A head shot doesn't always mean what people think it does

and Tam has some info on why. Which reminded me of something:

Used to know a guy who worked through college pulling late shifts in the ER. Had an ambulance pull in one night with two passengers: one passed out from drink, and his slightly less-drunk friend who had a big chef's knife driven straight down through the top of his head. Still conscious, just felt an ache. The knife had gone between the hemispheres and done remarkably little damage. After the exam they let him go to sleep until a surgeon could get in to set up for taking it out.

Happy ending, until his friend- dumped in the other bed in the room- woke up, saw his friend, thought "What did I do?!?" and tried to take the knife out...