Squeamish Need Not Read....

par·tial [pahr-shuhl] am·pu·tation [am-pyoo-tey-shun]

1. being such in part only; not total or general; incomplete:

2. to cut off (part of a digit of the body such as a finger)

.................

Who said Girl's Camp isn't dramatic?

Today, Calvin drove to Girl's Camp to help us load our trailer and get it hooked to our Tahoe so we could bring our gear home. (More about camp in a later posting.) He also brought Adam along. He had been there no more than 5 minutes when another ward asked him for help hooking their trailer to their truck. They were having a hard time making the ball on the truck connect with the hitch on the trailer.

Of course Calvin agreed to help. He's that kind of a guy.

Within seconds I hear the trailer make a bumping noise and Calvin backs away swinging his hand, as if it had been pinched. He grabs his finger immediately and says, (very calmly) "Oh that's not good. I'm going to need to go to the hospital."

I know that calm voice. He's trying to keep me from panicking.

So I panic.

I ran to the nearest group of Stake Leaders , yelling for the nurse. Unfortunately, she had already left camp. People begin scrambling to find First Aid kits, which were scarce because most were packed up, ready to take home. A small triage station was set up near the priesthood cabin and gauze was applied to the wound.

It was bad.

In a panic (and bawling), I grab his car keys and insist on taking him to the hospital, but I was also in a quandry. I had 12 girls that needed to get home as well as a trailer full of gear. My wonderful assistant and some amazing stake leaders jumped right in and offered their assistance so I knew everything would be taken care of. We jumped into the CRV & drove 50 mph down the gravel road to our hometown and the Emergency Room. (We made the hour long drive in 45 minutes!!)

I dropped Adam off at a wonderful neighbor's house and sat w/ Calvin in the ER. The cut was deep enough that it had reached the bone (warning: this is where it gets a little gory.) The medical personnel were calling it "partial amputation." Another technical term is "open break" because the bone in the tip of his finger was broken as well.

I was quite curious and decided to watch when the orthopedic surgeon came to stitch him up. As the procedure began, both Calvin and I wished that I had brought my camera with me (I left it in the Tahoe back at camp). The triage nurse heard us and brought back a digital camera that she said I could use. I took several pictures, most of them completely gory (and I promise not to post any here)

This is the safest picture I could find.

Anyway, the doctor was able to get Calvin all stitched up. He didn't lose any part of his finger, except the nail. I don't know how many stitches were put in. The doctor is unsure how the broken part of his finger will heal, if at all. It's in an awkward part of the finger that makes it difficult to treat.

Calvin is being very stoic and brave about the whole thing. He won't let me baby him or wait on him (he's a unique man, isn't he?) and insists that it's "only throbbing a little."

Poor Calvin wanted to go boating tomorrow. Instead he'll be sitting on a couch, with his hand elevated over his heart, watching me clean the house.

Exciting, isn't it?

**Editor's Note** For those who enjoy seeing medical procedures like this, I have posted all the photos in Picasa. Click here to see all the blood and gore.