Tales from the ER: Arrow Boy

[Sapphire Silk]

OK, story time! Thought I would relate an amusing tale of a Darwin's Award candidate I saw in the ER some years ago.

Ambulance comes in with a very drunken young fellow with an arrow shot through his shoulder--the tip of the arrow wasn't quite poking through the skin on his back.

So of course, the natural question was, how did this happen? It was mid summer, not hunting season. It was a target arrow, not a hunting arrow (that would have done a lot more damage). It was the middle of the night in a major tourist area, not the country.

So how, might one ask, did this young man get shot with an arrow? Jealous fight and that's all that was at hand? No.

A bunch of drunks playing with bows and arrows in the middle of the night . . . warmer.

No . . . it was a suicide attempt.

You heard right folks, a suicide attempt.

So . . . just how does one commit suicide with a bow and arrow?

Glad you asked!

Turns out Arrow Boy had found the bow and arrows, strung an arrow, put his foot on the string holding it to the ground, and used both hands to bend the bow upwards with the arrow pointing towards his heart . . . then took his foot off the string.

Bam! Arrow in the shoulder. Luckily, he was a lousy shot. Muscle damage only, no organ damage or damage to major blood vessels. A surgeon removed the arrow in the ER, and away he went to a nice warm bed in the state hospital.

[Kristev]

I don't know what to say.

[Mishi]

*Facepalm* So.much.fail!
What on earth convinced him that a using a bow and arrow was a great idea?

[RealUnimportant]

Not sure it counts for the Darwin as he was intentionally trying to do himself injury, but it's still one hell of a way to do it! Ouch...

[Lady Legira]

All I can think is "I used to be an adventurer until I took an arrow to my shoulder." Too much Skyrim methinks.

[NateTheChops]

Skyrim's only been out for a few months hasn't it?

What on earth convinced him that a using a bow and arrow was a great idea?

Well, suicide itself isn't a logical action so the means by which we get there isn't very logical either. In my experience the bigger the gesture the more of a cry for help it is. You choose the most elaborate methods because in your mind, you're basically asking for fate to interrupt to prove you deserve to live.

That's not exactly what was going through my head last year when I wound up getting myself put in the hospital but it's probably as good a guess as any for this guy. I'm glad it wasn't a successful attempt and I hope he got the help he needed.

[Seshat]

He's damn lucky he missed the axillary(sp?) artery. As I understand it, you can bleed out from any of the major limb arteries as easily as from the carotids or getting an unlucky hit in the torso.

And yes, a non-euthanasia suicide attempt is definitely a signal that help is needed.

[Sapphire Silk]

He's damn lucky he missed the axillary(sp?) artery. As I understand it, you can bleed out from any of the major limb arteries as easily as from the carotids or getting an unlucky hit in the torso.

And yes, a non-euthanasia* suicide attempt is definitely a signal that help is needed.


* I've seen three relatives die of cancer. I personally believe strongly in the euthanasia option. However, discussion of euthanasia's rightness/wrongness is for Fratching.

Based on where it hit, it would be the sub-clavian, but yeah . . . he was really, really lucky.

[Crossbow]

While he wouldn't be the first I'v seen to shoot themselves with an arrow (almost including myself, but I ducked fast enough), he would be the first to do it intentionally.

Use a crossbow, it's eas... um... er... I'll be leaving now...

[Tama]

Arrows are never usually a good idea for suicide, because they tend to be smaller and plug up the hole they make, which cuts down on the bleeding...

[draco664]

He's damn lucky he missed the axillary(sp?) artery. As I understand it, you can bleed out from any of the major limb arteries as easily as from the carotids

Less so with an arrow. Bullets make holes, but arrows plug. Killing someone with an arrow (in these days of modern medicine) requires organ damage rather than bleeding out.

[Sapphire Silk]

Less so with an arrow. Bullets make holes, but arrows plug. Killing someone with an arrow (in these days of modern medicine) requires organ damage rather than bleeding out.

It depends on what kind of arrowhead you are using. Arrows can be lethal even today if you are using a hunting point--they cause INTERNAL bleeding that takes down prey.

A target point tends to plug, and is less dangerous.

[Victory Sabre]

I have some arrow heads that are hunting points. They are very big, sharp, and nasty looking. I would not want one of those to hit me.

[Treasure]

unfortunately i know of a young man that managed to commit suicide with a bow-and-arrow... his set up was a little more elaborate from what i understand.... he was found on mother's day...

so.. it is possible