Originally Posted by rabbit pipefitter

I am a civilian pipe-fitter for the Canadian Navy, I got my dream job in July of 2011. After 5 weeks of training for a new DND employee, I was put to work in the shop. After only a few weeks my supervisor asked if I would give a Navy guy a hand on ship. I was only an apprentice and was never told that I was not allowed to do this. We had to do a test on a few drain pipes and the first one went well. when it came to the next one, I noticed oil in the pipe and told the navy guy about it. He had the pipe "cleaned" and he went to the other end of the pipe outside the ship and we continued. A 5" steal pipe plug was placed on the end in a hole, I had to squeeze in and place the air hose to the plug to pressurize it. My face was about a foot away and I had pipes over my head, at 30 psi I heard a squeak and barely turned my head before it exploded. I have no idea if I was knocked out, but the bang brought another sailor rushing to the hole. He asked me if I was okay and I put my hand to my face and pulled it back to find alot of blood. I managed to pull my self out and I started to spit out my teeth. I thought that the side of my face was gone. I was tackled to the deck and the next thing I know people were all around me. I went to the hospital and on my way I passed out. I was told that when I walked in nurses rushed me and put me in a bed. I was covered with blood and my face was swelled really bad. The doctor did an x-ray because he thought my orbital bone and jaw was broke. the marrow turned to mush my top side teeth were broke but I was sent home to see my own doctor. I had black eyes, bruises on my face, back of my neck, and behind my ears. I took 5 weeks off, had my teeth fixed, and went back to work. I was off balance, could not do my math or read. My head has been pounding ever since. in the new year I was not getting better and went to see a neurologist. I told him what was going on, personality change, nightmares, headaches, the hole nine yards. He patted me on my knee and said give it time, if i do an scan i'll find something wrong and you will just get upset even more. I went back to my doc and was put on meds for stress. My family and friends now have nothing to do with me, because im now different from before. I learned to "fake" normal for two years. But this last July it came apart. I could not do it any more. now I finally saw a new neurologist and failed his pysical and cognitive test. He want an MRI and more testing, he thinks I have a skull fracture and bruising on my brain. I now see a phycologest and was told I have PTSD and PCS with disabilities. I also go to a physiotherapist and she finds more issues and thinks that more was damaged. Work is harassing me to come back to work, threatening my pension and job! My docs say get a WCB lawyer but i know it wont help. just need to rant, thanks for listening and sorry my spelling is bad. : (