Posted on 07/22/2009 11:49:56 PM PDT by iowamark
GRAND PRAIRIE TX - It's another day and another surgery for Airman Colton Read of North Texas. Wednesday the 20-year-old had more dead tissue removed from one of two amputated legs. Read lost his legs after a routine procedure took a turn for the worst at an Air Force hospital in Sacramento.
Now the airman is fighting for his life and much of that fighting spirit can be traced back to Texas.
"He was mature enough not to get into any trouble," said Read's grandfather, Sam DeBrow. "He was older than his years when he looked at things," DeBrow said of Read's younger days.
Read spent much of his childhood and teenage years in North Texas. Part of that time was spent with his grandparents in Grand Prairie.
It was at Sam Houston High School in Arlington where Read excelled. Not only did he compete in three sports, but according to his grandfather, the then teenage Read graduated with honors.
"What I'm really impressed about is that he overcame dyslexia. He was a good student and always got good grades in school," explained DeBrow.
Once upon a time Read played football, wrestled and ran track for Sam Houston. But now, the 20-year-old faces his toughest challenge; after routine gallbladder surgery went terribly wrong. Airman Read's legs were amputated after his aortic artery was mistakenly cut.
DeBrow is one of the first family members to return home after visiting his grandson at UC Davis Medical Center. According to DeBrow, Read has been in and out of surgeries and often times when he wakes he must be reminded of the horrible mishap that cost him his legs.
"Sometimes he kind of knows. Sometimes he doesn't. You hate to bring it up once, much less multiple times", DeBrow said emotionally.
Doctors say Read isn't out of the woods yet, but his grandfather says, don't count him out either. "If any kid can make it, it's him!"
The family has created a website to keep the public aware of Airman Colton Read's progress. Click here to check out the website. There's also a section on the page to leave well wishes.
Colton Read family website:
http://www.coltonread.com/index.html
Earlier Colton Read threads:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2296694/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2298083/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2297892/posts
Prayers to this young Airman and his family.
God this story sucks. Pathetic worthless govt issued health care has cost the fine man his legs and still might cost him his life. Those who serve deserve better.
I’m still praying for Colton Read.
God does hear our prayers.
This poor guy - I had no idea until yesterday that he was requiring more surgeries, having complications, and not out of the woods by any means. Hang in there!
This is the stuff of nightmares.
Please God bless this fine young man and his family.
Please give him courage and reason to continue.
This is so sad, just tragic. Even a strong youg body has its limits. I hope they can keep any opportunistic infections away from him. Hopefully, this is the last surgery. Prayers for his family.
Prayers of healing for Colton Read and prayers for strength for his family, fellow Airmen and friends.
Praying for this man too.
Yes, In Jesus’ Holy Name I am still praying.
Amen.
Air Force docs generally suck.
The gallbladder and the part of the abdominal aorta that is closest to the gallbladder are nowhere near each other.
I have helped perform laparoscopic cholecystectomies. I can’t recall ever seeing the abdominal aorta on the laparoscopy screen.
There are many structures, particularly several large bile ducts, arteries, and veins separating the gallbladder from the part of the aorta from which the celiac trunk originates, which is the part of the aorta that would be closest to the gallbladder. The two structures aren’t even on the same side of the body.
Also, even in obese people, the gallbladder is fairly easy to find. Judging from photos, the airman is a thin person. Unless Read has some very strange anatomy, surgeons should not have had a hard time finding the gallbladder.
The surgeon performing the operation either had absolutely no clue where he was within the abdomen, was being incredibly careless with his instruments, or both.
I have also wondered how he managed to nick the aorta during a cholecystectomy. Further investigation in to the surgeons record is needed. It wouldn't surprise me if the surgeon has a record of screw ups either due to incompetence,falsified personnel records (ie: an impostor) or substance abuse.
For those of you wondering how this could have happened, keep these facts in mind:
1.Nearly all medical training programs start on July 1.
2. Odds are that a brand new graduate in training was given the opportunity to insert the trocar (Long sharp pointy instrument used to introduce the laparoscope into the abdomen.)
3. Medical training programs typically run on the “Watch one, do one, teach one, “ method.
4. Used too much force and the trocar over-penetrated, piercing the abdominal aorta.
5. “Everything exploded and the blood began to spill” as the song says.
6. Even if an experienced surgeon was immediately available, a situation like this can get out of hand in a matter of seconds.
I wouldn’t be surprised if similar incidents happen all over the US in teaching hospitals in July and August. I know it happened in mine.
I’ve seen it happen with experienced surgeons learning a new surgical technique (endoscopic back surgery). Fortunately, the unfortunate patient that bled to death was a pig and not someone’s family member.
I just stumbled onto this thread. BG: I think this young man is worthy of our prayers, don’t you?
Amen to that!
this is a tragedy....maybe no one is to blame....but tragedy none the less....
God Bless this young man and his family......
Did the autopsy include a smoker and barbecue sauce?
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