Scott Romo Medical Fund
Donation protected
****WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS**** On Tuesday August 5, 2014 Scott Romo was hit by a car while riding his motorcycle on Riverside Avenue in Paso Robles. He was rushed to Sierra Vista Hospital in critical condition due a severely injured left leg. He was immediately taken in to surgery to determine the full extent of his injuries.
His leg from the knee to the ankle had been crushed. The tibia was broken and had a section of bone missing and a crack running in an upwards direction from the break. The fibula was also broken and had fragments of bone missing. A large portion of muscle had been torn from the shin area and 80% of the skin of his calf was also gone. The injury was so severe that he was told there was a 50% chance his lower leg would have to be amputated.
The surgeons at Sierra Vista Hospital realized that they did not have the resources to provide the necessary treatment required to save Scott's leg. An external fixture was put on in surgery to keep his leg, ankle and foot immobilized. His surgeons requested he be immediately transferred to Stanford Medical Center for treatment in hopes of preventing amputation.
Scott was airlifted to Stanford Medical Center where he underwent three additional surgeries. The first surgery was to address the bones. Due to the missing section of bone, a titanium rod was placed in the tibia and plates and screws were added to prevent additional cracking. Plates and screws were also used to secure the fibula. The second surgery was for his ankle which was was affected by the fracture of the shin bones and the traumatic removal of muscle. There was also some damage to the cartilage. The third surgery was to perform a muscle and skin graft. The rectus muscle was removed from his abdomen and implanted into his lower leg. Existing blood vessels in his leg had to be attached to the blood vessels in the muscle graft and proper blood flow had to be established. Skin grafts were taken from both of his thighs and used to cover the large wounds of his lower leg. This surgery also left him with a 12 inch vertical incision in his abdomen where they removed the muscle.
His stay at Stanford Medical Center lasted two weeks. He is now home, but still has a very long road ahead of him. There has been discussion of future surgeries to make any necessary adjustments to the muscle and/or skin grafts. There will be many follow-up visits with his physicians that will require traveling back to Stanford over the next year. He is currently in a wheelchair and will be for at least 2 months. This will be followed by months of a walker and/or crutches at which time he will undergo a lengthy period of occupational and physical therapy to regain use of his leg, ankle and foot. Lastly, the surgeons have made Scott aware that there is a high probability that he will have life-long intermittent pain in his lower leg due to this injury. His fiance Leslie was at his bedside while in the hospital and is now home nursing his wounds which includes performing dressing changes twice daily, managing his medications and medical supplies and assisting him with normal daily living activities (personal care, food preparation etc).
Scott has medical insurance which will cover a portion of his medical expenses, however, we are asking for donations to alleviate some of the financial burden so that Scott can concentrate on his recovery. As you can imagine, the cost of medical treatments he has already received will be astronomical and there will be future expenses: deductible and/or coinsurance on future surgeries or procedures (ie. x-rays, CAT scans, labwork, etc), the medical supplies and medications he needs are more than $800.00 per month, copays for each follow-up visit and the cost of gas to make the round trip to Stanford for these services. This is just a mention of a few of the obvious expenses.
In addition to all of this, Scott and Leslie's wedding date is September 27, 2014. Scott will be at the alter in a wheelchair, however, we are all grateful that he is still here with us to marry the woman he loves. Please help to ease their burden and allow them to celebrate what should have been a most joyous time in their lives.
His leg from the knee to the ankle had been crushed. The tibia was broken and had a section of bone missing and a crack running in an upwards direction from the break. The fibula was also broken and had fragments of bone missing. A large portion of muscle had been torn from the shin area and 80% of the skin of his calf was also gone. The injury was so severe that he was told there was a 50% chance his lower leg would have to be amputated.
The surgeons at Sierra Vista Hospital realized that they did not have the resources to provide the necessary treatment required to save Scott's leg. An external fixture was put on in surgery to keep his leg, ankle and foot immobilized. His surgeons requested he be immediately transferred to Stanford Medical Center for treatment in hopes of preventing amputation.
Scott was airlifted to Stanford Medical Center where he underwent three additional surgeries. The first surgery was to address the bones. Due to the missing section of bone, a titanium rod was placed in the tibia and plates and screws were added to prevent additional cracking. Plates and screws were also used to secure the fibula. The second surgery was for his ankle which was was affected by the fracture of the shin bones and the traumatic removal of muscle. There was also some damage to the cartilage. The third surgery was to perform a muscle and skin graft. The rectus muscle was removed from his abdomen and implanted into his lower leg. Existing blood vessels in his leg had to be attached to the blood vessels in the muscle graft and proper blood flow had to be established. Skin grafts were taken from both of his thighs and used to cover the large wounds of his lower leg. This surgery also left him with a 12 inch vertical incision in his abdomen where they removed the muscle.
His stay at Stanford Medical Center lasted two weeks. He is now home, but still has a very long road ahead of him. There has been discussion of future surgeries to make any necessary adjustments to the muscle and/or skin grafts. There will be many follow-up visits with his physicians that will require traveling back to Stanford over the next year. He is currently in a wheelchair and will be for at least 2 months. This will be followed by months of a walker and/or crutches at which time he will undergo a lengthy period of occupational and physical therapy to regain use of his leg, ankle and foot. Lastly, the surgeons have made Scott aware that there is a high probability that he will have life-long intermittent pain in his lower leg due to this injury. His fiance Leslie was at his bedside while in the hospital and is now home nursing his wounds which includes performing dressing changes twice daily, managing his medications and medical supplies and assisting him with normal daily living activities (personal care, food preparation etc).
Scott has medical insurance which will cover a portion of his medical expenses, however, we are asking for donations to alleviate some of the financial burden so that Scott can concentrate on his recovery. As you can imagine, the cost of medical treatments he has already received will be astronomical and there will be future expenses: deductible and/or coinsurance on future surgeries or procedures (ie. x-rays, CAT scans, labwork, etc), the medical supplies and medications he needs are more than $800.00 per month, copays for each follow-up visit and the cost of gas to make the round trip to Stanford for these services. This is just a mention of a few of the obvious expenses.
In addition to all of this, Scott and Leslie's wedding date is September 27, 2014. Scott will be at the alter in a wheelchair, however, we are all grateful that he is still here with us to marry the woman he loves. Please help to ease their burden and allow them to celebrate what should have been a most joyous time in their lives.
Organizer
Leslie Saunders
Organizer
Atascadero, CA
