Consequences of an Injury

An injury is often the result of a split second of inattention, or a failure to recognize and react to a seemingly insignificant hazardous condition or act.  So, what are the real consequences of an injury?

Pain – Our body has a capacity to shield us momentarily from sensing pain immediately after an injury.  Most people call it shock.  Once the shock wears off, many injuries result in tremendous pain and it can linger for a very long time.  The pain can be managed in different ways, but it always affects the person’s quality of life and almost always negatively impacts their interaction with others, including loved ones.

Loss of Function – There is a saying that goes, “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone!”  Nowhere is this truer than when an injury takes away the use of part of our body.  What would change in your life if you lost the use of an eye, a finger, an ear, or some other body part even for a few days or weeks?

The Ripple Effect – The effects of an injury spread out like ripples from a stone dropped in water.  An injured person’s spouse often needs to adjust their plans and spend time to help care for things.  A child endures seeing their parent deal with recovery and is often robbed of time or contact that the parent cannot provide while recovering.  Special plans and occasions are often delayed or even missed while the injured person recuperates.

What’s the point?  It is never worth risking the things that are most important to us!  And that is exactly what we do whenever we break a safety rule, rush a job, or accept an unnecessary risk.  It is impossible to calculate what is lost when a person is injured.