt yesterday, suffering a brain injury.

We're told she was having a private lesson on a green slope (beginner) at a ski resort in Quebec, Canada. She fell -- we're not sure why. There was no blood and no sign of impact. Two ski patrollers came to her rescue. When they got there she was conscious -- smiling and making jokes.

An hour later, Natasha started to complain of a headache and said she didn't feel well. Someone called 911 from the ski resort and she was taken to the hospital. She was conscious when she left the resort."

Perhaps she was wearing a helmet then. If she was having a lesson wouldn't it be the responsibility of the instructor to make sure a student is properly equiped?

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Brain injuries are not always immediate, which is why she was walking around immediately after the accident. This is why you always keep an eye on someone after he/she has had a bad fall or a blow to the head. Headaches and vomiting require immediate emergency care. You don't mess around with head injuries, even if the person seems fine right after the accident.





Montreal Gazette

Updated On: 3/17/09 at 12:01 PM

I know they tend to exaggerate, but it was just reported on ABC that she is fighting for her life. I hope it isn't really that bad.

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Though I don't know what was said on television, the article on ABC's website does not go to the extreme of saying Richardson is "fighting for her life."

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If she is in intensive care, then it is quite serious, of course. If she started to have severe headaches-enough to bring her to the emergency room-that could be a blood clot or cerebral hemorrhage (not to speculate, but those are common scenarios).

However, I imagine that reports for now will be few and far between, given the fact that they might not yet know the full extent of her injury and things might be touch and go, the fact that she is a high-profile patient, and the fact that family members might be in the middle of traveling and don't have the full news.

People can recover from brain injuries, but it can take months or years. The brain is a marvelous thing and people have recovered from brain injuries. It does depend on the severity. However, survival might be the most immediate concern right now. It might not even be a full 24 hours after the accident.

You know the saying....as long as there is life, there is hope.

Updated On: 3/17/09 at 12:27 PM

Jane said it was stated by the reporter on air. The site might not be updated yet.

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Here's the ABC article with nothing about fighting:
Reports: Natasha Richardson Suffers Serious Skiing Accident

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This cautious statement from the ski resort doesn't imply anything like fighting for her life, and since earlier reports said there was no blood or evidence of laceration at the site, the "fighting for life" words are probably the exaggerations of drama-queen TV reporters based on nothing but speculation:

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The Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec, where the 45-year-old star was skiing yesterday, released the following statement regarding her Monday accident:

"Natasha Richardson fell in a beginners trail while taking a ski lesson at Station Mont Tremblant," the statement said. "She was accompanied by an experienced ski instructor who immediately called the ski patrol. She did not show any visible sign of injury but the ski patrol followed strict procedures and brought her back to the bottom of the slope and insisted she should see a doctor."

"As an additional precautionary measure, the ski instructor as well as the ski patrol accompanied Mrs. Richardson to her hotel," the statement continued. "They again recommended she should be seen by a doctor. The ski instructor stayed with her at her hotel. Approximately an hour after the incident Mrs. Richardson was not feeling good. An ambulance was called and Mrs. Richardson was brought to the Centre Hospitalier Laurentien in Ste-Agathe and was later transferred to Hôpital du Sacre-Coeur."

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I'm not commenting one way or another on her current status because I have no idea. But I will say this: there does not have to be blood visible for there to be a gravely serious head injury—which could mean a person is "fighting for her life." (I know this for a fact.)

My thoughts are with her and her family.

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"But I will say this: there does not have to be blood visible for there to be a gravely serious head injury—which could mean a person is "fighting for her life." (I know this for a fact.)"

Exactly. When you hit your head hard enough your entire brain can slam against the front of your skull (or the back, or even both). Your skin may not be broken but your brain has been damaged in some way from the impact.

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I'm speechless. Oh my god.