# Bungee Cord Danger!



## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

I just wanted to remind everyone about the danger using bungee cords. My wife got hit with a bungee cord in the eye at work the other day. I could only think of the worst while driving to the hospital to meet her.

My wife, Mrs. Lunatic, was immediately taken to Mass Eye & Ear in Boston where they tried to evaluate the extent of the damage. It started out with extreme pressure to the eye caused by fluid and blood collecting in the back of the eye. The pressure caused severe nausea and she threw up for the next two days. Her blood pressure which is typically normal was very high at 170/117. She was dehydrated and in extreme pain due to the injury. The typical medication would not reduce the eye pressure. After seeing 3 surgeons, 3 doctors, and numerous nursing staff over a 3 day trip back and forth to Boston it took a special glaucoma surgeon to calculate a combination of 5 types of eye drops and 1 oral medication to finally reduce the eye pressure. I am relieved to say that the prognosis is good. No surgery is needed but it leaves her with a higher risk of developing glaucoma and other eye diseases in the future. Thank God we live in one of the best locations in the country with exceptional hospitals. It could have turned out much worse.

We were told from one of the specialists at the hospital that they see at least one injury every week from bungee cords. That is a much higher statistic than I would have guessed and that is why I am letting everyone know. We were told that retractable dog leashes are another potential hazard. They can snap and cause eye injury, too. The specialist won’t let her kid’s use them and they aren’t allowed in her house. I can understand why.

I’ve been using bungee cords since I was a kid but now I will use tie downs when appropriate and I will never give them to a child. I think we all know that some Halloween prop designs using a bungee or spring can be dangerous and that’s been mentioned many times before for good reason. I shutter to think of personal injury potentials but it concerns me more about harming another person especially a TOT. 

This time we were quite lucky. Be safe and think twice my friends.
Happy safe prop building!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Sorry to hear she suffered such a painful injury. She's fortunate she didn't lose the eye or her eyesight. May she have a full recovery.


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## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

I am glad that she will be alright - thanks for the warning about the cords and the leases


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Thanks folks for the warm thoughts.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

Oh man! OW! Glad she is recovering. Thanks for the warning.


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## fick209 (Aug 31, 2009)

I've never given a thought as to bungee cords being dangerous. I use them daily at work. Thanks for the warning and hope your wife has a speedy recovery!


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## sharpobject (May 7, 2008)

Thanks for the much needed safety reminder. I'm glad your wife is on the road to recovery - I hope it's the expressway.


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

Thanks for thinking of us. I hope your wife is doing better.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Thanks folks for the warm thoughts! 
Unfortunately she will be out of work for weeks. The poor thing has to sleep sitting up. All of the meds along with the injury is causing double vision in the injured eye. She is seeing the surgeon/specialist twice this week for treatment. It's a slow recovery.


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## jdsteel82 (Aug 27, 2010)

Hope your wife is doing better by now Lunatic.

I almost lost my eye to a bungee cord... Thankfully I was wearing eye protection so the metal end hit my glasses right in front of the dead center of my eye. the rubber par gave me a rub burn on the side of my nose, and I got a bruise on the bridge of my nose from the pressure of the nose piece.

Just be mindful everybody when using them. If they are old and cracking you are better off throwing them away... a new bungee is cheaper than missing an eye.


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## beelce (Jul 21, 2007)

What a terrible ordeal...This could have ended really bad.....I hope Mrs Lunatic fells better soon....
I got smacked in the face with one of those damn things, now there banned from my haunt. I did find a much more effective and safer replacement that I would suggest for all.....
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=695588
These things are strong, easy to use, and CHEAP


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

beelce said:


> What a terrible ordeal...This could have ended really bad.....I hope Mrs Lunatic fells better soon....
> I got smacked in the face with one of those damn things, now there banned from my haunt. I did find a much more effective and safer replacement that I would suggest for all.....
> http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=695588
> These things are strong, easy to use, and CHEAP


It's amazing how quickly something like that can happen. When it does and it's a close call it wakes you up to the serious potential. After my wifes injury we now know of 4 other people through friends that have lost their eyes to bungee's.

It took 6-7 weeks for the blood in my wifes eye to drain out and now she could finally sleep lying down. That must have been aweful to sleep upwards for that long. Her eye was pointing a little sideways at first but is now pointing relatively straight...which caused double vison. The doctors are weaning her off of the medications she is on.

At this point her restrictions are no contact lenses, no bending over for long periods of time. After over 8 weeks she just started back to work for 4 hrs a day. We feel that she will make a near full recovery relatively speaking. Very fortunate girl she is.

Be safe everyone and Happy Halloween!


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

thats wonderful. i just now read this thread. i'm so glad mrs lunatic is doing better


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

I've been wondering how she was. Thanks for the update and I'm glad she is healing...eye injuries hurt like hell and are like enduring torture. And thank you for letting us know about this...I will make sure to tell all my friends on Facebook. And I've thrown out my bungies I used to keep in the car to tie the trunk down for Curbies shopping...it has now been replaced with a piece of clothesline. We lived without bungies for thousands of years..rope may take a bit longer to tie up, but is safer.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

PS- I see that those lashing straps are sold out. I used to sew those and also backpacks when I was in college...making those lashing straps is easy & uber cheap..you can buy the buckles and strapping online.


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## goneferal (Sep 8, 2010)

That is horrible! Thanks for the warning and I hope she heals up back to her normal lunatic self.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Thanks guys for caring! My wife had no idea that I started this thread. I'm touched to see everyone's response. I wanted to share her experience to remind and inform everyone of the serious hazard bungee's possess. 

Thanks Debbie for sharing with your friends. I do think it's worth mentioning to people.


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