Jump to content

'I have a headache today': Keith Primeau on living with concussion

Guest hf101

By Guest hf101
in Philadelphia Flyers

 Share

Recommended Posts

hf101 Grand Master

hf101

Posted
Posted

by Jesse Spector Sporting News

Keith Primeau was a two-time All-Star in the NHL, scoring 266 goals with 353 assists and 1,541 penalty minutes for the Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers from 1990-2005. During a career that included 18 goals in 128 playoff games, including the quintuple-overtime winner against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 2000 classic, Primeau also suffered four documented concussions, the last of which forced him to retire.

Today, Primeau coaches his son’s youth team outside Philadelphia, and is a founder ofstopconcussions.com, along with former European pro Kerry Goulet. The duo’s book, "Concussed! Sports-related Head Injuries: Prevention, Coping and Real Stories," was recently released, and Primeau appears in the concussion documentary "Head Games," which premieres at the Boston Film Festival on Thursday.

116654-650-366.jpgIn a hockey sense, Keith Primeau's brain went bad before the rest of his body. The former All-Star has dedicated himself to concussion awareness. (AP Photo)

More: "My ears were ringing constantly" | "Bigger than a bruise" | "I woke up at the hospital"

Primeau spoke to Sporting News about what he has gone through since retiring, the way he dealt with his concussions while he was playing, and the future of hockey and brain injuries. What follows is his first-person account.

***

I was driving home from dropping my kids off at school, and I have a headache today. I was thinking back to that point in time, almost 12 months into my last concussion, I was still trying to get back. When I reflect on that moment in time—I’m now seven years removed, and I still suffer post-concussion symptoms—how in the world did I ever think I was going to come back and play? How did I ever hold on to that hope that, the next day, I was going to wake up and feel fine? The next days just kept coming and going. I almost felt sorry for myself at that point, because I wanted to keep trying. I wasn’t going to stop until somebody told me.

As far as the impact, as far as the injury itself, it’s hard to say (whether the last concussion was the worst). It probably wasn’t, but at that point, it didn’t take much. It certainly was the most difficult one to overcome. They continued to get more difficult to recover from, and the symptoms became more and more exacerbated, and it just got worse with each one.

I think that probably the best way to describe it is that you learn to deal with it, you learn to live with it. At this point, it’s so far that I don’t really remember anything different. I remember days that I would wake up and didn’t have headaches, but now you just learn to deal with it.

There would be those who say that “we can fix you” and “we can heal you,” but at the end of the day, I’ve damaged my brain, and you can’t fix it, you can’t heal it. There’s nothing that says you can. It depends what day you catch me on, whether I feel there’s hope for full recovery or not. I’m in a much better place than I was three years ago, four years ago, five years ago, six years ago, but there’s no getting around the fact that I damaged my brain repeatedly, and there’s a price to be paid.

It’s mostly headaches and head pressure. I’ve recently been able to get back and start working out. I hadn’t been able to do that for years. Exercise would give me dizziness and lightheadedness. I’m better than I was. A lot of cases, you see individuals who regress.

When I was going through my ordeal, it was suggested I reach out to guys who suffered through it. Why would I want to do that? I know what they went through. I know what I’m going through. They’re going to tell me I have a concussion. I get it.

What’s the value in that? I didn’t get it until I started making those calls, and realized there’s some comfort in that, sharing my story with another person who’s been through a similar ordeal or situation. Then there were times where I was the receiver and the sounding board for guys going through similar situations. That was comforting as well, being able to share my personal experiences with them, and encouraging them and lift their spirits.

I had four documented (concussions), and the last one was the one that forced me to retire, but I continue to go back to my second documented—in Pittsburgh, in the playoffs, I was taken off the ice in a stretcher, and spent the night in the hospital. A few nights later, I was back on the ice in the Eastern Conference Finals. I knew I wasn’t right, and I still tried to play through it.

I don’t really remember the feeling. I knew that I wasn’t right, and I remember going to do my baseline (test) the day between games, trying to focus to pass my baseline, and they’re all just looking at me, saying, “Keith, I know what you’re doing. I understand it. Just be careful.” I kind of laughed it off, and walking out of the office, I had a severe headache, from having to focus so hard. I needed to take time off.

I was very fortunate that I had the opportunity to play for 15 years, so I never look back and say “what if?” It will always be a part of my life, but I definitely feel my career was shortened. By what amount of time, I don’t know. I was just starting a new three-year contract, and never got to feel that obligation. At that point, I still would have been 36, and other than my head, I was healthy. I think I left a fair number of years on the table.

The game is in the blood. It’s a boring day if I’m not involved in the game in some capacity, if I’m not at the rink coaching, or if I’m not watching on TV—then I’m missing out on something. The other thing is, I believe there’s a right way to play the game.

There’s a way to play the game with grit and determination, competitiveness, all at the same time being respectful of the game. I feel as though I can share that message, and it’s probably the biggest reason I still do it. Stopconcussions.com has been a tremendous motivator for me, getting not only information about concussions, but about respect—the game can be a very dangerous game, but it doesn’t need to be if it’s played the right way.

I don’t know if (the respect angle is) oversimplified, but it’s overused, and because it’s overused, it’s almost cliché-ish, that people hear it but don’t absorb it. But there’s truth to it, especially at the highest level—big men, powerful men, traveling at a high rate of speed with steel blades on their feet. In a less civilized culture, it can be very dangerous, so it’s always important to understand that concept.

I’d like to see them move faster on the recognition and acceptance that there’s an issue. I applaud Brendan Shanahan for the efforts he’s made to try to change the tone and the mindset that currently exists. It’s difficult in that position, when you’re dealing with a lot of old-school mentalities. I grew up in that culture. It’s important that you stay strong and fight for the players’ safety and well-being. Ultimately, I think (a ban on headshots) has got to be where it’s headed. Every situation can be dealt with in an individual basis, but ultimately, headshots will need to go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TedZep Newbie

TedZep

Posted
Posted

I has donated his brain when he passes away,

You can donate other people's brains?!? I'd like to do that to some of the trolls on the old Philly forum, see if science can figure out what makes people like that tick. Except I would rather not wait until they pass away since vivisections can be so much more revealing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
idahophilly Newbie

idahophilly

Posted
Posted

You can donate other people's brains?!? I'd like to do that to some of the trolls on the old Philly forum, see if science can figure out what makes people like that tick. Except I would rather not wait until they pass away since vivisections can be so much more revealing.

That's a case of really bad typing! LOL! Good lord! Here's the phone call " Yo Keith, you don't know me but wanted to let you know I'll be needing your brain... what? Oh, no no no. We can wait until you kick it. Not a problem. Ummm, you wouldn't have a bit of a timeline on that would ya???"

As far as posters on Silly.com I have bad news and even worse news. 1st, they basically don't have any posters anymore. 2nd, if you find one you should know you can't fix stupid! (which comedian said that?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hf101 Grand Master

hf101

Posted
Posted

@hf101 That is some scary stuff right there!!!

yeah, did you read any of the other links in the article above? Good reads on Robbidas, Shelley, and M. Staal.

I think what is encouraging is that teams and players are treating concussions as any other injury.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jammer2 Proficient

jammer2

Posted
Posted

@hf101 Oddly enough, don't recall being at the Sporting News site (although I read the magazine version a lot). Pretty decent hockey coverage, respectable Flyer team page. I give them credit for mentioning Hyka, more than just a big name cookie cutter site.

http://aol.sportingnews.com/nhl/team/15/philadelphia-flyers

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Vanflyer Newbie

Vanflyer

Posted
Posted

Ultimately, I think (a ban on headshots) has got to be where it’s headed. Every situation can be dealt with in an individual basis, but ultimately, headshots will need to go.

What would be really interesting is to here allot of players from the 60's, 70's and 80's speak about experience (PCS) with this problem. I am still in Don Cherry's camp about the equipment. The players got stronger and faster and the equipment became armor. Remove the hard plastic pads (elbow and shoulder particularly) and you will see a reduction. In fact, remove the helmelts and go back to wooden sticks and you will see a significant increase in the amount of respect that players have for each other. Today, a players feels invulnerable. Even 30 years ago, the players played fearless, but always knew their vulnerability and played with a certain level of respect. Remove the 5 minute instigator and you will see allot less of all these concussions (aside from getting clocked in a fight for being a ****).

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...