What a week at our house. It all started last Saturday, when Matt took 4 kids on the mountain to get firewood. I didn't think it was a great idea, but he thought it would be fine. I was not able to go with him, the webelos scouts were invited for the day to the Boy Scout fall jamboree and I was one of the leaders going.
I received a phone call late afternoon/ early evening from Matt, in poor cell phone range. Very out of breath, saying he needed help, that he was hurt and needed to get to the hospital. That was one of those phone calls that a wife/mother does not need to get.
He was cutting wood and while moving out of the way his leg caught on a branch, he flipped around and landed full force with his knee on a boulder. All the while with a running chain saw in his hand, which he threw out of the way.
After getting him to the hospital, they thought that he had broken his knee cap. But we left with a small cut from the chain saw on the back of his leg, and a knee brace with crutches. He did not break his knee cap but needed to have an MRI on his knee.
Due to a work injury about 3 years ago, in which a piece of metal punch broke off and embedded into his head just below his right temple. He was not able to have the MRI done until the metal was taken out.
At the time of the work accident 3 years ago we were not aware that the metal was in his head. About a year ago he had a dental cleaning done and they did a panoramic x-ray and that is when it was found.
Needless to say we had the metal piece taken out on Thursday. It was done in same day surgery, with Matt awake with only a local anesthetic. The Dr. thought it would be 10 minute thing, but over 2 hours later it was finally removed. They finally had to get a portable x-ray machine and took roughly 250 x-rays to help them get it out. It had gone down to his jaw bone and all of the facial nerves were all around it, so it took some time to get it out without damaging his nerves.
I was able to watch the entire thing, it was the neatest thing. They had his skin stretched out and pulling it here and there. I so wish that I had remembered my camera.
The metal piece ended up being just over a 1/2 inch long and shaped like an arrow head and thick.
They had to take it out before doing the MRI, because of it size and location. They were afraid because of the power of the magnets of the MRI that it would pull the metal out or push it somewhere else.
We will now wait for the MRI. His knee is doing much better. As the swelling is going down, he is noticing that it feels like it is unstable and wants to slip out and is popping. We have to wait until more of the swelling goes down before they will decide if anything is wrong.
Lessons we have learned from this:
1. Do not go on the mountain alone, especially with children and when cutting firewood.
2. always tell someone where you will be
3. No using a chain saw unless another adult is present.
