vagal nerve event, or how some moose scared the blood out of me

[forestgnome]

This is more to share a scary event I had more than a trip, so I'll post here. I planned to visit a meadow in Evan's Notch at sunrise, then hike the Royce Mtns. Instead, I landed in the hospital with a very interesting diagnosis.

A heavy frost covered the meadow...

I started to hear some very strange sounds at the far end of the meadow, which turned out to be moose starting to do the rutting rituals. I saw three bulls and two cows in the golden morning light.

I didn't witness any bulls fighting. All of them were very docile.

I think they like each other...

Here's where it got strange. They were all used to my presence and all was wonderful, just watching them interact on a beautiful morning. Then this cow kept looking at me. She started my way and her boyfreind (typically) followed her wherever she went...

They steadily got closer and when they were about twenty feet away I started to back away. She just kept walking toward me...

I wondered what she wanted and if the boyfreind was getting jealous over her interest. Who knows what these giants are thinking? I started to get nervous, something that has never happened to me even when standing much closer to a bull who had a mate nearby last autumn.

I slowly retreated a little more up a small rise but she just kept coming...

I turned and decided to walk away when suddenly I felt weak and weird and light-headed. The next thing I knew I was waking up, face down in the thick wildflowers of the meadow. After a moment I remebered where I was. I rolled over and saw the cow moose looking down at me, peering over the goldenrod. I could not move. I just layed there as she resumed browsing pin cherry and took a few steps away. I could not move for at least 15 minutes. Then I tried to get up but it would make me nausious. It was another 15 minutes before I could stand up. I had to search for my camera in the thick vegatation. The two moose and another pair were still in the area but had moved a bit, browsing around.

I thought I had suffered a heart attack. It was scary. I was soaked in sweat as I slowly walked out of the meadow, with the moose watching me leave.

I went to the hospital and the doctor diagnosed a vagal nerve event ( with fancier terminology) I explained what happened and how I've been closer to moose a hundred times. The doctor said that my body and most of my brain decided it was a fight-or-flight situation and the blood quickly drained to the legs so I could run like hell. If I ran, I would have been fine. But since I merely took a few slow steps the blood didn't get pumping through the body, leaving my head and torso short on blood and oxygen. That's why I passed out and that's why it took a long time for me to be abled to stand and move.

I could be off a bit on my understanding of what the doctor explained, but that's the jist of it. So, if you ever think it might be time for a sprint, don't hesitate.

happy trails

 

[ColdRiverRun]

If this wasn't you with the pictures I don't even know if I'd believe it! Good thing that male wasn't deep into the rut and think you were a female while you were passed out!

 

[DougPaul]

So, if you ever think it might be time for a sprint, don't hesitate.

Not always the best strategy--running can trigger an attack from some predators.

I don't know what the moose's intent was, but I suspect that you didn't look like much of a threat as you lay there unconscious. (Don't know how common moose attacks are in NH, but I have read that Alaskan moose can be pretty dangerous. Also don't know how the moose would have reacted had you run away or stood your ground (upright).)

Doug

 

[dentonfabrics]

I went to the hospital and the doctor diagnosed a vagal nerve event ( with fancier terminology)

In simpler terminology, does that mean you fainted? Wow, scarey story forestgnome. Glad to see you're still around to tell it!

 

[rocket21]

Wow! Glad you're okay! Hopefully America's Moose Detector is back out there again soon!

 

[cooperhill]

Amazing series of pictures. Glad to hear you're ok.

 

[1HappyHiker]

In the words of Gilda Radner (of SNL fame): “It's Always Something!”

And hey! Please don’t let this incident cause you to “vamoose” when you see the moose! We need you out there to capture those wonderful images that you share with us here at VFTT.

Glad you’re OK!!

 

[ColdRiverRun]

A heavy frost covered the meadow...

Here's where it got strange. They were all used to my presence and all was wonderful, just watching them interact on a beautiful morning. Then this cow kept looking at me. She started my way and her boyfreind (typically) followed her wherever she went...

Maybe they have finally accepted your into there herd! You know like a "Gorilla's in the Mist" type of thing. Except it would be "Moose in the Frost".

 

[Rik]

I had this happen to me once only I wasn't so lucky to be capturing beautiful pictures when it happened. For me it meant putting my chin through the drywall in my apartment! It was about a year and a half ago and I've had no repeats since. Glad you are ok.

 

[Maddy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasovagal_syncope

AS always...very beautiful pics. You really "outdid" yourself this time to capture the images!

This is one of the best descriptions I could find on the net regarding vasovagal reactions.
At the hospital we would sometimes refer to it as someone literally being "scared to death".
It happens quite frequently.
I am very happy that you were able to leave the area unscathed... unlike Timothy Treadwell.
Sorry, I couldn't resist. They were showing the film again last evening.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Glad to hear you are OK, and take care. As Audrey observed sometime back; you are "our liaison with the wildlings", and we need your reports.

The conditions sounds very similar to myotonia, the condition that causes fainting goats (and other critters and even some humans) to faint. But you’re a forestgnome and and not a forestgoat, so I would not presume second guess the good doctor's diagnosis.

 

[una_dogger]

First off, I'm really glad you weren't trampled! Like Doug mentioned, you must have appeared extremely non threatening -- what with lying motionless in that bed of wildflowers and all .

This happened to me a few times -- and have had a couple other near misses...after the second time, I became attuned to the sensory nuances that lead up to it -- for me, its related to pain (my own or watching someone else's) or very crowded situations -- if I get hurt -- I feel the fainting coming on -- my head gets light and I hear a faint buzzing/ringing in my ears, I start to feel an "out of body" type of sensation -- that's my cue to lie down, feet up -- get the blood to the head and I can prevent fainting. The strange thing -- is that it goes on like a switch -- feel pain...pain hurts..switch...feel no pain...feel like fainting (or big crowd..get anxious...feel like I can't breathe...switch...faint..breathe)

Also has happened when I've watched medical procedures -- specifically once about 20 years ago when I was training as a veterinary technologist -- passed out while watching a surgical procedure -- so...that's when I decided patient contact wasn't for me and became a chemist!!!

Definately a "fight or flight" trigger thing. I've also got blood pressure on the low side -- so I wonder if that just means I'm closer to that threshold on a regular basis.


So, do you think when you became nervous -- something instinctual kicked in? Really does sound like this was a protective device -- on a really primitive brain level. (no -- not saying you are a caveman! )

Again, glad you are OK! And --you aren't alone !

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Those are incredible pictures. So glad you're OK.

I can tell you from first hand experience that if under those circumstances you do run you really can move. A little over a year ago I was going up Airline with my dog Duffy who was running out of sight up ahead. Suddenly he came flying back down the trail with a moose behind him. I started to run myself but she stopped and headed back up the trail. I started up the trail again with Duffy beside me when I saw her with a calf out in the woods. I grabbed my camera to take a quick picture and the flash went off. She came charging out of the woods after me. Fortunately for me the trail was fairly smooth at that point and I went flying down the trail. I can still see her about six feet behind me her nose about six inches off the ground --snorting. I grabbed a tree and swung off the trail and started zigzagging through the woods and she stopped chasing me.

Later when I recounted the incident to a friend he said "You'd better watch it, you're probably not as fast as you used to be. Quite frankly, for a few yards, I think I was moving at Olympic speed. There might be some animals you should stand and face, but with a full grown moose coming at you full speed, I don't think I'm going to stand there and argue with it.

The lesson I did learn was that when I see any animal of some size with a young one I'm going to try and slip out of the area without attracting any attention. Forget the pictures, I'll let Forestgnome take them.

 

[DougPaul]

Forget the pictures, I'll let Forestgnome take them.

Or at least turn the flash off first...

Doug

 

[Bobby]

Wow! Glad you're OK. Great pictures, once again.

 

[bobandgeri]

Wow! What a story - what great photos! Of course we are all left wondering what the moose did when you passed out. :>

 

[sapblatt]

Very glad to hear you are OK - I think this is why I try to avoid these encounters - look forward to your recovery and more great photos!

 

[Fisher Cat]

I too echo the sentiments of everyone , being glad you are OK. Quite confident that it will not deter you from future encounters.
Be glad it was only blood that rushed to your lower body. When in 8th grade we bumped into what turned out to be a big bull in the fog while walking to our bus stop. He hit the ground with a hoof (not unlike when a bear stomps the ground with its forelegs) that felt like the earth moved. I too felt something rush to my lower body but I know it wasn't blood. It felt like an evacuation of another type.

 

[Craig]

Amazing story. Thanks for sharing.

 

[TrishandAlex]

Wow, forestgnome. I am so glad you are okay. And absolutely amazed that you kept taking pictures while the moose were coming toward you.

Thanks for posting your adventure. And I'm kind of glad you passed out, because in those particular, specific circumstances, turns out that may have been the best move. You turned out okay.