Well, yes. This isn't my strong point. She had blood and contusions - bruises - that would not have been there if they had happened after she had died, or after her heart stopped.
She had hemorrhaging on her scalp, hemorrhaging of the subdural membrane and the subarachnoid membrane. She had purple contusion underlying the whole skull fracture. That is bruising - blood "rushing" to the trauma. The heart was beating, but not at its normal high rate, as judged by the amount of blood measured.
The only blood pressure after death is gravity, which causes livor mortis. That is blood pooling at the lowest points. It goes there and stays there if the body isn't moved. There is no way the skull fracture would just "happen" to also be the lowest point of gravity (and it wasn't) where blood would "pool" under the skin where it could be observed.
I know I'm not getting across what I'm trying to say, but I'm making myself sick trying, lol. I looked for some diagrams to explain it, but most were sites where you had to sign in. Maybe another time. Words just aren't the way to show this.
I've been reading up on blood and stuff for hours. I need more info on the following though. Links or the right keywords for a search would be nice if you have them!
***What happens to blood after death?
I read that within an hour it liquifies, never to coagulate again. But then I read that people who die from asphyxiation, their blood liquifies longer, so I'm not clear on the coagulation changes in blood after death. I read that pooling (livor mortis) can move around if the body is repositioned, but after a certain period of time it won't do that anymore. I read that it will blanch for so long but after that it won't blanch. So I'm not clear on the blood thing. I want to understand how that works.
***What is the difference between a contusion (bruise) and hemorrhage?
I can't find a really clear explanation/distinction between the two. I did read about contusions with and without hemorrhaging, so they have to be fundamentally different, but a regular medical definition of the two terms makes them sound the same really.
***Sulci and gyri.
I know what they are but I'm not 100% sure what the significance of them narrowing and flattening would be.
***Bruising on the tips of the temporal lobes.
I know this can be caused by the brain banging against the inside of the skull but which side gets banged is dependent upon the motion of the head (or object). I'm not clear on that.
I have a fairly good idea about most of what I listed, but not a complete understanding. However, I think I have all of the other aspects down pat now. I've been reading alot! Any help with the above would be appreciated.