I had cause to take a fellow Jiu Jitsu student, Iain, to the hospital last weekend. He tore his Achilles tendon while we were training. Just a freak accident – we weren’t rolling, just drilling toreandor passes. Another student, March, joined us at the hospital.
I’ve taken similar trips, including one ambulance ride, before, with injured students.
I remember the times when I was injured similarly and needed help – Ivan Lynch drove me about 20 kilometres home after I was knocked out and received a fairly bad concussion at training about 20 years ago.
I got a separated shoulder at Jiu Jitsu about four years back after landing on the point of the AC joint on the wrong end of a rather good foot in bicep sweep. Not a lot of pain, but my collar bone was sticking up at a funny angle, and I was perhaps a little worried that my arm might fall off, or something. Stuart Nairne drove me to Manly hospital, and back again to my car, after I’d been given the all clear.
When you’re injured at training, besides the pain, incapacitation and possible shock, you need to deal with your clothes,bag, car, mobile phone, house keys, contacting work, significant other(s), and on it goes. My guy’s car was parked in a time-limited spot and it had to be moved by March to a 24/7 spot until he could work something out for it to be picked up.
Step up and help your brothers and sisters out when they need it, especially if you had some role in the injury, which, from my experience, is usually just bad luck, rather than the result of any malice or irresponsibility. They’ll appreciate it hugely, and other people will notice as well.
You might need someone to help you one day. They’ll have to change their plans, Be a nice person and help if you possibly can. Karma works better for nice people.