WHAT HAPPENED:
On the afternoon of Wednesday, February 25th, Nick went to work to finish up a job with a scheduled concrete delivery. He was helping grout dugouts for a local Recreation Center project. As he was tending to the grout hog that steadied on a forklift boom, the machine fell forward due to the soft ground and tipped with the machine boom and grout hog crushing his arm. He was pinned between the top of a block wall and the 8k+ pounds coming from the machine that was filled with a 3/4 yard of concrete on the load.
As Nick was pinned, he cried out to God to help him to remove his arm. Instantly, his arm was out while the machine still lay there. According to an eye witness, the machine was milliseconds from crushing his head.
His arm fell hanging at a 90 degree angle within his coat. He had feeling in his fingertips, but not fully in his thumb, nor fully able to move it. After several hours, he was transferred from St John’s to Cleveland UH Trauma downtown. He was in emergency overnight with surgery scheduled hours later.
From the moment of the accident all through ambulance rides, interactions with paramedic's, doctors, nurses, and even other trauma patients, God was proclaimed, shared and testified.
SURGERY:
Nick had surgery as successful as the Surgeon could have hoped for. With a long recovery ahead, he is believing God for a testimony of healing and on His time table, not man’s. The forearm was crushed and broken within the ulna and radius. The crushed bones fragmented within his arm were surgically removed. Neurolysis procedure was done and muscles and dead tissues were cut away because they were necrotic, meaning without blood source/dead. These muscles were removed because they were no longer viable. Several plates and screws were installed to reconnect the arm bones.
POST-OP/RECOVERY:
After 6 days in the hospital, he was released home to be with his wife and four children (ages 16 to 5 months) to recover. The fingertips have feeling and slight movement, but unable to still have full feeling on his thumb or mobility. He currently has areas of numbness in his bicep where he had a large laceration from the severe injury.
The forearm, muscle to his thumb has been torn with muscle deficit. His nerves were severely bruised, but thank the Lord not severed. According to the surgeon, this “bad injury” had trauma surgery “as good as we can hope for.” The muscles that were removed aided in the use of the elbow, hand and flexor. These muscles were important and some deformity occurred. Believing in God to regenerate and restore.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Surgeon and Nick will have a long term relationship for recovery. He has an inability to flex his thumb, as the palm side muscles were torn with a small portion of a tendon still hanging on. Possible surgeries to follow depending on recovery process could include tendon, muscle transfer or possible grafting. But no matter what, Nick is continuing to focus on God’s call on his life, and humbly walking in it with HIM.
WHAT TO PRAY: (specific healing in the following areas)
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” Psalms 100:4. Praise the Lord for His protection. Nick is grateful to still be alive, to have his arm, hand and fingers. Here are his prayer needs. Please pray…
- against infection and swelling
- full bone healing
- overall for the muscles
- feeling and movement to be restored
- full restoration and use of his left hand/arm including grip, fist and thumb use
- fascia to heal
A good friend of Nick’s shared a testimony his pastor gave awhile back of a gentleman who had a similar injury where plates and screws were used to reattach the arm bones. This man prayed and sought prayer from his church and fellow believers for healing and restoration. One day, this man woke up and the plates and screws lay next to him in his bed, and his arm was fully restored! Hallelujah! Nick believes, if it’s God’s will, HE can do the same for him. But even if HE doesn’t, all praise and glory to the Father!
WHAT WE BELIEVE:
God allows and orchestrates all things… And in all things, He works out for His good and for His glory! We are standing on the Rock for healing and a testimony of Jehovah Rapha, our Healer & Jehovah Jireh, our Provider, to do what He does best! Nick is reminded of the words in Luke 6:6-8,10 “Now it happened on another Sabbath… a man was there whose right hand was withered. …Jesus said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood. And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.” God is the same yesterday, today and forever, and still heals and restores!
SUPPORT:
“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; …”. Acts 4:32, 34
Your prayers are much appreciated and received. Your financial blessing/support will go to cover any additional medical expenses and travel expenses to appointments, therapy, etc.. To support for the ‘day to day’ cost of living for this family of 6 while Nick is unable to work. Your support will also help cover monthly bills i.e. mortgage, utilities, etc..
WHAT’S NEXT:
Believe in “Funded by Faith”.
Follow this Campaign for updates and news on how GOD is moving.
