***Warning, graphic medical content*****
OK, we are home WAY earlier than we expected from our "hunting" trip. Season doesn't even open until tomorrow. BUT Wednesday evening, less than 6 hours after arriving at elk camp, the guys were all out cutting our fire wood, and FIL had a super bad freak accident. The logs were already down, old dead trees, perfect for firewood. After DH's grandfather having a bad log cutting accident last year that cut our trip a little bit short, they were taking their time, looking at everything, making sure it was safe first. They decided it was. FIL cut the end off of the log, had time to set the saw down, and as they were standing there talking about what lengths they were going to cut, the log slid. It struck him in the chest, knocking him backward, and then as it slid further, it came down on his face. This was a 24" diameter log. He lost consciousness, so HIS dad (injured gpa from last year) rolled him onto his side, and rode the quad up to camp to get help. We called 911, and headed back down the hill. He was bleeding profusely from his mouth and nose, but was conscious again. The paramedics had to put the backboard on the quad and drive him out slowly (it's a steep hill). In the ambulance they had to sedate him and intubate to protect his airway.
They started to lose him on the way to the hospital in La Grande, and called Life Flight. They met them halfway to the hospital, and the on board surgeons said he wouldn't make the flight to Walla Walla or Boise, so on to La Grande they went. They lost him en route, and did CPR all the way to the hospital, got him back in the parking lot, lost him again inside, and got him back again.
The doctor came out and told MIL that he was not going to make it. DH called and we all piled in the truck and headed to the hospital. Just a few minutes after we got there, the nurse came out and said that they had done the CT scan, there was no apparent brain damage, and they were prepping him for transfer to Portland.
They flew him to Portland, and he has been getting better and better every minute. The doctors in La Grande were surprised he had made it that far, but he's a fighter, and his fight is what brought him back to us, and has kept him going.
4 CT's later, injury assessment is that both ocular orbits are cracked, but the eyes themselves are intact, they won't know if there is ocular nerve damage until they wake him up. Nose, cheekbones, and palate are smashed. Upper jaw is intact, but top 4 incisors are gone (DH has 2 in his pocket that he picked up at the scene). Lower jaw is broken, straight down the middle. They did a tracheotomy this evening so they could get the breathing tube out of his mouth. There is a small amount of blood pooled around his brain, but it isn't putting any pressure on his brain, so they are just watching it for now.
The first facial reconstruction surgery is slated for tomorrow sometime. This is to be the first of 3-5 surgeries. This one will put plates in his face to get skin and muscle back where it goes, and will wire his jaw, and add traction to his face to pull it all back out where it goes. The surgeon used the analogy of smashing in the side of an ice cream cone for what the bone structure looks like on CT.
SO....it's going to be a long road, the doctors said he will be in the hospital at least 2 weeks. DH is there with him now. DS and I both still have a little cough from our colds, so we can't go up. Prayers, positive thoughts, whatever you've got, it's all appreciated.
