Disclaimer: Throwaway account used because of confidentiality.
First, I wanted to thank all of you wonderful human beings who work in the medical field. Without you, I would be in a worse place than I am today.
I had an unfortunate accident some time ago, and ended up in the hospital (well two hospitals, actually). I don't want to go too deep into the details, but while at work, a piece of equipment fell and crushed my right leg. I wasn't pinned or anything, but the way the equipment fell onto my leg, I knew instantly that it was broken. Only to find out it was worse...
Thank you to the doctor at the first hospital for admitting the case was too complicated for your team. If I would have been treated there, my outcome would not have been the same. It turns out, I had done much worse than just break my leg:
Comminuted fractures of the right tibia and fibula. Tibial plateau fracture and impacted proximal fibular fracture with large lipohemarthrosis. Turns out I had a nasty case of compartment syndrome... which you may know is limb-threatening.
So, off to the second hospital I went. Underwent emergency right lower leg 4-compartment fasciotomy, treatment for the tibia fracture and application of an external fixator. (That fixator was fun...) A second surgery was performed a few days later for: irrigation and debridement, plateau fracture internal fixation, right knee athrotomy with meniscus reapir and removal of external fixator. Also needed a post fasciotomy secondary closure with a split-thickness skin graft with three wound VACs.
This was the wildest ride of my life. I cannot clearly remember my frist week or so at the hospital. I was in so much pain and all looped up on drugs. But, you guys saved my leg. I am a drummer and cannot tell you how sad I would be if I did lose my leg. They were pretty sure I wasn't going to keep it... Months later, I still can't believe you saved my leg and I'm back to making a full recovery.
Any of you doctors out there reading this, your selfless work is not underappreciated. I wish there were more people like you in the world.
I have more pictures to share, I will try to upload them as soon as I can.