TRAUMA INJURIES

[fishncrab]

KEEP MY WIFE CHERYL AND HER 23 YR OLD SON IN YOUR PRAYERS. NATHAN WAS WALKING HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL IN CONNETICUT 0200 IN THE MORNING TODAY 1-30-05 FOR SOME SMALL EYE PROBLEM. A DRUNK DRIVER OF A FORD F-350 WENT UP A CURB AND HIT HIM DEAD ON, PINNING HIM AGAINST THE EDGE OF THE BRIDGE. HIS FEMALE FRIEND GRABBED HIM AS HE ALMOST FELL OVER THE EDGE 3 STORIES INTO THE CONNECTICUT RIVER WHICH WAS FROZEN OVER. HE HAS A PELVIC FRACTURE, BILATERAL OPEN COMPOUND FRACTURE OF THE FEMURS, BILATERAL OPEN TIB/FIB FRACTURES AND ONLY A PULSE IN THE LEFT LEG. HIS FLESH WOUNDS WERE DESCRIBED TO US AS "HORIFIC" BY THE ER DOCTOR. THE VASCULAR SURGEON FOUND ONE OF THE THREE MAJOR ARTERIES WORKING IN THE LEG - DORSALIS PEDIS. THE ODDS OF AN ABOVE THE KNEE AMPUTATION LOOK HIGH. THEY WERE ABLE TO HARVEST A VEIN IN HIS LEFT LEG AND GRAFT IT IN THE RIGHT LEG AND GET CIRCULATION WHICH IS PROMISING. BUT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT NERVE DAMAGE. HE IS STILL AT RISK FOR CLOT FORMATION AND SEPSIS. A LOT OF THE SKIN ON HIS LEGS ARE ALREADY GOING SEPTIC WE'RE TOLD. HE IS INTUBATED RIGHT NOW AND WAS ALERT AND ORIENTED UPON ARIVAL TO THE TRAUMA CENTER. ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THEY CAN SAVE THE LEG. HE STILL IS NOT OUT OF THE WATER WITH HIS LIFE IF HE BLOWS A CLOT OR GOES SEPTIC WHICH HE IS VERY MUCH AS RISK FOR. THE DRIVER WAS ARRESTED FOR DUII, 2ND DEGREE ASSAULT WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE - A FELONY IN CONNECTICUT. HE HAS ALREADY POSTED BAIL AND IS OUT. THAT GUY NEEDS PRAYER TOO BECAUSE HIS LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AND JESUS LOVES HIM TOO. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYER AND SUPPORT.
CRAIG

[letsfish]

I will be definitely be praying for your step son and those who love him. I also will pray for the driver that has hopefully reached bottom. That he will get his life turned around and see his need for true love and forgiveness.

[RvW]

So very sorry to hear of this. How tragic and sad. I'll pray for Nathan.

[wyeast]

I have been sitting here praying for Nathan. My prayers are with your wife too. We have to value every moment with loved ones!!!

[WildHawg]

That is horrific.
May God Bless Nathan and heal him physically and spiritually through these most trying of times.
May God help heal those that know and love him as well, and may he lift up their hearts in the knowledge that he is in his hands.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.

[DAB]

I will join the others in praying for your wife and Nathan and the others that love him.
DAB

[hookumhi]

I am saying prayers for your family too

[Keta]

They are at the top of our list :depressed:

[jokester]

I'm in too! :depressed: I'll be praying for him and the whole family! :angel:

-jokester

[wyeast]

Any news on Nathan! How is the family holding up!
Take care and you are in our prayers.
Wyeast

[fishncrab]

Thank you all for your prayers and support. This is an update on Nathan. My wife just landed in conneticut 5 minutes ago. She hasn't yet seen her son but will soon. She is getting a police escort from the airport to the hospital by the lead investigator. The guy who hit Nathan is not being cooperative. He refused blood work the night of the accident and they got a warrent to take him down and restrained him for his blood. No results released yet. They also got search warrents for every bar in town as he refused to give info on where he was drinking. He apparently went to several bars that night. As far as Nate, he is still intubated and on a vent, getting a propofol drip to keep him in deep sedation. When he awakens he blinks that he is in great pain so the Dilaudid drip was increased from 1mg/hour to 2mg/hour. For those that don't know, that is equal to 20mg/hour of morphine. They did another surgery on his right lower leg to slice a piece of existing muscle and flap it over to cover some bone. The doctor described one of his open wounds as being the size of two fists put together. They also cut a piece of muscle to put on an open wound on one of his femur bones. He has a lot of hardware to keep his bones together. He still has pulses in both legs but he's still not out of the water. So far everything that could go right has gone right. No set backs yet. We are praying against infection which he is very much at risk for with those large open wounds. He is also at rist for clot formation with long bone fractures. The clots themselves are not so much a problem as if they dislodge and travel to the heart or lungs which would kill almost intantly. We hope to bring him home as soon as possible - may not be for a few months yet. I'll try to keep you all posted with futher updates. Again Thank you all for your prayers.

[DAB]

I will continue to pray for Nathan and your family
DAB