While helping his father install siding at a home earlier this year, Diego Rodriguez of Pasadena was accidently shot in the head with a two-inch nail that stopped flush at his scalp. Even though he was in pain and lost balance on his right side, he called 9-1-1 and gave the dispatcher the worksite address.<\/p>\n
The ambulance immediately took him to Harris Health System\u2019s Ben Taub Hospital where staff prepared him for an emergency CT scan. The image showed the imbedded nail was causing his brain to bleed. By the time he got into surgery, Rodriguez had no movement in his right arm.<\/p>\n
Nearly four months since the Jan. 19 accident, he\u2019s slowly regained function to his right side and continues to improve. He and his family will join other trauma survivors\u2014some suffering from motor vehicle accidents, work-related injuries and incidents of violent crime\u2014on May 22 at Harris Health\u2019s Trauma Survivors Celebration. The event reunites doctors, nurses, rehabilitation staff and first-responders with survivors who were treated in the system\u2019s Ginni and Richard Mithoff (Level 1) Trauma Center at Ben Taub Hospital or the Level 3 Trauma Center at Harris Health\u2019s Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital.<\/p>\n
Rodriguez, 21, a graduate of Sam Rayburn High School, remembers the day of the accident as a regular day. Work was going well when a colleague accidently fired his nail gun as he prepared to holster it.<\/p>\n
Remarkably, Rodriguez was only hospitalized five days. After more than a month, he slowly regained use of his arm. He still has limited use and often suffers headaches. That said, he\u2019s eager to return to work. His personal research tells him a full recovery from a brain trauma such as his could take six to 12 months.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t plan to take that long,\u201d he says. \u201cI think I\u2019m ahead of schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rodriguez is using the opportunity to take care of his overall health. He still attends physical therapy, which he takes seriously.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sticking to a healthy lifestyle, though I\u2019ve gained a few pounds since surgery,\u201d he laughs. \u201cThat\u2019s because of my mom\u2019s cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rodriguez still needs help with daily activities because he is right-hand dominant. However, the unfailing support of his parents, two sisters and girlfriend have made it easier. They also provide him motivation and support when he feels sad about the accident.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou never know when life can change,\u201d he says. \u201cEvery day, I take a look at my life. It can be taken away in a matter of minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While helping his father install siding at a home earlier this year, Diego Rodriguez of Pasadena was accidently shot in the head with a two-inch nail that stopped flush at his scalp. Even though he was in pain and lost balance on his right side, he called 9-1-1 and gave the dispatcher the worksite address. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[468,1233,2702],"yoast_head":"\n