MVA @ 120mph...

MVA @ 120mph...

I am a CNA and a nursing student (RN) and have worked at a hospital for 1 year as a CNA, been in school for that long also. Last night I got pulled to SICU for the first time ever (usually work on the skilled unit). I had the privilege of taking care of a friend of mine who I went to high school with.

He was driving 120mph and wrecked his car (Mazda) - was ejected from the car and thrown 150 ft.

He was in a coma for 2 days, woke up day before yesterday and came off of the vent. Josh has made remarkable improvement since the accident. My friend who works in the ER was talking about him when he first came in and how he didn't expect Josh to make it. Josh has an intra-cranial pressure monitor inserted into his skull due to head trauma, catheter, R chest tube, oxygen via nasal cannula, central venous line, and any other tube or monitor you could imagine. He has arm immobilizers because he tries to pull all these tubes out. He remembers me - at least I think because he can't talk above a very very low whisper. When he does talk, it mostly doesn't make sense. I and his father had to bathe him last night. I then had to clean him up again after he defecated all over himself in the bed. He can't move his R leg due to nerve damage. He's very confused. He can't track you with his eyes - you must get into his field of vision b/c he won't make eye contact with you. I'm not sure he's oriented to time, place, or person. Thanks God it isn't worse and that he's most likely going to have a successful recovery, albeit a very very long one. Josh is one of the funniest people I know - always smiling and laughing and joking - hope he doesn't loose that. He's still a big flirt with all the nurses. The song "Outkast - Hey Ya" was on the TV last night when I was in there and he was singing along.

I'm really scared for him - he broke my heart last night. This is all not to mention what shape his mom and dad are in, which is amazingly good for the situation, but still not all that great.

Be careful and mention him in your prayers?

Late,
Trav

Ouch, that's harsh when you know the person you are working on. Glad that he's alive though, that was a very serious crash he had and to be alive from that speed is very lucky.

He's in my prayers :wink:

yea seeing someone you know injured that bad is quite a shock.... i was doing a ride along for Paramedic class and we came to a car accident and i noticed it was my friends car and saw a big bloody bubble on the windshield.... kinda scary luckily he only had a mild concussion and a few cuts. makes me glad our cars have that awsome crash test rating tho