The Progression of the Wound!!

Before the Wound VAC

One day after the Wound VAC

One Month after the Wound VAC

One Month after the Wound VAC It is Working!!!!

ANDREA HATCH MEDICAL BENEFIT FUNDRAISER!

On July 2, 2012 Andrea Hatch was riding her motorcycle to work and was struck by an SUV making an illegal left turn.  She sustained multiple injuries to her right leg.  She has a compound fracture of her femur and a rod was placed in it,and two screws in her fractured ankle. She also has a shattered tibial plateua fracture with a large flesh wound to the knee. 4 surgeries and 3 months later she is just beginning physical therapy and is still unable to put weight on her leg. SHE HAS A LONG WAY TO GO!        Her medical expenses are quickly piling up!

AWESOME T-SHIRTS, HOODIES AND WRIST-BANDS FOR SALE. ALL PROCEEDS GO TO ANDREA’S MEDICAL FUND.  GREAT GIFTS FOR ANYONE!

There is an account set up at “any” US BANK –

“Andrea Hatch Medical Benefit”

Come join us at these Craft Fairs

Thirkill School PTO Soda Springs,Id Craft Fair ~ Nov. 2 & 3  (Fri 6pm-9pm Sat 9am-4pm

Cowboy Country Craft Fair in Bancroft, Id ~ Nov 16 & 17 (Fri 3pm-8pm Sat 8am-1pm)

Oregon Trail Center Craft Fair ~Montpelier, Id Nov 23 & 24 (Fri Noon- 7pm Sat 9am-2pm)

Hatchidaho.blogspot.com  ~ CONTACT jody4@q.com if interested in being a sponsor

A 5-K run is being scheduled for the spring of 2013 in Pocatello, Idaho

Well today marks the 11th week since my accident!! I can't believe it has been 11 weeks, somedays it feels longer than that and other days it feels like it was just yesterday. I am still healing, I still have the wound vac on and it is healing the wound right up. I take a picture of the wound everytime the nurse comes to change the dressing I have to keep looking at the previous pictures to remind myself how much it has healed because it seems so very slow but it has only been 3 weeks since we started the wound vac and it is already looking a tons better. I am so very thankful for modern medicine and the amazing technologies that are out there. I am so anxious to get back to work and to get back to living at my house I miss my friends at work and I never thought that I would say that I miss work but I miss it tremendously. I will never take for granted the ability to work and to take care of myself. I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for the many blessings that he has provided me with and for protecting me 11 weeks ago. I am so very thankful for the first responders that cared for me on that day 11 weeks ago and for all the ER and hospital staff that cared for me at Portneuf Medical Center and then for those that cared for me at the University of Utah hospital. They are all heroes in my book!!
I go back to Salt Lake this Thursday for a follow up appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon I am hoping for good news and ready to move on to the next step in my recovery process. I am also hoping that he will maybe give me a possible date of when I can return to work then I will have something to look forward to!!

X-rays of my leg!

This is the femur fracture it was a compound fracture which means the bone did poke thru the skin.

The knee before surgery. On the left it shows the knee cap which is not suppose to be that high the tendon that attaches it to the lower leg was detached which caused it to move up into my thigh a little ways.

The knee after surgery they used two plates and a bunch of screws to put me back together! The little tiny specs on the right side of my knee are the staples that they hadn't taken out yet.

And last but not least the two screws in my ankle.



Pictures from my 2 week post hospital follow up appointment at the U of U Orthopaedic Clinic on 7/26/2012.

Taking off all the bandages!

I got to see my leg for the first time I had not seen it in the hospital cause it was always wrapped up and I actually was a little scared to see what it looked like!

It took two nurses and the doctor to get out all the staples and stitches there were close to 100 staples and about 15 to 20 stitches.

Tag team staple removers!!

Pictures from the U of U on mom's camera.

First day after the ex fix was put on.

Her phone became her life line to the outside world.

We came up with a name for the external fixator.
Rod-Knee
This brought her a lot of relief as it brought the lower leg back down 2 inches to its normal length.
It took some getting used to.  To think those pins sticking out of the top went right into the bone.
They would move her leg around by holding on to the rod.
Hard to watch at times.

This bed was amazing.  It had a lot of buttons, I got pretty good at, well at least a lot of practice putting the bed in just the right position to bring her some comfort for a while.

It was magical in that they could make it shorter, drop the feet, raise the head and she was in a sitting position.  From here they would stand her up.  The first time was a little intense.

Because she was so strong she was able to use the trapeze bar, this was a blessing.

We were grateful for the nurse who suggested it and got it on her bed.

Happy Birthday Andrea

More pictures of the staff singing to Andrea.

This made her day.

One of the nurses even sang to her in a different langauge.

Some more pictures from my stay at U of U hospital.

 

I was a very lucky girl and got to celebrate my 32nd birthday in the hospital. The nurses brought me a cake and then a bunch of them came and sang Happy Birthday to me it was so very nice of them. People kept saying how sorry they were that I had to spend my birthday in the hospital but I told them I was just happy and thankful to still be here to celebrate another birthday!!

Me eating my birthday cake with milk on it I know us Hatchs are kind of crazy that way we like to put milk on our cake. Mmmmmm Yummy!! Only problem with the cake is that it wasn't chocolate but it was still very delicious!!

Yummy Cake!!