Hi guys! In my story, the main character winds up in a car accident (as a passenger in the backseat) that ultimately forces him to stay at the hospital for around three weeks to a month. My main questions are: What sort of injuries would force him to stay at the hospital for that length of time? Is it realistic for him to sustain a head injury that renders him unconscious/comatose for a day or two? What would be the long-term physical/psychological effects of such injuries? How would he go about any necessary follow-up procedures? Any and all help would be appreciated!
Hi! So I'm not a medical expert or anything (I have been binging Grey's Anatomy if that's any consolation), but here is the best I can do to answer your questions: 1. Anything requiring major surgery. Broken bones are not good, because they just set them, put a cast on, and send you on your way (I've broken several bones). It would be something like the windshield broke and a piece of glass went into their chest or stomach or something. Or you could go with a brain bleed. 2. I think it is very possible, especially if they were unrestrained in the car. But even with a seatbelt, they could have still slammed their head into the side of the car or something. 3. It really depends on your character and what injuries you go with (and what caused the crash). They would probably be terrified to get back into a car. Other than that it's completely up to you. 4. The hospital would most likely schedule follow ups to check on recovery, and if any bones were broken most hospitals have out patient facilities where they take x-rays and eventually take the cast off. hope that helps!
Burns, fractures that required multiple surgeries, chest injuries that required a ventilator with complications that then that delayed recovery, infection, especially with a drug resistant organism.... Yes Anything you want them to be that fits your story. Not sure what you are looking for here but in general follow up is done through the physician's office. Surgeons see patients in their clinics, they don't just show up in the OR. ED doctors in any large hospital don't see patients for followup. The assign you to the specialist you need based on their referral system. So if you have a head injury you'll see a neurologist for followup, need surgery, you'll see that surgeon for followup and so on....
Personal account here about what being in a coma is like: http://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-1618-6-awful-realities-falling-into-and-out-of-coma.html