Experience of Near-Drowning

[beccastareyes]

Okay, I'm working on a what-if scenario for a fanfiction contest, writing an alternate scene from the show's canon. In canon (and in the fic), the character in question is tossed overboard and gets separated from his air supply. He is fished out of the water, and his companions are unsure if he's conscious -- he probably is at least semi-

Comments

[crazymule]

I've never been the victim of such an accident but I am a lifeguard- so I can tell you what they told us. When you drag a person out of the water they normally do come to rather quicky- or they need a lot of help, cpr probably. It is similar to other trauma, so confusion and disorientation are both very likely. I had people I pulled out that had just gone under for a little bit be confused, shaken, and disoriented, so when they were completely out that would most likely be a given. Also- another thing to think about (although maybe not applicable due to him not being human) is hypothermia- a huge risk for people have suffered trauma in the water.

Depending on how long he was out and how conscious he really was there might be brain damage. I think it's abotu 2 minutes you can go without risking really nasty damage- but hopefully some one else will come along and verify that.

I dont know if any of that helped, but good luck!

[beccastareyes]

Thanks

[daphnie_1]

I don't know what things are like from the other perspective (I.E what everyone ELSE was doing XD because I don't really remember. Which will sound odd, but you know XD) but I can tell you what it's like from the perspective of someone who has nearly drowned if that's useful.

[beccastareyes]

That would be very useful.

[daphnie_1]

I mean, my first reaction was to start flailing. I don't swim very well and when the idea hit me that - Fuck I was going to drown - I started panicing.

I knew I should hold my breathe but that really really started to hurt and then I just got this instinct that I NEEDED to take a deep breathe in or I was going to burst. (And obviously that's probably the worst thing you CAN do

[lurkingheretic]

If you're near a physical library or bookstore, you might pick up a copy of "The Perfect Storm". There's a scientific and somewhat graphic description of the processes of drowning, including that bursting sensation daphne_1 describes and the reflexes that tell your body when to hold your breath and when to inhale. I don't remember it accurately enough to quote it though.

[zinnea]

I came close to drowning twice. The second time I blacked out so I don't remember much of it but the first time I was awake and aware for most of the time. I was a young girl and I'd gotten into a very deep area of a swimming pool back when I really didn't know how to swim at all. I couldn't touch the bottom of the pool to push up from or the wall to grab onto. I remember feeling panicked, afraid and dizzy. The urge to inhale was very strong even though I knew I couldn't because it was all water. My limbs started twitching and I think I must've flailed a few times. I can't recall how long this lasted although I know from reading after the fact that it was probably only a minute. Just as I was about to pass out (and possibly/probably die) I remember feeling a wave of euphoria, oddly enough

[ankewehner]

I nearly drowned once, but can't give much helpful information.

I'd been chatting with people while holding on to their boat, kinda forgot that I couldn't swim, and let go. All I remember is seeing air bubbling in front of me, and next thing I know is sitting on a log on land, being very cold, shivering like crazy, and wondering how the hell I got there.

Next thing was that I worried about getting chwed out by my parents.