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The only thing that heals a concussion is time

Associated Press file photo

Smith admits to seeing stars after he sustained a blow to the head last season against Philadelphia.

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By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 7, 2009

Updated: 10/07/2009 12:47 am

TAMPA - Mike Smith never saw it coming. There was a scrum in front of the Tampa Bay Lightning goal last Dec. 2, in a game against Philadelphia. In the battle for the puck, Smith was struck in the back of his head by the knee of teammate Vinny Prospal.

The play seemed largely insignificant at the time, because collisions like that occur routinely, so even though Smith now says "I saw stars," he stayed in the game.

"I had a mild headache when I first got hit," he said. "I took some Advil after the game and thought I felt fine. I've been hit a lot harder and didn't feel bad. It turned out to be a lot more serious than that."

Smith had a concussion - an injury to his brain - but he didn't tell anyone. For almost two months he kept taking his regular turn in net, even though he didn't feel right. It wasn't until after he was scorched for six goals in a loss to the Flyers on Jan. 30 that Smith finally told the Lightning about his persistent problems.

"I probably got hit a couple of more times after the first one and made it worse," he said. "I learned to tell people what was going on and not to be a hero."

And now he has some words for Tim Tebow as the Florida Gators' quarterback waits to return to football after suffering a concussion 11 days ago against Kentucky.

"Take time to rest and get better," Smith said. "The only advice I can give him is not to try and come back too early."

Tebow was diagnosed immediately after the hit, and he has not received medical clearance to play when the Gators travel to LSU on Saturday, although he did return to practice in a limited capacity Tuesday. The university has been vague about Tebow's condition, issuing daily releases that essentially say they're keeping an eye on him.

There's not much else the Gators can do. Even though the original injury can heal and things can seem OK, the effects can linger indefinitely. That's what the Lightning thought after Smith finally disclosed his injury. They issued a release on Feb. 10 saying they expected him back on the ice "within the next week."

He missed the rest of the season. Doctors said it was post-concussion syndrome.

Smith needed all spring and summer before he started feeling normal again. He likely will be in net Thursday night when the Bolts play their home opener.

"I felt dizziness, lightheadedness, weak. Most of all, I was exhausted. I'd sleep for 10, 101/2 hours and wake up and still feel groggy. It was like an out-of-body experience where I didn't feel right. It wouldn't go away. Bright lights bugged me. It bothered me to come to the rink and watch games because of the lights and the loud music," he said.

"It's one thing when you have surgery on your shoulder or knee. You can rehab it to make it better, but a concussion is totally different. You just don't know when you're going to get better. It could be tomorrow, or two days, or it could be four or five months."

Or it could be three years. That's how much time former Lightning standout Brian Bradley missed after suffering a bruise on his brain after a collision on the boards.

"You might look great walking around, but your brain is fuzzy. Anything with noises or stuff like that, you get really irritable and ornery. I found that anything with kids, my headaches got severe. I got migraines and went into a bad mode," he said.

"You just have to be quiet sometimes because of the pain. I'd spend days at home when I was going through a hard time, not understanding why my pain was so severe and why I couldn't function."

It was an exasperating existence, drifting between light and shadow and never being able to shake the haze that became a part of daily life. Every six months Bradley would travel to Shands hospital in Gainesville, the same facility where Tebow has been treated.

"You're always praying in the back of your mind that it'll be gone in two or three weeks, I'll be better. For me, it never happened that way," he said.

Even after the bruise healed and he regained normal function, doctors gave him a warning.

"They said, 'Look, you're healthy, you're married, you have young children. If you play again, it's just too risky. If you ever got another one, you could die.' That's the way they put it for me. Next one, you might be in a coma and never come out of it," Bradley said.

He thinks about that every time he sees a replay of the hit that sent Tebow to the ground while his head hit off the knee of an offensive lineman.

"I just don't know how the doctors are going to clear him to play. I know it's an important game, but so is your life. If he misses the game and they happen to lose, what's more important?" Bradley said.

"If he takes another hit in the game against LSU and he's out another six months or a year, was it worth the risk? That's what you have to look at. It's not only about an injury like a broken finger or shoulder and you'll play through pain. This is your brain."

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