Bryan "A 28-Foot Miracle"
Photography by Randy Bacon
March 18, 2015 will always be a day I will never forget! I had a work accident that only God could heal me from because of the severity of the injuries. I was to go up 28' to mount some conduit and boxes for lasers for our robots. I heard a noise and saw bridge crane coming towards me, but was unable to get the operator's attention. The next thing I remembered was my wife holding my hand as I sprawled on the ground - I didn't even realize I was in an accident, and I thank God He spared me the memories!
I'm blessed to be alive and doing so well after all of the injuries I sustained! My pelvis was broken in three places and bleeding. The doctor's had to insert coils there to stop the bleeding and use a six-inch screw to put my pelvis back together. Both of my shoulder blades resulted in multiple rotator cuff muscle tears and bicep tendons, not to mention my shattered right humerus which had four three-inch screws and an anchor inserted. Then I had to have second surgery to repair some of the hardware and have some of it taken out. Five compression fractures in my back later, and two in my neck, almost completed this nightmare list! I had to wear a brace for eight weeks while it was healing. This horrible list is completed with my a detached retina in my left eye and I sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
For the next three weeks I didn't really have much of a memory because of all the pain medicine. The day after the accident they were doing an MRI and I coded for 20 minutes before they got me back. I really don't have a memory of being down for 20 minutes other than people removing the chest area and making repairs using steel and pipe fittings from my point of view and then putting them back in place.
After three weeks at Mercy we moved to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska. When we arrived I was still on meds so my wife of 25-years stayed with me the first couple nights to get me settled in, then she went to her own campus apartment. She became my Certified Independent Caregiver while I was there to help me with transfers and daily needs. I am so proud of her! She had to make hard decisions and took care of me for seven weeks while I was in the hospitals. Not one time did she complain, and I know I wasn't the best patient at times, or so I have been told! (At least I was slightly entertaining I have heard!)
I was at Madonna one month for the TBI, which amazingly, went away rather quickly! The staff and people there were praying for me constantly! I could truly feel God's presence with me all the time. I am here to tell you God does miracles and I am proof of that! Also, remember no matter what happens there is someone else going through something harder that you may or may not know that may need you. I really want to make sure people understand from this journey is that God is the reason I am still here and all the prayers sure made me feel humbled because I had no idea that many people cared. It is so important to remember God still does miracles and most of the time they are closer than what you think! I hope this story helps and touches someone out there going through a rough time, because the outcome from my accident can only be classified as a MIRACLE and people are still praying for my recovery daily which I genuinely appreciate as I couldn't do without them. Prayer helps all. That is an Awesome God. That is the God that saved my life...the one that loves us all.