Sadder News

[Teddy Lancaster <Teddy@runningbear.com>]

Repeating the post of Tuesday:


> To all our friends:
>
> We made it home from the Biltmore ride in NC just
> fine, but yesterday, Ed went riding and when he
> did not come home by dark, I went looking for
> him.  No luck, so I called my friend Scott Mootz
> who came over and we drove to all the trail heads
> and road crossings. No sign of Ed.  We called and
> called, looked for hoofprints (in dry ground -
> hah). Found nothing.
>
> At 11PM I called 911 and by midnight,  at least 6
> ATV's, the EMT's, the county Sheriff's department,
> another friend, Rick Edge on horseback were
> assembled on my front lawn.  Since Scott knows the
> trails and I knew what trails Ed might have taken,
> Scott lead the search.
>
> At 12:30 the horse was located. Zach was on his
> way home about to cross a road when Rick spotted
> him and put him on his trailer and brought him
> home.  Another friend, Jeff and I took Zach to the
> barn to check him over.  He did not so much as
> have a hair out of place nor was any tack missing
> or awry.  It was then surmised that Zach had been
> on his way home for some time and that Ed was
> still somewhere deep in the National Forest.
>
> At 2:30 AM I received a call from the Sheriff's
> office stating they had located Ed and that he was
> conscious...that's all.  He had been lying on the
> ground, unable to move for at least 7 hours by
> that time. At 3:00 AM, Jeff, his Mom, Anne, and I
> drove to the trail heads and found the rescue
> squad.  There was a helicopter flying overhead
> with spotlights on the ground (well the deep
> woods) and we got the report that Ed was being
> stabilized 2 miles back on a ridge and was to be
> transported out and air flighted to a hospital.
>
> At 4:00 they still did not have him out of the
> woods and since the air flight was 5 minutes and
> the drive 45, we decided to leave.  Jeff dropped
> his mother off at home, unloaded the ATV and
> handed me his pick-up truck to go to the
> hospital.  I arrived at the Hospital at 5 AM, Ed
> had just arrived.
>
> He had hurt his back so they immediately took
> x-rays and did a cat scan which showed that he had
> fractured two vertebrate.  Since he had no
> movement below the waist, they did an MRI at 1:30
> PM today and determined that the spinal cord was
> being pinched.  The latest news is that they will
> attempt to reduce the swelling in hopes that the
> release of pressure on the spinal cord will
> prevent the need for surgery.
>
> Prognosis is that he will in all likelihood need
> at least SOME surgery to stabilized the
> fractures.  He is in the ICU Unit at
> Cabell-Huntington hospital in Huntington, WV (30
> miles away). Address: Ed Paige c/o
> Cabell-Huntington Hospital, 1340 Hal Greer
> Boulevard, Huntington, WV 25755 Phone number for
> the ICU Unit is 304-526-2385.  They will not allow
> anyone to talk to Ed and will only give limited
> information. Visiting hours are 7:30 AM to 8:00
> AM, 11:30 AM to 12:00 noon, 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM. At
> this time, Ed is immobilized and on pain
> medication.  Visiting is not advised at least for
> this first week.  I will visit him at least once
> every day.
>
> We live in what I call the foothills of the
> Appalachians on a small farm right on Wayne
> National Forest where we can ride all year right
> from our barn.  We stay to ourselves and do not
> know many of the people in the area. We often ride
> alone.  Ed was wearing his helmet.  The horse he
> rode is an unflappable and reliable gelding named
> Zach who evidently wanted to go home faster than
> Ed wanted to and upon applying the "brakes", Ed
> got flipped over Zach's head.
>
> I want to say that I was highly impressed with the
> caliber of the entire search and rescue staff as
> well as the Sheriff's department and the EMT's.
> Everything was handled in a very professional and
> caring manner These people really know what they
> are doing. The hospital staff has been very kind
> and informative with their major concern being
> Ed's comfort and well-being  I am deeply grateful
> to those who helped someone who is otherwise
> stranger to them.
>
> Needless to say, I have not slept much.  Those of
> you who know us, know we are almost constantly
> together and have our fair share of squabbles.  It
> goes to the depth of your heart when someone like
> this is so badly injured.  The bottom line is that
> one quickly realizes just how important their
> relationships really are.  I have not cried or
> worried this much in years and it is nice to know
> I still can.
>
> Please bear with me as my business, though not
> being neglected, will play a second seat to my
> concerns for Ed and his needs in the coming days,
> weeks and months.
>
> Please do not inundate me with e-mails.  Short
> notes are fine.  It is, right now, too stressful
> for me to handle anything more than absolutely
> necessary.  Those of you who wish to have daily
> updates, please let me know and I will include you
> in a daily report...at least for the next week or
> so.
>
>

Wednesday News:

I went to the hospital tonight and spoke to the
ICU supervisor.  I had been having problems
getting information because the hospital staff
does not give out any except to relatives and Ed
and I are not married.  I had already secured a
Medical Power of  Attorney, so thank goodness when
I talked to the supervisor, she is a rational
person. It is all worked out and I will have no
more problems getting information or being
informed.

I told them I had not had an opportunity to speak
to the doctor.  They called him and he came in
less than an hour.  I must say I appreciated the
man's candor.  He seems to be an extremely
experienced and capable doctor He was frank about
everything, but unfortunately the news is very
bad.

Ed's injury is permanent.  His 5th and 6th lumbar
vertebrate are crushed and there is no chance of
recovery.  He is permanently paralyzed from the
waist down. I must say he is taking is much better

than I am.  He probably knew how he felt and I
hold out eternally with hope.

I am devastated.  My only thoughts are for Ed.  I
have shoulders to cry on, I will survive, but it
is Ed that must learn to cope.  Since he is not
one to express emotions, I asked if he could have
some counseling in a few days.  I will seek some
myself.

We have been told about the rehabilitation
process.  It will be many months, preferably in a
qualified facility.  Most are not anywhere near
here.

Tomorrow they are implanting a Greenfield Shield
in an artery to act as a filter against any
traveling clots. This is a permanent device and
only requires a general anesthetic and a ten
minute procedure.

He seems to be doing very well, but since there is

no immediate urgency in surgery, they are
monitoring him a few days, taking chest x-rays to
make sure no infection is setting in his lungs.
He will need to be strong for the surgery as they
must collapse one lung in order to access his
spine, remove the shattered bones and replace them

with a mesh that will be adhered to the vertebrate

above and below those that are removed.  He will
be 10-14 days in recovery from this.

I will be with him as much as possible.

It is very late here and I cannot bring myself to
talk about this out loud.  Typing is bad
enough.  Please pass this on and let everyone know
I
will be there for him every step of the way.

Perhaps it is premature, but my thoughts are now
as to how all of this is to be paid for. Neither
Ed nor I have any medical coverage whatsoever. I
have
no knowledge of programs offered to those who
cannot afford treatment and the necessary
rehabilitation.  I am sure it is costly.  I want
Ed to have the very best facility with the very
best atmosphere and to be surrounded by good
people who can help him adapt, even if it means
being far away from me for a few months.

I will talk to the hospital in the next few days
concerning this and keep you posted. In the
meantime, feel free to offer suggestions or
do research on your own.  My bottom line is
Ed...his well-being and his future.

For anyone interested, he is and will remain in
ICU for the foreseeable future.  They do not
accept flowers (at least HE will not get to see
them).  Cards are welcome, no food as he is not
allowed to eat.  A simple note will make it known
that he indeed is not alone and is thought of.  He
is a private person with his feelings and maybe
this will help him come to grips with what he must
face.

Ed Paige, Room 5115
c/o Cabell-Huntington Hospital
1340 Hal Greer Boulevard
Huntington, WV 25755
Phone number for the ICU Unit is 304-526-2385.
They will not allow anyone to talk to Ed and will
only give limited
information. Visiting hours are 7:30 AM to 8:00
AM, 11:30 AM to 12:00 noon, 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM.

I will go to the hospital again tomorrow at 10 AM
to see him and should be back by 1 PM.

--
Teddy Lancaster

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Next Attending the Liberty Run Endurance ride, May
24-28, 2001

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If they are shooting at you, you must be doing
something right--

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Does this mean I cannot tell the Emperor he has
no clothes unless I have a Kingdom?
--
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Running Bear Farm, Inc.
1348 Township Road 256
Kitts Hill, Ohio, 45645 USA  -
http://runningbear.com/
1-800-533-2327, FAX: 740-533-0337

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