From: Gary Chambers
Columbus
On May 14 at 2:45 p.m. a little over a year ago, I suffered a life-changing accident in my workshop on our farm. The injury was to my right eye, caused by a puncture of my eye by an exhaust pipe. I had bumped into it while working on the equipment.
The accident, like many that happen, was preventable as some accidents are, but nonetheless left me with a 180-degree cut in my eye and the fluid inside my eye pouring down my cheek. I was instantly blind in the eye.
After taking a few seconds to come to grips with what had just happened and fighting off my body’s attempt to go into shock, I called 911.
I give thanksgiving to God and am grateful that everyone who was supposed to respond to such an incident did, and that made a difference.
The lady at central dispatch told me that she would not leave me alone on the phone until help arrived. The Elizabethtown Fire and Rescue, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and the Columbus Regional ambulance service all responded within minutes of my call for help.
Dr. Terrell and his staff at the Columbus Regional Emergency Department were very helpful. Dr. Terrell made a call to Dr. Robert Deitch in Carmel, at the Midwest Cornea practice, that resulted in me having surgery that reconstructed my eye that night, within five hours of the injury. My wife, son and daughter got me to Carmel that day.
On May 25 this year, I underwent a one-and-a-half hour operation, performed by Dr. Dietch, to try and restore some of my vision. As of my recent visit on June 2, I could see some of the letters on the eye chart and see how many fingers were held up in front of my right eye.
For many reasons I will never forget May 14, 2015, but the one that stands out is that I was blessed that day by many people who got me where I needed to be quickly, and that has now enabled me to get some vision back in my damaged right eye.
