Crash...
Let's play catch-up.
At the moment, Nate is in critical condition in Intensive Care at Denver Health Memorial Hospital. The left side of his body is where the vast majority of the damage is located. He has several compound fractures and broken bones, including his left elbow, pelvis, femur, and his L5 vertebra. There is currently a metal device (almost like the head of a wrench) that is clamping his pelvic area together holding him still. This afternoon (Wednesday), Nate was given a blood transfusion, and as with any major operation, there are numerous tubes and IV's in and throughout his body.
Several surgeries await him, the first of which took place yesterday, and went well.
The accident happened around 10:15 Monday evening (October 2) when Nathan appeared to be going too fast on his bike and lost control at a turn in the road (pictures of the accident site will come soon). At that point, he became airborne, along with his bike, and crashed into a fencepost which shattered the left side of his body. The bike continued on and either hopped the fence or slid underneath; it's unclear which, but evidence supports either theory.
Luckily, people living in the homes nearby heard the accident, and one of the civilians on the scene happend to be a doctor, who took care of him until the paramedics arrived. Nate was conscious enough to give them his parents name and contact information. The positive news, however, is that Nate was wearing a helmet, riding gloves, and a protective jacket. Also, the hospital tested him, and no alcohol was found in his system.
It's still not clear how long he will remain in the hospital, but the general belief is approximately three weeks. At that point, he and his family will likely stay in Denver until he's well enough to travel, in which case he will return to Seattle to rehab. Because of the damage to his left leg, he likely will not be able to put any weight on it for at least three months, and he's not expected to return to school until the fall of 2007.
While the accident appears grim, the positive news is that barring any major setbacks, Nathan will walk again and have full mobility. All of his fingers and toes work, and his brain will function normally. He did wake up late Wednesday evening, and while the tubes in his throat do not allow him to speak, he understood every word we said, used his hands to give us instructions, and even had a laugh from his friend Nick.
I asked him if he was in pain, and he shook his head, "no." He also said he doesn't remember the accident, but that's to be expected.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment and ask, or give any of us a call. I (Derrick) can be reached at 409.313.0281, or Bev (Nate's Mother) at 206.459.6308. An e-mail address has also been activated if you prefer to use it at fixnathan@yahoo.com.
If you'd like to send cards, please feel free to do so, the address is below. While we are allowed to decorate his room with stuffed animals, cards, balloons, posters, etc, the nurse has asked that we stay away from flowers and food, as they attract bugs. Again, the address is as follows:
Denver Health Medical Center
777 Bannock
SICU #214 - Nate Mellon
Denver, CO 80204
Anything to keep his and his families spirits positive is appreciated.
We look forward to reading your comments, and can't wait to hear what you have to say. More will come when it's made available to us.
Be careful out there...
At the moment, Nate is in critical condition in Intensive Care at Denver Health Memorial Hospital. The left side of his body is where the vast majority of the damage is located. He has several compound fractures and broken bones, including his left elbow, pelvis, femur, and his L5 vertebra. There is currently a metal device (almost like the head of a wrench) that is clamping his pelvic area together holding him still. This afternoon (Wednesday), Nate was given a blood transfusion, and as with any major operation, there are numerous tubes and IV's in and throughout his body.
Several surgeries await him, the first of which took place yesterday, and went well.
The accident happened around 10:15 Monday evening (October 2) when Nathan appeared to be going too fast on his bike and lost control at a turn in the road (pictures of the accident site will come soon). At that point, he became airborne, along with his bike, and crashed into a fencepost which shattered the left side of his body. The bike continued on and either hopped the fence or slid underneath; it's unclear which, but evidence supports either theory.
Luckily, people living in the homes nearby heard the accident, and one of the civilians on the scene happend to be a doctor, who took care of him until the paramedics arrived. Nate was conscious enough to give them his parents name and contact information. The positive news, however, is that Nate was wearing a helmet, riding gloves, and a protective jacket. Also, the hospital tested him, and no alcohol was found in his system.
It's still not clear how long he will remain in the hospital, but the general belief is approximately three weeks. At that point, he and his family will likely stay in Denver until he's well enough to travel, in which case he will return to Seattle to rehab. Because of the damage to his left leg, he likely will not be able to put any weight on it for at least three months, and he's not expected to return to school until the fall of 2007.
While the accident appears grim, the positive news is that barring any major setbacks, Nathan will walk again and have full mobility. All of his fingers and toes work, and his brain will function normally. He did wake up late Wednesday evening, and while the tubes in his throat do not allow him to speak, he understood every word we said, used his hands to give us instructions, and even had a laugh from his friend Nick.
I asked him if he was in pain, and he shook his head, "no." He also said he doesn't remember the accident, but that's to be expected.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment and ask, or give any of us a call. I (Derrick) can be reached at 409.313.0281, or Bev (Nate's Mother) at 206.459.6308. An e-mail address has also been activated if you prefer to use it at fixnathan@yahoo.com.
If you'd like to send cards, please feel free to do so, the address is below. While we are allowed to decorate his room with stuffed animals, cards, balloons, posters, etc, the nurse has asked that we stay away from flowers and food, as they attract bugs. Again, the address is as follows:
Denver Health Medical Center
777 Bannock
SICU #214 - Nate Mellon
Denver, CO 80204
Anything to keep his and his families spirits positive is appreciated.
We look forward to reading your comments, and can't wait to hear what you have to say. More will come when it's made available to us.
Be careful out there...
posted by M. Derrick Davis at
1:51 AM
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