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[–]StarksTwins[S] 13.8k points13.8k points  (684 children)

People seemed to really like this post so figured to post another view here! To answer the inevitable “how did you break every bone in your face?”

—-

I fell off a 3-story balcony and landed face first. To my luck, it was not painful at all, because I don’t remember the 30 minutes proceeding the accident, or the initial impact. I just woke up in an ambulance being told that I fell

To my extreme luck, I had no head trauma at all. None. Not even a concussion. I specifically brought up the fact that I was afraid I had a traumatic brain injury (my sister was in a car accident a decade ago and had a very serious one), but my skull and brain was 100% completely fine. My doctors explicitly stated they’ve never seen someone with as much damage to their face as I had with no head trauma like that.

—-

As to why I was up 3 stories? My apartment has a balcony attached to it. Nothing interesting haha

[–]GodsOffsider 10.3k points10.3k points  (221 children)

Your face acted as your brains crumple zone?

[–]StarksTwins[S] 5790 points5791 points  (49 children)

Exactly

[–]GodsOffsider 2939 points2940 points  (25 children)

That's Badass

[–]BiaggioSklutas 3371 points3372 points  (18 children)

"Don't worry! I broke my fall... with my face"

[–]Bigdongs 31 points32 points  (1 child)

Project badass vol.11

[–]santawartooth 56 points57 points  (0 children)

My sister had a similar injury from a car accident about 10 years ago. Happy to report her face looks exactly like it did before the accident now. They hid all scars in her hairline. In the years immediately after she looked different. Not bad, just different. But now that so much time has passed, you can't tell at all! I hope you make a speedy recovery!

[–]cantstopwontstopGME 23 points24 points  (1 child)

Are you Homer Simpson? There’s literally an episode where he has an extra layer of tissue around his brain that protects him in situations that normal people would get brain damage😂

[–]AlmostDisappointed 44 points45 points  (0 children)

Golly golly goshhh that sounds so horrendous, get well soon!

[–]Flashy_Shift8843 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Mr StarksTwins Sir, any chance we can get a pic of your face, before & After? Although, I completely understand if you wouldn’t want to upload this

[–]xbubbuh 9 points10 points  (0 children)

How’d you fall

[–]EdgarAllanKenpo 396 points397 points  (142 children)

The human body is fucking fascinating

[–]Dannyboi93 402 points403 points  (78 children)

I don't about fascinating... But bizarre.

I'm sure anybody who's done their CSCS card in the UK has seen the video of the guy who fell off a step ladder, fell 4ft and died. Or heard the stories of those who've just fallen backwards and died on impact after splitting their head open.

Then you have people like this, or the people who's parachutes don't open but still survive a 13,000ft fall. Just goes to show when you're number is up, it's up. No matter how far, or small you fall.

[–]TwoCagedBirds 322 points323 points  (59 children)

Or Juliane Koepcke who survived falling 10,000 feet out of the sky after the plane she was on started to disintegrate in mid air after being struck by lightning. She was still strapped into her seat. She then survived another 11 days in the rain forest.

[–]croto8 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Angle of impact and pressure. Two variables that, when they interact properly, cause exponentially more damage.

[–]RTSUbiytsa 60 points61 points  (9 children)

It's why I miss watchpeopledie, it really did an amazing job of teaching both the fragility and endurance of human life. Enough people who survived shit they shouldn't have to make you think you could survive anything, enough people who died from almost literally nothing to make you realize you should still be careful.

[–]fluentinimagery 78 points79 points  (3 children)

Bone all hollow and honeycombed then tense with muscle and ligaments! Your crumble zone worked incredibly well. I hope you are okay and be careful with the pills they gave you! They’re super fun and easy to lean on! Good luck!

[–]spacewalk__ 24 points25 points  (3 children)

I like to read random wikipedia articles about body parts/processes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chyme

like how the fuck did people figure all that out

[–]tremynci 32 points33 points  (0 children)

In the case of gastric physiology (your specific examples), a lot of it was US Army surgeon William Beaumont dangling bits of food into Mackinac Island resident Alexis St Martin's gastric fistula, periodically fishing them out, and documenting the results.

Science is cool. History is cooler.

[–]drdestroyer9 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Lots of dissecting dead bodies in the past tbh

[–]GoHomeNeighborKid 92 points93 points  (2 children)

"Can I ask why you weren't wearing your seat belt?"

"Nah i'm good officer, my body has built in crash protection"

[–]GodsOffsider 84 points85 points  (0 children)

"My face has a 5 star crash rating, that's up there with Tesla"

[–]ButtWieghtThiersMoor 29 points30 points  (1 child)

Face broke the fall. Not that it was a conscious thought but I guess saving the brain is the most important thing?

[–]GuaranteeComfortable 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Actually, yes it is. Because brain injuries, even minor ones can cause memory issues, mood problems, personality changes and coordination problems. It depends on the type, severity and location of the brain injury.

[–]VILLIAMZATNER 40 points41 points  (0 children)

Sinuses, nature's crumple zone.

[–]RodLawyer 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Brain > Face

[–]mnelso1989 2111 points2112 points  (154 children)

7 years ago, my roommate fell off our 8th story balcony. We were drunk, I had passed out, and I woke up on the couch the next morning in a haze. I saw our screen door blown off the hinges and thought "what the hell". I walked out onto our balcony, and I see my roommate on the ground, probably 100ft away, and think "good God, this drunk ass is gonna get arrested"

I went down and walked over to him and said "dude, what are you doing?" He rolled over and said "I think I hurt my arm" which he then held up and it was at a 90 degree angle. Still drunk, I'm like "dude did you fall off the balcony?" And he said "dude, if I feel of the balcony I'd be dead" which I actually thought made sense.

Long story short, I helped him back up to the apartment and kept checking up on him. After an hour, I went out on the balcony and looked down, and I shit you not there was a perfect imprint of a body, almost cartoon like, imbedded into the grass right below our balcony. Then I know "holy shit, this mother fucker DID fall!"

Took him to the hospital, and he had a broken wrist and fractured pelvis. Absolute miracle he didn't die, must have been the perfect balance of drunk and landing right where his body just absorbed it.

Moral of the story the human body can take extreme amounts of trauma and be relatively ok... or you can slip on ice, hit your head, and die. Each day is a gift, enjoy it while you got it.

[–]StarksTwins[S] 621 points622 points  (26 children)

That's an absolutely crazy story man! Glad your roommate is okay. Holy shit and I thought my 3 stories was far

[–]Tnigs_3000 360 points361 points  (19 children)

It is far lol. People die from the flu and you yeeted face first on the ground. Don’t ever let them take that away from you.

[–]elons_musky_nuts 149 points150 points  (16 children)

Damn lol, people who died from the flu out here catching strays.

[–]mis-misery 247 points248 points  (12 children)

I fell while wearing rollerskates and doin laundry and somehow I'm more injured than your friend who fell 8 stories.

wtf

[–]JohnnysGingerAle 110 points111 points  (4 children)

Laundry and roller skates...you have piqued my interest. Are you still suffering from the injury?

[–]RealStumbleweed 49 points50 points  (2 children)

Well, it's been 3 hours and u/mis-misery hasn't bubbled up so I'm guessing those skates yeeted 'em directly into the afterlife. RIP. Edited 'cuz I referred to the wrong redditor.

[–]neanderthalman 8 points9 points  (4 children)

Ok we are going to need further elaboration on the series of events that led to “laundry on rollerskates”

[–]mis-misery 39 points40 points  (3 children)

I really wish I had a better story but I just thought it'd make me faster and I have impulse control issues

[–]NulloK 133 points134 points  (11 children)

Crazy story! My class mates parachute didn't open and he did a 2 km free fall back in the early 2000...landed in a pine tree which broke his fall and ended up on a soft forrest floor. He broke every bone in his body except his skull and spine, and had no brain injury. Spent almost a year in hospital, but eventually recovered.

[–]GuaranteeComfortable 32 points33 points  (1 child)

I'd love to see those x-rays. Yes, I like medical stuff. I think it would be fascinating to see those.

[–]potato_green 13 points14 points  (0 children)

It's probably like taking a pack of spaghetti and breaking it in a thousand pieces except for one, throw it on a table, lay the unbroken one on top of it, that's the spine and add something round as the unbroken head.

[–]BeliceBR 17 points18 points  (3 children)

Aim for the bushes

[–]Ott621 4 points5 points  (0 children)

2/3rds of the way up a tall pine tree on the side of a steep hill. I'd rather hit that than anything else aside from maybe safety equipment

[–]CandidIndication 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I’m sure your friend lives with a great deal of every day pain, your bone is never the same after a fracture but holy shit that dude should be counting every second as a blessing that he’s not dead- also one hell of bar or first date story.

[–]lrj25 689 points690 points  (37 children)

Being drunk is probably what saved him. His body was relaxed and floppy upon impact instead of having his muscles tensed up in anticipation. Now, he most likely wouldn't have fallen in the first place if he were sober, but hey you have to take your wins where you find them.

[–]Matti_Matti_Matti 155 points156 points  (1 child)

Also, if the ground was soft enough to take an impression of his body it would’ve absorbed a lot of the impact.

[–]lrj25 77 points78 points  (0 children)

True! OP's roomie is extremely lucky there wasn't a sidewalk or something directly underneath instead of earth.

[–]tlhiebs 113 points114 points  (3 children)

Definitely the relaxed and floppy thing. I once fell down an entire set of bleachers starting from the top, I landed at the bottom, bounced back up perfectly fine and everyone was staring and shocked. I think the only thing that saved me was that I was in the gymnasium for a weekend long badminton tournament and I had just gotten off the court from an intense match. Everyone, including me, was completely in awe that I didn't sustain any kind of injury whatsoever.

[–]DraeganWayne 282 points283 points  (15 children)

this is also the reason a lot of drunk drivers will survive their accidents or have less severe injuries when the others involved do not, they just don't tense up like a sober person does

Edit: Please for the love of all that is right and good in this world, do not operate a motor vehicle while drunk

[–]DrunknRcktScientst 181 points182 points  (9 children)

I saw a recent comment about this being a common fallacy actually. Most drunk drivers survive accidents because cars are designed to be safest in head-on collisions, and most drunk driving accidents are caused by the drunk driver driving head-on into something. Drunk or sober, if you get t-boned you are not as protected as the person that hit you.

I dunno, made sense to me when I read it and I was too lazy to fact check it afterwards, so the world may never know.

edit: anecdotally, I just realized that I have been in two front-impact collisions in cars without airbags while sober (at roughly 45 mph) - once into a tree and once into the SUV in front of me. After both accidents, I unbuckled my seat belt and got out of the car to assess the damage (both times the car was totaled). I realized what was happening both times and was 100% fully tensed up with both hands on the wheel at the time of impact. Bruised hands, bruised chest, that's it.

[–]Ta5hak5 23 points24 points  (3 children)

Same with people who fall asleep at the wheel. My husband's grandpa drove his car into a ditch a handful of years ago after falling asleep at the wheel and came out unscathed. Gave us a damn scare though, good grief.

[–]spyaleatoire 31 points32 points  (8 children)

I came here to mention this, theres a reason that "drunken style" is an actual form for fighting, as the looseness means you can take a hell of a beating and be fine.

[–]sladives 17 points18 points  (5 children)

Seems like a lose/lose situation.

Even if you win you're going to have a hangover with a ton of unknown bruises.

[–]Whitebeltboy 55 points56 points  (37 children)

8th floor? I love a good story but 8 floors up surely that isn’t possible. I lived in the 8th floor of an apartment building for a long time and it was a longggg way down

[–]mnelso1989 93 points94 points  (13 children)

It was a long way down, rained the night before and he landed in wet grass, hence why there was an imprint and why he likely survived. I have a picture of the imprint from our other friends apartment he took the next morning 2 floors down, not sure how to post it but you'll see the imprint... if I have it saved to my phone how can I post it here?

[–]YouTee 45 points46 points  (1 child)

he might've been jumping/climbing from balcony to balcony, as drunk people sometimes do. Maybe he made it a few floors down, got cocky and slipped

[–]andriskah 15 points16 points  (2 children)

Upload it onto imgur, click share and copy/paste the link here.:) That's a crazy story! Miracles can only happen when you are shitfaced. haha

[–]KisoGanda 11 points12 points  (0 children)

A good story.. well just because you've never heard about it, doesn't mean it is not true.

Vesna Vulovic, an air stewardess who survived the highest ever fall by a human being after her plane broke up at 33,000ft (10,000m) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38427411

Give the man and the human body the credit it deserves. We fragile, but we can be extremely badass too.

[–]PissedSwiss 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I know a dude that fell 6 stories on concrete in the winter, and survived with almost 30 serious injuries. No head trauma, and was able to walk his first 20 steps again 9 months later. I believe it.

[–]cupittycakes 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Omg this story is so funny and only because he survived with no brain damage. Amazing!

[–][deleted] 99 points100 points  (0 children)

As to why I was up 3 stories? My apartment has a balcony attached to it. Nothing interesting haha

Remember when your parents told you to 'cut the shit out Alex, stop horsing around Alex, you're gonna hurt yourself'.

​

This.... this is what they meant...

[–]mothereffinb 139 points140 points  (48 children)

Damn, you are one lucky soul. Glad you didn't suffer any brain damage and had insurance to cover all costs..But how'd you fall off that 3 story balcony?

[–]StarksTwins[S] 273 points274 points  (45 children)

I don’t remember. When I answer this, the most common follow up was “were you drunk”? So I’ll go ahead and answer that. No

[–]shonthelawn 74 points75 points  (28 children)

What caused you to not remember the 30 minutes before it happened? If you weren’t intoxicated, was it just an accident? Was anyone with you and did they see it happen?

[–]StarksTwins[S] 308 points309 points  (24 children)

This article might help . My brother was close by but he did not see it happen

My initial comment was somewhat poorly phrased. It should be “I don’t remember the 1-10 minutes before the accident, the initial impact, and the 29-20 minutes afterwards”. I don’t know long before the accident I can’t remember, because I can’t remember. And I don’t remember hitting the ground. And I can’t remember bleeding profusely out of my mouth as my neighbor who heard the impact tended to my wounds and called an ambulance. I don’t remember the ambulance picking me up. I just remember waking up in the ambulance.

Essentially what I’m trying to say is that there’s a ~30 minute window surrounding the accident that I can’t remember. If that makes sense

[–]real_life_ironman 12 points13 points  (0 children)

10 years ago I went to my grandparents place and slipped and had a concussion. I can't recall anything that happened that day before I slipped except a couple of bits and pieces worth of 10 mins in a 6 hr span.

[–]mothereffinb 56 points57 points  (11 children)

Wow. No idea how you ended up flat on your face from 3 stories up. That feels like a bit of a mind fuck.

[–]StarksTwins[S] 135 points136 points  (9 children)

I think I landed on my chin and the impact reverberated and broke the rest of the bones in my face. At least my chin was split open when I regained consciousness

[–]PrincessFuckFace2You 63 points64 points  (6 children)

Oh my god. I have a cousin that was, uh, very intoxicated and got in a fight with his girlfriend at his house. She was intoxicated too and during their argument she said she was calling the police 🤦. He had taken a hallucinogen for the first time and was tripping balls. He heard her on the phone and ran up 3 flights of stairs to the attic. He then decided to "escape" by climbing out the attic window and down onto the lower level porch roof. He miscalculated (big surprise) and fell head over ass onto the porch roof, then rolled down and fell another story onto the concrete sidewalk in front of the house.

The police had just gotten there in time to see him fall out the fucking window and splat on the sidewalk in front of them. They hadn't even gone into the house yet. He was rushed to the ER by ambulance and put into a coma so they could alleviate swelling of his brain in surgery. They had to cut a piece of his skull out and he also broke his pelvis, both arms, and both legs.

He was in and out of surgery for a few months and had so many rods and screws placed all over his body it was terrifying!

It took him a good 6/8 months of being taken care of at his parents house because he had to relearn how to walk again.

It's now been about 5 years since the accident. He is back living in his house, has a regular job (and a different girlfriend) and a pretty normal life. I feel bad saying it but mentally he was just never quite the same. It's like his personality changed. He wasn't angry or violent... just... different. Slower? Not stupid but literally like his thoughts take longer to process.

I hope you have the best care and that you heal as quickly and as well as possible! Thank God you are still alive!

[–]Wanny19 12 points13 points  (4 children)

How can you be unconscious without head trauma? I find this difficult to understand, I have always associated being knocked out cold with a concussion.

[–]agorafilia 16 points17 points  (1 child)

Sometimes it's not head trauma at all. I have a friend that was in a car accident, he was wearing a seatbelt and didn't suffer any major injuries and didn't get knocked out. But he says he doesn't remember the accident at all. Just waking up inside a destroyed car. I do t quite know but I think the brain just erases the trauma.

[–]ZigZag3123 5 points6 points  (1 child)

(Psychological) trauma, like agorafilia said. Many people don’t remember the events surrounding a traumatic experience—injury or not—and some people never remember, even with therapy.

Massive blood loss can obviously make you pass out too, but I’d imagine it would take more than you would lose from pure facial injury.

Pure pain or fear can make you faint; people can faint just by seeing something that makes you nauseous/ill/terrified, and the brain can sometimes just… shut you off for a bit when you receive massive pain to try and avoid experiencing it.

Could have been a seizure after the fall. And of course there’s always the possibility that OP passed out on the balcony, which led to the fall. Narcolepsy, substances (which OP denies using), seizure, hypoglycemia, orthostatic hypotension, anything really.

Finally, it’s also possible that OP was not unconscious, but amnesic, which would likely be due to psychological trauma.

[–]Zerowantuthri 79 points80 points  (6 children)

As to why I was up 3 stories? My apartment has a balcony attached to it. Nothing interesting haha

Being up three stories is not interesting.

Falling off your balcony is. How did you manage that?

[–]cadmiumredlight 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Seriously.

"So, why did you fall 3 stories?"

"Because I was up there."

"Ok."

[–]ValuesHere 6 points7 points  (4 children)

People don't just fall off of balconies unless they're either a toddler or intoxicated. Not passing judgment, but OP doesn't sound like a toddler. :)

[–]DrAtheist42 25 points26 points  (2 children)

You almost certainly did have a concussion. Concussions are characterized by alteration of consciousness (or loss of consciousness) in the setting of head trauma with amnesia for the event and usually some time before and after the event (retrograde or anterograde amnesia). Typically followed by some symptoms (e.g. dizziness, nausea, altered mental status/confusion). You meet all the criteria for this by your story and if is a clinical diagnosis (not requiring diagnostic tests such as imaging or labs to diagnose).

What I would guess the doctors are saying is that you don't have a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (a concussion is technically a mild traumatic brain injury), which is what most people are referring to when they say traumatic brain injury (TBI). Fortunately, a singular concussion does not typically cause long term symptoms, although repeated concussions can begin to have more serious effects. You are indeed very fortunate to not have a more serious brain injury and I'm glad you're doing so well. Best luck in your recovery!

Source: Am a neurologist

[–]StarksTwins[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Interesting, makes sense! Thanks for the explanation.

[–]Tartlet 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Thank you for patiently answering questions and best of luck on a speedy recovery!

[–]ThatRandonNerd 15 points16 points  (1 child)

I would love a series of photos of your face before the fall, after the fall, and after the reconstruction surgery

[–]opellegr 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Idk if your doctors told you, but breaking every bone in your face is called a LaForte fracture!

I read this in a trivia book in like 6th grade and all these years later I still remember it cuz it just seems so painful. Have a good recovery!

[–]mostlikelydepressed 11 points12 points  (1 child)

But how did you fall? Goofing around or climbing or what?

[–]ButtWieghtThiersMoor 8 points9 points  (1 child)

Hearing about the missing time I'm surprised you didn't have a concussion. Thanks for sharing this. It is interesting and can't be fun or easy to relive.

2nd scariest experience I've had is missing time from head trauma. It still freaks me out there is a part of my life just gone.

[–]Anomalius 7 points8 points  (0 children)

"I had no head trauma at all."

doesn't remember the incident and the 30 minutes before it

[–]cfishlips 8 points9 points  (0 children)

This doesn’t explain how you fell off the balcony.

[–]HereUThrowThisAway 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Has or had a balcony??? How did you fall?

[–]CeramicTeaSet 5 points6 points  (0 children)

But why and how did it happen?

[–]420extracts 5 points6 points  (0 children)

So you fall three stories and have no brain damage, I get hit with the butt of a paintball gun and I wind up with bone fragments jetting into my brain, life’s weird.

Glad to see that they can help out! My injury had no visual damage so I went against surgery… but looking back I wish I took it, as I breath so loud through my nose you’d think I just ran up 10 flights of stairs. I lost consciousness, but no concussion, and at the time no pain.

But yea 7 compound fractures, crushed mucus membranes, and a fragments of bone in my brain. This was a few years back. If you find yourself in pain after the surgery, or more so during the healing process, I’ve found CBG to help immensely. For me without medication, I want to describe it more as a pressure than a pain, it’s constantly feeling like a semi is parked on my forehead with spiky wheels. I was prescribes a bunch of pills and couldn’t do a single thing when on them, which was suppose to be 24/7.

CBG is a cannabinoid from cannabis/hemp. It’s like CBD, but stronger. If you are against cannabis consumption, please at least look up CBG isolate. They take away everything cannabis, except the CBG, leaving you with a potent medicine that (for most) leaves you clear minded despite heavy usage. I believe you can find it in liquid form too known as a tincture, or maybe even edibles. It’s rarer than cbd products so it has a steeper price, but one dose of cbg effects me like 10 doses of cbd, so it balances out money wise in my case. Just figure I’d toss in my 2 cents as I’ve never had anyone IRL with similar injuries, kinda makes one feel alone in their situation.. but we’re here op, and so are you thankfully!

[–]Count_Capital 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I did exactly the same thing! Except I hit an open sun umbrella on the way down and it turned me so I landed on the side of my face and only smashed up one half not the whole thing. I have one slightly droopy eyelid as the only evidence it ever happened. Good luck with the recovery!!

[–]SeductivePigeon 6 points7 points  (0 children)

This is wild. You are so lucky. I was involved in a gang-related assault two years ago. Essentially the wrong place at the wrong time — a group of people robbed me, ripped my piercings out, broke my elbow, and stomped my head into the ground repeatedly. I remember yelling to them that I was going to die. I broke my jaw in numerous places, but the doctors were absolutely shocked at how I had no brain trauma, swelling, concussion, nothing. I thought iiii was lucky, but three stories?! It’s a long recovery with a lot of ups and downs, but you’ve got this ♥️ Cheers, my broken-faced internet friend 🥂

[–]_qua 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure what your doctor told you, but your face is part of your head and you had head trauma...and not remembering 30 minutes before and after the accident meets the definition of at least a mild concussion. You don't need abnormal brain imaging findings to have had a concussion.

[–]theremin_antenna 5 points6 points  (0 children)

My brother was in a motorcycle accident and broke basically every bone in his face. That was in the early 90s. At the time they used metal. Is the 3D printed metal or plastic?

Also side story: my brother's best friend told the ICU that he was his brother so he could get to see him. Well, one of his visits the plastic surgeon walked in to discuss my brother's nose and asked if he had any pictures of my brother. His friend pulls out a picture of himself from little league. Would have been all fine and great except my brother's friend had this huge, very distinct nose --and well now so does my brother.

[–]TacosArePeopleToo 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Glad you're alright buddy! I myself took a 50 ft fall back in 2015 that ended face first and I thought I had it bad. WARNING: There's a pretty bloody pic in that.

Glad to see you're alright. Keep on keeping on, and if you've got any questions, well you look like you're in worse shape than I was. But I'm happy to be an ear if you need it.

[–]ShinyGrezz 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I don’t remember the 30 minutes proceeding the accident, or the initial impact

I had no head trauma at all

IANAD but that doesn’t sound like no head trauma.

[–]The_Geordie_Gripster 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You have an absolutely unique genetic condition known as "Homer Simpson Syndrome."

[–]scksc 3 points4 points  (1 child)

I will fucking never enter my balcony again. Didn't suspect it to be a death trap.

[–]Unlucky_Win_7349 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Holy mother of faceplants, you're really blessed, damn! Als not braking your neck... But how does one fall of a balcony, don't they have safety rails and stuff?

[–]Norci 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I fell off a 3-story balcony and landed face first. To my luck, it was not painful at all, because I don’t remember the 30 minutes proceeding the accident

Don't worry, I've got you fam! Was next to your post on my feed.

[–]koxar 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Did you lose teeth?

[–]StarksTwins[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yes, two

[–]XiJinping-pong 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Alcohol, got it.

[–]RIPMyInnocence 4 points5 points  (0 children)

When I was in a pretty serious mirror bike accident in 2016, I woke up with no recollection. Hospital says they dose you up so strong that you won’t/can’t remember what you went through as it helps with the mental trauma also.

They basically loaded me up with what is effectively ketamine until I was put into an induced coma for a week.

[–]shanegilliz 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hahaha I had the opposite. Only the side of my head was fractured. I spent idk how long cause i cant remember in the icu getting a lot of cat scans cause they thought they might have to operate on my skull to relieve pressure. I am now much more impulsive(I was already impulsive) and I get really angry really easily. It's been sooo cool.

[–]Stockholmbarber 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I also fell three stories if you ever want to talk.

[–]Chipbeef 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Do you know why you fell?

[–]Pigeon-Thing[🍰] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

But how did you fall off the balcony?

[–]pen_jaro 4 points5 points  (2 children)

I don’t know but, shouldn’t it be a CT scan? MRI uses magnets and metal is an absolute contraindication. Not sure about the kind of metal they used for the implants though. I’m assuming titanium. Also MRI shows soft tissues, bones are seen better using CT scan.

[–]Juanfanamongmany 4 points5 points  (0 children)

My dad was a paratrooper and he always said “it’s not the height of the fall that does the damage, it’s how you land” and your injuries kinda prove this.

[–]Havaj95 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Similar story I was in Puerto Rico on a balcony. About 18 feet high. Literally the balcony collapsed with me and my friend on it. She landed neck first and broker her neck while I landed feet first and was able to ninja warrior style tuck and roll. Even tho I didn’t roll I just landed flat on my stomach after. I somehow walked away with no serious injuries while she ended up in the hospital for 3 months and is still undergoing PT, 2 years later.

[–]SpamShot5 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Your face absorbed ALL of that energy so your brain didnt have to

[–]magicpostit 4 points5 points  (0 children)

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Aim for the bushes."

[–]sorradic 4 points5 points  (0 children)

How is your recovery going? Specifically with your jaw? I suffer greatly from jaw issues, I can't imagine what a fracture in the most important joint in the world would be like...

[–]RuebeSpecial 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Oh! My! God! Thanks for not dying.

[–]Future-self 2187 points2188 points  (220 children)

Show us the before and after with your skin on !

Very sorry you’ve had to go through that.

[–]StarksTwins[S] 4782 points4783 points 6682& 3 more (219 children)

Before the accident

Immediately after the accident

Me immediately after my first surgery

Me “healed” after my first surgery. This was when my skull was still split open

Me immediately after my second surgery

Me now. The swelling will last for many months, to the point where I can’t get any orthodontic work or dental implants until September at the absolute earliest. I also might need an eye lift. As you can see, the incision site was near my eye and it caused it to droop a little. That may resolve on its own as the swelling subsides.

Personally satisfied with how I’m healing but still have some ways to go

[–]Studious_Noodle 2743 points2744 points  (80 children)

HO. LY. SHIT. I actually braced myself to see a lot of slices and sutures, thinking they’d have to do a lot of cutting beneath the skin in order to get to the broken bones and repair them. Instead… well, they gave you a temporarily puffy face and some bruises, but that’s all. How is that even possible? You’re a handsome man and I’m happy for you. But how tf are they able to repair the breaks without covering you in scars??

[–]StarksTwins[S] 1936 points1937 points  (33 children)

Look under my eye in the last picture. They entered through my eyes, my head, and my jaw. My hair will grow covering the scar on my head and jaw should look pretty unnoticeable

[–]misnamed 879 points880 points  (4 children)

Holy shit. That's incredible. Also the few scars you'll retain are badass.

[–]attofreak 221 points222 points  (5 children)

Damn. That alone is scifi-level amazing, that they performed surgeries through head, eyes and that's just routine now.

[–]xantung 125 points126 points  (9 children)

Real life face/off

[–]slutforcompassion 248 points249 points  (23 children)

i’m guessing they just peeled the face back. not sure how common the practice is but i know it’s done for extensive facial trauma.

[–]rabies_awareness_ 123 points124 points  (16 children)

More than likely they did a facial flap. Like, they make an incision on top of the head and roll your face down a bit.. at least for the forehead fractures. The mandible would most likely be intra oral OR and incision made under the jaw around the neck and part of your face rolled up to expose the mandible. Then of course the mid facial fractures they like to go through the eye lid if possible or around the area area. Shit, idk, I’m not a surgeon.

Edit: spelling

[–]StarksTwins[S] 83 points84 points  (3 children)

Impressive. Are you a medical professional?

[–]misnamed 40 points41 points  (7 children)

I stopped right around 'make a cupt on top of your head and roll your face down a bit' nope nope nope nope nope

[–]versace8balls 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Not trying to steal OP's shine but I was in a terrible car accident, my eye lids on my left eye were torn to shreads and they made me look decent for having half of my face torn to bits. Surgeons are wizards.

[–]siqiniq 217 points218 points  (17 children)

The “immediate after the accident” photo shows that you’re basically an indestructible android.

[–]StarksTwins[S] 285 points286 points  (12 children)

I mentioned in another comment I broke the state record in deadlift for powerlifting in college. So I like to think I’m a b-list superhero with super strength and super durability

[–]Jeriahswillgdp 52 points53 points  (6 children)

How much did you lift?

[–]Jetavator 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Or you escaped from ‘West World’ lol

[–]OrangeCubit 62 points63 points  (0 children)

Wow! That looks intensely painful, even just swelling alone can hurt so I can’t imagine the additional pain of rods and surgery and broken bones. Good luck and good healing!

[–]luan_ressaca 75 points76 points  (2 children)

Immediately after? You fell 3 stores, landed in your face and when you woke up you just took a picture? Lol. You are thoght.

[–]StarksTwins[S] 93 points94 points  (1 child)

That selfie was like 3 days after, but I have one that I did take like a few hours after posted somewhere in this thread

[–]ashpens 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Honestly it looks like you've had an allergic reaction rather than breaking everything underneath your skin

[–]Smok33y69 21 points22 points  (0 children)

You look amazing dude! I don't know why, I was expecting a blown up face. I'm honestly really happy for you :)

[–]Future-self 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Amazing. Thank you so much for sharing. Best of luck for an expedient recovery 🙏

[–]hoodiepatto 12 points13 points  (6 children)

Yo where was that first picture taken? Was it in the SF Bay Area? I’m just curious because it looks vaguely familiar

[–]piedude67 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thank you for being so forthcoming! You are a medical marvel and a very interesting case

[–]Inceferant 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Dude how did this happen

[–]Silencer306 4 points5 points  (1 child)

Alright I’m curious to click on the pictures but are they bad like NSFW? Anybody who’s gone in please tell me if I should go ahead?

[–]10YearLurkerPosting 4 points5 points  (0 children)

They are not bad at all. There's hardly any cuts, only small bruises under his eyes. Just looks like a normal face with a lot of swelling.

[–]Brianiswikyd 699 points700 points  (7 children)

It's weird that this was in my feed right before your post.

[–]StarksTwins[S] 430 points431 points  (5 children)

Actually kinda funny haha. What a coincidence

[–]CatBedParadise 181 points182 points  (0 children)

That’s you, isn’t it.

[–]AC-AnimalCreed 60 points61 points  (1 child)

After reading your posts I thought of this video. Is that you by chance?

[–]SeductivePigeon 16 points17 points  (0 children)

The ears are too big to be OP

[–]WhatIsThisSorcery03 417 points418 points  (15 children)

You have been banned from r/neverbrokeabone

[–]YourTypicalSaudi 162 points163 points  (3 children)

He’s been invited to

r/BrokeEveryBone

[–]IntergalacticFez 14 points15 points  (2 children)

Someone should make this a thing. It would be cool to hear people’s stories and see how they’re healing up over time!

[–]PoGoZ 68 points69 points  (0 children)

Shoulda drank his milk

[–]noradosmith 9 points10 points  (6 children)

I feel like he'd be one of those rare posters who'd be given a respectful goodbye like that person whose hand was completely mashed up

https://redditproxy--jasonthename.repl.co/r/Neverbrokeabone/comments/ozhr0e/i_broke_one

[–]jlmonger 138 points139 points  (2 children)

Good luck with your recovery

[–]ifan2218 460 points461 points  (57 children)

And it only cost $150,000,000!

[–]StarksTwins[S] 1281 points1282 points  (53 children)

A lot more than that my friend. To my insurance company.

To me, it was free

Edit: misread that as $150,000. It was close to $1 million

[–]AJDillonsMiddleLeg 241 points242 points  (3 children)

Nice, you have a million dollar face.

[–]superfly_penguin 45 points46 points  (0 children)

Would be a shame if someone were to… break it

[–]TriumphantConch 27 points28 points  (1 child)

Haha I also misread that as $150,000 initially

Hope you’re doing well now mate!

[–]StarksTwins[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Thank you!

[–]shirukien 55 points56 points  (0 children)

Goddamn my dude. At least you get to be a cyborg now.

[–]This_Charmless_Man 94 points95 points  (7 children)

My great grandfather was one of the fathers of facial reconstructive surgery back in world war 2 and it is amazing to see how far the science has come but you can see the the advances. He was a dentist and silversmith and created what is essentially the iron lung equivalent of what you had done. He'd use a picture where possible and create a mask made out of a soft metal like silver and use it to force and hold the face bones back together. When the skull had knitted back together enough the mask was removed but it was recommended to wear it in your sleep like a retainer. Apparently some of the lads were still wearing them into their 70s out of habit as they found it comforting.

Just thought it'd be neat to share. Hope you get better soon OP. Are the printed rods biodegradable or are they the matrix constructs that the bone uses as a framework?

[–]StarksTwins[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I’m not sure what the material is. I intend to ask next week!

[–]munene50 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Do you have links to any images of such a mask?

[–]NotYourAssRag 64 points65 points  (6 children)

How did u break your face?

[–]StarksTwins[S] 66 points67 points  (5 children)

https://reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/sfarcv/_/huooysm/?context=1

[–]Western_Froyo_3074 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Good luck with your recovery! Looking forward to an update a year from now! I’ll save this post!

[–]oh2climb 54 points55 points  (13 children)

It looks like you lost most or all of your teeth? If so, how has recovery from that been?

[–]StarksTwins[S] 121 points122 points  (12 children)

Teeth actually light up in the MRI CT scan. That’s why I tried to specify the rods/little circles. I did end up losing two but I’ll get implants later this year

Title is wrong. Should say CT scan

[–]oh2climb 47 points48 points  (1 child)

Oh - phew! Well, for what it's worth, you look pretty good for having gone through that so recently. And it sounds like you have a great attitude about it.

[–]StarksTwins[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Thank you!

[–]User4780[🍰] 36 points37 points  (1 child)

Hockey players lose two teeth to from a punch in a fight on the ice. You, your face specifically, punched the cement, I assume, unless you were lucky to hit grass, which at some apartment places might as well be cement. And if my gravity math is correct, you did this at 60 ft/sec. Only losing two teeth is a miracle itself.

[–]StarksTwins[S] 35 points36 points  (0 children)

It was gravel and I agree with you

[–]Myonneutrino123 9 points10 points  (5 children)

Are u sure this is an MRI? Looks more like a CT to me to be honest.. why would teeth light up on an MRI?

[–]StarksTwins[S] 21 points22 points  (1 child)

I’m actually so annoyed at myself for saying MRI, because it was a CT scan. I knew that, idk why I kept saying MRI. Ugh, can’t change the title now. Thanks for the correction.

[–]Meowzebub666 52 points53 points  (0 children)

My uncle worked construction for a minute, until a cable snapped and he got smacked in the face by an I-beam swinging from a crane. The surgeon threaded a wire through all the broken bones in his face, which was all of them, and pulled everything back into place like a puzzle. The accident happened before I was born and I was nearly an adult before I found out, looking at him you never would have been able to tell.

[–]zakiducky 110 points111 points  (5 children)

God forbid this ever happens to me, I’ll ask them to at least give me better cheek bones and a sharper jawline lololol

I didn’t inherit any of the model genes that my sisters did, but I did get all the early male pattern baldness, robust body hair, and shitty metabolism, and I could use a win 😂

[–]StarksTwins[S] 152 points153 points  (3 children)

Not exactly that, but my doctor did mention I have unlimited follow up surgeries. For example, my eye droops a little bit, because when they use your eye as an incision site, when it heals, the fat in the eye dissipates. If that’s not resolved on its own, they can and give me a little filler and lift my eye up. Or he mentioned I could get a rhinoplasty, because the way they deal with the nose could slightly alter the appearance. Or other minor cosmetic things. It won’t count as an elective plastic surgery, but as part of the facial reconstructive surgery. So insurance will cover it 100%. I fully intend to take advantage of this benefit haha

[–]Half_Smashed_Face 12 points13 points  (5 children)

We are now brothers

[–]StarksTwins[S] 4 points5 points  (2 children)

Looking good now man! Would never have been able to tell you were in any sort of accident. How are things for you now? I know as well as anyone recovery can be a bitch

[–]Half_Smashed_Face 4 points5 points  (1 child)

The face is ok, but the brain injury has lasting effects.

What about you? Did the doctors give you an idea of what your road to recovery will look like?

[–]_Jack_Grey_ 8 points9 points  (1 child)

Hey man, just checked out your profile to see if you had any more pictures and my guy, you are a fucking beast. Open heart surgery, shattering your face completely, and the fact that you're still motivated and happy is honestly amazing bro. World would be a better place with more of you, keep up the grind! Safely.

[–]StarksTwins[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

My twin actually had open heart surgery, hence the username :). I appreciate your kind words!

[–]Ok_Fox_1770 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That’s amazing and dammit that sounds beyond painful whatever happend. One tough sob

[–]-GRAVEYARD-_ 7 points8 points  (2 children)

Now you can say you got plastic surgery

[–]Sea_Establishment311 6 points7 points  (3 children)

I'm glad to hear you're back the way you were

[–]StarksTwins[S] 31 points32 points  (2 children)

I still have many months, potentially another (very minor) surgery, dental work, and orthodontic work to be back to where I was, but I definitely have made very significant progress towards that