Shot Through the Head? How About a Nice Cup of Tea?

It is a human instinct to resume civilised behaviour as soon as possible after chaos – the sweeping of the floor in a bombed house without walls or ceiling, the combing of hair in a hospital bed connected up to tubes and bleeping monitors, and making tea after being shot through the head by your husband.

Tammy Sexton of Birmingham, Alabama, did just that, it is reported, offering officers who attended the scene something to drink.

Sheriff Mike Byrd said: “When the officer got there she said, ‘What’s going on?’ She was holding a rag on her head and talking. She was conscious, but she was confused about what had happened. She had made herself some tea and offered the officer something to drink.

There’s no way she should be alive other than a miracle from God. You just don’t hear of something like this. Somebody gets shot in the head and they’re dead.”

While this story might amuse as it astounds, the fact that Tammy turned to tea indicates an intuitive reaching for appropriate therapy. Tea’s healing properties are well known. Tea contains large amounts of antioxidant tea polyphenols which are known to help prevent cancers, including breast and bowel. Tea also contains fluorides, which strengthen teeth. The addition of milk, it has been found, reduces the risk of oesophageal cancer by reducing temperature. The British used tea as a battlefield sedative for wounded soldiers. Black tea in particular, reduces cortisol levels after stress.

As I have written previously, tea should be put next to defibrillators, along with instructions on how to use proper boiling water and put milk in afterwards.

Tammy is expected to make a full recovery.