I spent last night at the hospital. (now with carnage pics)

Charger_Fan · February 08, 2008, 04:44:43 PM

My daughter's 24 year old boyfriend who is currently an honorary member of the family, had a pretty rough day at work yesterday.
He's a heavy equipment diesel mechanic, doing on-site repairs around the valley & is pretty darn good at what he does. Yesterday he was called to fix a flat on an F550 (towing a flatbed trailer) that was stuck on the side of the freeway. He pulled his utility truck in front of the disabled one & proceeded to remove the flat from the right front.
He rolled the tire to the back of his truck & had just thrown it in, when WHAM! Some careless dipshit driving a Honda Element slammed into the back of the flatbed trailer at freeway speed! The impact shoved the truck & trailer forward several feet, smashing his legs between the bumpers of his utility truck & the one he was working on. The trucks bounced back apart after the impact & he was able to hang onto his truck, partially sitting on the bumper.

He called his boss, told him there was a crash, that he was hurt & he needed an ambulance. Once the ambulance arrived, they found that his left femur was broken & partially crushed...and that an artery in the leg was crushed, not allowing blood into the lower leg.
At the hospital, the doctors were mostly confident they would be able to save his leg, but warned that the damage may also be too severe once they get in there & they might have to amputate...he spent 9 hours in the operating room.
They removed a chunk of artery from his right leg & patched it into his left leg, then fixed a bunch of other blood vessels. They were able to hammer a rod into the bone, along with the assorted pins-n-nails that go with it. As of 1:00 AM this morning when I left, his prognosis is looking good. There's a lot of swelling in the calf area, due to the lack of blood flow for a couple hours, which has the doctors concerned, but they are optomistic that they will be able to control it.

His Boss waited at the hospital with us for most of the time during the operation & said that he will make sure all financial needs from this ordeal are taken care of. What a great guy!
So far, we still don't know why the driver of the Element caused the crash, but it's not really important for the time being. The driver of the disabled truck was standing beside the truck at the time of impact & was thrown against the retaining wall, when the truck lurched forward & sideways. He received bumps & bruises, but is otherwise in good shape.

There's so may ways that this story could have turned out so much worse, but we're thankful it wasn't. He really hates all the hoses & tubes he's got stuck in him & it looks like he's gonna be hobbling around for a few months, but at least he still has his legs.

Charger74 · February 08, 2008, 04:50:43 PM

Wow, sorry to hear about that. He is really lucky. My prayers go out for him to have a speedy recovery. It's too bad some flipping idiot had to possibly ruin his life, hope they get what's deserved.

BB1 · February 08, 2008, 04:51:39 PM

Sorry to hear about that, it could have easily gone the other way. Good luck to yours and his family.

TruckDriver · February 08, 2008, 04:59:32 PM

Sorry to hear that Grant. I hope everything turns out good for him

moparguy01 · February 08, 2008, 05:33:24 PM

What a crappy thing to happen. I hope everything is going good for him, well as good as can be expected. Maybe in a year he can get around good enough to go kick the element driver right in the butt.

Shakey · February 08, 2008, 05:38:36 PM

Holy

I see/hear about that all too often - people staring at the vehicles at the side of the road rather than in front of them.

69_500 · February 08, 2008, 05:44:36 PM

Sorry to hear about the bad news. Saw something similar to that about 2 years ago here in Indiana. Bunch of people rubber necking to see who a police car had pulled over, and then BAM one of the people driving along not paying attention to traffic slammed into the back of the patrol car when swerving to miss the slowed up traffic.

People slow down to rubber neck, and also out of respect for police/ambulance/wreckers around here, and before you know it someone who isn't paying attention to why people are slowing down goes off the road to avoid traffic and wind up causing more problems. People just need to pay attention more on the roadways.

Rack · February 08, 2008, 06:13:30 PM

That's horrible, Charger Fan. I am glad your your daughter's boyfriend is alive though. Breaking a femur and possibly losing a leg is bad, but it could have been much worse.

As for the moron in the honda...

400/6/PAC · February 08, 2008, 06:41:26 PM

I agree
Thats too bad that something like that has to happen because another driver is not paying attention or is distracted by something.
My Prayres go out for You, Your Daughter, Her Boyfriend ( Hope He's alright) and Friends and family.

The70RT · February 08, 2008, 07:07:50 PM

What a bitch. I hope he makes it out ok. I'm sure he will have lifetime complications but hopefully minimal. It's too bad some get hurt because of others carelessness. Godbless him.

RD · February 08, 2008, 07:28:43 PM

man grant, that is very sad, my prayers go out to him, your family and his family... done.

i smashed my leg between a truck and my 73 once and it dislocated my femur from my hip... that wasnt so bad, but the huge blood clots that happened afterwards was... constant fear of one dislodging into a vein and going to the lungs was very scary. i will never forget the pain that caused. i can only imagine what he is going through.

Tell him GOD SPEED from all us!

Charger_Fan · February 08, 2008, 07:31:07 PM

Having something like this happen to my immediate family made me also want to share it with my online family.

Thanks for the prayers & well wishes you guys, I'll be sure to pass them on.

rare69 · February 08, 2008, 07:47:17 PM

sorry to hear about the accident. hope he recovers fully and quickly.you know its always the hard working guy who gets hurt and cant afford to heal and pay bills. never the dead beat looser who trips over the curb on his way to the seven eleven.

ChgrSteve67 · February 08, 2008, 08:57:26 PM

Wow ... wrong place at the wrong time.

Glad to hear no one died.

Prayers are out to you all.

leeandgrant · February 08, 2008, 09:05:47 PM

Sorry to hear the bad news. I hope he recovers and eventually gets full use of his leg.

As being a truck driver who has been broke down along side the rode myself on a few occasions, it is very scary to see that people will not even slow down or even merge to give room.

resq302 · February 09, 2008, 07:59:14 AM

Reasons like this is why I check on my cops periodically especially when they are out with either a disabled car or on a traffic stop. As often as they do getting mad and being wise asses with me with rude and unnecesary comments, I at least know they are ok and that something like this has not happened.

69 OUR/TEA · February 09, 2008, 09:49:42 AM

I hope the best for him CHARGER_FAN .

mikesbbody · February 09, 2008, 03:43:01 PM

Thats terrible but he sounds like a strong guy im sure he will pull through

the main thing is he wont lose his legs. I wish him a speedy recovery.

General_01 · February 09, 2008, 03:45:30 PM

Glad there is a good prognosis. I hope he has a successful recovery and is back on his feet in a short time. As for the driver of the car, give them one of these and then some.

Lowprofile · February 10, 2008, 02:01:10 AM

Pass along my best wishes to the young man Bro. All to often I see that kind of accident out here on the road. I tell everyone I know to PLEASE move to the left lane whenever you see a disabled vehicle in the breakdown lane. It is so dangerous out here on the road these days.....Cell Phones, computers, on board entertainment systems, etc, etc.......Does anyone pay attention when they drive anymore?

Like you said bro, at least he still has his legs...

nh_mopar_fan · February 10, 2008, 05:49:39 PM

Here's hoping for a full recovery.

Someone was just killed up here yesterday when their car was rear-ended in the breakdown lane.

friggin morons.

Charger_Fan · February 11, 2008, 12:35:25 PM

I was able to scan some pics of the carnage. The pic quality isn't too good, because I scanned from a printed pic.
This is the truck with the flat.

Same truck (pic was later, after it was towed from the scene). The dent in the bumper is believed to be from his legs & body. Not shown is the flatbed trailer the truck was towing at the time.

This is his service truck...he had just thrown the tire in the back (sitting flat, beside yellow thing), had stepped down from the bumper, when the crash happened. He was standing in the center of the truck...I believe if the steps on either side weren't there, the outcome would have been much different. $:-\$

The vehicle that caused the accident...

The side that impacted the trailer. This guy walked away...good thing he didn't have a passenger at the time.

This is where the Element finally stopped. The service truck is on the right.

X-ray pics...

Hardware trophy pic.

Here's the bandage collection on the broken leg...

The other leg. Had to remove an artery from this leg, to use in the other.

He's in a LOT of pain, but at least he can smile about it today.

leeandgrant · February 11, 2008, 01:06:46 PM

Very happy to see that he is in good spirits and smiling. Hopefully he recovers. Our prayers go out to him.

Shakey · February 11, 2008, 01:15:16 PM

Photos were great until the x-ray photos showed up. I winced a bit when I saw those.

BTW - is that your Daughter with him? Good lookin' young lady - was she adopted?

1972Rallye · February 11, 2008, 01:25:59 PM

Hope he recovers fully... could have been a lot worse... somebody was looking out for him!

For some reason, I can never see CHARGER_FAN's pics... any of them... Whyisthat?

Charger_Fan · February 11, 2008, 01:45:03 PM

Quote from: Shakey on February 11, 2008, 01:15:16 PM

BTW - is that your Daughter with him? Good lookin' young lady - was she adopted?

Yes...and NO!

Quote from: 1972Rallye on February 11, 2008, 01:25:59 PM
For some reason, I can never see CHARGER_FAN's pics... any of them... Whyisthat?

Beats me.

Are you at work? Maybe they have you blocked from my pic host site...like my work Nazi's do for me on Cardomain & others.

TUFCAT · February 11, 2008, 05:36:19 PM

Wow!! Doctors do amazing work don't they?

Sometimes we don't give the doctors and the emergency medical personel the credit they deserve.

Mike DC · February 11, 2008, 05:37:27 PM

Man, that's an ugly incident. So sorry.

I hope he recovers okay. Those kinds of severe bone breaks with hardware inside can keep hurting for a long, long time.

694spdRT · February 11, 2008, 05:52:47 PM

Wow...that could have been much worse. I agree the the rear steps probably saved him. Hope all turns out for him and he has a speedy recovery.

hemihead · February 11, 2008, 06:54:50 PM

I'll say a prayer for his recovery . I bet the Honda driver is on some forum right now saying " It was my fault .... "

400/6/PAC · February 11, 2008, 07:42:50 PM

Good to see He's doing ok.

Khyron · February 11, 2008, 08:22:18 PM

Sorry, I just saw this post, glad he's doing well and yes, i even yelled ouch when I saw that X-Ray. Good luck on his recovery.

Tilar · February 11, 2008, 09:00:31 PM

He's definitely lucky. Someone was watching out for him. How are the people iin the van? Any of them hurt?

hemi68charger · February 11, 2008, 09:17:15 PM

Man,, what a lucky young man !!!! It's nice to know he'll be taken care of financially and emotionally by you guys........

Charger_Fan · February 11, 2008, 11:47:11 PM

As bad as this injury is, he definitely considers himself lucky, because it could have easily been SO much worse.
Aside from our family, he's had a ton of relatives, friends & co-workers drop in to see him, which has helped keep his spirits up.

Quote from: Tilar on February 11, 2008, 09:00:31 PM
He's definitely lucky. Someone was watching out for him. How are the people iin the van? Any of them hurt?

We were told there was only the driver in the van & he pretty much walked away from the accident...he was even refusing medical attention at the scene. Probably because he knew this whole thing was gonna cost him!

If there was a passenger in the front seat, I would guess it would have been fatal, judging from the pics.

bull · February 11, 2008, 11:57:21 PM

Looks like he's doing fairly well, all things considered.

Wow, what a mess. I just hope the doctors were able to patch up the veins good enough or he's going to have a lot of circulation problems later in life. I know what that's like.

At least it's good news overall and he should be able to walk again.

That Honda driver deserves a trip to the hospital now.

Tilar · February 12, 2008, 04:28:13 PM

Quote from: CHARGER_FAN on February 11, 2008, 11:47:11 PM
If there was a passenger in the front seat, I would guess it would have been fatal, judging from the pics.

That's why I asked... That didn't look good for any passengers. Glad he is doing well.

Plumcrazy · February 12, 2008, 05:59:51 PM

Damn lucky young man, hope he recovers fully.

71ChallengeHer · February 12, 2008, 08:34:13 PM

I'll keep him in my prayers for a speedy recovery.

Afflyer · February 12, 2008, 08:57:21 PM

Dude! Give that guy a cold one on us when he gets released from the hospital!

My hat is off to him!

Bradley

The70RT · February 12, 2008, 10:31:32 PM

Ouch.

The Honda guy was livin on a prayer. If he would have hit square I would hate to see any of it. I can't imagine the pain you bud is in. I would say the driver owes one hell of an apology.....well some day after all the dust settles. Money can't take away pain but I hope he gets a good lawyer

Forza · February 13, 2008, 02:05:37 AM

Holy shit, now that's a fracture! Glad you're ok, that driver's lucky he didnt have a passenger. When will these peckerheads learn to watch the road? Best of luck to you and hopefully a speedy recovery.

OldGuy · February 13, 2008, 01:51:12 PM

Sorry to hear about the accident - hope all goes well during his recovery. Fortunately, he is young and his body can repair and heal itself much quicker. Take care.

Old Moparz · February 13, 2008, 04:57:53 PM

Wow, i haven't been on line much & then I see all this. Sorry about what happened CF, but glad things weren't worse.

News:

I spent last night at the hospital. (now with carnage pics)