More from Michelle:
“Sky more news from the surgeon. First person who has given it to me straight. Most likely Steve has lost function of legs and lower arms. Occasionally someone will come back from this but it is the uncommon and not the common experience. I will finally be at the hospital in next hour or so and glad to hold my love.
Praying God will be glorified in the midst of this terrible news and circumstance.”
Update from Miche:
“Steve is now thru surgery and doc has done what he had hoped. He’ll call me and I will have more info. Steve will have a breathing tube and be unable to talk. He will have a follow-up surgery in a week and after several days of recovery he may be able to transfer to a hospital in Dayton for rehab.
Rehab will be long but I don’t know if that means weeks months or years. More info when I get it.”
Email just received from Michelle:
“Steve is now entering surgery to realign neck which is broken and spine which is out of alignment between c6 and c7. They will know the extent of damage in particular to lower part of body after that. Driving and should be there when he gets out of surgery in three hours. Please pray for no paralysis and complete healing of neck and spine.”
- S
Steve has a fractured c6/c7 vertebrae and is in surgery now.
There are a multiple scenarios that this kind of break can lead to; the primary concern is permanent or partial paralysis of the legs, arms, or both.
It is best not to speculate now as more will be known in and out of surgery, and in the days to come.
Steve has a fractured neck vertebra. They do not yet know the extent of the damage. He apparently had some sensation in hands/legs… but was unable to move hands/legs etc. Michelle is 6hrs away from the hospital, and just talked to a nurse… the nurse confirmed the neck fracture but said that Steve had not yet been fully assessed and so they do not have a final diagnosis.
David, Steve’s brother-in-law, is a doctor in the Bay area and he said that the extent of injury all depends on where the fracture is, and on the amount of twisting and movement to the broken vertebrae that may have occurred, causing damage to the spinal chord. The extent of damage really comes down to millimeters of movement.
A best case scenario w/ a broken vertebrae is that the external, nobby portion of the bone is fractured and not the primary part of bone, as well as limited movement to the fractured vertebra. There are multiple medical options to minimize damage, but much is unknown at this point.
David said Miche is sounding calm and strong.
Will keep everyone posted as I hear.
Just talked to Steve’s Dad who said that Steve was in a motorcycle accident.
Heather, Steve’s sister-in-law, also emailed me and said “Steve did not have feeling in arms/legs etc and was able to talk to Mike. His vital signs are good. Mike thinks he is seriously injured.”
They don’t know anything else. The accident happened in North Carolina. Miche won’t get to the hospital until midnight… a 6hr drive. Will email if I hear any other news.
- S
I just received this email from Michelle via Facebook:
“please pray for steve. he has been in a motorcycle accident and airlifted to hospital 7 hours away. don’t know extent of damage. going now. need prayers! you may forward but please be discreet – no alarm. just want good prayers. xo”
I’ll email you all if I receive any news.
- Sky
