The Bus Concussion of 2026
, 17:20 PDT.
Remember last post, where my biggest concern was pericarditis? Good times. I’ve since caught another cold (April 07) and gotten a concussion (April 20). I haven’t been dealt the best hand this past month. I haven’t been healthy since March 14.
I hopped on a bus on Monday evening and sat in a sideways seat. Things were normal for maybe 10 minutes, then the bus driver suddenly slammed his brakes and we went from maybe 30 miles per hour to 5 in a split second. I was flung out of my seat, my head hit a pole (I think), and something metal made the classic ringing sound you hear when someone wins at that carnival game with the hammer and the bell. I remember the incident well, and I had no nausea or loss of consciousness, but the immediate headache and irritability told me most of what I needed to know: this was likely a concussion, and I needed to go to urgent care.
Cue me at urgent care the next morning with a friend. The neck X-rays were clear, so the caring medical expert diagnosed me with a neck sprain and mild concussion. My mood remained good, and they even gave me some meds for my lingering cough (don’t forget about that April 07 cold! It’s not gone yet! My voice still hasn’t fully returned!).
So I took yesterday off and planned to work part time for the rest of the week. I slept a lot and talked with my family and friends for the rest of the day. It was a very good day.
Now it is Wednesday and my mood has tanked. I just want to be healthy, and I’ve been “one week away” for five weeks now. I can make no promises about whether next week will bring the flu, covid, or getting hit by a friggin’ car at this rate. In theory, I can never make such promises, but the problem is much more salient this month.
With all that said, I remain optimistic. Concussions often tank one’s mood, and nobody can blame me for my sadness over my bad luck this past month. Sadness, like all things, is temporary, and I continue to look forward to genuine health.
I will be resting for a while. I love modern concussion protocol: get back to your life as soon as you can, emphasis on “can,” and take frequent breaks. I love taking breaks. I want to do more of that, and now I have a great excuse. I just wish my head didn’t hurt so much, you know?
Tomorrow is a farewell party for my old role. It was delayed because I was sick. I will enjoy eating pizza and chatting with my friends, who I plan to bother frequently but unfortunately won’t work with again.
After that, I will return to work at my dream job. And it really has been the dream job: a dev box with tons of RAM, one approval for any revision on a PR, minimal recurring meetings, no on-call, you name it! The people remain excellent, kind, and helpful, and the working environment is calm and friendly. I plan to stay here for a while, if they’ll have me 🤓
See also Blog - markwiemer.com