Update on Brent's Injuries

First of all thank you so much for all the prayers, phone calls and txt messages we have received from our many friends and families. What a frightening 2 days this has been, we have been overwhelmed emotionally, mentally, and physically. This has been a very traumatic experience, but we are trying to cope, adjust and heal as well as we can as a little family. We are just so thankful that Brent survived this traumatic accident and all of his many injuries, even though they are severe they can all be fixed. Below is a summary of the incident that Brent put together so that everyone is aware of what really happened.

Thank you all for your support and prayers. Here is an update on what happened and how I am doing. I was helping my father in law cut some overgrown trees. We were sectioning one tree. I was about 20 feet up with the chainsaw. When the top half of the tree fell the lower half was like a slingshot and threw me from the tree.

I landed on my back and have a compression fracture in my T7 Vertebrae. It is a break that is not normally associated with paralysis as the spinal cord is still intact, However, I am wearing a back brace that helps my posture to prevent me from becoming future hunch back. I will be in the brace for about 8-10 weeks. No surgery is necessary at this time.

The Chainsaw cut into my left thigh about 6 inches across and 2 inches deep but did not completely sever the muscle, major arteries, or nerves. It went through the skin two layers of fascia and partially through my quad. Each layer was sutured. I still have full movement in my leg and foot on that side.

I also have about 6 deep cuts from the chainsaw on my left wrist and thumb from just below the nail bed down to my wrist. I have some numbness in my thumb, which is hopefully temporary,  I have an appointment with the hand specialist on Tuesday.

I have a laceration that is about 5 inches long on my right cheek that goes from my ear/earlobe down to my chin.  It almost follows the contour of the body of the mandible just above the bone. My hope is that it will heal with minimal scarring. I am not sure if this is from the chainsaw or if it was hooked on a tree branch on the way down. It cut partially through the masseter muscle, the fascia, and of course the skin. Each layer was sutured. I am fortunate that it did not communicate with the inside of my mouth and the nerve appears to be intact. I have both sensation and full use of my facial muscles on that side of my face.  (Meaning I can smile frown have facial expressions)

All things considered the result of this accident was the best-case scenario as compared to what might have been.

Again thank so much for your kind thoughts and prayers. We are doing okay and the initial shock of the accident is beginning to settle a little. Doctors suggest that I take some time to heal. I am going to take this next week off of work until the stitches are removed. Then I will see how things are going. I hope that I can be back to seeing patients by next Monday the 12^th.  As a family we are living hour by hour, and hoping once these first few days are past us, then hopefully things will just get better and better.
Love Brent, Kiley, Kaedyn & Colby

My dad was able to take this picture for me of Brent being transferred from Clovis Community Hosp. to the Trauma Center at Fresno Community Hospital. Once the incident happened it was about 3 "Long" hours before I was able to see him. It was a very long and painful 13 hours in the trauma center for Brent. But we were able to be released around mindight to go home.

I was so thankful to be able to meet Brent in trauma, but so sad to see all of his injuries. It took about 4 hours for the Doctors to repair his face, leg and wrist. Along with all of the Doctors and Nurses I was completely amazed and relieved at how well they were able to repair this handsome face. Compared to how torn open his right side of his face was, this 1st picture I took for him amazes me.

A quick picture at home for comparison reasons so we can track his healing and changes day by day.

Thankful to my sister and her family for taking such great care of Kaedyn & Colby that night. Not exactly how we wanted to spend our first night ever away from our precious kiddos :(

Crazy Dr Kaedyn, insists on me washing her pink scrubs everyday so that she can take care of his "yucky ouchies that she likes" her words...