Help Nick recover from miracle arm re-attachment

Let’s just start by saying Nick is one of the hardest workers you will ever meet, as many farmers are. At just 26 years old he takes on a lot of responsibility at the family farm and also has a job with a local farm contracting business. On October 18th, he suffered a freak accident at work doing dragline in Baldwin, WI that resulted in his left arm being torn off at the elbow joint. He was fixing a kink in the large hose that pumps manure, and for some unknown reason the hose came off the ground, got hooked around his arm, and next thing he knew he was on the ground with only one arm.

Once Nick realized what had happened, he knew what he had to do and acted quickly to save his own life. Whether it was the adrenaline or the strength given to him from God in that moment, he was able to stand up, pick his arm up off the ground, and get back to his tractor to call for help. We are so grateful that his coworkers were quick to respond to his call as they did what they could to stop the bleeding and stay by his side until EMS could get there. He was flown in a chopper to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, MN where the surgeon made the decision to try to save his arm and reattach it.

The next day Nick could already move his fingers on his left arm. Needless to say, the surgeon was ecstatic to see this success after taking such a risk. Nick was at the hospital for 2 weeks, went through 5 surgeries that included removing dead tissue and muscle, a tendon repair, nerve transplant and a skin graft from his leg. Nick was able to return home on November 2nd, but his journey to recovery will be long. We all thank God that not only is he alive, but he still has his arm. Not all are so fortunate, but we believe God was watching over him in those moments of uncertainty.

There is no way to know at this point what the end result will be, but of course we are all hoping for the best for his future. What we do know is the next year will be filled with more appointments, PT/OT, and just trying to get back to what will be the new “normal”. He will be out of work for quite some time as his body heals and adjusts. Of course, even when our bodies need rest, the work never stops. The crops keep growing, the animals keep eating, and the bills keep coming in as life moves on around us. Nick is eager to get back to work, but until then any thoughts, prayers, and monetary gifts would be greatly appreciated.

Nick, family, and friends would like to give a special thanks to his coworkers, the medic response team from Western Wisconsin Health in Baldwin, to the surgeons at Regions Hospital who work miracles like this every day, as well as the nurses, PCA’s, and other staff involved in his recovery at Regions.

Nick, we love you and are praying for a speedy recovery.