WE4 almost killed, I must have all the bad luck I guess, For those that haven't heard
For all you that haven't heard, Yes I was injured again. This time I thought it was the end.
OCT 4, 2007
Doing a favor for my wife and child I was nearly killed on Oct 4. Cindy and Kendra were away in Texas and I was taking care of the horses. I let them out,about 8:30 the morning of Oct. 4, and as I was taking the last horse out to pasture, the gate clanked closed and the horse spooked. (This is a horse I have been dealing with for years and usually I don't even halter him). I was standing about 2 feet off the left side hind quarter of the horse awaiting the gate to close. As soon as the gate clanked while closing the horse turned 90 degrees, dropped his head and kicked , just missing my head and face with the right hoof,. I heard it go by my head and it just grazed my right ear lobe. For one thousandth of a second I thought "I missed that one" forgetting the other hoof was on the way. It caught me right below the sternum. Not being able to gather my wind or get to my feet, I was starting to look to God. I said unto him, "If this is what you had planned for me , so be it ", although I NEVER thought with all the crazy crap I do, that this was how my demise was going to occur. I succombed to God and told him I was at peace with him and ready to go if that was the plan. I can remember being above the scene looking down but not being able to reply. I can remember them discussing landing lifeflight in our next pasture to airlift me to a trauma center. I heard them say it was probobly going to be a DOA. Then, the next thing I remember is the girl that helps my wife with the horses standing over me yelling at 911 and crying . Then the next thing I remember was the paramedics cutting my clothes off in the dirt and $hit in the pasture. They claim I was without air for over 4 minutes. They said I was basically dead at that point due to lack of oxygen. They also said at 6 minutes serious damage can occur so I was very lucky. They got my vitals back and cancelled medflight and was transported by ambulance to UCDavis med trauma center. The paramedics said I was 'airborne" for
27 feet!.They also said if I would have been a bigger guy, either it would have killed me or at least broke my sternum and punctured a lung. They attributed my salvation to the fact that I am small as I am. I was in ICU for over 6 hrs and had, yet, another experiance I would like to forget.
Just riding in a car was very uncomfortable on the way home.
Overveiw:
Bottom line is I was actually very lucky coming away with only 3 broken ribs 2 on the left side and 1 on the right. Severe Contusion of the stomach and bruised,nicked, bleeding spleen and a torn abdominal wall. The spleen stopped bleeding so they did not have to rush me into surgery. If the first hoof would have hit me in the head, I would, no doubt, be dead. Most of all is the mental issue of this, as you all know, how hard it is for me to sit still. I will admit to all that I am behind and my guys here at PTS were great! I thank Adam, James, Kendra(my daughter) and my wife. They stepped up to the plate and took over while I was totally down. The hospital made me a deal that they would release me ONLY with a promise NOT to work at all and not even work in the office. ( You all see how well that worked
). I have been working with this but my stamina is nothing of what it was. I get tired very easily and it still hurts.
I will tell you that a sneeze, hiccup, burp, anything of the sort, just brings tears to my eyes. Eating has to be small meals 6 or so a day.
It really hurts.
One comical note... One of the trauma nurses said to me " Congradulations Mr. Toelle you will be giving birth to a catalope.LOL"
That is EXACTLY what my gut looked like. Swollen, a beautiful yellow tatoo of a hoof print and a belly that looked like I was pregnant with a catalope. The Ribs are by far the worst. Sometimes just moving wrong hurts and sleeping, well, that really really sucks. Haven't had a good night's sleep since the accident, even with the drugs. The drugs do help, but then I am a vegatable and no way I am working on equipment in that state. They say it could up to 3 monthes before I am "normal" again. (Whatever normal is, LOL")
The one thing that absolutly amazes me is the shear
POWER of that horse's kick. 17 hand horse weighing in at over 2000 lbs. I mean I have NEVER been hit so
HARD by ANYTHING in my life. 27 FEET it through me in the air! They measured it cause at first they had me DOA. You could see where my feet left the ground and then where I landed. They also cut off the only t shirt and sweatshirt I had left with no holes in it.
Bottom line is I thought I was helping the wife.
NEVER again will I volunteer to do anything with the horses without her being around.
What else scares me is I gave myself up to God. I was at peace and ready to go if that was the plan. He sent me back. Now, Did he send me back because it wasn't my time, or did I go to the WRONG place, if you know what I meen?
I would really like to thank all who called and sent emails (which are still coming in btw) and to who sent cards in lue of what happened. Granted it has been 25 days but it still hurts and I am limited to my abilities. I am so very thankful to ALL that contacted me during this incident. It makes you feel good to know others are thinking of you in time of pain.
For this, I THANK YOU ALL!!!
If you call and get the answering machine, Leave a message and I will get back to you. I will still be limited for a while but you all know me, I will do what I can.
Sleep has been , by far, the worst. It is very hard to get a long deep sleep.
We are back up and running and I still have good days and bad days.
The doctors say this is normal when healing. Especially ribs.
Someday maybe.... I will catch a break.
I will say this tho... "If we could ever harness the power of that hoof into a drivetrain, damn that would be one bad a$$ed powerplant!!!
Moral of story:
STAY AWAY FROM 1 HORSEPOWER!!
Thanks all and I will heal and be back!!
And again, Thanks to all who contacted me or will contact me.
I really appreciated it and it made me feel much much better!:biggrin:
Wounded again, But so very lucky just to be alive...
Bruce "WE4"
PRMNSGN@aol.com
916-952-9567
