Luckiest Guy Ever

Flasch186 · 01-17-2005, 07:52 AM

Nail embedded in man's skull for 6 days

Monday, January 17, 2005 Posted: 7:48 AM EST (1248 GMT)

LITTLETON, Colorado (AP) -- A dentist found the source of the toothache Patrick Lawler was complaining about on the roof of his mouth -- a four-inch (10-centimeter) nail the construction worker had unknowingly embedded in his skull six days earlier.

A nail gun backfired on Lawler, 23, on January 6 while working in Breckenridge, a ski resort town in the central Colorado mountains. The tool sent a nail into a piece of wood nearby, but Lawler didn't realize a second nail had shot through his mouth, said his sister, Lisa Metcalse.

Following the accident, Lawler had what he thought was a minor toothache and blurry vision. On Wednesday, after painkillers and ice didn't ease the pain, he went to a dental office where his wife, Katerina, works.

"We all are friends, so I thought the (dentists) were joking ... then the doctor came out and said 'There's really a nail,"' Katerina Lawler said. "Patrick just broke down. I mean, he had been eating ice cream to help the swelling."

He was taken to a suburban Denver hospital, where he underwent a four-hour surgery. The nail had plunged 1 1/2 inches (4 centimeters) into his brain, barely missing his right eye, Metcalse said.

"This is the second one we've seen in this hospital where the person was injured by the nail gun and didn't actually realize the nail had been imbedded in their skull," neurosurgeon Sean Markey told KUSA-TV in Denver. "But it's a pretty rare injury."

Lawler was recovering Sunday in the hospital, where he was expected to spend several more days.

Despite his lack of medical insurance and hospital bills between $80,000 and $100,000, Katerina Lawler said her husband is in good spirits.

"The doctors said, 'If you're going to have a nail in the brain, that's the way you want it to be,"' she said. "He's the luckiest guy, ever."

illinifan999 · 01-17-2005, 07:54 AM

How do you not feel a nail going through your mouth?

Radii · 01-17-2005, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flasch186

Despite his lack of medical insurance and hospital bills between $80,000 and $100,000, Katerina Lawler said her husband is in good spirits.

Yeah, once that "lucky to be alive" feeling goes away, he's screwed.

JeeberD · 01-17-2005, 08:46 AM

Hey, Littleton! I used to live right next to there!

Lucky, lucky SOB to still be alive...

Franklinnoble · 01-17-2005, 08:58 AM

Doesn't he get some sort of worker's comp benefit for an on-the-job injury?

It would suck for him to be stuck holding the bag on those bills...

rkmsuf · 01-17-2005, 09:02 AM

I still can't figure out how the second nail went all up in him.

He's pointing the gun at the wood, fires and another nail comes shooting out the ass of the gun or something? Bueller?

QuikSand · 01-17-2005, 09:03 AM

"Lucky" is so relative here.

Qwikshot · 01-17-2005, 10:50 AM

I thought Seal was the luckiest guy alive?

Cringer · 01-17-2005, 10:56 AM

I wonder what I have embedded in my skull?

Franklinnoble · 01-17-2005, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cringer

I wonder what I have embedded in my skull?

Dude... you left yourself wiiiiide open with that one.

Cringer · 01-17-2005, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

Dude... you left yourself wiiiiide open with that one.

Well, that is how it would get imbedded isn't it?

korme · 01-17-2005, 12:02 PM

Thew guy on the local news pulled a George Costanza

"A man survives unknowingly having a nail in his head for 6 days... ouch, that's gotta hurt."

BigJohn&TheLions · 01-17-2005, 12:07 PM

I don't know about lucky. The guy working next to him that the nail missed is a lucky man. Whoever wins the lotto is lucky. Having a nail fly out of a nail gun and imbed itself in your brain is not lucky to me. I would say this man is very fortunate just to be alive.

finkenst · 01-17-2005, 12:42 PM

bobcat goldthwait is a lucky man.

Calis · 01-17-2005, 12:47 PM

I read the title and the first sentence of this thread and wondered how the hell he was lucky.

Guess I'm a pessimist at heart.

cody8200 · 01-17-2005, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

Thew guy on the local news pulled a George Costanza

"A man survives unknowingly having a nail in his head for 6 days... ouch, that's gotta hurt."

LOL. One of the best Seinfeld episodes. cant wait till this one comes out on the season 9 dvd. I'll finally get to watch it in HD for the first time in years...the version you can download looks like crap.

Craptacular · 01-17-2005, 09:39 PM

"How's that, uh, thing feeling?"
"Terrific. The nail comes out next week."
"Well, you hardly even notice it."

mckerney · 01-18-2005, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuikSand

"Lucky" is so relative here.

Yeah. I consider myself much luckier for not having any nails in my head.

Vince · 01-18-2005, 01:43 AM

Lucky -- that he's not dead.

Terribly unlucky -- that he got a nail in the head.
Terribly unlucky -- that he has no insurance.
Terribly unlucky -- that he didn't get to report the injury when it happened, and therefore forfeits any worker's compensation (I believe that's how it works -- very unsure though. Since worker's comp wasn't mentioned, I'd assume that he somehow cannot claim it).

Like Quik said -- such a relative thing.

cthomer5000 · 01-18-2005, 01:46 AM

he may wish that thing killed him by the end of this.

01-17-2005, 07:54 AM	#2
illinifan999 Pro Rookie Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: VA	How do you not feel a nail going through your mouth? __________________ Chicago Eagles 2 time ZFL champions We're "rebuilding"

01-17-2005, 08:46 AM	#4
JeeberD General Manager Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Town of Flower Mound	Hey, Littleton! I used to live right next to there! Lucky, lucky SOB to still be alive... __________________ UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO

01-17-2005, 09:02 AM	#6
rkmsuf Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2001	I still can't figure out how the second nail went all up in him. He's pointing the gun at the wood, fires and another nail comes shooting out the ass of the gun or something? Bueller? __________________ "Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales

01-17-2005, 10:56 AM	#9
Cringer Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Edinburg,TX	I wonder what I have embedded in my skull? __________________ You Stole Fizzy Lifting drinks! You bumped into the ceiling which now has to be washed and steralized, so you get NOTHING! You lose!

01-17-2005, 12:07 PM	#13
BigJohn&TheLions College Benchwarmer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New York	I don't know about lucky. The guy working next to him that the nail missed is a lucky man. Whoever wins the lotto is lucky. Having a nail fly out of a nail gun and imbed itself in your brain is not lucky to me. I would say this man is very fortunate just to be alive. __________________ In the immortal words of a great alcoholic, "Can't we all just get along?"

01-17-2005, 08:58 AM	#5
Franklinnoble Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Placerville, CA	Doesn't he get some sort of worker's comp benefit for an on-the-job injury? It would suck for him to be stuck holding the bag on those bills...

01-17-2005, 09:03 AM	#7
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	"Lucky" is so relative here.

01-17-2005, 10:50 AM	#8
Qwikshot Pro Starter Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: ...down the gravity well	I thought Seal was the luckiest guy alive?

01-17-2005, 12:02 PM	#12
korme Go Reds Join Date: May 2001 Location: Bloodbuzz Ohio	Thew guy on the local news pulled a George Costanza "A man survives unknowingly having a nail in his head for 6 days... ouch, that's gotta hurt."

01-17-2005, 12:42 PM	#14
finkenst College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: usually sunny SoCal	bobcat goldthwait is a lucky man.

01-17-2005, 12:47 PM	#15
Calis College Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas	I read the title and the first sentence of this thread and wondered how the hell he was lucky. Guess I'm a pessimist at heart.

01-17-2005, 09:39 PM	#17
Craptacular College Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: The Mad City, WI	"How's that, uh, thing feeling?" "Terrific. The nail comes out next week." "Well, you hardly even notice it."

01-18-2005, 01:43 AM	#19
Vince Pro Starter Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Willow Glen, CA	Lucky -- that he's not dead. Terribly unlucky -- that he got a nail in the head. Terribly unlucky -- that he has no insurance. Terribly unlucky -- that he didn't get to report the injury when it happened, and therefore forfeits any worker's compensation (I believe that's how it works -- very unsure though. Since worker's comp wasn't mentioned, I'd assume that he somehow cannot claim it). Like Quik said -- such a relative thing. __________________ Every time a Dodger scores a run, an angel has its wings ripped off by a demon, and is forced to tearfully beg the demon to cauterize the wounds.The demon will refuse, and the sobbing angel will lie in a puddle of angel blood and feathers for eternity, wondering why the Dodgers are allowed to score runs.That’s not me talking: that’s science. McCoveyChronicles.com.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)